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Playwright and actor
Novelist
Writer and poet
Volleyball player
Italian-Peruvian naturalist and geographer
Singer and percussionist
Last Inca emperor
Politician, former prime Minister
Journalist and TV host
Poet
Inca warrior
Actor and comedian
Biophysicist
Poet
Doctor and researcher
Businessman, Interbank group
Journalist and writer
Poet and writer
Singer and songwriter
Writer
Film director, Berlin Golden Bear winner
Football player
Writer and journalist
Doctor and scientist
Photograph
Chess player
Industrialist
Former general
Specialist in public health
Actress and singer
Afro-Peruvian music singer
Mathematician and engineer
Indigenous chronicler
Neurologist and anthropologist
Painter
Football player
National hero, military leader
Intellectual and reformer
Chef and entrepreneur
Fashion designer
Singer-songwriter
TV presenter
Marathon runner
Indigenous Peruvian chronicler
Theologian
Former national team captain
Economist and former health minister
Inca princess
Writer and television host
Folk musician
Poet and guerrilla
Former UN secretary-general
Chef, known for fusion cuisine
Football player
Peruvian aviation pioneer
Poet and artist
Marxist philosopher and writer
Industrialist and businessman
Novelist and ethnologist
Painter and muralist
Opera tenor
Fashion designer
Cardinal of Lima
Peruvian tennis player
Football coach
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Military hero
War of the Pacific hero
The youngest mother in history
Politician
Creole music singer
Tennis player
Musician
Writer and politician
Politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party
Founder of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae
Archaeologist and anthropologist
Military leader and politician
Television host
Actress and singer
Contemporary sculptor
Women’s rights activist
Beauty queen
Astrophysicist
Heroine of independence
Mathematician and archaeologist
Historian and anthropologist
Military figure and historical figure
Fashion photographer
Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature, Politician
Revolutionary leader
Environmental activist
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Musician from Gaia band
War hero
Military leader and politician
Chef, known for Nikkei cuisine
Volleyball coach and former player
Environmental activist
Television personality
Writer
Football player
Epidemiologist and former health Minister
Inventor and aerospace pioneer
Soldier and inventor
Rock singer
Chef and co-owner of Central restaurant
Painter
Football player
TV presenter and actress
Actor
Writer and historian
Journalist and lawyer
Archaeologist, founder of Caral site
Monk and Saint
Saint, patron of Latin America
Physicist and engineer
World champion surfer
Actress
Oncologist
Singer, Latin Grammy winner
Former mayor of Lima
Singer
Actress
Former football player
Painter
Former football player
Painter
Inca leader
Archbishop, saint
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Revolutionary indigenous leader
Diplomat and intellectual
Sculptor and painter
Political leader, founder of APRA
Lawyer and Former prime minister
Chef of Central restaurant
Former head of secret services
Popular singer
Fashion designer
Exotic music singer
Jorge Chávez Dartnell, better known as Jorge Chávez, was born on June 13, 1887, in Paris, France, to a wealthy Peruvian family. Although born in Europe, Chávez always maintained a strong connection to Peru, his parents' homeland. He was an aviation pioneer and is remembered for being the first person to fly across the Alps, a milestone in the history of aviation. His tragic death at a young age turned him into a legend and a national hero in Peru.
Jorge Chávez studied at the prestigious Lycée Carnot in Paris and later graduated as an engineer. However, his true passion was flying. At the beginning of the 20th century, aviation was a completely new field, and Chávez was drawn to the challenges and possibilities it offered. Determined to become a pilot, he enrolled in the flight school in Reims in 1910, where he quickly stood out for his skill and bravery in overcoming the technical difficulties of early airplanes.
Jorge Chávez's most significant achievement was his flight across the Alps. In September 1910, in an attempt to win the "Grand Prix of the Alps," an international competition rewarding the first aviator to cross the formidable mountain range, Chávez took off from Briga, Switzerland, in his fragile Blériot XI monoplane. Despite difficult weather conditions and the technological limitations of the time, he successfully completed the crossing and landed in Domodossola, Italy, on September 23, 1910. This historic flight made him the first person to achieve such a feat.
Unfortunately, Jorge Chávez's success was overshadowed by tragedy. During his landing in Domodossola, the wings of his aircraft, made from very lightweight materials, collapsed, causing the plane to crash. Although Chávez survived the initial crash, he sustained severe injuries that proved fatal. He died four days later, on September 27, 1910, at the age of 23. His last words, "Higher, always higher," became a motto that inspired future generations of aviators in Peru and around the world.
Despite his short life, Jorge Chávez's legacy endures to this day. In Peru, he is considered a national hero and a symbol of courage and perseverance. In his honor, the country's main international airport in Lima bears his name: Jorge Chávez International Airport. Each year, thousands of travelers pass through its doors, remembering the contribution of this young aviation pioneer to global aviation. In Switzerland and Italy, monuments and plaques also pay tribute to his brave crossing of the Alps.
Jorge Chávez was an aviation pioneer who, despite his short life, left an indelible mark on history. His bravery in facing the risks of early aviation and his innovative spirit made him a legend, both in Peru and worldwide. His crossing of the Alps remains one of the great achievements in aviation, and his legacy continues to inspire those who dare to push the boundaries of what is possible.