Mendoza: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Before being settled by the Spanish, the territory now occupied by Mendoza was home to the Huarpe Indians. The Huarpe were a peaceful, agricultural people, who established a clever network of irrigation channels ( acequias ) for growing crops that are still around today.

The city was founded in 1561 by Pedro del Castillo, leader of an expedition sent by the Captain-General of Chile, García Hurtado de Mendoza. Castillo named it Mendoza del Nuevo Valle de La Rioja, in honor of his boss, but only ended up staying there for about six months. In March 1562, a second expedition - this time led by Captain Juan Jufré - arrived. Deciding that the existing town site was not 'competent', Jufré took it upon himself to relocate the settlement slightly to the southwest. He also renamed it Cuidad de la Resurrección (City of the Resurrection). This new moniker didn't stick though, and the city's original name ultimately prevailed.

Settlers made full use of, and added to, the indigenous irrigation system, and by the 18th century, the region was home to many vineyards and a healthy wine industry. Brandy and olive oil were also produced and trade with other provinces burgeoned.

In 1776, Mendoza and its surrounding provinces passed from Chilean control to that of the Spanish-created Viceroyalty of the River Plate, and in 1813, the state of Cuyo (comprising Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis provinces) was created. Famous South American freedom fighter General José de San Martín was named Governor.

Settling in Mendoza, San Martín formed the Ejército de los Andes (Army of the Andes), who trained in and around the city before heading off across the mountains in 1817 to seek independence from Spain. In April 1818, San Martín's army defeated Spanish Royalist troops at the Battle of Maipú in Chile, and Argentina had its independence. The General and his men promptly set off to liberate Chile and Perú.

Being relatively isolated in the newly independent nation, Mendoza then suffered something of an economic downturn, but this wasn't the worst of it. In 1861, almost 300 years to the day after its foundation (and during Holy Week, no less), a powerful earthquake hit the city, killing one third of its inhabitants and wiping out all its buildings.

Amid chaos and superstitious claims of divine retribution (the quake's timing had not passed unnoticed) Mendoza was rebuilt and remodelled. Colonial architecture was replaced by low earthquake-proof buildings, plazas and wide avenues. Soon afterwards, railways were constructed and the city's isolation was alleviated.

Modern History

Over the following century, Mendoza re-established itself as a key provincial center. Though there are no vineyards in the city itself, it has certainly benefitted from the region's successful wine industry, and plays proud host to the annual Vendimia Festival (Fiesta de la Vendimia), a fun-filled and exuberantly kitsch wine harvest celebration that has grown in fame over the decades. The festival's highlight is the coronation of the carnival queen in the Parque General San Martín.

Recent History

Directly related to the region's wine industry (not to mention its proximity to the world's longest mountain range), tourism to Mendoza has grown at a rate of knots, and is now one of Argentina's most popular travel destinations. The city has also experienced a flow-on effect from neighboring Chile's recent economic boom. Old commercial and industrial ties with Santiago - practically dormant since colonial times - have been re-established and, with the proposed reconstruction of the Central Trans-Andean Railway to Valparaíso, Mendoza's Chilean connection looks set to get stronger.

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