Head of the department of the same name, concentrates administrative functions and of services of a wide and rich region of agroindustrial base that has been worth him the name of "the empire of the south."

It arose as outpost in 1750 in the south riverbank of the Quarter river, to contain the advance of the ranqueles and and fort of the Concepción in 1782, ordered by the colonel Felipe Mestre.

In November of 1786 the Governor Rafael of Sobremonte founds the "Villa of the Concepción of the Rio Cuarto " that gave place to the current town, headquarters from the Command of Frontier to the control of the general Fotheringham and from where the general Julio A. Roca planned the Campaign to the Desert.

Once finished the occupation of the pampas, its incorporation to the national economy was favored by the one spread of the brunch Villa María-Rio Cuarto of the Andean railroad (1873).

The original city had quick growth and it saved the barrier of the river in 1911 with the construction of the bridge cartwright.

The city presents today a profile urban town of buildings in height that will surprise him; in her it will find all the services that it can need, as well as intense cultural and night life.

It is headquarters of the National University of Rio Cuarto, the second in the provincial territory, created in 1971 and where 39 careers are studied.