Valdivia

Valdivia is a commune and city in southern Chile, capital of the homonymous province and of the Los Ríos Region. It is located 847.6 km south of Santiago, the capital of Chile. It is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Cau-cau and Cruces rivers, and is located 15 km from Corral Bay. According to the national census carried out in 2017 by the National Institute of Statistics of Chile, Valdivia has a population of 166,080 inhabitants.

It was founded in 1552 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, under the name “Santa María la Blanca de Valdivia”, becoming one of the first cities founded in Chile. During colonial times, it was considered "the key to the South Sea", as it was a strategic enclave for access to the Pacific Ocean. As a result of that, a set of fortifications was built that protected it from enemy attacks or from the indigenous people of the area.

Centuries later, And specifically, On May 22, 1960, the city, along with the rest of southern Chile, was affected by the most powerful earthquake recorded in human history, which reached 9.5 degrees on the Richter scale. It is estimated that this natural catastrophe cost the lives of between 1,655 and 2,000 people. The seismic event is known in Chile as the "Valdivia earthquake".

In 2016, the city was named the American Capital of Culture by virtue of the boost it has given to cultural activities, being the first city in the south — austral to receive this distinction.

Valdivia is a university city during the year and also becomes a tourist city especially in summer, by virtue of that it is considered one of the most recognized destinations for vacations in the country; It has been described as the «Pearl of the South» and the «Beer Capital of Chile».

Thanks to its public spaces, order and cleanliness —as well as nature, gastronomy and culture— it has positioned itself in the XXI century as one of the best cities to "live / visit" and with the highest quality of life in Chile.

Geographic location

Valdivia limits to the north with the Mariquina commune, to the northeast with the Máfil commune, to the east with the Los Lagos commune, to the southeast with the Paillaco commune, to the south with the Puerto de Corral commune and to the west with the Pacific Ocean.

Northwest: Pacific Ocean	North: San José de la Mariquina	Northeast: Mafil
West: Pacific Ocean		This: The Lakes
Southwest: Pacific Ocean	South: Corral	Sureste: Paillaco

History

Pre-Columbian Period

Part of the territory today known as Valdivia, before the conquest of Chile was occupied by a Huilliche people called Ainil, which was the largest and most crowded alihuén in the south of current Chilean territory. Since then it was already a strategic place, due to its proximity to the coastal port, its privileged position to dominate the valleys of the rivers currently called Calle-Calle and Cruces, and its good access to the plains, where La Unión and Río are currently located. Well. In those times the Valdivia river was called Ainilebu.

Pedro de Valdivia, first governor of Chile, founder of the city, to whom the name of the city is due.

Period of conquest and foundation

The first documented record of the Valdivia area is that of Admiral Juan Bautista Pastene, who was sent by Pedro de Valdivia, the first governor of Chile, to explore the country's coasts. Pastene saw Corral Bay in 1544, and without entering the current Valdivia River —at that time called Ainilebu by the indigenous people— he decided to rename the place “Valdivia”, in honor of his superior.

Years later, on February 9, 1552, Pedro de Valdivia founded the city on Ainil with the name "Santa María la Blanca de Valdivia", due to the beauty of the landscape and the fertility of the soil, as well as the important port capacity from the area.

The development achieved by the city during those years was so important that many chroniclers of the time pointed out that it was in second place, behind Santiago; and it was the most politically important in the Southern Cone. A few years after its foundation, the city was hit by the Valdivia earthquake of 1575. Later, as a consequence of the battle of Curalaba, in which the Mapuches allied with the Huilliche, the city was destroyed in November 1599.

After the destruction of the city, a Dutch expedition, initially under the command of Hendrick Brouwer, allied with the Huilliche Indians of the Chacao Channel against the Spanish colonizers of Chiloé and then moved together to Corral Bay in 1643., where they also allied with the natives to fight the Spanish. However, the Dutch had to withdraw, as the Huilliches stopped supplying them with food when they saw that the Dutch were fortifying themselves and insistently asking for the location of the gold mines.

Plaza de Armas de Valdivia in 1755, next to the old Cathedral and the road to the pier, present Paseo Libertad.

After the Dutch withdrawal, the Spanish repopulation began in February 1645 by Antonio Sebastian de Toledo Molina y Salazar, second Marquis of Mancera. The Mancera Castle was first built and the area was gradually repopulated, until in 1647 it was refounded on the original site; although the surroundings were still territories controlled by the Huilliche people and the definitive domain of the area would only be achieved by the Spanish forces at the end of the XVIII century .

The importance of the Valdivia enclave lay in the fact that, together with the Chiloé archipelago, they were the southernmost enclave on the Pacific coast and therefore meant a strategic defense place for the Viceroyalty of Peru, which is why both These enclaves would later lead to the creation of the Camino Real in the middle and end of the 18th century as the first land road that linked Valdivia and the Chiloé area.

Due to its importance, the Government of Valdivia, made up of the city and its surroundings, remained for many years under the direct dependence of the Viceroyalty of Peru, only in 1740 to become part of the jurisdiction of the Captaincy General of Chili. To protect this enclave, the bay of Valdivia, called Corral, became one of the most fortified in the world and the most important defensive device in colonial America, with a system of forts made up of a total of 17 fortifications, divided into Castles, Forts and Batteries, which resisted attacks by pirates and Dutch and English corsairs, who never managed to sack it.

All Saints Coup, March 1, 1811

After September 18, 1810, the Valdivians adhered to the First Government Junta, and on March 1, 1811 they elected the vicar Isidro de Pineda as deputy for the first National Congress. But this was challenged, since priests could not be elected, and a new election was not authorized, assuming José María de Rozas as a substitute, which did not go down well in the city.

On November 1, 1811, All Saints Day, the so-called All Saints Coup occurred, in which the Governor, the Irish colonel Alberto Alejandro Eager, was arrested.

After the coup, patriotic enthusiasm began to decline, even more so when the Santiago Junta decided to suppress the military garrison in Valdivia, and move its detachments to the central area, depriving the city of an important source of income.

Royalist Counterrevolution, March 16, 1812

The royalist captain Julián Pinuer together with the neighbor Lucas Molina decided to occupy the city barracks, supported by the second lieutenants Antonio Adriasola and Juan de Dios González, plus the minister Juan Gallardo Navarro. On March 16, 1812, they took over the Valdivian garrison, formed a Board of War, and raised the royalist flags together with the troops in the city square. A large part of the town attended the event, and in his presence the battalion renewed the oath to the royalist banners. The Valdivian patriots were exiled to Juan Fernández, and others imprisoned in the forts.

From that moment on, Valdivia, together with Chiloé, became royalist bulwarks against the independentistas. In 1813, Brigadier Antonio Pareja arrived in Valdivia to recover Chile for the king, receiving help from Valdivian officials such as Berganza, Molina, Justiz and Vergara. From then on, the War of Independence was a civil war, since on both sides there were royalist Chileans and patriotic Chileans. 90% of the royalist troops were made up of Valdivian and Chilote soldiers, and the rest by peninsular Spaniards.

It was not until February 3, 1820 that Valdivia, together with its system of fortifications, was captured by the patriots, led by Admiral Thomas Cochrane, in the operations known as the taking of Valdivia, which gave this sailor a reputation, together with the major Jorge Beauchef.

Chilean Independence

After Chilean independence, believing that the increased European presence would have a positive influence on the Chilean economy and culture, the Chilean government set up an office in Germany dedicated to attracting immigrants; process known as German colonization in Chile. In 1850 the first settlers arrived, in addition to those already installed waiting to receive them, such as Guillermo Frick. German immigrants contributed the necessary technology for the development of the local industry, as well as some of their culture and traditions. The large rainforest forests that surrounded the city prevented agriculture, so the settlers burned hundreds of thousands of hectares of native forest, in fires that lasted for months, with the aim of obtaining arable land (this refers to other communes of the region of the rivers, since the commune of Valdivia has very little land suitable for livestock and agriculture). The German colony contributed to transforming the city of Valdivia into a prosperous place full of commercial and cultural activity, although with deep socioeconomic inequality. Today there is no German colony and their descendants are very few in a population of over 166,000, which tends to be more cosmopolitan.

This is how the city grew, becoming an important route of maritime communication (after Corral, the main port in the area) since it is located on one of the few navigable rivers in Chile and at its mouth there is a bay suitable for the construction of port works.

20th century

The first major catastrophe of the XX century on the city was the general fire of 1909, which destroyed the entirety of the central blocks, which implied a total reconstruction of the city. The old town was lowered and many of its classic elements disappeared, such as the small alleys within the blocks.

During the 20th century, the city became one of the most important and prosperous in southern Chile, dozens of modern buildings, theaters and places such as the Municipality building were built, in addition to the paving of many streets and a completely new layout. of the entire city, which he still inherits today.

Robust wooden houses in Valdivia after the 1960 earthquake.

Valdivia earthquake

Later, in 1960, on May 22 at 3:00 p.m., the city —and all of southern Chile— was shaken by the most intense earthquake on modern record in the world, with a maximum peak of 10 degrees on the seismological scale of moment magnitude (those were the ones measured, since the gauges broke at the maximum top of 10 degrees). This catastrophe —known as the Valdivia earthquake— had negative effects in a relevant area of Chile, and the formation of tsunamis that affected Hawaii and Japan. The earthquake destroyed a large part of the city, mainly damaging the concrete buildings built in the previous decades, affecting less the more abundant wooden and low-rise constructions. The tsunami that followed the earthquake collapsed several of the fortresses of Spanish origin on the Valdivian coast. The earthquake changed the face of the city and its surroundings, leaving parts of it unusable for construction due to land subsidence, giving rise to numerous wetlands in urban areas.

The Riñihuazo and the imminent destruction of the city.

The Riñihuazo was a phenomenon that occurred after the Valdivia mega-earthquake due to the multiple hundreds of aftershocks that caused the collapse of various hills, blocking the drainage of the San Pedro River and a tributary of the Calle-Calle River in three plugs and increasing the volume Riñihue Lake. The Riñihue is the last of the Seven Lakes, a series of interconnected lakes, and it empties into the San Pedro River that runs through various towns until it reaches Valdivia before flowing into the Pacific. When the San Pedro River was blocked, the water level began to rise rapidly, forming an earthquake lake. When the lake overflows, after passing the third and last stopper of 24 m in height, it will have more than 4,800 million cubic meters that will flow down the San Pedro River with a flow rate of more than 3,000 m³/s (during its floods, the San Pedro did not exceed 400 m³/s), destroying all the towns on its banks in the form of alluvium in less than 5 hours. Said flow could have increased to incalculable figures in the event that the plug formed had collapsed, destroying all the riverside towns and completely flooding and razing Valdivia. To avoid the definitive destruction of Valdivia and Corral, various battalions of the Chilean Army and hundreds of workers and builders from Endesa Chile, CORFO and the Ministry of Public Works participated in the task of controlling the emptying of the lake in such a way that its course did not devastated what was left standing of those towns hit by the earthquake.

Two winter months consumed the daunting task. The rains, weak at first, fell inclemently, turning the land where the machinery worked into quagmire, however, it took too long to keep the riverbed clean, so it was decided to work manually with the pick and shovel in which hundreds of volunteers came to work, so that after several weeks a new channel for the San Pedro was completed and preparations were made for the blasting of the "plug" main of the channel.

Finally, on July 24, 1960, the cap was released, carefully calculated, and after exhausting days of work, the lake slowly began to empty, vanishing the potential danger to the 100,000 inhabitants. who lived in the affected area of Valdivia. The works were led by the engineer Raúl Sáez and finished only two months after the start of the maneuvers, but the level of the waters, although it caused a flood, never endangered the urban population or their already battered properties..

"When the dreadful nightmare of the earthquake has passed, the epic of the Riñihue will be written: what the man did, helped by the machine and by the technique, to prevent the destruction of an area of one hundred thousand inhabitants, by the action of the waters of a lake, which were imprisoned and who wanted to regain their freedom with fury and murderous and devastating force." - Luis Hernández Parker, Chilean journalist.

Reconstruction after earthquake and tsunami.

Some of the buildings that remained standing served as a fortress for the inhabitants of the area to rebuild the city, forming new neighborhoods, settlements and construction of large avenues with wide streets, in the city itself the construction of buildings of not so much height, due to the change in the density of the soils and the birth of new branches of underground rivers that encompass and cross the entire city of Valdivia.

The Region of Los Ríos is composed of the Province of Valdivia (red) and the Province of Ranco (the remaining).

Regionalization

The regionalization carried out in 1974 by the National Administrative Reform Commission divided the country into thirteen regions, merging the provinces of Valdivia, Osorno, Llanquihue and Chiloé —which incorporated the current province of Palena— creating the Los Lagos Region.

During the 1990s, the pressure to form a new region increased and during the 1999-2000 presidential election campaign, Ricardo Lagos promised the creation of the new region, in conjunction with the Arica-Parinacota Region.

In 2004, the article of the 1980 Constitution that indicates a fixed number of regions was modified, the first step for the creation of new regions. Subsequently, on October 19, 2005, the bill that intended to create the XIV Region of Los Ríos was signed by President Ricardo Lagos, which was entered into the National Congress on December 13 of the same year.

This project was approved by the Chamber of Deputies, in the last stage, on December 19, 2006 and was promulgated on March 16, 2007 by President Michelle Bachelet, in Valdivia, becoming Law 20174, which was published in the Official Gazette on April 5 of the same year. The new "Los Ríos Region" became effective 180 days after said publication, that is, on October 2, 2007.

The Region of Los Ríos was made up of the province of Valdivia, made up of the communes of Panguipulli, Lanco, Máfil, San José de la Mariquina, Paillaco, Los Lagos, Valdivia and Corral —and the new province of Ranco, which brings together the communes of Futrono, Lago Ranco, Río Bueno and La Unión; with Valdivia as the regional capital.

The city and the 21st century

Currently there are modern buildings that are combined with heritage houses typical of the German colonization of Valdivia. Likewise, the city is divided into numerous residential, university, commercial, patrimonial, cultural and industrial areas that mix with the abundant nature that exists in the area. In this sense, the city in consecutive years has been classified as the "best city in Chile to live and visit" and that measures parameters such as public spaces, green areas, cleanliness, order, security, among others.

Panoramic view of the urban area and the coast of the city.

Geography

Ecorregion Valdivian forest is also known with the name "valdivian forest"

The city is framed within an environment of fluvial sedimentation plains, surrounded by humid forests of ulmo and tineo, as well as polycultures and fruit trees. These plains are located in the middle of the coastal mountain range thanks to the irruption of the rivers that converge on it.

The Valdivian forest, also called the "evergreen forest", is an ecoregion in southern Chile and border strongholds in southwestern Argentina. It is characterized by having evergreen forests of multiple strata, in a temperate-rainy or oceanic coastal climate.

The urban territory of the city is located mostly in the valley of the Calle Calle, Valdivia, Cruces and Cau Cau rivers, therefore it presents a mostly flat relief or with gentle slopes, without hills or hills that interrupt the core urban. It is the rivers that give the city of Valdivia its characteristic undulating structure, since the urban fabric adheres mostly to the curves and meanders of the rivers, these being, and mainly Calle Calle - Valdivia the "backbone& #3. 4; from the city, since from Collico at the eastern end to Miraflores at the western end, the urban fabric strictly follows the river valley. Just as rivers are the backbone of the city, they are also the only geographical feature that interrupts and delimits it.

Urban Geography of Valdivia

This

The expansive urban growth of the city is mixed with the numerous wetlands present, the development of new highways and new residential neighborhoods.

In addition to the Calle-Calle river and the Valdivia river, the city is organized around three main axes of structuring avenues: the first is formed by Av. Ramón Picarte, Av. Alemania and Av Los Robles, the second is formed by Av. Pedro Montt and Av. Pedro Aguirre Cerda, while the third is formed by Av. Aníbal Pinto, Av. Francia and Holzapfel.

Regarding the sectors that make up the city, the East and West sectors can be clearly identified, forming the limit between the two, the Picarte axis. In general, the Eastern sector is a mixed sector, mostly industrial and working class, with large popular sectors of socioeconomic level mainly belonging to the C3 and C4 strata. In said eastern sector of the city are the population districts of Collico, Corvi —Inés de Suárez, Libertad—Independencia.

Between the East sector and the West sector we find a large popular commercial and services triangle, between the axes of Av. Picarte and Av. Pedro Montt. In this great triangle that opens towards the valley of the Angachilla river, which is located on the southern limit of the city, we find the population districts of Peru, Regimiento, Ruben Darío, Autoconstrucción, Social Security (Calle Bueras) Lieutenant Merino (Schneider street) and Cau Cau - Nagasaki (Av. Francia)— in addition to the populous San Pedro, Pablo Neruda, Yáñez Zavala, Los Ediles and Los Fundadores. These population districts generally belong to sectors C3 and C4, in addition to the more affluent sectors of Villa del Rey and San Luis, which generally correspond to strata AB-C1 and C2, respectively.

West

Sector Centro, Avenida Costanera, riverside Valdivia, Pedro de Valdivia bridge and connection to Isla Teja and Costa Valdiviana.

In the western sector of the city, towards the valley of the Valdivia river and close to the confluence with the Cruces river we find the downtown area and its natural continuation towards Isla Teja. In this central area we find almost all public services, retail and gastronomic centers established in Valdivia, in addition to tertiary level educational institutions. The largest commercial circuits are around the Plaza de la República, Arauco, Picarte, Los Robles.

The central area-Isla Teja is located paradoxically far from the geographic center, but far to the west, on the banks of the Valdivia River. This central sector, framed between Cochrane and Costanera streets, follows the route of the Picarte-Alemania-Los Robles axis and its parallels Arauco and Chacabuco, from the intersection of Av. Pedro Montt to the west, to Av. Los Lingues.

Isla Teja and the central residential area of Av. Costanera in its entirety, Carlos Anwandter and its parallels concentrate the greatest real estate growth in modern high-rise apartment buildings, complemented by good-level AB-C1 residential neighborhoods with large areas green, close to squares and parks, a large number of hotel services and good-level restaurants. In the same way, following the road to the coast, new wealthy neighborhoods have been formed in sectors such as Torobayo, Estancilla and Ribera del Cruces.

Also in the western zone we find residential sectors such as the Regional sector, El Bosque and Villa Europa, they are traditional neighborhoods where family groups belonging to the AB-C1 strata have concentrated for decades.

Between Avenida Aníbal Pinto and Avenida General Lagos we find a large sector of low-lying areas prone to flooding, which are at the same level as the bed of the Valdivia river. Due to these two characteristics, they have been called simply "Barrios Bajos", but it is important to note that this denomination does not have a derogatory connotation, but simply a geographical one. Family groups belonging to strata C3 and C4 are generally found in these Barrios Bajos, with the exception of the area around Av. General Lagos from its source in Torreón de los Canelos to Av. Santiago Bueras, where stratum AB- predominates. C1.

Hydrography

Cruces Bridge that connects the coast to the city, on the confluence of Río Cruces and Río Valdivia containing numerous wetlands and biodiversity.

The most important hydrographic basins of the city are the Valdivia River; which is formed by the confluence of Calle Calle and Cruces. The Calle Calle river, in turn, is formed by the union of the San Pedro, which drains the Pirihueico, Panguipulli, Calafquén, Riñihue and Neltume lakes.

The Cruces River is the gateway to the Chorocomayo Nature Sanctuary.

The city also has a large number of wetlands, both riparian and inland. Many of them have been filled in, and then built on top. It should be noted that during the colony, the downtown area of Valdivia was a kind of Venice due to the many canals that penetrated it. The filled-in areas include the entire Catrico estuary basin and the boulevard of the Isla Teja Campus of the Austral University of Chile.

Climate

The months of Spring present a great attraction for the large number of tree species in bloom at different points of the city.

The climate of the region is oceanic with Mediterranean influence, which allows the existence of exuberant flora, as is the case of the Valdivian forest ecoregion. Temperatures exceed 24 °C maximum in the summer months (December, January and February), there are several records above 35 °C, while in winter the maximum is close to 8 °C. Valdivia is statistically the rainiest city in Chile.

Precipitation is very abundant, reaching an annual amount of 1871 mm, distributed throughout the year but with greater rainfall between the months of May, June and July.

Average climate parameters of Valdivia, Chile (Urban Zone)
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	36.3	39.5	32.0	26.0	20.0	24.2	19.4	20.0	25.1	29.2	29.4	37.5	39.5
Average temperature (°C)	26.7	26.9	20.5	16.8	11.4	7.7	7.5	11.0	14.3	16.5	18.6	22.0	16.6
Average temperature (°C)	20.2	20.8	15.7	12.7	8.5	6.1	5.8	6.8	10.7	12.8	14.8	18.1	9.5
Temp. medium (°C)	15.5	15.6	9.3	6.9	5.9	1.1	-0.6	2.5	5.2	6.8	8.6	12.4	7.3
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	-0.4	-2.0	-1.0	-3.6	-10.0	-17.0	-15	-12.5	-4.6	-3.3	-0.8	0.0	-1.7
Total precipitation (mm)	54.1	54.6	215.0	153.0	294.6	299.1	332.3	247.0	162.4	109.2	73.0	63.2	2057.5
Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	8	7	10	15	22	22	22	21	16	14	11	9	177
Hours of sun	257.3	228.8	204.6	123.0	68.2	48.0	65.1	89.9	111.0	127.1	189.0	207.7	1719.7
Relative humidity (%)	63	64	72	80	89	94	91	83	76	72	68	65	76.4
Source No. 1: Chilean Meteorological Directorate
Source No. 2: Climate & Temperatures, BBC - Weather Centre

Average climate parameters of Valdivia, Chile (Coastal Zone)
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	30.3	31.6	27.8	23.5	20.3	18.1	16.2	16.9	21.1	24.3	26.8	30.1	33.5
Average temperature (°C)	23.0	24.5	18.5	23.2	11.0	7.2	7.2	11.5	13.0	12.4	16.7	21.2	15.1
Average temperature (°C)	17.5	19.6	15.0	12.9	8.2	5.6	6.5	6.5	10.5	12.6	14.3	17.2	12.5
Temp. medium (°C)	2.7	15.1	9.9	7.2	6.7	2.9	0.9	2.5	6.0	7.1	9.1	13.4	9.7
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	2.1	2.0	2.1	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.1	0.2	0.5	1.3	0.7	1.6	0.7
Total precipitation (mm)	54.1	54.6	215.0	153.0	294.6	299.1	332.3	247.0	162.4	109.2	73.0	63.2	2057.5
Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	8	7	10	15	22	22	22	21	16	14	11	9	177
Hours of sun	257.9	229.5	204.9	124.9	69.9	49.9	66.6	91.6	111.5	127.6	189.5	207.9	1731.7
Relative humidity (%)	60	58	68	77	88	96	93	85	76	72	68	65	75.5
Source No. 1: Chilean Meteorological Directorate
Source No. 2: Climate & Temperatures, BBC - Weather Centre

However, the minimum and extreme temperatures differ a lot between the urban center and the coastal area of the commune, this is largely due to the influence of the sea, but both share the rainy or cloudy character in the mornings and sunny in the afternoon. the afternoons. In this same context, during the summer it is very common to find the sunny urban center with pleasant temperatures and the Valdivian coast with fog, drizzle and cool ambient temperatures.

Demographics

According to the 2017 census, the commune has a population of 166,080 inhabitants, of whom 85,732 are women and 80,348 are men. Of the total number of inhabitants, 154,716 (93.2%) correspond to the urban population (Valdivia, Niebla and Los Molinos) and 11,364 (6.8%) to the rural population. 18% of its inhabitants declared belonging to some indigenous people. Within the population, the presence of descendants of migrants of German origin and of Spanish origin also stands out, colonies that are grouped in different social, educational, sports and cultural institutions. The percentage of intercensal variation between 2002 and 2017 is 18.2%.

Plaza de la local costa de Niebla y Bahía de Corral.

During the last period, the explosive population growth has led to the formation of the Conurbation (Valdivia/Costa Valdiviana).

Cathedral of Valdivia «Our Lady of the Rosary»

Religion

Statistically, Catholicism is the predominant religion in the area, with 62.26%, followed by Evangelical-Protestant religion with 21.5% and agnosticism, with 10.2%. The German colony has a Lutheran church that stands out for its architecture typical of the colonization in the area.

Majority Christianity for decades allowed the installation of emblematic schools of religious order congregations in the city, among which stand out:

• Instituto Salesiano Valdivia (ISV)
• Colegio María Auxiliadora

• Immaculate Conception Institute Vadivia (ICV)
• Adventist College
• Colegio San Luis de Alba
• Colegio Santa Marta
• Colegio Nuestra Señora del Carmen

There are also secular educational entities such as the Valdivia Secular School, the Domus Mater School and the Windsor School, as well as the Carlos Anwandter German Institute, a traditional educational center of the German colony.

Administration

Consistorial building of the Ilustre Municipality of Valdivia.

The communal administration falls on the Illustrious Municipality of Valdivia, an autonomous corporation under public law, with legal personality and its own assets. The highest authority of said municipality is the mayoress Carla Amtmann Fecci (RD) - (Broad Front).

The mayoress is advised by an Economic and Social Council of a consultative nature, in addition to a Municipal Council, whose period 2021 to 2024 - is made up of the councillors:

• Cristobal Rosas Laborde (PCCh)
• Manqui Manqui Nativity (RD)
• Lucio Sanhuesa Hardessen (PS)
• Guido Yobánolo Valdebenito (PPD)
• Pedro Ampuero Espinoza (DC)
• Marcos Santana Arias (Evopoli)
• Francisco Eguiluz Figueroa (RN)
• Vicky Carrasco Silva (REP)

Parliamentary representation

The commune belongs to the 12th constituency (XII - Los Ríos), which is represented in the Senate with a legislature until 2026 by the senators:

• María José Gatica Bertín (RN)
• Iván Flores García (DC)
• Alfonso de Urresti Longton (PS)

Similarly, the commune is part of district number 24, which is represented in the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress, with a legislature from 2022 to 2026, by the deputies:

• Bernardo Berger Fett (RN)
• Marcos Ilabaca Cerda (PS)
• Ana María Bravo Castro (PS)
• Gastón Von Muhlenbrock Zamora (UDI)
• Patricio Rosas Barrientos (Ind-CS)

Regional government

Due to its status as capital of the Los Ríos Region, the regional administration is located in Valdivia, where the regional government, the regional council and the regional ministerial secretariats operate. In the same way, the city concentrates the vast majority of the offices and regional directorates of public services and institutions. Likewise, since 2019 the Seremi of the macro-south zone of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation of Chile has a seat in the city, made up of the regions of La Araucanía; The Rivers and The Lakes.

Most illustrious Court of Appeal of Valdivia.

Judicial Branch

The Court of Appeals of Valdivia is based in the city and its jurisdictional territory includes the Region of Los Ríos and the province of Osorno of the Region of Los Lagos, thus being the only court with jurisdiction in two regions.

There is also a seat in the city of the Court of Oral Criminal Trial of Valdivia and of civil, Family, Labor Law and Guarantee courts.

Environmental Court of Valdivia

Valdivia is the seat of one of the three Environmental Courts in Chile. The jurisdiction of the Third Environmental Court of Valdivia covers the southern-austral territory of Chile from the Ñuble Region to the Magallanes Region and the Chilean Antarctic.

Economy

Numerous cruises are those that are built in the private shipyard Asenav, which once finished are towed to the Coastal Coastal Litoral Valdiviano and Corral Bay.

Valdivia presents within its main economic activities, the lumber, paper, brewing, milling industries, and a pulp mill. Large companies such as Celco, Bomasil, and Louisiana Pacific have established wood processing factories near Valdivia.

One of the most internationally recognized companies based in Valdivia is Asenav, also known as Astilleros y Servicios Navales S.A., a private Chilean shipyard founded in the city in 1974 by the German immigrant Eberhard Kössmann Bartels, a naval architect and a mechanical engineer based in the city.

In the field of telecommunications, the National Telephone Company was born in Valdivia in 1983, which is currently known nationally as Telefónica del Sur (Telsur) by a group of businessmen of German origin settled in in the city: Gustavo and Carlos Pröchelle, Arnulfo Anwandter, Reinaldo Harnecker and Ricardo Köerner.

Trade

In the field of retail, the main brands that are distributed in existing shopping centers are present.

Shopping Centers

• Mall Plaza de Los Ríos. With about 57 thousand square meters built and distributed in three total levels plus two subterranean, Plaza de Los Ríos has more than 70 commercial premises, five Cineplanet rooms, two large stores (Falabella and Ripley), patio of franchise meals like (McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Dunkin', among others) hypermarket connected to the mall, It is located in Calle Arauco #561.

• Centro Nuevo Taboada. It is located in front of the intersections of the streets Camilo Henríquez, Caupolicán, Picarte and Chacabuco, on the grounds where the shop "Taboada" was located, destroyed in 2012 by a fire that committed almost the whole of an apple in the Valdivian center. Opened in 2017, this shopping center has more than two thousand square meters with exclusive stores of medium size.

• Portal Valdivia. Commercial center distributed on four levels, first and second level for parking, third and fourth level for commercial premises and patio of meals, plus a Jumbo hypermarket. It belongs to the holding Cencosud and is located in Avenue Errázuriz #1102.

• Mall Paseo Valdivia. Commercial center of the group Pasmar that operates Mall Paseo del Mar, Mall Paseo Costanera and Mall Paseo Chiloé. It pretends to be the largest shopping centre in the city, the Los Ríos Region and one of the largest in South Chile, with more than 100,000 square meters built and distributed in ten total levels (six on the ground) and (four underground). Contemplates anchor stores such as Paris and H strangerM—seven cinemas of the Cinépolis chain, food court and more than 140 commercial venues. It is located one block from the square of the Republic, at the intersections of Picarte Streets, Caupolican, Chacabuco and Ismael Valdés. Its opening is expected for the first quarter of 2023.

The other large national retail stores and supermarkets are located in the main central arteries of the city, close to the Plaza de la República and avenues with high pedestrian flow.

Municipal Market of Valdivia

Municipal Market

In the city, there are also local chains that are mainly related to the artisan and gastronomic sector made with local raw materials and from the south of Chile and that are mostly concentrated in the Municipal Market of Valdivia or in its vicinity.

The Municipal Market of Valdivia is a building that dates from 1910, on its ground floor you can find artisan and gourmet products typical of the area, on the upper floors there are restaurants with typical food with a greater emphasis on fish and shellfish extracted from the coast.

River Fair

In the Valdivia River Fair you can find products extracted from the Valdivian Coast, shellfish, fish, vegetables and other types of food, as well as local crafts. Given its privileged environment, along with open green areas and a panoramic view of the Valdivia River, it is one of the main tourist attractions of the city, and one of its iconic images.

The fair is characterized by the permanence, probably since pre-Hispanic history, of a marketing activity of farm and marine products, coming by river from riverside and coastal communities.

Craft Fairs

They are located on the city's waterfront, next to the Municipal Market called the “typical zone” — where it is possible to find home-made products with local raw materials such as fabrics and wood-carved items. In the traditional Paseo Camilo Henríquez, the products offered by the craft fair are made by artisan unions, local groups and small local micro-enterprises.

Consulates

Due to the large number of immigrants and descendants from various European countries, especially Germans, there are various honorary consulates in the city to attend to various problems of the population residing in the area.

The consulates present in the city are those of the republics of:

• GermanyGermany: Honorarkonsul der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (honorary consul: Kurt Hellemann).
• AustriaAustria: Austrian Honorary Consulate (honorary Consul: Dr. Marcos Iampaglia).
• SpainSpain: Honorary Consulate of the Kingdom of Spain (honorary Consul: Elias Caballero).
• France: Consulat Honoraire de la République Française (honorary consul: Carl Friedrich Fingerhuth Vorwerk).
• ItalyItaly: Honorary Consulate of the Italian Republic (Honorary Consul: Alessandro Foradori).
• NetherlandsNetherlands: Honorary Consulate of the Netherlands (honorary Consul: Charlotte Lovengreen Van Der Meijden).
• United KingdomUnited Kingdom: Honorary Consulate of the United Kingdom (honorary consul: John Kenyon).

Tourism

Sea lions on Valdivia river coast

Tourism plays an important role, mainly in summer, due to the natural attractions that the commune and its surroundings present, and the traditional celebrations that are celebrated during this date, such as the Valdivian Week.

Urban

In the center of the city, the Municipal Market stands out, which attracts attention both for its architecture and for the commerce that takes place there, focused mainly on local crafts and gastronomy. There is also the waterfront promenade —a pedestrian promenade of more than 2.5 km in length that follows the course and banks of the Valdivia and Calle-Calle rivers— and the Valdivia Fluvial Fair.

Within the architectural heritage, the Church of the San Francisco Convent, located on Yerbas Buenas street, which has stained glass windows of Francisco de Asís and Isabel de Thuringia, also stands out. Between Yungay and General Lagos streets there are various European design constructions from the early XIX century. Of these constructions, the house of the Docmar family stands out, built in 1888. It is currently known as Casa Luis Oyarzún 90 and houses the Extension Department of the Austral University of Chile. There is also the Casa Martens, built in 1879 on Yungay street, current headquarters of the El Austral Cultural Center; and the Casona Lopetegui on General Lagos street, which was recovered and transformed into apartments.

Arboretum on Teja Island.

Urban parks

Botanical Garden of the Austral University of Chile. Located inside the Isla Teja Campus of the University. It has an approximate area of 12 ha, where you can see about 950 species of plants including mosses, ferns, native trees and seed plants along its trails, which reach the Cruces River and the Valdivia River.

Arboretum of the Austral University of Chile. It has around 400 species of exotic origin and 450 native species, spread over 27 hectares and complemented by about 30 hectares of recovering Valdivian humid forest, where Bird communities such as the Magellanic woodpecker, concón, comesebo and hued-hued develop. Likewise, it maintains reproductive populations of numerous native (harmless) amphibian and insect species, which are exclusive to the Valdivian jungle. Currently the Arboretum covers 64 hectares intended mainly for education and recreation. Its collections are organized through trails that can be covered on foot and that display various landscapes, which means that it can be visited at any time of the year.

Laguna and Flor de Lotos in the Saval Park.

Saval Park. It is located on Isla Teja, on land that belonged to the Prochelle family farm since 1870. Since 1944 they belong to the Valdivia Agricultural Society (Saval) in which Two lagoons covered with lotus flowers, picnic facilities, children's games, cycling paths, sculpture park, canopy, soccer and rugby field, wide spaces and a shed where various thematic fairs are organized throughout the summer and specific dates the rest of the year.

Harnecker Park. This park is one of the main pockets of Valdivian forest in the interior of the city. It was acquired by the Harnecker family in 1852, which supplemented the native forest with exotic species to transform it into a park with a botanical garden, a small zoo and a picnic area. Open to the community every day of the year. It is located in front of the Jumbo Hypermarket and Mall Portal Valdivia.

Santa Inés Park. Most of this park is occupied by a wooded area made up of large specimens of native trees, mainly oaks, and exotic species such as oak, European maple, maritime pine and cypress, among others. It has a picnic area and is located on Isla Teja between Los Robles and Los Lingues avenues, next to the Santa Inés church.

El Bosque Urban Park. This urban nature reserve has been managed since 2004 by the Lemu Lahuen Ecological Committee ("healing forest" in Mapudungun), whose objective is to protect its nature and carry out environmental education. In this park you can find self-guided trails, trails with universal access, a clean point and the multipurpose house called "La Semilla". It is located at Av. Simpson 301 (Regional sector).

Botanic Garden of the Universidad Austral de Chile.

Park and Fundo Teja Norte. Close to downtown Valdivia, it covers an area of 97 hectares and is located on Teja Island. There are horseback riding and hiking services, for which there are trails with a variety of landscapes, a picnic area and viewpoints located on the banks of the Cruces River and Cau-Cau River.

Catrico Urban Park. It is located in the southern sector of Valdivia and has approximately 24 hectares. It considers surfaces of green areas, pavements, natural areas of reeds and water bodies, among other characteristics, as well as children's games, exercise machines, multi-purpose courts and synthetic grass courts.

Prochelle Park. It is located on Isla Teja next to the Pedro de Valdivia bridge. It is possible to find various native and introduced tree species of great size and wingspan, overlooking the Valdivia River, Schüster Dock and the River Market. This park is connected to the cultural waterfront and to the Valdivia contemporary art museum network.

Vista del Parque Prochelle, al río Valdivia, costanera cultural y red museológica.

Semi-urban/Rural

Pier and pier of the town of Punucapa.

Similarly, the commune has several places of interest outside the city:

• The Mill. Rural village of the commune located on the west bank of the river Cruces.
• Punucapa. Coastal location located on the west bank of the river Cruces, there is a cider plant with fruit products typical of the area, in addition to the celebration of Virgen de la Candelaria during the month of February.
• Curiñanco. Locality of the coastal coastline located in the north of the commune, near the coastal protected area Punta Curiñanco.
• Fog. Locality of the coastal coast of the commune where is located the System of Forts of Valdivia, tourist resorts and coastal meetings.
• The Molinos. Spa and caleta where fish and seafood are sold.
• Torobayo. It is located on the road to the Valdivian coast where the Kunstmann brewery factory is located.
• Pilolcura. Coastal location located north of the commune, near the protected coastal area Punta Curiñanco.
• Oncol Park. Natural park where you can practice ecotourism.

• Sanctuary of Nature Carlos Anwandter. It is located north of the city and includes the wetlands of the rivers Cruces and Chorocomayo.

Terrestrial

Steam locomotive 620 "The Valdivian" on his Sunday tour Valdivia/Antilhue.

The Valdivian Train

Historical steam train from the 1930s and 1950s, which runs 28 kilometers linking the Valdivia Station with the Antilhue Station in the Los Ríos Region. The railway is pulled by a hundred-year-old locomotive number 620 Type 57, it was manufactured by the Sociedad Maestranzas y Galvanización de Viña del Mar, with original plans from North British, Scotland in 1908. Its manufacture was carried out in 1913. It has four cars and a dining car, with a passenger capacity between 380 and 390 passengers.

The Train travels along the river from the city of Valdivia making stops in Pishuinco, Huellelhue until its final stop at the Antilhue Station and which welcomes visitors giving them the opportunity to consume local products, typical gastronomy and crafts.

The Train was outside the sphere of the city for decades. The city's train station was not actually used, and there was not a locomotive in good condition that would allow reactivating the trips so characteristic of the area. However, in 1996 conversations began again with various local, community, regional, and national authorities with the aim of making the Train and its Station work again. Finally, this project materializes and materializes to a large extent due to the efforts of the Councilwoman of the time, Helga Hardessen Pineda, who was the promoter of this idea, and also being the main manager for the Train to return to its classic routes between Valdivia and Antilhue.

Fluvial

The Seven Rivers of Valdivia cross numerous wetlands on the banks of the rivers of the city, including the Sanctuary of Nature Carlos Anwandter with Black-Necked Swans.

Seven Rivers of Valdivia

The city has historically depended on its rivers; Whether economically or in tourism, in which its development and progress is due to the water flows that surround it, the water currents are characterized by having the particularity of being navigable in their lower part, a virtue that allows an expeditious development of tourism, in addition to the practice of various water sports.

Several boats leave from the Schuster Pier along the various rivers of the commune to locations such as Punucapa, Carlos Anwandter Nature Sanctuary, Isla Mancera, Isla del Rey, Niebla and Corral or simply navigating the Calle-Calle, Valdivia rivers and Crosses.

Certain sectors of the city correspond mostly to river terraces. The city's waterfront, more than 2 km long, is bordered by the Calle-Calle and Valdivia rivers. While the Isla Teja sector is bordered by the Cruces River.

Towards the coastal sector, the diversification of rivers decreases, leaving main branches for the Cruces Cutipay and Tornagaleones Rivers. ending all of them in the town of Niebla and in the bay of Corral.

National Monuments

Historic Monument	Location	Decree	Description	Image
Calle General Pedro Lagos	39°49′49′S 73°15′2′ / -39.83028, -73.25056	D. S. 89 01-04-1991	Typical area formed by streets General Lagos and Yungay between Lautaro and Miraflores, populated by wooden houses of the century XIXbuilt by German immigrants.
Casa de Carlos Andwanter	39°48′46′S 73°15′2′ / -39.81278, -73.25056	D. S. 7829 29-10-1981	Current Maurice van de Maele Historical and Anthropological Museum, located in Los Laureles s/n, Teja Island.
Casas y Parque Prochelle	39°48′26′′S 73°16′9′ / -39.80722, -73.26917	D. S. 918 28-11-1985	Prochelle Park, Casa Prochelle I and Casa Prochelle II, located at Av. The Robles No. 04, Teja Island.
Niebla Castle	39°52′11′S 73°24′′ / -39.86972, -73.40278	D. S. 3869 14-06-1950	Also known as Castillo de la Pura y Clean Concepción de Monfort de Lemus, located in Punta de Niebla.
Valdivia Fluvial Fair	39°48′46′S 73°14′54′′ / -39.81278, -73.24833	D. 414 04-11-2009	Typical area, one of the main shopping centers of the city, next to the navigable river Valdivia and with panoramic views to the island Teja.
Wetlands of the rivers Cruces and Chorocomayo	39°48′21′S 73°16′33′ / -39.80583, -73.27583	D. S. 2734 03-06-1981	Natural sanctuary located north of the confluence between the rivers Cruces and Calle-Calle. It includes the bed, islands and flooding areas of the rivers, between the north end of Teja Island in the south and 2 km north of San Luis de Alba Castle in the north.
Church of San Francisco	39°49′5′S 73°14′51′′ / -39.81806, -73.24750	D. E. 1377 18-07-2007	Church of the century XVIII (1786). Located in Calle Yerbas Good No. 181, corner Vicente Pérez Rosales.
Torreón Los Canelos	39°49′4′S 73°14′54′′ / -39.81778, -73.24833	D. S. 744 24-03-1926	Built in 1774 under the orders of Joaquín de Espinoza. Located on General Lagos street corner Yerbas Buena.
Torreón Picarte	39°49′10′S 73°13′49′ / -39.81944, -73.23028	D. S. 744 24-03-1926	Built in 1774 under the orders of Joaquín de Espinoza. Located in the corner of Picarte Streets with Calle-Calle Bridge.
Naufragio Vapor Los Canelos	39°51′30′S 73°13′51′ / -39.85833, -73.23083	D. S 311 22-10-1999	Property of the Naviera "Haverbeck & Skalweit that moved wood, flour and assorted to the northern part of Chile, arrived on May 16, 1960 to the Port of Corral, sinistered by three large waves of 10 meters, on May 22, 1960 during the Valdivia Maremoto of 1960 and dragged 30 meters into the interior of the Valdivia River at 17:40 hours.

Culture

Sector Torobayo where there are various factories of craft breweries.

The city is characterized by deep-rooted and multicultural traditions, linked to the native peoples, especially Mapuches, as well as the influence of national immigrants, coming from Chiloé and other sectors of the center and south of the country, and international, especially Spanish and Germans, the latter established in this and other cities in the area during the second half of the XIX century. Its former isolation from the rest of the country, mainly due to its natural conditions and abundant rainfall, allowed it to establish a strong sense of local cultural identity.

In Valdivia various artistic and cultural events are held, several of which are held annually, which continue the artistic vocation of the city, expressed since the second half of the century XIX in multiple cultural venues such as the Club de la Unión and the Valdivia, Central, Edén, Alcázar and Cervantes theatres.

In the summer the “Cultural Appetizers” event is held, which includes open-air concerts of classical music, opera, Celtic music, jazz, bossa nova, ballet and theater from national and foreign companies.

The traditional Valdivian crossroads.

Gastronomy

Part of Valdivian gastronomy is based on the recipes of German immigrants who arrived in the city during the XIX century. The introduced fruits such as the murta or the blackberry are used for the manufacture of liquor, mistela, jam and also allow the elaboration of fruit kuchen. On the other hand, apple küchen, apple strudel, stollen and streuselküchen are prepared with the apples from the Pelchuquín area. Another traditional dish is the "crudo valdiviano", made with raw beef, onion and other accompaniments, on sliced bread.

One of the typical dishes of the commune is “El valdiviano”, a soup originating from the time when the Spanish arrived in Chile. Its name is due to the fact that it originated in the area during the Spanish colonization, due to the cold typical of the region. It was the main food of soldiers, the one that managed to last for centuries until the present.

The various chocolate, chocolate and marzipan factories use wild forest fruits typical of the Valdivian forest, which go directly to the preparation of the area's chocolate, pastry and canning pastries.

Museums

Casa de Carlos Anwandter, National Monument currently known as the Historical and Anthropological Museum Maurice van de Maele.

The city has exhibition halls such as the El Austral Cultural Center, where talks and courses are held throughout the year. Las Artes», which brings together various museums, such as the Maurice van de Maele Historical and Anthropological Museum, the Rudolph Amandus Philippi Exploration Museum and the Valdivia Museum of Contemporary Art.

The Valdivia Cathedral museum is located in its basement. Its collection includes pieces such as a giltwood tabernacle with mirrors from the 18th century; oils on canvas from the Italian school of the XVII century; and looms from the XVIIIth century.

In May 2022, the Telecommunications Museum (Chile) was inaugurated, a work gestated and financed by Telsur, the first of its kind in the country, and which recounts the development of technologies that have made communications possible through the time. The museum works in the reconstruction of the Lüer house, a building from the end of the s. XIX that previously was the headquarters of the Valdivia Basketball Association.

Music

Among the most famous Valdivians linked to the world of music are the bands Aterrizaje Forzoso, which achieved fame in the late 80s, and Sexual Democracia, which achieved great success with its initial productions in the early 90s, reaching to appear at the Viña del Mar Festival in 1992. Another important musical exponent of the area is the duo Schwenke & Nilo —active until 2012—, a transcendental band of the Chilean musical aspect known as Canto nuevo.

In the XXI century, the Valdivian singer Carolina Nissen made her debut on the Chilean music scene, some of whose songs appear on radio stations and soundtracks of Chilean series and soap operas. In addition, since 2009, the city has hosted the Ai-Maako International Electroacoustic Music Festival.

Other related organizations and events:

Conservatory of Music of the Austral University of Chile. It is an academic unit dedicated to the training of professional performers and the dissemination of scholarly music. Its presence in Valdivia and in the south of Chile dates back to 1955, which consolidates it as the only instrumental training entity in the south-austral part of the country, with a staff of teachers and performers with experience and international training.

Valdivia Chamber Orchestra (OCV). It was founded in 2010 and is one of the six professional orchestras outside the Metropolitan Region considered in the nation's budget. In addition to its main season of concerts in Valdivia, which includes 28 performances, every year the Orchestra carries out extension work, with more than 60 free concerts in neighborhoods and communes in the southern zone, as well as educational activities in schools, with an emphasis on sectors rural.

Valdivia International Jazz Festival. It was born in July 2000 based on the concern of musicians and jazz lovers to spread and promote this style of music in southern Chile. Today It is considered the oldest festival in Chile and one of the most important in this musical genre in the Southern Cone.

Marqués de Mancera music camps. It is the oldest music camp in Chile, with more than 25 years of existence. It is held every early summer marked by the dissemination of music and training of girls, boys and young performers. Young people and children from Chile and the world participate by offering more than 30 free concerts in the city and in the Los Ríos Region. It presents the support of the Foundation of Youth and Children's Orchestras of Chile (FOJI).

Neighborhood Singing Festival: It is a vocal singing contest in which local citizens participate in competition and is complemented by the participation of national and local bands and artists, it is organized by the Illustrious Municipality of Valdivia and takes place during the month of February.

Fluvial Festival: It is a space where artists and agents from the world music and creative industry converge, in an atmosphere of celebration and reflection with concerts and interventions in public spaces, along the river and in theaters from the city. The festival contributes to training and reflection on art, creative industries, society and the environment.

Literature

The Valdivia Book Fair is organized annually by the Municipal Cultural Corporation in Saval Park. Likewise, the Chilean Writers Society, through its subsidiary Valdivia and with the collaboration of the Universidad Austral de Chile, periodically holds literary gatherings, a space in which books are presented and local literature is shared with the student community. Several authors born in the Los Ríos Region also stand out in the city, such as Maha Vial, Iván Espinoza Riesco, José Baroja, Aldo Astete Cuadra, Efraín Miranda Cárdenas, among others.

Theater

The Cervantes Theater is the main cultural center of Valdivia. It was built in 1935 and has been the scene of important artistic attractions in the country, being the nerve center of Valdivian culture for years.

Together with the Lord Cochrane Municipal Theatre, the Cervantes Theater is the setting for the Lluvia de Teatro Festival, traditionally held in winter during the month of July. The event makes available to the public a wide billboard of works with daily performances and at affordable prices.

The Valdivia International Film Festival (FICV) is one of the most important events in Latin America and Chile.

Cinema

The Valdivia International Film Festival (FICV) is the most important film event in Chile, one of the most important worldwide and in Latin America. It has been held since 1994, generally during the month of October. As of 2010, the festival had screened more than four thousand film productions, both national and international. The winners of each category are awarded a golden pudu statuette.

Other instances dedicated to the world of cinema are the Valdivia International Horror Film Festival, held since 2003, and an exhibition of works by the Cine Club of the Austral University of Chile, created in 1963, which preferably shows classic films, culture and international

Painting

The “Valdivia and its River” contest has been held since 1983 and is national and international. It is organized by the Municipal Cultural Corporation of Valdivia.

Sculptural Art

The “Valdivia International Sculpture Symposium” competition is listed as one of the most important events in Chile and prestigious in Latin America.

It brings together sculptors and artisans who, in 10 days, make sculptures based on wood, stone and metal whose primary objective is to bring art closer to the public dimension in situ and in vivo. It is organized by the Municipal Cultural Corporation of Valdivia.

Nightlife

Valdivia is also considered a “bohemian city”. It has numerous neighborhoods where you can find discos, bars, pubs, breweries and good-level restaurants, which make it a city with an active nightlife at any time of the year, due to the large university and tourist population.

Events

In the city most of the massive, gastronomic, cultural and recreational events are held during the summer season, however, during the year there are also various exhibitions on different themes such as the International Chocolate Fair, Expomundo Rural, Chilean Fair, Spring Expo, Christmas Expo, among others; that are carried out in the center of fairs of the Saval Park.

Bierfest Kunstmann and handmade beer cast in the central streets of the city.

Bierfest Kunstmann / Valdivia Beer Festival

Event organized by the Kunstmann Brewery that has been held every summer since 2002 in the Saval Park, in order to maintain the German and Valdivian traditions of the area. About 25,000 liters of beer are consumed by tourists and beer fans. The event includes the “Biergarten” of beer competitions, local and national bands, German dance ballet “Tanzfreunde”, German music groups and more than 16 specialties on offer available to the public, in addition to a wide gastronomic offer in the place.

The entire city of Valdivia is also integrated into this celebration with activities in different tourist spots. For example, free beer tasting and traditional German dances in the Plaza de la República and on the waterfront, a high-speed rowing championship and a sailing regatta in the middle of the Calle-Calle and Valdivia rivers, an equestrian jumping competition organized by the Paperchase Valdivia Equestrian Club, and the exhibition of collector vehicles organized by the Valdivia Antique Car Club.

All funds are raised for the First Fire Company Germania de Valdivia.

International Crafts Fair

It is held every February in the "Recinto de Ferias" of Parque Saval to encourage, strengthen and promote the development of artisan activity and its inherent craftsmanship to generate cultural, social and economic value for the Valdivia commune. Those who participate in this event exhibit and market their products on a date of high tourist influx.

Corso Fluvial on the Rivers, in the traditional "Noche Valdiviana".

Valdivian Night

It is the oldest festival in the city held during Valdivian Week, which is celebrated during the last week of February each year, ending with a parade of decorated boats along the Valdivia River and fireworks.

According to tradition, the Valdivian Night commemorates a demonstration from the XVI century in which residents, dissatisfied with the administration of the Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza, as a sign of protest, launched their boats into the river with bales of straw on fire. As a result, the governor was removed, and the parade of boats—with lights instead of fire—became a custom. Over the years, the commemoration reached unsuspected popularity and became one of the most anticipated events in Chile. In it, more than 50 decorated boats —headed by the official boat of the "Corso Fluvial" and the Municipality of Valdivia— parade along the Valdivia River and the Calle-Callem River, with assemblies made up of local people and compete with each other for the prizes. stipulated prizes. The show closes with a pyrotechnic festival lasting more than 40 minutes that culminates with cascades of fireworks over the Pedro de Valdivia bridge and in front of the official stands. This show closes the summer activities in the city and takes place on the last Saturday of February.

Festival Teatro a Mil through the streets of the city of Valdivia.

Spring Carnival

It is held every spring in the coastal sector of the city with floats decorated with different themes that aim to welcome the new season in the best way, after long and harsh winter months. The event consists of four different competitions (allegorical floats and murgas, in children's and adult categories) and concludes with a fireworks display.

Wacky Car Race

It takes place in the waterfront sector making the crazy cars that the competitors make with recycled material go down by the force of inertia and the race consists of two stages; in the first, the participants of the Prix and Grand Prix categories go down a slope, pushed by their companions. The second stage, voluntary and which generates the expectation of the attendees, consists of going through a ramp located on a slope, approximately 35 centimeters high, in which some cars fail to overcome the small jump and are destroyed when they touch the ground. drawing applause from the audience. Categories compete for a grand prize and a trip for two.

Black and Craft Beer Festival

Event organized by the Illustrious Municipality of Valdivia and the Association of Valdivian Brewers in which more than 20 local breweries are exhibited for consumption, mainly from the Los Ríos Region, it is also complemented with gastronomy and shows by national and international bands. local.

Mil Valdivia Theater Festival

The Teatro a Mil Foundation extends its street, theatrical and cultural intervention events in the streets of the city of Valdivia, presenting various shows by national and international theater companies of the performing arts, which are added to the activities and massive events during the summer. Such an event is held through the different streets of the city and includes citizen participation and local artists.

Sports

Basketball

Felipe Aguilar, a professional golfer with national and international degrees.

The most successful sport in the city is basketball. The commune has two professional teams: the Valdivia Sports Club (CDV) and the Las Ánimas Sports Club. Both clubs compete in the Chilean National Basketball League and the Saesa League. The CDV has participated in the highest category of Chilean professional basketball since 1986 —first in Dimayor and currently in the National League—, characterized by having the highest average public attendance in Chilean basketball,^{[citation required ]} with three national titles in the main basketball competition in Chile, winning the Dimayor in 2001 and the National League in 2016 and 2019. For its part, Las Ánimas won the National League title in 2018.

Valdivia has the Antonio Azurmendy Riveros Municipal Coliseum as a venue for basketball practice, hosting international basketball tournaments in the country and world and South American championships, where NBA stars such as Nocioni, Nene and Anderson have played. The Antonio Azurmendy Coliseum is known in the national basket maker environment as "The Chilean Basketball Cathedral".

Rowing

Rowing is the sport that has given Valdivia the most success and is practiced by four clubs in the city: the Phoenix Valdivia Sports Club, the Centenario Rowing Club, the Arturo Prat Rowing Club and the Valdivia Regatas Club, including world titles obtained by Cristian Yantani and Miguel Cerda in Seville 2002, both from Club Phoenix. In addition, they have countless South American and Pan American titles and continuous representation in the Olympic Games. The success of this sport has been fostered by the good conditions of its waters in the Calle-Calle and Valdivia rivers for its practice, added to the inclement weather that, according to the rowers, forms its character.

Velerismo is one of the most practiced sports on the riverbank that converge in the city.

Football

The Valdivia Sports Club represents the city in professional soccer, playing in 2020 in Primera B, the second most important category in Chile. This club was founded on June 5, 1983 and dissolved in 1991, to later return years later, managing to play two years in the First Division in 1988 and 1989. In 2016, after years out of professionalism, it managed to return to First B for the 2016-17 season, obtaining the title in the Second Professional Division of Chile, the third category of Chilean football.

Horse riding

There are also various riding schools whose competition activities are carried out mostly in the summer season, holding national tournaments and equestrian schools in the southern zone. Schools such as Valdivia Paperchase Club and Club Ecuestre la Dehesa stand out.

Other sports

Valdivia also has representatives in others, such as golf with Felipe Aguilar, who began in this discipline at the Santa Elvira golf club and has been a professional since 1999. He has obtained titles on the PGA European Tour, Challenge Tour, medal of gold at the 2014 South American Games and bronze at the 2015 Pan American Games, among other achievements.

Daniela Asenjo, known as "La leona", national super flyweight champion, stands out in boxing.

Equipment	Sport	Competition	Stadium	Creation
Sports Valdivia	Football	First B of Chile	Estadio Parque Municipal	1983
Club Deportivo Valdivia	Basquetball	Chilean National Basketball League	Coliseum Municipal Antonio Azurmendy Riveros	1986
Sports Club Las Ánimas	Basquetball	Chilean National Basketball League	Coliseum Municipal Antonio Azurmendy Riveros	2001

Scientific development

Foucault profile of the Center for Scientific Studies (CECs), in the Costanera of Science.

Center for Scientific Studies of the South (CECs)

The Center for Scientific Studies (CECS) is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to the development, promotion and dissemination of scientific research. It is one of the most important centers for advanced scientific studies in the country. It was founded in 1984 as the Center for Scientific Studies of Santiago, to later move to Valdivia. It has always been directed by the physicist and Dr. Claudio Bunster.

His areas of research and work are in the disciplines of:

• Cellular biology
• Molecular biology
• Cellular physiology
• Biotechnology
• Theoretical physics
• Glaciology

Waterfront of Science and Foucault's Pendulum

The central element of the «Science Waterfront» is a Foucault pendulum. This instrument —which demonstrates the rotation of the earth— was moved from the main room of the CECs to a glass and steel tower with a total height of 20 meters above the level of the waterfront. On the octagonal tower of the pendulum is the "Pendulum Lighthouse", a historic navigation aid instrument that illuminated the Morro de Niebla lighthouse in Corral Bay from 1896 to 1986. The lighthouse, donated and reconditioned by the Chilean Navy, has a visibility of 10 nautical miles and is located 19.25 m above the mean level of the Valdivia River.

At the foot of the Pendulum Lighthouse, a large map of Chile, the South American cone and Antarctica is projected. This map highlights the main glaciers and southern ice bodies of our country and the frozen continent. The main Antarctic research bases of various countries are also indicated.

Education

School Education

As of 2019, there are 114 schools in the commune: 44 municipal, 60 subsidized individuals, and 10 paid individuals. oldest in Chile—, the Salesian Institute of Valdivia "ISV" —founded in 1903, member of the Salesian Congregation and Don Bosco Foundation— and the Immaculate Conception Institute of Valdivia "ICV", founded in 1883 and member of the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception.

Among public establishments, the former Men's High School stands out —today Liceo Rector Armando Robles Rivera— founded in 1845 and recognized for being among the 50 best municipal schools in Chile in terms of academic performance and admission to education top.

Among the professional high schools that grant different technical specialties, are the Valdivia Commercial Institute, the Higher Institute of Administration and Tourism, the Valdivia Technical High School and the Valdivia Industrial High School.

Higher Education

Rector Eduardo Morales Miranda, promoter of the academy, culture and science in the city of Valdivia.

Beginnings

The beginnings of university and academic life in the city of Valdivia begin in 1942, when a group of enlightened people from the city led by the doctor Eduardo Morales Miranda, promoted the Sociedad de Amigos del Arte de Valdivia; founded on November 17, 1944, which promoted the development of culture, academia and science in the Valdivian community. Said society built a main objective, the creation of a new university for Valdivia. Local personalities from various fields supported this initiative, including Carlos Acharan Pérez de Arce, senator of the Province of Valdivia at the time, promoting the idea from its inception.

Ten years passed from where various unsuccessful meetings, approaches and proposals came to light with the creation of the board of directors of the new Valdivian university, whose president of the newly formed administrative body fell to the doctor Eduardo Morales Miranda, on February 16, 1954.

Various personalities linked to Valdivian culture, art and science committed to the cause, among them philanthropists, doctors and industrial entrepreneurs, donated land where future university campuses would later be located, which would house the first careers of the University.

At the same time in the city, the Technical University of the State of Valdivia was operating in the Miraflores sector with professional technical careers, among them the creation of the naval maintenance technician career to be professionalized as a university career in Naval Engineering years later. Later, towards the end of the 80s, the Technical University of the State of Valdivia was absorbed by the Austral University for the creation of a university campus dedicated to physical, mathematical and engineering sciences.

Manfred Max Neef, Alternative Nobel Prize in Economics and Presidential candidate in 1993, was Rector of the UACh between 1994 and 2002.

Austral University of Chile

Finally, the official act and the creation of the university identity was proclaimed in an official act on March 12, 1955 in the presence of the President of the Republic at the time Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, the Ministers of Public Education, Public Works, Justice, Agriculture and Health, the mayor of the city of Valdivia, Carlos Kaehler; the rector of the University of Chile, Juan Gómez Millas; the rector of the State Technical University, the deputy secretary of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and other university authorities; some ambassadors and government representatives such as those of the Netherlands, the United States and Germany.

On that occasion, the mayor of Valdivia expressed:

«Born the Austral University and born in Valdivia. - This has the right framework for her. For their conditions, here is the calm concentration and respect for the culture that the higher study and research institutes need. The Municipality of Valdivia is willing to support not only immediate plans but also future plans. - Carlos Kaehler Schroeder (alcalde de Valdivia)».

Nevertheless, said house of higher studies obtained its legal status and autonomy six months later after its official proclamation, on September 7, 1955.

Rectory and Central House of the Universidad Austral de Chile, former Reccius and Holzapfel houses located in the center of the city.

In this context, the Universidad Austral de Chile is recognized as one of the most prestigious and important in the country. Founded in 1954, it belongs to the select group of only eight existing universities in the country at the time of the higher education reform in 1981, which is why it is part of the "traditional universities".

There are four university campuses in Valdivia (Isla Teja, Miraflores, Campus de la Cultura y Las Artes, and Los Canelos) — totaling 920,183 square meter. It offers 56 undergraduate careers, in postgraduate more than 30 master's programs, twelve doctoral programs and eleven medical specialties.

Private Universities

Several houses of study are also present in the city; such as:

• Universidad San Sebastián
• Technological University of Chile
• Universidad Santo Tomás
• SEK University.

University Corporations

In 2014, the Valdivia Ciudad Universitaria y del Conocimiento (VCUC) corporation was born, created by the strategic association between the Municipality of Valdivia, the Center for Scientific Studies, the Austral University of Chile, the San Sebastián University, the Technological University of Chile and the Santo Tomás University. The purpose of the VCUC corporation is to promote and convert the city into a pole of academic, scientific and research development in the southern part of Chile.

Valdivia Campus of San Sebastian University, in Barrio Patrimonial General Lagos.

Professional Institutes

• Inacap
• AIEP Professional Institute
• Instituto Profesional Santo Tomás
• Instituto Profesional Universidad de Los Lagos
• Professional Providence Institute (IPP)
• IP Chile

Technical Training Centers

• St. Thomas Technical Training Centre
• Technical Training Centre University of Los Lagos
• UACh Continuous Training Centre

Health

Human

Public Health Facilities

The Valdivia Base Hospital (HBV) or better known as the "Valdivia Regional Clinical Hospital" is the main public hospital (teaching/care) in the commune and region. It is located in the Regional Sector between av. Simpson 850 for the emergency service and Bueras 1003 for the Specialty Clinic. The campus is a reference center in the southern and southern macro zone (from Ñuble to Magallanes) in the specialties of oncology, nephrology and kidney transplantation, and hematology.

The community's primary health care network includes seven family health centers, two high-resolution services, and five rural health posts (in the towns of Punucapa, Huellelhue, Curiñanco, Morronpulli, and Cayumapu).

Private Health Facilities

German Clinic of Valdivia. Founded on March 31, 1909 by personalities from the German colony residing in Valdivia, it is currently the main private health center in the Region. It is owned by the German-Chilean Charity Corporation. It also includes the Hogar Alemán de Valdivia (HAV) network. German Clinic and German home are located at Beaucheff 735 street, Beaucheff 765—medical consultation building and Beaucheff 807— for general and school emergencies.

Instituto de Seguridad del Trabajo de Valdivia (ACHS). Private health service that is in charge of emergency medical care for workers who need services related to work accidents. It is located at 705 Beaucheff street.

Clínica Mutual de Seguridad Valdivia. Private clinical facility, which provides care related to occupational accidents and underlying traumatology and orthopedic injuries. It is located in Av. Arturo Prat 1005, in the coastal sector of the city.

Costanera Clinic. Private facility that offers medical and dental care with major and minor outpatient surgery pavilions. It is located in the coastal sector of the city at Calle Pedro de Valdivia 201.

Red Salud Valdivia Clinic. Private facility that provides medical and dental care with outpatient major and minor surgery pavilions. It belongs to the Chilean Chamber of Construction. It is located at Avenida Alemania 475.

USS Valdivia Health Center. Private teaching/care facility that provides medical and dental care with outpatient major and minor surgery wards. It belongs to the San Sebastián University, it is located at Calle Vicente Pérez Rosales 1095.

Similarly in the city is the Teletón Valdivia Children's Rehabilitation Institute Center, which cares for nearly 1,200 patients at its facilities in the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions (Osorno Province). The Valdivia Telethon Center is located at Av. René Schneider 2631.

Animals

The Veterinary Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Clinical Sciences of the Austral University of Chile, is located in Fundo Teja Norte (Isla Teja) and provides care (teaching/assistance) in older and smaller animals, plus veterinary specialties of greater complexity. In addition, the city has a free municipal veterinary clinic.

Transportation

Ground transportation

Bridge network

Due to the multiple rivers that cross the city, Valdivia's road connectivity is characterized by having several bridges that connect multiple points of it with interurban areas, such as the coastal area and the north entrance of the city.

The road network of bridges in Valdivia is made up of:

Bridge	Location / Access	Foundation	Description of Connectivity	Image
Calle-Calle Bridge	North Access to Valdivia	1945-1997	They are made up of two bridges, the Calle-Calle 1 bridge, which is currently used to cross (in the vehicle sense) from Valdivia to Las Ánimas, and whose construction was initiated in 1938 and was delivered in 1945.
Pedro de Valdivia Bridge	Access to Teja Island	1953	It is an arched bridge that crosses the river Valdivia, which unites the center of the city of Valdivia of the residential area of Teja Island.
Cruise Bridge	Access to the coastal sector (Niebla/Curiñanco/Pilolcura)	1987	It is a bridge that crosses the homonymous river in Valdivia, and connects the Teja Island sector with the T-350 route of the Torobayo sector (which connects the coastal zone of Niebla).
Cau-cau Bridge	North Access (Aeropuerto) to Teja Island and coastal sector of Niebla/Curiñanco.	2018	Basculating bridge across the river. Connect the areas of Teja Island and Las Ánimas.
Santa Elvira Bridge	North	2016	Connects at the crossing of the Santa Elvira sector and at the other end to the T-35 route (Valdivia-Antilhue-Los Lagos). It also allows you to connect the north exit (T-202, Valdivia-Mariquina, Pichoy Airport), through Circunvalation and Picarte, with the south exit (T-206, Valdivia-Paillaco).

Terrapuerto Valdivia

Terrapuerto Valdivia.

The Valdivia Bus Terminal (Terval) is the main bus terminal in the city. It is a municipal building but concessioned to private companies and is located in the coastal sector of the city next to the Calle Calle river, between Costanera Arturo Prat avenue, Anfión Muñoz and Carlos Anwandter streets. Its last remodeling was inaugurated in 2016.

It has a total built-up area of more than 12,000 m² distributed over four levels. The north wing of the first level has platforms and commercial offices for buses for short distances within the Los Ríos Region and the south wing with platforms and commercial offices for long-distance buses outside the region or internationally to the Argentine towns of San Martín de Los Andes and Bariloche. In total there are 26 platforms and 70 commercial offices for ticket sales.

• Level 1 also has small and medium commercial premises, cafes, plus retail gondolas. Also on this floor are the Tourist Information Office, Hygienic Services and Custody Service.

• Level 2, has a patio of meals of the main national fast food chains such as (McDonald's, Burger King, Subway) which have a lookout to the south wing and giant led screen for viewing the arrival or departure of buses.

• Level 3 has national retail shops, pharmacy chain and a Walmart Chile chain supermarket.

• Level 4 has a hotel for the passenger stay.

Bus terminal on the coast of Valdivia

There is also an interurban bus terminal that goes to the sectors of Torobayo where the Kunstmann, Cutipay or Estancilla Brewery is located, until reaching the towns on the Coastal Coast of the Valdivia commune such as Niebla, Los Molinos, San Ignacio, Playa Rosada, Calfuco, Curiñanco and Pilolcura.

Pichoy Airport in Valdivia (ZAL)

Air transportation

• Pichoy Airport. It is located 23 km northeast of Valdivia and is administered by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation. The terminal operates LATAM, Sky Airline and JetSmart airlines with daily flights to Santiago. The first floor of the airport has tourist information modules of the area, handicraft modules, chocolate shops and souvenirs, rent a car services, transfer services to Valdivia plus counters of the airlines in operation. The second floor has cafes and restaurant that lead to the airstrip.

• Aerodrome Las Marías. It is a public air terminal located in the Las Marías sector, on the way to Cabo Blanco, which provides services only for minor aircraft and non-commercial air traffic.

Transshipper Cullated in Corral Bay.

Sea transport

• Niebla-Corral-Mancera Service. It corresponds to the passenger transport terminal to the towns of Mancera Island and the port of Corral through a ferry for passengers and cars that crosses the bay of Corral, provided that the weather conditions and the authorization of the Maritime Governor of Valdivia and Capitanía de Puerto allow it.

• Torobayo-Las Mulatas Service. It performs the crossroads between the Torobayo sector (camino to the coast) and the Las Mulatas sector of the city of Valdivia. Its function is to decongest the road to the coastal sector, mainly in the high season of tourism. The service is free and the crossing takes 10 minutes.

• Services Valdivia-Niebla-Corral-Mancera. They carry out the navigation (to-return) only for tourist purposes from the coast of Valdivia, which includes a journey from the south to the river Valdivia, to the mouth of the river, and to the bay of Corral — with arrest on the island Mancera, known for its virrenal fortifications (mainly the San Pedro de Alcántara Castle and the Capilla San Antonio de Padua)

• Medium landings (Niebla/Corral/Mancera). They sail to Mancera and Corral Island from the Embarcations Terminal that is located at the arrival of the coastal town of Niebla with frequent departures during the day.

Urban transportation

Collective taxis to the coast

The collective taxis to Niebla and the coastal sector: their starting point is in front of the Municipality of Valdivia and next to the Municipal and Fluvial Market.

• Tour: Isla Teja - Torobayo - Cervecería Kunstmann - Estancilla - Cutipay - Aguas del Obispo - Niebla - Feria Costumbrista - Playas chica y grande de Niebla.

River taxis

Solar Taxi in Valdivia, on the Calle-Calle River.

Corresponds to a public transport service over the rivers of Valdivia. They are known as "solar taxis" that work with photovoltaic solar energy and German electric motors (Kräutler SD-K), have a bank of sealed and deep-discharge batteries that give 10 hours of autonomy and with the same panels part of the expense is restored of the batteries. The boat has a speed of 6 km/h, its gait is silent, sustainable, ecological and does not generate waves. Manufactured in Chile, each "river taxi" has a low floor designed to transport children, the elderly, wheelchairs, bicycles. They are 9.50 meters long (length); 3.02 meters wide (beam) and a capacity for 18 people (16 passengers and 2 crew). It presents a single rate and can be taken every day of the year.

There is a trunk station where tickets are purchased and 17 passenger landing stations that cover a total length of 10 km of river.

Fleet neighborhood on the Valdivia River.

The seasons are as follows:

• Station 1: North Collic.
• Station 2: Gruta Lourdes.
• Station 3: Collic South.
• Station 4: Civic Center.
• Station 5: Av. Spain.
• Station 6: Bus Terminal (TERVAL).
• Station 7: Universidad Austral de Chile (Campus Isla Teja).
• Station 8: Museum of Contemporary Art (Campus de la Cultura y Las Artes UACh) and Costanera Cultural.
• Fleet Neighborhood Main Station.
• Station 9: The Castaños (Isla Teja)
• Station 10: Torreón Los Canelos - Universidad Austral de Chile (Campus Los Canelos).
• Station 11: The Pelús (Isla Teja)
• Station 12: Passage Bueras.
• Station 13: San Sebastian University (Campus Valdivia)
• Station 14: Altos del Cruces condominium.
• Station 15: Silos Condominium of Torobayo.
• Station 16: Torobayo - Centro Español.
• Station 17: The Mulatas.

Sustainable transportation

In the city there are numerous means of transport that are friendly to the environment, such as a shared bicycle system through the use of urban and semi-urban bicycle paths, park trails and university campuses.

In this sense, in 2020 the city of Valdivia obtained the first national and international place in the One Planet City Challenge, organized internationally by the conservation organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). which internationally recognizes 250 cities on the planet in reducing the percentage of greenhouse gases, whose local commitment is to reduce by 30% the emissions of gases that cause global warming by 2030.

Security

Ground Safety

Valdivia has a main police station, two sub-stations, a Special Forces sub-station, three possessions, a checkpoint and a Training School headquarters, all belonging to the Carabineros de Chile. The same institution has a holding in the coastal area of Niebla and in the "Puerto" community of Corral.

The Investigative Police has a 4,700 m² corporate building, making it one of the most modern in southern Chile.

Likewise, Valdivia has its own security mechanisms implemented by the Municipality, among which the following stand out:

• Municipal motorists. They have the function of monitoring the arteries of the city, detering criminal facts and being the first response to emergency situations in criminal matters, life risk and sinister.

• Mobile App "Alerta Valdivia". This application alerts in real time from an emergency to the central one, which leads to services relevant to the point of issue of the message, to support crimes such as theft, assault, acts of violence, among others, as well as situations of vital risk to the person and, likewise, sinisters referred to traffic accidents, fire, as well as gas leaks, alert that can be complemented with text, photos or audio.

• Remote surveillance center. It consists of 29 cameras, monitored 24 hours a day and seven days a week by operators of the Los Ríos Transit Operating Unit. This municipal station operates physically at the 1st Police Station.

• Emergency number SOS Valdivia (1451). This number is freely used to account for criminal, life-threatening and sinister situations within the communal radio. The information is received in the Central of Municipal Operations, which derives the procedure to the motorists simultaneously to the corresponding public service.
• Sosafe App Valdivia. Citizen network that allows to report in real time suspicious activities of theft, collaborate with security, risk of fire, lost pets, acts of violence and public disorder. You can download via android and IOs operating system. Valid system for Valdivia and Costa Valdiviana.

Maritime Safety

The city has the base of the Valdivia Maritime Governor of the Chilean Navy that provides maritime security, protecting human life at sea, the aquatic environment, marine natural resources, in addition to regulating activities and precautionary compliance with international laws and agreements.

The following port captaincies depend on the Valdivia Maritime Government:

• Capitanía de Puerto de Carahue.
• Captain of Puerto de Villarrica.
• Captain of Puerto de Panguipulli.
• Captainship of Port of Valdivia.
• Captain of Puerto de Corral.
• Capitanía de Puerto de Lago Ranco.

Firefighters

The first "Germania" Fire Company's "Germania" firehouse in Valdivia.

The Valdivia Fire Department was founded in 1853 by German settlers. It is the second oldest in the country, after the Valparaíso Fire Department. It is currently divided into ten companies:

The Valdivia Fire Department has a characteristic that makes it unique in the country: it is the "exclusive owner of the fluvial specialty" and involves the supply of water for the different cars of the different units.

Side dishes

Rama	Unit - Acuartelamiento
Chilean Navy	Marine Directorate Valdivia of the Second Naval Zone Maritime governorate of Valdivia Capitanía de Puerto de Valdivia Capitanía de Puerto de Corral
Carabineros de Chile	Regional Headquarters Prefecture XIV Zonal Los Ríos Special Police Operations Group (GOPE Los Ríos) Escuela de Formación de Suboficiales de Carabineros de Chile South Zone Police Training Group
Chilean Army	General Command of the III Mountain Division Telecommunications Regime No. 4 "Membrillar"

Media

Newspapers

• The Austral de Los Ríos
• Newspaper Los Ríos

Magazines

• Revista Temporada de Valdivia
• 14 South
• Revista de Los Ríos

Television

VHF

Digital (TVD)

Wire

Radio stations

FM

AM

Digital Media

• Valdivia Capital
• Journal of Action
• DiariodeValdivia.cl
• The Naveghable
• The Valdivian Informationer
• Informa Al Minuto
• River Online
• The Voice of Valdivia
• More Return
• Newspaper Los Ríos
• Infolluvia.cl

Institutional media

• Radio Universidad Austral de Chile
• UACh TV (Open Channel)
• TV Austral UACh (Canal Online)
• UACh Journal
• Editions Universidad Austral de Chile

Featured Characters

Julio Guillén Tato, Honorary Citizen of the city of Valdivia (1970)

Twinned cities

The city of Valdivia has signed town twinning protocols with:

• Cluj-Napoca, Romania
• Hamburg, Germany
• Hobart, Australia
• Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States
• Neuquén, Argentina.
• Tacoma, Washington, United States
• Ateca, Spain

Predecessor: Mayagüez

American Capital of Culture 2016

Successor: Merida