Valdivia, cultural mosaic |
Our history... |
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The city of Valdivia is a blend of historical chronicles that have shaped it throughout its 453 years of existence.
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.
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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... |
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A city of charms, of history and of cultural diversity, Valdivia is located 841 km south of the capital of Chile and is one of the most important provinces in the Tenth Region. Its picturesque landscape is a geographical watercolor of lakes, hot springs and volcanoes, which also includes the longest navigatable river network in the country, 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 most 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... |
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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 .
During its 52 years of existence, the Universidad Austral de Chile, through its academic excellence, has made several notable contributions to this artistic and cultural prosperity. Museums such as the Historical and Anthropological Museum Mauricio Van De Maele, Phillipi Museum of Exploration, and the Contemporary Art Museum are just some of UACh's projects to preserve and increase Valdivia 's cultural wealth. The University's currently project is called “Costanera Cultural” (Cultural Boardwalk), which is part of the celebration of 200 years of Chilean Independence and will allow for the creation of a stage to display world art.
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 exposition rooms; its colonial German style streets and houses; its internationally renown rowers; its typical foods: chocolate, marzipan, beer, fish and seafood, “crudos”, and “apple strudel”; Ricardo Anwandter's well-known watercolors and Mahani Teave's skillful piano. All of these aspects are blended to form a magic concert on the Calle-Calle river bank. |
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