Campanil, Bell chamber in Ciudad Universitaria de Concepción, Chile.
Campanil is a 42.5-metre reinforced concrete bell tower on the Ciudad Universitaria of the Universidad de Concepción, built by civil engineer Juan Villa Luco and inaugurated in early 1944. Inside are stairs leading up to a balcony at the top, and its design follows the Sather Tower at the University of California, Berkeley, which Enrique Molina Garmendia had visited. It stands at the foot of the Foro de la Universidad, the central plaza ensemble of the campus.
The tower was started in 1941 at the initiative of Enrique Molina Garmendia, the university's rector at the time, who had drawn inspiration from the bell tower at the University of California, Berkeley. It was completed in 1943 and has shaped the skyline of Concepción ever since.
The tower is the most recognized symbol of the Universidad de Concepción and serves as a natural meeting point on campus. Students often use it as a reference when agreeing to meet somewhere on the grounds.
The tower stands at the head of the Foro de la Universidad, the central plaza complex at its feet, so it works as a fixed reference point when crossing the campus. Visitors were once allowed onto the upper balcony, but access was closed soon after opening to protect the structure, so the tower is seen from outside. Architectural plans and construction records are held in the Archivo Luis David Cruz Ocampo.
The university's sports teams go by the name Los del Campanil, a nickname taken directly from the tower. This makes it one of the few campus monuments to have given its name to a sports identity.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,061 contributors worldwide.