The City of Panguipulli was founded in 1946, exactly 60 years after the first settler -Mr. Guillermo Angermaier- arrived in the area. In 1903, Guillermo was part of a Capuchin mission and built a magnificent two-tower church with the aid of priest Bernabé de Lucerna in 1947.
In Panguipulli, the waterfront treasures part of its history through a sculpture made by artist Osvaldo Peña: the Monument to the Founding Fathers of Panguipulli, a tribute to the Mapuches and Capuchins, first dwellers of this site.
In the Mapuche tongue, “Panguipulli” stands for “Land of the Cougar” or “Spirit of the Cougar”, a name given to it by those inhabitants who had children in this zone. Today, natives, Chileans and also some German descendants co-exist in this place.
At present, Panguipulli is a commercial and tourist location, highly praised by Chileans and Argentinians during the summer vacations. In fact, travelers coming from Argentina through Lake Pirihueico inevitably go across this attractive city.
Ever since 1954, the City of Panguipulli has had its own railway branch and in 1983, a road that borders the lake bearing the same name was built.
