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Valdivia, cultural mosaic
Our history...
Valdivia is a blend of historical chronicles that have shaped the city since its establishment, in 1552.
Its first inhabitants, the Huilliches, called the area “Ainilebu” (the land of Ainil , which is the river that surrounds the city and is presently known as the Calle Calle River ). Then in 1552 the Spanish Army, led by the great conqueror Pedro de Valdivia, founded the city and baptized it “Santa María la Blanca”. After a long and taxing war that lasted over a century, the Spanish finally conquered the territory, but the courageous fighting of the native people has led them to be referred to as the bravest warriors on the continent. The feats of these brave warriors transformed into lyrical poetry by Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga in the epic “La Araucana”, a masterpiece from the “Spanish Golden Age”.
In 1643, Valdivia was attacked by pirates who tried to claim the area for the Dutch crown. Even though this attempt was unsuccessful, it became the seed for formidable fortifications, which survive to this day, and for the city to become known worldwide as the “American Gibraltar”, given its strategic location on the Indian coasts of the South Pacific.
Valdivia remained under Spanish rule until 1820, when the independence process incorporated it into the growing Republic of Chile. Three decades later, a large wave of Germans led by Carlos Anwandter immigrated to the area. These immigrants opened the doors of this old province to modernity, quickly transforming it into an important industrial and cultural center and planting in the hearts of Valdivians the idea of creating a university of their own.
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Our culture...
City of enchantment, history and the meeting place of distinct peoples. The culturally vibrant city of Valdivia situated 841 kms from Santiago (the capital of Chile), is the birthplace and projection site of our university.
On March 16th, 2007, when President Michelle Bachelet Jeria signed Law 20.174, Valdivia was designated as the capital of the “Región de Los Ríos”. The passing of this law was a response to public interest and regional cultural identity. The naming of Valdivia as the capital was an act of recognition of the joint effort of citizens who worked for more than 30 years in the effort to recover the city’s historical position in the region.
The “Región de Los Ríos” is comprised of a territory of more than 18,000 square kilometers and has 370,000 inhabitants. This region is characterized by the abundance of its natural resources and for the diversity of its people, whose origins are rooted in Mapuche and immigrant populations. Its valleys, situated between mountain ranges, allow for ample agriculture and live stock development. The lakes, rivers, forests and coast of the region create a visual paradise. Furthermore, its optimal conditions for industrial and urban growth make this region an attractive destination for economic, touristic and cultural development.
The picturesque landscape of The “Región de Los Ríos” is a geographical watercolor of lakes, hot springs and volcanoes. The longest navigatable river network in the country is located in this region, with more than 280 km of rivers and streams. The province is also well-known for its “Selva Valdiviana” (Valdivian Temperate Rainforest), which is a thousands-of-years-old native forest located on the coast. This ecological wealth has permitted the area to develop a flourishing tourist industry. Forestry and agriculture have also contributed greatly to the area's economy, and the Bay of Corral provides the city with an international shipping port that connects it to the rest of the world.
One of the important contributions of the city at the international level is the protection of its Nature Sanctuary, so declared by UNESCO, which is located along the River Cruces and its adjacent wetlands. This also is home to innumerable bird and mammal populations. The large task of caring for this delicate area is carried out by our University by way of its scientific knowledge and the aim to preserve this patrimony by promoting a culture of sustainable development at all levels.
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Our distinguishing aspects...
Architecture, music, arts, cinema and photography are proof of a flourishing artistic and cultural atmosphere enjoyed by Valdivia. Contributions from the different neighboring native peoples further increase the diversity of nuances that make Valdivia one of the most interesting cites in Chile.
Since 1954 the University Austral of Chile has contributed to the artistic and cultural development of the region with a high level of excellence. Museums such as the Mauricio Van De Maele History and Anthropological Museum, The Rudolph Amandus Phillippi Museum of Exploration and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) are part of its effort in historical heritage recovery and dissemination. These public spaces, in conjunction with the School of Visual Arts, give life to the Cultural Campus of UACh. Today, this creative energy extends to the “Costanera Cultural” (Cultural Boardwalk) on the bank of the Valdivia River. The “Costanera Cultural” envisioned as a setting for international art exhibitions, will play an important role in the celebration of the country’s bicentennial in 2010.
Valdivia is bustling with cultural life, as is seen through its theater festival “Lluvias de Teatro”; its “International Film Festival”, its international Painting Contest “Valdivia and Its River”, its renowned artists such as watercolorist Ricardo Anwandter and pianist Mahani Teave.
Valdivia is also well known for its colonial German style streets and houses, its exposition halls, its rain, its famous rowers and its typical foods such as: chocolate, marzipan, beer, fish and seafood, “crudos”, and “apple strudel”. All of these aspects are blended to form a magic concert on the Calle-Calle river bank. |
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Living in Valdivia 
