Country Argentina Department Gaiman Elevation 27 m (89 ft) | Province Chubut Founded by David D. Roberts Time zone ART (UTC-3) | |
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Gaiman is a town in the Chubut Province of Patagonia in Argentina. It has a population of 4,730 as per the 2010 census . It is located on the lower valley of the River Chubut (Welsh: Dyffryn Camwy), about 15 km west of Trelew. Gaiman is a cultural and demographic centre of the main region of Welsh settlement in Argentina, known in Welsh as Y Wladfa Gymreig. The town was founded in 1874 by David D. Roberts and acquired municipal rights in 1885. The Central Chubut Railway arrived in 1908 connecting Gaiman to Trelew. The Gaiman Train Tunnel was built in 1914 when the railway extended to Las Plumas (Welsh: Dôl y Plu). Many people in the region have maintained the use of the Welsh language alongside Spanish. The annual youth Eisteddfod, a Welsh cultural festival, is held here every September, and Welsh teahouses (tai te; singular tŷ te) are numerous. The Museo Histórico Regional (Regional Historical Museum) in the former station house commemorates history of the Welsh community in the region. There are a number of Welsh Protestant chapels, of which the largest is Capel Bethel.
Map of Gaiman, Chubut Province, Argentina
Just 10 km (6 mi) to the south of Gaiman is the Bryn Gwyn Paleontological Park.
The town's name originates in an indigenous Tehuelche place-name meaning "rocky point."