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Valdivia
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City-port with more than 130.000 inhabitants. Located at
the confluence of Calle Calle and Cruces rivers, it is
one of the most interesting places to visit in southern
Chile, for its environment and historic value. It has a
dynamic commerce and an important culture life. You must
spend at least two nights there, not only for the city
but the pacific coast too, with ancient Spanish defenses
of the XVII century.
Brief history
Santa María La Blanca de Valdivia was founded in 1552 by don
Pedro de Valdivia (Pizarro’s subordinate), in a strategic
point called Ainlil by natives, beside Guadalafquen river. It
was near the ocean and its location was strategic as the
access was through a estuary that could be easily guarded. In
1599 had to be evacuated by the sea, because there was a
mapuche uprising which razed all the Spanish populations in
the south of Bio Bio river.
It was occupied again by Holland people in 1643, during a
frustrated attempt for setting a colony in south Pacific. This
fact encouraged Marqués de Mancera, virrey of Perú, to found
it again as an army fort by the sea. So, since 1645, the city
was re built with walls and the still amazing castles and
forts of Niebla, Corral, Mancera and Cruces, coast bulwarks
which turned Valdivia in an almost inaccessible place, until
1820 when a brilliant attack of Lord Cochrane (Britannic
navigator), obliged the defenders to escape.
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Valdivia 1960
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The earthquake of 1960 |
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Between 21 and 22 of May, a
seismic crisis quite violent -almost 9 grades Richter-,
affected a band of 600 km x 200 km in the chilean territory.
From Concepción to Chiloé, thousands of buildings were
devastated, and an uncertain number of people died or
disappeared.
Valdivia was badly injured; the ground collapsed and sank 2 -
3 mts, so it lost for ever cultivated lads, industries, quays,
etc.
How you could see, this city owns a special will to survive.
If you pass along the main square, get inside the cathedral
and read on its wall the reasons for the 14 reconstructions. |
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Argentina:
Norte Neuquino,
Caviahue
- Copahue,
Villa Pehuenia,
Aluminé,
Junín de los Andes,
San Martín de los
Andes, Villa Traful,
Villa La Angostura,
Bariloche,
El Bolsón,
Lago Puelo,
El Hoyo,
Esquel,
Trevelin.
Chile: Pucón,
Villarrica,
Temuco,
Valdivia,
Puerto Montt
- Puerto Varas.
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