Convert Square Chain (ch²) to Varas Castellanas Cuad (v.c.c.) instantly.
About these units
Square Chain (ch²)
A square chain equals the area of a square one chain (~66 feet) per side, resulting in 4,356 square feet, or exactly 1/10 of an acre. This unit is closely linked to the chain, a surveyor's unit standardized by Edmund Gunter in the 17th century. Because 10 square chains make an acre, survey calculations for early colonial and American lands were extremely efficient. Square chains allowed surveyors to map and divide land rapidly using ropes or metal chains, producing a legacy seen in long, straight property lines still visible today across rural landscapes.
Varas Castellanas Cuad (v.c.c.)
A vara castellana cuadrada is the square form of the Castilian vara, an old Spanish unit of length. While the exact length of a vara historically ranged between regions, the commonly accepted Castilian value is 0.8359 meters. Thus, the square vara equals approximately 0.69875 square meters. Square varas were widely used in Spanish colonial land distribution across Latin America, including territories that later became the U.S. Southwest. Early ranchos, town grants, and agricultural holdings were often described using square varas. Because original surveys were conducted with ropes or rods rather than precise instruments, slight variations exist between historic definitions. Despite this, Spanish-era land patterns still rely on square vara conversions for legal clarification of old property descriptions. This unit provides essential insight into how colonial authorities organized land, particularly in regions with mixed indigenous and European land traditions.