Castro

Castro - Photos: Eduardo Epifanio

f you pay attention to the landscape along Carretera 5 when you come to the island of Chiloé, you will verify that the island is the continuation of the coast range, interrupted by Canal Chacao, that separates it from the continent to the north.

Castro is in the middle of the island, which is 160 km. long from north to south.

To the west of Castro between the gulf of Ancud and the gulf of Corcovado, there are numerous islands of different sizes, like Caucahué, Buta-Chauques, Meullín, Quenac, Cahuache, Quinchao, Lemui, Quehui, Chulin, Apiao, Chaulinec, Talcau, Tranqui, Cailin, Laitec, Coldita, San Pedro, and others.

An important characteristic of Castro is its architecture based on the construction of houses on the water, called palafitos, which confer an unusual landscape, full of grace and poetry.

The main economic activity of Castro is fishing, complemented by agriculture. The production is for local consumption. At the end of the XIX century and beginning of the XX century, the timber activity gave a new impulse to the economy of the city.