Fruitillar

View to Lake Llanquihue and volcano Osorno from Frutillar village

Countryside

Frutillar is a city located in the southern Chilean province of Llanquihue, in the Los Lagos Region.
Frutillar is situated on the banks of Lake Llandquihue, Chile's second largest lake. It consists of two population centers: Frutillar Bajo (lower Frutillar), located on the shore of the lake, which preserves its traditional German-style architecture; and Frutillar Alto (upper Frutillar) which developed around the railroad station and later the highway and is now larger than Frutillar Bajo. The railroad was built in 1912. In February, the town celebrates the "semanas musicales", a music festival celebrated for the people — one of the most important celebrations of classical music in Chile. Most of the concerts are now held at the Teatro del Lago, a cultural center located over the lake in Frutillar Bajo, which is still uncompleted, but already in use.

Soon after the first 47 German families arrived at the country by disposition of then president of the Republic, Mr. Manuel Montt on 23rd November 1856, the village of El Frutillar was officially founded, and today some 5000 inhabitants live there. These families came after Mr. Bernardo E. Philippi and Mr. Vicente Pérez Rosales, who gave an important impulse to colonization in the south, made negotiations in Germany. Among these first families we can mention some names like Wilhem Kaschel, Heinrich Uschel, Theodor Niklitschel, Christian Nannig, Christian Winckler, Adams Schmidt, who showed their spirit and laboriosity as brave colonists who imprinted their heritage to the following generations. They built their houses near the mountains, since the soil around lake Llanquihue was swampy, and decidedly devoted to agricultural labor, as well as to industrial activities, like a mill, a distillery, a tannery, and some stores where food and other implements were sold. Frutillar was an important lake link between Puerto Montt and Ososrno, what contributed to its rapid commercial and industrial growth and development. The railway arrived in 1907, the station was built and a small village was formed in the proximities of Frutillar Alto. Frutillar offers important cultural events, being one of the most important ones the Semana Musical de Frutillar, which has made classical music present year after year since 1968 with philarmonic and symphonic orchestras conducted by famous directors, chamber, choral and jazz groups, and important local and international opera performers. The German Colonial Museum was constructed in 1972 to pay homage to the brave German immigrants who arrived to these desolate latitudes and gave origin to choral activities with the creation of the mixed choir "Jacob Junginger". Frutillar has preserved the urbanistic style imposed by German colonists who arrived 142 years ago to settle in the area and developed different economic activities such as hotels, gastronomy, nautics, sports fishing, and other recreational and traditional events offered for the enjoyment of visitors.