Valdivia
View of Valdivia from the West in May
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname: The City of Rivers
Motto: Muy Noble y Muy Leal (Very Noble and Very Loyal)
Location of the Commune of Valdivia
Coordinates: 39°49′28″S, 73°12′48″W
Country	Chile
Region	Los Lagos
Province	Valdivia
Founded as	Santa María la Blaca de Valdivia
Founded	9 February 1552
Government
- Mayor	Bernardo Berger Fett
Area
- City	1,016 km²  (392.3 sq mi)
Elevation	5 m (16.4 ft)
Population (2002)
- City	140,559
- Density	138.3/km² (358.2/sq mi)
Website: http://www.munivaldivia.cl

Valdivia is a commune and city in southern Chile administered by the Municipality of Valdivia, founded by Pedro de Valdivia. It is located where the Calle-Calle, Valdivia and Cau-Cau Rivers join, approximately 15 km east of the coastal town of Corral. The city is in the Los Lagos Region and is the capital of Valdivia Province. It will be the capital of the newly created Los Ríos Region in october 2007. Image File history File links Valdivia_Vista. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Valdivia,_Chile. ... Flag of Valdivia The flag of Valdivia is a red saltire (crux decussata or X-cross) on a white field. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A motto (from Italian) is a phrase or a short list of words meant formally to describe the general motivation or intention of an entity, social group, or organization. ... Image File history File links Comuna_Valdivia. ... Los Lagos (Spanish The lakes) is Chiles tenth administrative region from north to south. ... Valdivia is a province of Chile located in the southern Los Lagos Region. ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... The or meter (see spelling differences) is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Population density by country, 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Pedro de Valdivia Pedro de Valdivia (c. ... Calle-Calle River is a river in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ... The Valdivia river is one of the mayor rives that drains southern Chile. ... Cau-Cau River is minor river in the city of Valdivia, southern Chile. ... Corral municipalty (red) in Los Lagos Region General view of the fort in Corral Corral is a municipality in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ... Los Lagos (Spanish The lakes) is Chiles tenth administrative region from north to south. ... Valdivia is a province of Chile located in the southern Los Lagos Region. ... The Chilean President, Ricardo Lagos signing the bill proposing the Los Ríos Region in Valdivia (October 19, 2005) Los Ríos Region (Spanish: Región de los Ríos) is the 14th region of Chile, created by subdividing the Los Lagos Region in southern Chile. ... Look up October in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ...

Valdivia has 150,000 inhabitants (Valdivianos) according to the 2002 census. The main economic activities include tourism, paper manufacturing, forestry, metallurgy, and beer production. The city is also the home of the Universidad Austral de Chile, founded in 1954. For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Universidad Austral de Chile is a university in Chile. ...

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 and sediments make navigation of the local rivers complex, with some ruined buildings still adjoining the water. Chiloé Island Location of Chiloé in Chile Chiloé Island (Spanish: Isla de Chiloé), also known as Isla Grande de Chiloé Big Island of Chiloé, is a South American island off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean. ... Military flag of the Spanish Empire from the 16th century up to 1843. ... Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) contained most of Spanish-ruled South America until the creation of the separate viceroyalties of New Granada (now Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá and Venezuela, the last-named previously in the Viceroyalty of New Spain) in 1717 and Río... Map showing the areas affected by the tsunami The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake (Terremoto de Valdivia in Spanish) of 22 May 1960 is the most intense earthquake ever recorded, rating a 9. ...

History

Prehispanic times (12,000 B.C.-1553)

According to the archaeological discoveries in Monte Verde, south of Valdivia (closer to Puerto Montt), southern Chile has been populated since 12,000 – 11,800 B.C about a thousand years before the Clovis culture in North America. This could eventually mean that the first humans on America traveled by boat and not crossed a land-bridge across the Bering Strait. Monte Verde is an archaeological site in south-central Chile, which is suspected to date 12,500 years before present, making it one of the earliest inhabited sites in the Americas. ... The Clovis culture (also Llano culture) is a prehistoric Native American culture that first appears in the archaeological record of North America around 11,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. ... There are several popular models of migration to the New World proposed by the anthropological community. ... Satellite photo of the Bering Strait Photo across the Bering Strait Nautical chart of the Bering Strait The Bering Strait (Russian: ) is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Russia, the easternmost point (169°43 W) of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, the westernmost point (168°05...

By the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, Valdivia was inhabited by Huilliches. Huilliche and Mapuche were both referred by the Spaniards as Araucanos. Their main language was a variant of Mapudungun the Mapuche language. There was a large village called Ainil, and Valdivia River was called Ainilebu. Ainil seemed to have been an important trade center due to its ease of access to the sea and the interior using the river network of Cruces and Calle-Calle Rivers, both tributaries of Valdivia River. Ainilebu has been described as a "kind of little Venice" as it had large areas of wetlands and canals, all of them drained nowadays. The market in Ainilebu received shellfish and fish from the coast, legumes from Punucapa, and other foods from San José de la Mariquina the richest agricultural zone in Valdivia. The only remains of this ancient trade is the modern Riverside Market (Feria Fluvial) on the banks of the Valdivia River. Conquistador (Spanish: []) (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers and adventurers who brought much of the Americas and Asia Pacific under Spanish colonial rule between the 15th and 17th centuries, starting with the 1492 settlement established in the modern-day Bahamas... Huillice is an Araucanian language spoken in Chile. ... Mapuche (Mapudungun; Che, People + Mapu, of the Land) are the original Amerindian inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Southern Argentina. ... Mapudungun test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator Mapudungun (mapu means earth and dungun means to speak) is a language isolate spoken in central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche (mapu is earth and che means people) people. ... The Valdivia river is one of the mayor rives that drains southern Chile. ... The Cruces River (spanish: Río Cruces) is an important river near Valdivia, Chile. ... Calle-Calle River is a river in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ... Cooked mussels Shellfish is a term used to describe shelled molluscs and crustaceans used as food. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... Varieties of soybean seeds, a popular legume Pea pods A legume is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or a fruit of these plants. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Location of the Commune of San José de La Mariquina Country Chile Region Los Rios Province Valdivia Founded as San José de La Mariquina Founded 10 December 1850 Government  - Mayor Erwin Pacheco Ayala (2004-2008) Area  - City 1,321 km²  (510 sq mi) Population (2002)  - City 18,223  - Density 13. ...

Spanish colony (1554-1810)

view of historical downtown Valdivia and Valdivia River from Isla Teja

The first European to visit the Valdivia estuary was the Genovese captain Juan Bautista Pastene, who officially took possession of it in 1544 in the name of the Spanish king, Carlos I. He named the river after the Extremadurense conqueror and governor of Chile Pedro de Valdivia as Valdivia River. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 524 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Valdivia, Chile Valdivia River Metadata This... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 524 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Valdivia, Chile Valdivia River Metadata This... The Valdivia river is one of the mayor rives that drains southern Chile. ... Isla Teja is an island in the city of Valdivia, Chile sorrounded by three rivers Cau-Cau River to the north Cruces River to the west and Valdivia River to the sout east. ... General view of the Corral Bay from Niebla Corral Bay is a bay in the mouth of the Valdivia River, southern Chile. ... Genovese may refer to: The Genovese family, the New York Mafia Family once ruled by Vito Genovese. ... Events April 11 - Battle of Ceresole - French forces under the Comte dEnghien defeat Imperial forces under the Marques Del Vasto near Turin. ... Charles V (24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558) was ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily (1516-1554), Archduke of Austria (1519-1521), King of the Romans (or German King), (1519-1556 but did not formally abdicate until 1558) and... Capital Mérida Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 5th  41 634 km²  8,2% Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked 12th  1 083 879  2,5%  26,03/km² Demonym  â€“ English  â€“ Spanish  â€”  extremeño/a, castúo Statute of Autonomy February 26, 1983 ISO 3166-2 EX Parliamentary representation... Pedro de Valdivia Pedro de Valdivia (c. ... The Valdivia river is one of the mayor rives that drains southern Chile. ...

Pedro de Valdivia received the news about the discovery and later traveled by land to the river described by Pastene, and founded the city of Valdivia in 1552 as Santa María la Blanca de Valdivia. At the time of the founding it was the most Southern European settlement of the world. After Pedro de Valdivia's death, war with the Mapuches, called the War of Arauco, intensified as the Spanish made many attemps to defeat the Mapuche and defend the cities and forts built on their territory. Mapuche (Mapudungun; Che, People + Mapu, of the Land) are the original Amerindian inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Southern Argentina. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

After the Disaster of Curalaba in 1598 in which the entire Spanish army was defeated and the governor killed by the Mapuches, the Kingdom of Chile was left defenseless. Mapuches proceeded to destroy all the Spanish settlements and forts in their lands in what came to be known as the Destruction of the Seven Cities. On 24 November 1599 Mapuches sacked and destroyed Valdivia. The border of the Spanish Empire shifted north of the Bío-Bío River, while the city of Valdivia remained a Spanish enclave surrounded by native Huilliche territory, and along with the island of Chiloé continued to be the Southernmost colonies of the Empire. Eleven days after the first destruction of Valdivia, a group of 270 Spanish soldiers arrived from Perú. The commander of the troops, colonel Francisco del Campo became convinced that the city of Valdivia needed to be repopulated. The 13 March of 1602 captain Francisco Hernández Ortiz established a fort in the ruins of the city. On September 24th the natives attacked the fort unsuccessfully, but laid siege. The Spaniards could not acquire food or supplies, and on 3 February 1604 abandoned the fort, with the last starving survivors rescued by ship. The Disaster of Curalaba is the name given to a battle (or surprise attack) between spanish conquerors led by Martín García Oñez de Loyola and Mapuche people led by Pelantaru on a place called Curalaba (witch means broken stone in Mapudungun), in southern Chile. ... Events January 7 - Boris Godunov seizes the throne of Russia following the death of his brother-in-law, Tsar Feodor I. April 13 - Edict of Nantes - Henry IV of France grants French Huguenots equal rights with Catholics. ... Maximum extension of the Captaincy The Kingdom of Chile (Spanish: Reino de Chile), also known as the Captaincy General of Chile (Capitanía General de Chile), was an administrative territory of the Spanish Empire from 1541 to 1818, the year in which it declared itself independent, converting itself into the... November 24 is the 328th day (329th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1599 was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Bío-Bío at Concepción close to where it meets the sea The Bio-Bio River is a river in Chile. ... Chiloé Island Location of Chiloé in Chile Chiloé Island (Spanish: Isla de Chiloé), also known as Isla Grande de Chiloé Big Island of Chiloé, is a South American island off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean. ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... This page is about the year. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events January 14 – Hampton Court conference with James I of England, the Anglican bishops and representatives of Puritans September 20 – Capture of Ostend by Spanish forces under Ambrosio Spinola after a three year siege. ...

The Dutch governor of the East Indies Hendrik Brouwer, learned about the situation in Valdivia, and decided to establish a base there for further attacks against the Viceroy of Peru. This plan was well accepted as the Netherlands was at war with Spain. The Dutch had previously taken the North of Brazil from the Spanish-Portuguese crown, and the idea of creating a South American empire was attractive. In spite of his advanced age, Hendrik Brouwer left his post as governor in the East Indies to personally lead the expedition. The Indies, on the display globe of the Field Museum, Chicago The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term used to describe lands of South and South-East Asia, occupying all of the former British India, the present Indian Union, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and... Hendrick Brouwer (1580 - 1643) was a Dutch sea explorer. ... The Battle of Alcântara, in Portugal (1580), occurred between the Spanish invaders, commanded by Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alva, and the Portuguese Army, during the Portuguese dynastic crisis of the 16th century. ...

The Dutch fleet destroyed the Fort of Carelmapu and the city of Castro before arriving at Corral Bay at the mouth of the Valdivia River. Hendrik Brouwer died in Puerto Inglés while waiting for spring to sail North to Valdivia. Elias Herckman was appointed commander and finally occupied the ruins of Valdivia in 1643. The Dutch did not find the gold mines they expected to find and the hostility of the natives forced them to leave on 28 October, 1643. Later the Spanish decided to again populate Valdivia and fortify it once for all. The Valdivia and Chiloé enclaves were placed directly under the control of 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. Castro is a city in southern Chile, in Region X Los Lagos. ... // Events January 21 - Abel Tasman discovers Tonga February 6 - Abel Tasman discovers the Fiji islands. ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... Corral municipalty (red) in Los Lagos Region General view of the fort in Corral Corral is a municipality in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ...

Independence and growth (1811-1959)

Self governing juntas appeared in Spanish America and Spain after Napoleon occupied Spain and held the Spanish king Fernando VII captive. Many juntas, as was the case of Chile, declared plans to rule their territory in the absence of the legitimate king. At the time of the first governing junta of Chile in 1810 the Valdivian governor, the Irishman Albert Alexander Eagar, led the celebration of what they saw as an affirmation of the legitimacy of the Spanish king. However, Valdivian independentists, such a Camilo Henríquez, perceive the opportunity to gain absolute independence from Spain, organized a coup on 1 November of 1811, and joined other Chilean cities that were already revolting against the old order. Four months after the coup, on 16 March of 1812 a counterrevolutionary coup took control of the city and created a War Council. The War Council decided to break trade relations with mainland Chile and confirmed Valdivia's loyalty to the Spanish government. Spanish colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in the Americas of Christopher Columbus in 1492. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Ferdinand VII (October 14, 1784 - September 29, 1833) was King of Spain from 1813 to 1833. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Irish ethnicity is common in the world, as many people are descended from Ireland or share an Irish heritage. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (76th in leap years). ... For the overture by Tchaikovsky, see 1812 Overture; For the wars, see War of 1812 (USA - United Kingdom) or Patriotic War of 1812 (France - Russia) For the Siberia Airlines plane crashed over the Black Sea on October 4, 2001, see Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 1812 was a leap year starting...

Even after several defeats of the Spanish troops during the Chilean Independence War, Valdivia and Chiloé remained loyal to the Spanish King. By 1820 the newly created Chilean Navy, commanded by Lord Thomas Cochrane, captured Valdivia, but failed in his expedition to liberate Chiloé. Cochrane's attack took the Spanish by surprise, avoiding a direct confrontation with the highly-defended forts at the entrance to Valdivia River. Combatants Chile Argentina Spain Commanders José Miguel Carrera Bernardo OHiggins José de San Martín Antonio Pareja Gabino Gaínza Mariano Osorio Casualties Unknown 1,000 Killed or Wounded, 2,000 Prisoners The independence of Chile from Spain was officially achieved on February 12, 1818. ... Chiloé Island Location of Chiloé in Chile Chiloé Island (Spanish: Isla de Chiloé), also known as Isla Grande de Chiloé Big Island of Chiloé, is a South American island off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean. ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Chilean Navy Jack The Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) is the naval force of Chile. ... Thomas Alexander Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, GCB (14 December 1775 – 31 October 1860), styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831[1] , was a politician and naval adventurer. ... Combatants Spanish troops Chilean troops Commanders Colonel Manuel Montoya Admiral Thomas Alexander Cochrane Strength 1. ...

At the beginning of the Chilean republic, Valdivia was incorporated as one of the eight provinces of Chile. Chilean Supreme Director, and Libertador, Bernardo O'Higgins founded the city of La Unión south of Valdivia in 1821, to secure the way to Osorno, city that had been repopulated in 1796 by his father Ambrosio O'Higgins. Libertadores (Spanish, Liberators) refers to the leaders of the revolutions which gained the nations of Latin America independence from Spain and Portugal. ... Bernardo OHiggins Riquelme (August 20, 1778 – October 24, 1842), South American independence leader, was one of the commanders – together with José de San Martín – of the military forces that freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. ... La Unión is a city and municipality in Valdivia Province, in southern Chile founded during the government of Bernardo OHiggins, to secure sovereignty over the Central Valley south of Valdivia. ... The coronation banquet for George IV 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Osorno is a city in the Chilean Los Lagos Region, which lies on the Pan-American Highway about 100 km north of Puerto Montt. ... Year 1796 (MDCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Ambrosio OHiggins (1720? - 1801) was born Ambrose OHiggins (Ó hUigínn, in gaelic) in Ballinary, a townland on the shores of Lough Arrow, in County Sligo, Ireland. ...

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 then-modern technology and know-how to develop agriculture and industry. Some of the new immigrants stayed in Valdivia but others were given forested land, which they cut down to turn into farms^[1] while native Mapuche and Huilliche) were pushed into reservations. Mapuche (Mapudungun; Che, People + Mapu, of the Land) are the original Amerindian inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Southern Argentina. ... Huillice is an Araucanian language spoken in Chile. ... Reservation may refer to: Reservation, a tract of land set apart for a special purpose: an area for indigenous peoples to live in: Indian reservation Indian reserve (in Canada) Reservation, an area where hunting animals is not permitted. ...

Valdivia prospered with industries, including shipyards, the Hoffmann Gristmill, the Rudloff shoe factory and many more. The steel mills of Corral were the biggest recorded private investment in Chile at the time, and were the first steel mills in South America. In 1891 Valdivia became a comune according to a law that created that subdivisions in Chile. After that the Malleco Viaduct had been built in 1890 the railroads advanced further south reaching Valdivia in 1895. The first train with passengers arrived in 1899. Gristmill with water wheel, Skyline Drive, VA, 1938 A gristmill is a building where grain is ground into flour. ... A steel mill at the turn of the century in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania A steel mill (British English and Australian English steelworks) is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. ... Corral municipalty (red) in Los Lagos Region General view of the fort in Corral Corral is a municipality in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... In Italy, the comune, (plural comuni) is the basic administrative unit of both provinces and regions, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality. ... Malleco Viaduct. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ...

The prosperity of Valdivia continued throughout the first half of the 19th Century, on 1917 the first "Valdivian Week" (Spanish: Semana Valdiviana) was celebrated, with that the city started be an early tourism centre in Chile, lot of songs named Valdivia and the Calle-Calle River became well known in Chilean popular culture. The Pedro de Valdivia Bridge that crossed the Valdivia River was built in 1939. Valdivia came to be the third most important industrial centre in Chile after the capital Santiago and the main port city, Valparaíso. 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... Calle-Calle River is a river in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... Satellite image of Santiago Santiago (full form Santiago de Chile) is the capital of Chile. ... Port of Valparaíso, Chile Valparaíso is an important Chilean seaport and an increasingly vital cultural center. ...

Great Chilean Earthquake and Valdivia in Los Lagos Region (1960-2006)

Main articles Great Chilean Earthquake, Riñihuazo, Los Ríos Region.

On May 22, 1960, south-central Chile suffered the most powerful earthquake in modern history, the 9.5 magnitude Great Chilean Earthquake, with Valdivia only 10km from its epicenter. The earthquake generated devastating tsunamis that affected Japan and Hawaii. Spanish-colonial forts around Valdivia were completely destroyed, while soil subsidence destroyed buildings, deepened local rivers, and created wetlands of the Río Cruces y Chorocomayo - a new aquatic park north of the city. Map showing the areas affected by the tsunami The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake (Terremoto de Valdivia in Spanish) of 22 May 1960 is the most intense earthquake ever recorded, rating a 9. ... The Riñihuazo is the name given to the damming of Riñihue Lake after that during Great Chilean Earthquake a landslide blocked its outflow. ... The Chilean President, Ricardo Lagos signing the bill proposing the Los Ríos Region in Valdivia (October 19, 2005) Los Ríos Region (Spanish: Región de los Ríos) is the 14th region of Chile, created by subdividing the Los Lagos Region in southern Chile. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... An earthquake is the result from the sudden release of stored energy in the Earths crust that creates seismic waves. ... The moment magnitude scale (a successor to the Richter Scale), was introduced in 1979 by Tom Hanks and Hiroo Kanamori and is used by seismologists to compare the energy released by earthquakes. ... Map showing the areas affected by the tsunami The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake (Terremoto de Valdivia in Spanish) of 22 May 1960 is the most intense earthquake ever recorded, rating a 9. ... The epicenter is directly above the earthquakes focus. ... The tsunami that struck Malé in the Maldives on December 26, 2004. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Cruces River (spanish: Río Cruces) is an important river near Valdivia, Chile. ...

Large sections of the city flooded after the earthquake, and a landslide near the Tralcan Mount dammed the Riñihue Lake. Water levels in Lake Riñihue rose more than 20 meters, raising the danger of a catastrophic break and of destroying everything downriver. Government authorities drew plans for evacuating the city, but many people left on their own. Danger to the city was reduced after a large team of workers was able to open a drainage channel in the landslide, allowing water levels of the lake to slowly reduce to normal levels. There is evidence that a similar landslide and earthquake happened in 1575. Tralcan (Thunder in mapudungun) is a mount near Riñihue Lake in southern, Chile. ... The Riñihuazo is the name given to the damming of Riñihue Lake after that during Great Chilean Earthquake a landslide blocked its outflow. ... Year 1575 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ...

After the Great Chilean Earthquake Valdivia's economy and political status declined. Much of the city was destroyed and many people left. By 1974, the military junta reorganized the political divisions of Chile and decided that Valdivia would no longer be a first class administrative territory capital. Because of this, it was declared a province of the Los Lagos Region in which Puerto Montt was to be the regional capital. Many Valdivians resented the decision, and feel theirs should be the legitimate regional capital. While Valdivia was founded in 1552, and had resisted pirate attacks, hostile natives and several earthquakes since then, Puerto Montt was a relatively new city founded in 1853 (three hundred and one years later). Map showing the areas affected by the tsunami The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake (Terremoto de Valdivia in Spanish) of 22 May 1960 is the most intense earthquake ever recorded, rating a 9. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Los Lagos (Spanish The lakes) is Chiles tenth administrative region from north to south. ... Puerto Montt Puerto Montt is a port city in southern Chile, located by the Reloncaví Sound, and is the capital of the Llanquihue Province and the Los Lagos Region, at . ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... General view of the fort in Niebla The Corral Bay Forts was a series of fortification in Corral Bay, made to protect the city of Valdivia, Chile. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Culture

A typical "postal card" view of Valdivia from Pedro de Valdivia Bridge

Valdivia is promoted for its unique characteristics, that make it different from other cities in Chile: Valdivia has an early Spanish colonial past, plus a later history of German colonization. Both eras lef visible landmarks such as the forts of Corral Bay and the German-style wood houses. Valdivia is generally seen as a tourist magnet in Chile, and sometimes described as La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South) and as La ciudad mas linda de Chile (Chile's most beautiful city). In recent years Valdivians have showed an increasing interest in nature and ecotourism. An example of this was the formation of Accion por los Cisnes an ecologist group formed to protect black-necked swans and the natural environment that surrounds the city, particularly wetlands created by the Great Chilean Earthquake. With the founding of Universidad Austral in 1954 and the arrival of the CECS research center, Valdivia is now considered a major research center in Chile, particularly in areas related to nature such a Glaciology and Ecology. The Great Chilean Earthquake and the national government's creation of the Los Lagos Region were difficult for Valdivian society. Valdivians resented to be punished first by a major earthquake and then by being placed under the administration of what they perceived to be a less-deserving city, Puerto Montt. The recent creation of political entity of the Los Rios Region, with headquarters in Valdivia, reduced the previous stigma. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixelsFull resolution (1000 × 665 pixel, file size: 110 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Valdivia, Chile Metadata This file contains... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixelsFull resolution (1000 × 665 pixel, file size: 110 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Valdivia, Chile Metadata This file contains... Niebla Forts former headquarter (now a museum), during a representation of the capture of Valdivia The main fort in Corral The Valdivian fort system was a series of fortification in Corral Bay, Valdivia and Cruces River made to protect the city of Valdivia, Chile. ... Ecotourism means ecological tourism, where ecological has both environmental and social connotations. ... Map showing the areas affected by the tsunami The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake (Terremoto de Valdivia in Spanish) of 22 May 1960 is the most intense earthquake ever recorded, rating a 9. ... IAE is the Management and Business School of the Universidad Austral, with 25 years of experience in the education of business executives in South America. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Computer Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) and Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) are names of majors at colleges and universities that involve both the subject of computer engineering and computer science. ... Lateral moraine on a glacier joining the Gorner Glacier, Zermatt, Switzerland. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Map showing the areas affected by the tsunami The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake (Terremoto de Valdivia in Spanish) of 22 May 1960 is the most intense earthquake ever recorded, rating a 9. ... Los Lagos (Spanish The lakes) is Chiles tenth administrative region from north to south. ... Puerto Montt Puerto Montt is a port city in southern Chile, located by the Reloncaví Sound, and is the capital of the Llanquihue Province and the Los Lagos Region, at . ... Los Rios is a proposed region of Chile. ...

Spanish colonial influences

During the colonial period life in Valdivia was the more the one of military camp as it was a walled city surrounded by hostile natives. The coastal defenses were even heavier and soldiers made up a large part of the population. After several fires and earthquakes nearly all building from this period disappeared with the exception of the military defenses. Valdivias most know landmarks are now the two towers built by the Spaniards to defend the city, known as Los Torreones. Spain actually holds a consulate in Valdivia. Many of Valdivia's oldest families have their roots in Peru as Valdivia historically depended on the viceroy of Peru. Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) contained most of Spanish-ruled South America until the creation of the separate viceroyalties of New Granada (now Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá and Venezuela, the last-named previously in the Viceroyalty of New Spain) in 1717 and Río...

German influences

Since the first German migrated to Valdivia in the mid 1850s German cultural influence has been visible in the city. Germans in Valdivia settled mostly in the Isla Teja and Collico suburban areas. Until the building of Pedro de Valdivia Bridge inhabitants of Isla Teja lived isolated from the city, where it was common that children first learned to speak German before Spanish. Nowadays the German language is preserved by the Instituto Alemán Carlos Andwanter one of Latin Americas oldest German schools. German descendants also form Valdivia's oldest fire station Germania, located in Isla Teja. // Production of steel revolutionized by invention of the Bessemer process Benjamin Silliman fractionates petroleum by distillation for the first time First transatlantic telegraph cable laid First safety elevator installed by Elisha Otis Railroads begin to supplant canals in the United States as a primary means of transporting goods. ... Isla Teja is an island in the city of Valdivia, Chile sorrounded by three rivers Cau-Cau River to the north Cruces River to the west and Valdivia River to the sout east. ... Isla Teja is an island in the city of Valdivia, Chile sorrounded by three rivers Cau-Cau River to the north Cruces River to the west and Valdivia River to the sout east. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

German immigrants and their descendants formed their social club Club Alemán, which after World War II changed names to Club la Union. German workers had once their own club simply called El Alemán (The German). Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Valdivia also hosts Bierfest Valdivia, a celebration that could be described as a small, regional Oktoberfest, despite being celebrated in late January or February of every year (during the local summer, when there is the largest influx of tourists). The main sponsor and organizer is Kunstmann Beer, Valdivia's local beer company, founded by German nationals, but since bought out by the largest beer company in Chile. Oktoberfest Main Entrance Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September and early October. ... Beer in the glass Schlenkerla Rauchbier direct from the cask Beer is the worlds oldest[1] and most popular[2] alcoholic beverage. ...

Scientific research

The Southern University of Chile (Universidad Austral de Chile, UACh), one of eight Chilean state universities, has its main campus in Valdivia. 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 del Sur (CECS) is now housed in the recently modernized, German-style hotel Schuster located by the Valdivia River. The winner of Chile's National Prize in Exact Sciences and physicist Claudio Bunster is the director of CECS. UACh and CECS do often compete for resources, this have led to acusations against Claudio Bunster of using his influence among Chilean politicians and the Council of Innovation for Competitivety (of which he is member of) to gain more resouces.[1] Some research areas where CECS and UACH have gained widespread recognition include: Universidad Austral de Chile is a university in Chile. ... Claudio Bunster Weitzman (formerly known as Claudio Teitelboim Weitzman) (born April 15, 1948) is a Chilean scientist. ...

• Agronomy (UACh)
• Biophysics and molecular physiology (CECS)
• Ecology (UACh)
• Forestry (UACh)
• Glaciology (CECS)
• Physics (CECS)
• Veterinary (UACh)

Ecological action

In response to the alleged contamination of Cruces River by the Celco cellulose pulp mill, a group of citizens formed the Accion por los Cisnes (Action for the Swans) ecology group. Accion por los Cisnes attracted the atention of the national newspapers and succeeded in temporarily closing down the pulp mill through a court order.[2] A Pulp Mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips into a thick fibre board which can be shipped to a Paper Mill for further processing. ...

The city is surrounded by many nature reserves and large areas of forest plantations, wetlands and Valdivian temperate rainforest that, together with the numerous rivers that circle the city, have heightened the residents' awareness of living close to nature. Valdivian forest in the west of Chiloé Island The Valdivian temperate rain forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion located on the west coast of southern South America, lying mostly in Chile and extending into a small part of Argentina. ...

Trivia

In addition to being know as the City of Rivers, Valdivia has also been called The pearl of the South, The key of the South seas, Gibraltar of the Pacific, and Chile's most beautiful city.

Climate and Geography

Climate

Valdivia has a temperate and oceanic climate. During the summer months (December, January and February) the average temperature is about 17°C, while in winter they it descends to 9°C. The total precipitation is 2593 mm and its distributed all over the year with a major concentration between March and December. In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... World map showing the oceanic climate zones. ...

Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ...

Geography

• Altitude: 5 meters.
• Latitude: 39º 48' 00" S
• Longitude: 073º 13' 59" W

Valdivia lost a considerable surface of arable land, as a result of the Great Chilean Earthquake, because the soil surface went down 2 meters, creating and expanding existing wetlands and swamps. Map showing the areas affected by the tsunami The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake (Terremoto de Valdivia in Spanish) of 22 May 1960 is the most intense earthquake ever recorded, rating a 9. ...

Tourism and nightlife

Valdivia is an old tourist destination in Chile that is valued most for its natural beauty and culture. In 1917 "Valdivian Week" (Spanish: Semana Valdiviana) was celebrated for the first time, and the city began to distinguish itself as an earthy tourism centre in Chile. Songs named for Valdivia and the Calle-Calle River started to become popular in Chilean popular culture. Culture of Chile. ...

Most of Valdivia's night spots are concentrated on Esmeralda Avenue, such as El 691 (El seis), popular for having no entrance fee for girls, and the Copadissimo (El Copa) Disco-bar. The Scanners Discotheque (better known as La Chaner) on General Lagos Street achieved distinction in 2004 when it was proclaimed the capital of the perreo of the Los Lagos Region.^{[citation needed]} Other popular spots include the Casona Verde ("El Mambo"), valued for its alternative style, and the sensual Cafe Venus. Esmeralda is a small avenue in Valdivia, wich is known for its prominent nightlife. ... The Scanners Discotheque is a nightclub in Valdivia, Chile, at Geneal Lagos street. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Perreo is the name of a dance originating in Puerto Rico and which is commonly danced to reggaeton music. ... Los Lagos (Spanish The lakes) is Chiles tenth administrative region from north to south. ...

Transport

Roads and bridges

Most of Valdivia lies on the southern side of the Valdivia and Calle-Calle Rivers but other areas of the city such as Isla Teja and Las Animas are connected by bridges. The main accesses to the city are Calle-Calle Bridge from the north and a southern access. Both accesses connect the city with the Pan-American Highway. The Valdivia river is one of the mayor rives that drains southern Chile. ... Calle-Calle River is a river in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ... Isla Teja is an island in the city of Valdivia, Chile sorrounded by three rivers Cau-Cau River to the north Cruces River to the west and Valdivia River to the sout east. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Calle-Calle Bridge, the first bridge built, connects the city with Las Animas and forms the northern highway access to the city. Pedro de Valdivia Bridge was built in 1939 and connects Isla Teja island, where many German immigrants lived. During the Great Chilean Earthquake only the minor Caucau Bridge (Las Animas-Isla Teja) was destroyed, while all other bridges were repaired and are still in use. In 1987 Augusto Pinochet opened Río Cruces Bridge making the coastal town of Niebla accessible by road, and also Torobayo and Punucapa. Calle-Calle Bridge, the main access to the city was enlarged in the 1990s. 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... Isla Teja is an island in the city of Valdivia, Chile sorrounded by three rivers Cau-Cau River to the north Cruces River to the west and Valdivia River to the sout east. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte[1] (November 25, 1915–December 10, 2006) was a general who was military dictator and President of Chile from 1973 to 1990. ... Niebla is a town in Valdivias Province, southern Chile. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

Waterways

Until highway bridges were built, Valdivia's economy and citizenry depended upon boat traffic on the surrounding rivers. Nowadays the rivers are used mainly by tourist boats and by commercial ships built or repaired in Asenav, one of Chile's most important shipyard companies. Fishing boats travel inland from the coast to sell fish at the Feria Fluvial market. Only one ferry operation remains significant, the Niebla-Corral line, as is it much shorter to reach Corral by ferry than following a circuitous road. Some of locations that are often reached by tourist boats include Mancera Island and Punucapa. Niebla is a town in Valdivias Province, southern Chile. ... Corral municipalty (red) in Los Lagos Region General view of the fort in Corral Corral is a municipality in Valdivia Province, southern Chile. ... The ferryboat Dongan Hills, filled with commuters, about to dock at a New York City pier, ca. ... Mancera Island (spanish: Isla Mancera) is a small island at the mouth of Valdivia River, in southern Chile. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

Airports

The city is served mainly by Pichoy Airport that lies 32km northeast of the city following the north entrance road that connects the city with the Pan American Highway. The smaller but much nearer Las Marias Airport is used mainly by minor airplanes and no Airline operates there. The Pan-American Highway (Carretera Panamericana in Spanish) is a collective system of roads, approximately 16,000 miles (25,750 km) long, that nearly links the mainland nations of the Americas in a roughly unified stretch of highway. ... Las Marias Airport (IATA: ZAL, ICAO: SCVL) is an airport near Valdivia, Chile. ... An Airbus A380 of Emirates Airline An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight. ...

See also

• Valdivian Coastal Reserve
• Flag of Valdivia
• Pilolcura
• Punucapa
• Ecuatorian Valdivia Culture (Completely unrelated with the city of Valdivia, Chile.)

Valdivian Coastal Reserve is a natural reserve located in the Valdivian Coastal Range, in Los Ríos Region of Chile, near Corral. ... Flag of Valdivia The flag of Valdivia is a red saltire (crux decussata or X-cross) on a white field. ... Pilolcura (mapudungun: hollow stone) is a small coastal settlement in the Province of Valdivia in southern Chile. ... Punucapa (mapudungun: originaly Cunucapi, black/fertile earth for legumes) is a small pre-hispanic village in southern Chile. ... The Valdivia Culture thrived in the coast of Ecuador, in a small hill next to the town of Valdivia, between 3500 and 1800 B.C. The discovery of this culture was done in 1956 by the Ecuadorian archeologist Emilio Estrada. ...

External links

• Ilustre Municipalidad de Valdivia (in Spanish)
• Diario Austral de Valdivia, Valdivian newspaper (in Spanish).
• Panorámicas de Valdivia en 360º (in Spanish)
• foro de Anime valdiviano (in Spanish)
• Alwoplast (designer/builder of custom catamarans)
• Cerveza Kunstmann (local beer maker)

References