Sewell Bashny.Net

Most of the stories of abandoned cities - is the epic of the noble miners' work, about life in the neighborhoods built where besides robbing Mother Earth, do nothing.

That, and Sewell - nice, cozy, but now deserted town in the Chilean Andes, at an altitude of 2250 meters above sea level.





Chile - a prosperous country with a stable currency and a high level of confidence in the credit. This is because Chile is rich in minerals. One-third of the world's copper is Chilean. Produce it here began in the 18th century. Mine opened and closed, the lack of Manpower was not, and investments generally came from the United States. Copper mine "El Teniente" (which means "Lieutenant") has been known since 1819, but at the turn of the century fell into decay, but was still a lot of ore. Therefore, the decree of Ministry of Finance of Chile, on April 29, 1905 has been very helpful, "Lieutenant" sold copper generals of the company «Braden Copper» (USA). Build roads, office and warehouse Americans revived the mine hired employees and provide them with housing. Processing Plant daily recycled 250 tons of ore, and settle in close to its miners. So in 1915, and there was a city Sewell.





The settlement was named after one of the owners of the company, Barton Sewell, who the day before he died. What's interesting, Mr. Sewell never in Chile did not have time to visit, but it was he who gave the nod to invest in "El Teniente." In 1918, Sewell has lived 14 thousand inhabitants.



The town grew up along with income deepest copper mine in the world. Single- and multi-storey wooden house situated on a steep mountainside sunny Cerro Negro. Their doors open onto a wide central staircase that rises from the train station. Architecture brightly colored residential and office buildings inherited the American style of the 19th century, then came to the city and modernism.







In the best of the houses, "Campamento American" lived a highly qualified staff. Lonely bachelors settled in barracks-style dormitories, and families were given apartments in 3 and chetyrehetazhkah. Any products ordered over the phone at the store there was no need, works as a courier. If you wish, you can sit in the restaurant or dance. Children of employees of the United States went to an American school, the Chilean malyshnya - Chilean. Once a week, showed a movie, and one of the favorite entertainment of miners and their guests were skiing. Believers attended church.





Earthquakes, avalanches, deadly explosion at a mine ... Despite all the beauty and wages, live in Sewell was difficult. Those who were richer and could afford to pay in dollars for the daily ups and downs used avtokarrilem - trams on diesel fuel, the most fashionable form of transport in the Andes. The rest walked. The difference in height within the city is 300 meters.





In the early 1960s, Sewell was in its zenith, but it happened irreparable, when in 1967 a controlling stake in the company went to the Chilean government, actively nationalize everything. Since the mine "El Teniente" by the time "vgryzlis" uphill too deep, the mine has become easier to take out on the opposite slope of Cerro Negro, where and by 1977 had moved 16,000 syueltsev.

Copper is mined here and now, but on a small scale. The city turned into a tourist attraction. Visitors from around the world meets and escorts bronze miner hat.



Despite the strict rules and patronage of UNESCO, the city museum Sewell suffering from manifestations of looting. Habit of taking things without permission "in memory" is peculiar to citizens of any country. Especially when you consider that for every tourist police will not put ...