Blog 11 / Valdivia and the islands / Valdivia and the islands

The city is named after the Spanish conqueror Pedro de Valdivia, who founded it in 1552.

In Valdivia, there are very few old buildings - the earthquake (magnitude 9.5) and the subsequent tsunami of 1960 not only caused the city to sink partially up to 3 meters, but also destroyed more than 80% of the buildings.

Today, the fish and vegetable market, along with the adjacent stalls, offer a colorful and lively, also pungent, picture.

After an extensive visit there, we take the "Neptuno" out to the nearby islands, where ruins of the once Spanish fortresses can be seen.

In the second visited fortress of Corral, we see a ghastly spectacle of the fortress's conquest by Chilean troops and the humiliating defeat of the Spaniards, portrayed very patriotically. We hear VIVA LA PATRIA about 500 times... (but only from the performers, not from the Chilean audience).

City got it's name after the Spanish conqueror Pedro de Valdivia who has founded the city in 1552.

There are not many old buildings in Valdivia, 1960 earthquake and following tsunami not only let the city get down by 3 meters – also more than 80 % of the buildings were destroyed.

Today especially the fish and vegetable market are busy and colorful and smelly.. Neighboring pbs are also not bad…

After intense visit here, we took the “Neptuno” for a cruise to the outlying islands and the remainings of Spanish fortresses.

In the second visited fortress Corral we can see a colorful and patriotic show of the conquest of the fortress by Chilean troops and the humiliating defeat of the Spanish losers. VIVA LA PATRIA yelling we could hear 500 times – but by the actors only, not by the Chilean spectators.