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| Valdivia | ||
| region | Región de Los Ríos | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 150.048 (2017) | |
| height | 5 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Valdivia is the capital of the 2007 founded Región de los Ríos in the south Chile. It has about 150,000 inhabitants and is located near the Pacific coast.
background
One of the most important port cities in Chile is the city of Valdivia, founded in 1550, which is quite picturesquely located in the delta of the rivers Río Calle Calle and Rio Cruces. Today Valdiva is still strongly influenced by the German immigrants, who clearly left their mark on the city.
In the beginning, however, things were anything but smooth in Valdivia - the first settlers were quickly driven out by the Mapuche living in the area and the settlement had to be abandoned again in 1599. To make matters worse, the Dutch also had an eye on the area and tried to gain a foothold there.
After all, that was too much for the Spaniards: In 1645 the massive repopulation of the area began and the expansion into one of the most powerful fortresses in South America. Several forts were built at the mouth of the Río Valdivia in the Pacific, the settlement itself was equipped with a city wall. As an important port along the Pacific coast, Valdivia was of too great strategic importance to be abandoned.
During the War of Independence in 1820, Valdivia was one of the last bastions of the Spanish crown until the city was conquered by a Chilean command under Lord Thomas Cochrane - a feat that has established the Chileans' pride in their navy to this day.
Then, from 1850, the German immigrants came: In a short time the city became the leading industrial center in southern Chile. In addition to foundries, shipyards and other businesses, the first brewery in Chile was built in Valdivia, and German street and company names still shape the face of Valdivia to this day. In the Calle General Lagos south of the center you can still see some beautiful settler houses.
Most of the old buildings were destroyed in a devastating earthquake on May 22, 1960. The quake had the incredible strength of 8.9 on the Richter scale. The area around the city sank by three meters, valuable farmland turned into swampy areas within a few seconds.
getting there
By plane
The Valdivia airport
(IATA: ZAL) is 32 km north of the city. Flights from there go to Santiago de Chile (several times a day), Concepción and Temuco.
Taxis (approx. 8000 CLP) and minibuses (approx. 3000 CLP / person) drive into the city. There is a bus stop on the main street in front of the airport. From there minibuses drive to Valdivia for 500 CLP.
By bus
The bus terminal is located in the northeast of the center, directly on Río Calle-Calle. Connections to the north (Santiago de Chile) and south (Puerto Montt) there are regular, as well as a few to Argentina (Neuquén).
In the street
By boat
Although Valdivia is an important seaport with a significant shipbuilding industry, there are no regular shipping connections. From the Muelle Schuster in the city center, excursion boats go to the mouth of the Río Valdivia to Corral and Niebla.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
Worth seeing in the city are the Mercado Fluvial, a beautiful market right on the river bank near the city center. Right next to the fishmonger's stalls, sea lions bask on concrete bollards in the sun, knowing full well that a little bit falls off for them every now and then.
The numerous excursion boats for tours on the rivers also leave from there. Most tours last about 6 hours and go to the mouth of the river and include a visit to the must-see forts of Corral.
Churches
Castles, chateaux and palaces
Buildings
Monuments
Museums
- Museo Histórico de la Universidad Austral de Chile. Price: Entry 1300 CLP.
- Art museum, across from the city center. Price: Entry with histor. Museum combined 2500 CLP.
Streets and squares
Parks
- Park Saval, on Isla Teja (from the city center over the bridge).
- Botanical Garden of the U.A.C.H., on Isla Teja (from the city center over the bridge).
various
activities
shop
The shopping streets are Libertad and Avenida Ramon Picarte. There is a shopping center and a large supermarket on the Arauco.
kitchen
Cheap
medium
- Kunstmann brewery. The Kunstmann brewery on the street in the direction of Niebla offers a mixture of German and Chilean cuisine, as well as many types of beer in the ambience of a typical German restaurant.
Upscale
nightlife
Cheap
medium
Upscale
accommodation
Cheap
medium
Upscale
Learn
Work
security
health
Practical advice
trips
To save on the expensive day trips to the estuary and fortresses, you can take a micro-bus (400 CLP) or Colectivo (600 CLP), both departing near the Mercado Municipal Niebla drive. This is where the first fortress worth seeing is located. There are also ferries (800 CLP) every half hour Isla Mancera or after Corral about where there are other fortresses, mostly built in 1645. From the landing stage in Corral it is about a 30-minute walk (towards the sea / north) to the fortress Amargoswhere there are also the typical white swans with black heads.
literature
Web links
- http://www.munivaldivia.cl/ - Official website of Valdivia
- Mouths of Valdivia(English Spanish)
