Río Gallegos, Provincial capital in southern Patagonia, Argentina
Río Gallegos is the capital of the southern province of Santa Cruz in Patagonia, Argentina. The town stretches along the north side of the estuary of the river with the same name and serves as an administrative and commercial hub for the surrounding region.
Ramón Lista founded the settlement in 1885 to secure Argentine claims over southern Patagonia. Three years later it became the capital of what was then the Territory of Santa Cruz, which only developed into a province in the 20th century.
The name comes from a group of Spanish seafarers who were named after Galicia during the early colonial period. Near the harbor stand old corrugated iron houses from the sheep farming era, still inhabited today and reminding visitors of the first settlers.
The main streets run parallel to the riverbank, where most shops and public buildings can be found. Wind from the South Atlantic can be strong year-round, especially in spring and autumn, so pack windproof clothing.
On the riverbank during summer, hundreds of gulls often gather, defying the strong wind and walking across the pebble beaches. Their presence is a reminder that this town sits at a dividing line between continental Patagonia and the open waters.
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