Temuco, capital of the region of La Araucanía, is a city located in southern Chile, half way between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range, and at a distance of 674 kilometres from Santiago. It was founded as a fort in 1881 by Manuel Recabarren, chosen for its surroundings and location in the central valley of La Araucanía. Its ideal setting later led to the construction of an important railway station.

The city boasts one of the most important protected natural spaces in La Araucanía: the Natural Monument Ñielol. A hill which lies ten blocks from the Plaza de Armas, and examples of some of the last surviving species of the region’s native flora.

The city’s name comes from “Temuko”, a Mapuche term which means “Temus in the water”. “Temu” is the name of three species of tree native to Chile.

It has a wet, temperate, Mediterranean climate, with an average annual temperature of 11°C.