Valdivia (city)

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Valdivia is a city in southern Chile, founded by Pedro de Valdivia, located at the confluence of the Calle Calle, Valdivia and Cau Cau rivers, some 15 km east of the coastal town and bay of Corral. The city administratively belongs to Los Lagos Region and is the capital of the Valdivia Province. If approved by the Congress, Valdivia could be nominated as capital city of the proposed Los Ríos Region.

Image:Valdivia Vista.JPG

Valdivia had 140,000 inhabitants (valdivianos) according to the 2002 census. The main economic activities include tourism, paper manufacturing, metallurgy, and beer production. The city is also the home of the Universidad Austral de Chile, founded in 1954.

The city of Valdivia and the island of Chiloé were the two southernmost enclaves of the Spanish Empire and administratively depended directly from the viceroy of Peru. In the second half of 19th century, Valdivia was the port of entry for German immigrants who were given land and settled in the surrounding areas. The city was also the epicenter (and most damaged city) of the Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960—the most powerful earthquake in recorded history. Debris and destroyed buildings from the earthquake can still be found in the suburban areas—land subsidence improved navigability of the local rivers, while destroying and submerging buildings adjoining the water.

1 History
2 Culture
3 Nightlife
4 Transport
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] History

The first european to visit the Valdivvias estuary was the captain Juan Bautista Pastene who in 1544 discovered it. Valdivia was founded in 1552 by Pedro de Valdivia, as Santa María la Blanca de Valdivia. At the time of founding it was the southernmost European Settlement of the World. Even though after Pedro de Valdivia's death the border of the Spanish Empire shifted northwards, to the Biobio River, the city of Valdivia remained a Spanish enclave, and along with the island of Chiloé remained the southernmost locations of the Empire. The dutch captain Henrick Brower (and later Elias Herckman) occupy the city in 1643. After that the spaniards decide to fortify Valdivia. Valdivia and Chiloe enclaves depended directly from the Spanish Crown because of their strategic importance to the Viceroyalty of Peru. Corral, located on the river entrance to Valdivia, became the most fortified bay at the time, with 17 forts.

During Spanish colonial times, Dutch and English corsairs tried unsuccessfully to capture the city. In addition, a Dutch attempt at a local colony was forced to leave after a few months, when huilliche natives broke trade relations with the colonists, causing a serious food shortage.

Even after Chilean Independence War from Spain, Valdivia and Chiloé remained loyal to the Spanish King. Chilean naval forces, commanded by Lord Thomas Cochrane, captured Valdivia (1820) but failed in his expedition to Chiloe. Cochrane's attack took the Spanish by surprise, avoiding a direct confrontation with the highly-defended forts.

The expansion and economic development of the city were limited in the early 19th century. To jump-start economic development, the Chilean government initiated a highly focused immigration program under Vicente Pérez Rosales, as government agent. Through this program, thousands of Germans settled in the area, incorporating modern technology and know-how to develop agriculture and industry. The new immigrants were given lands deep in native forests, there they were forced to cut it down to make farms and natives (mostly Mapuche) were pushed into reservations.

On May 22 1960, Chile suffered the most powerful earthquake ever registered in modern history, the 9.5 magnitude Great Chilean Earthquake. Valdivia was only 10km away from the epicenter. The earthquake generated devastating tsunamis that affected Japan and Hawaii. A number of Spanish-colonial forts around Valdivia were completely destroyed. Soil subsidence also destroyed buildings, deepened local rivers, and created the Río Cruces y Chorocomayo - a new aquatic park north of the city.

[edit] Culture

Valdivia is recognized for its uniqueness. Due its architectonic and natural beauty, Valdivia is known as La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South). Spanish and German heritage are harmonically combined and the city proudly exhibits its architecture, historical fortifications and reputed beer industry.

Valdivias most know landmarks are the two towers built by the spaniards to defend the city, known as Los Torreones. The Valdivia Bridge is also a popular souvenir motif.

In the last decade Valdivia gained prestige as an important cultural and scientific venue: the Valdivia Film Festival became the most important in Chile, and the Centro de Estudios Científicos moved near the Calle-Calle River.

[edit] Nightlife

There are several places to have fun at night, one of the most known is Scanners Discotheque (better known as "La Chaner"), in 2004 it was proclaimed the capital of the perreo in the Los Lagos Region. Even if the Scanners Discotheque is on General Lagos Street, it is the Esmeralda Avenue that concetrates most of Valdivias clubbing with locals like the 691 ("El seis"), it is popular for the free entrances for girls and women, and the Copadissimo Disco-bar ("El Copa"). Other sophisticated places to go are the Casona Verde ("El Mambo") which is valued for its alternative style and the sensual Cafe Venus.

[edit] Transport

The city is served by Pichoi Airport and the smaller Las Marias Airport. Valdivia is conected tho neighbouring areas by several bridges like the; Valdivia Bridge, Calle-Calle Bridge, and the Rio Cruces Bridge, wich was opened for traffic in 1987.

During the last twenty years Valdivia have improved a lot the conections to villages in its municipality, like Punucapa that only had conection by boat until 1987 when the Rio Cruces Bridge opened.