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Punta Arenas is the main city in the Strait Of Magellan and the capital of the Región De Magallanes Y La Antártica Chilena , Chile . Located at on the Brunswick Peninsula , Punta Arenas is one of the southernmost cities in the world. Discovered in the 17th century by the explorer John Byron , and founded as a city in 1849 , Punta Arenas was originally named 'Punta Arenosa', a literal translation of the English name 'Sandy Point'. The Punta Arenas harbour was considered one of the most important in Chile before the construction of the Panama Canal , because it was used by ships to prepare for the difficult passage around Cape Horn . Today it is mostly used by tourism cruises and scientific expeditions. The city is often a jumping-off point for Antarctic expenditions, although these days Ushuaia is the more frequently used port. Punta Arenas is the biggest city in the Chilean Patagonian Region. In 2000, it had a population of 120,000. The seasonal temperature in Punta Arenas is greatly moderated by its proximity to the ocean, with weather.com specifying average lows in July near 31 °F (−1 °C) and highs in January of 57 °F (14 °C). This is not to say that it is known for stable constant temperatures, only small variability with season. Punta Arenas is also quite dry, with only 1.7 inches (43 mm) of rain in its wettest month of May. Among Chileans the city is also known for its strong winds (up to 130 km/hour). Winds tend to be strongest during the summer when city officials put up ropes in the downtown area to assist with unique wind currents created by the buildings. Tourism Patagonia is recognized worldwide for amazing sights and wilderness. Interesting places to visit include:
The city of Punta Arenas has a rich history, reflected in places such as:
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