Sewell is an uninhabited Chilean mining town located on the slopes of the Andes in the commune of Machalí in Cachapoal Province, Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins Region, at an altitude of between 2,000 and 2,250 metres.
Demolition was finally halted at the end of the 1980s, and in 1998 the Chilean Government declared Sewell a National Monument. UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 2006.
During the 1980s the remaining buildings were remodeled to house contractors. There are 50 restored buildings remaining and a history museum is housed in one of the structures.
CODELCO uses several buildings for offices, but only the basic facilities required for mining remain. It is not possible to access the area with private vehicles and only tour operators in Santiago and Rancagua are allowed to visit the site.
In 1999 Chile’s College of Architects declared Sewell one of Chile’s 10 most important urban works. There have been 9 books written about life at Sewell.
Chile Wanderlust 