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Valdivian
Spanish Forts:
THE INDIAN FLANDERS
The Valdivian Spanish Forts were a very important defensive structure of Colonial South America.
The main fortresses were built on Mancera Island, Niebla and Corral and they consisted of artillery positions of fine stone-workmanship, specially designed to stand canon bombardment. The forts' structure and their general design are not unlike the European ones that were built for similar functions between centuries XVI and XVIII. As in Valdivia, in many other regions of Chile there were numerous castles built to protect the Colony of the attacks of both foreign pirates and rebellious natives. This large number of castles caused the Kingdom of Chile to be nicknamed the "Indian
Flanders"
The forts were designed and constructed under the direction of military engineers that came directly from Spain. They were helped in their work by Chilean-born technicians and constructors, because at that time Chile has some important technical institutions. Prisoners coming from the whole Chile and occasionally from the jails of Lima and Quito, provided the manpower. Sometimes, but not frequently though, paid workers were used. In the construction there were not employed Native or Black
slaves.
During the second foundation of Valdivia in 1645 the construction of Mancera fortresses started. The same man who rebuilt the city, Antonio Sebastián de Toledo, directed this work in person. The architect of the fort was the military engineer Constantino de
Vasconcelos.
There are not many antecedents on the architects who built Corral notwithstanding this fort appears mentioned in the documents of the time.
The Niebla Fort completes the main fortress of the Valdivian complex. Its construction was ordered by Governor Fernando de Bustamante y Villegas in 1658 and its builders were Sargent Major Martín de Praga and engineer Juan Buitrón y Mujica.
Valdivia
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Catastrophe | Spanish
Colonial Tech
Text: Omar Vega
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