Lemuy Island

Lemuy Island
Native name:
Isla Lemuy
Church in San Agustín
Geography
Coordinates42°36′00″S 73°40′01″W / 42.600°S 73.667°W / -42.600; -73.667
Adjacent toPacific Ocean
Area97 km2 (37 sq mi)
Administration
RegionLos Lagos
ProvinceChiloé
CommunePuqueldón
Demographics
Population4,125 (2002 Census)
Additional information
NGA UFI=-888840

Lemuy Island is an island in Chiloé Archipelago, Chile, off the eastern coast of Chiloé Island.

There are nine villages on the island. On the north coast:

On the south coast:

  • Chulchuy. From here the ferry leaves for Huicha on Chiloé Island.
  • Lincay, with a wooden church dating from the beginning of the 20th century
  • Liucura, with a wooden church which was built in the middle of the 19th century[1]

On the east coast:

  • Detif
  • Puchilco. In the wooden church dating from the 19th century there are paintings by the Peruvian artist Miguel Gamarra[2]

In the middle of the island:

  • San Agustín, the only village which is not on the coast. The wooden church was built at the beginning of the 20th century.

As in the rest of the archipelago, the population of Lemuy Island were inspired by a deep religious faith and built 8 churches, each special in its own way. Some, like Ichuac, Aldachildo and Detif are more than 100 years old and have recently been declared World Heritage Sites, along with 15 other Chilote churches. Some have picturesque cemeteries with little shingled mausoleums.

  1. ^ Juan Mancilla Pérez: Pueblos de Chiloé, p. 52. Castro 2008
  2. ^ Juan Mancilla Pérez: Pueblos de Chiloé, p. 53. Castro 2008