Valdivia is the regional capital of Los Rios Region, located 841 km south of Santiago and 1 hour and 30 minutes from Santiago by daily flights. It is one of the most attractive cities in the area, located at the confluence of two great rivers and in the center of a watershed consisting of more than 130 km of navigable rivers, which bring water into Valdivia River's estuary. This river is well known for the water sports.

It was founded by Pedro de Valdivia on February 9, 1552, with the name of Santa Maria la Blanca de Valdivia; for three centuries it was the most important outpost of South America given its river characteristics, and it had to defend itself from invaders, pirates and corsairs. This feature was important for the mid-nineteenth century German Colonization (1850), which meant a strong growth of the industrial activity.

The Republic Square is central to the city and puts an end to the main avenue of Valdivia, Picarte Avenue, and keeps a close proximity to the river through the Libertad street-walk.

Since the foundation of the city of Valdivia (1552), the Republic Square has always remained in the same place. As usual in colonial Plaza 1850times, in front of the square were localized the buildings that housed the political power (Intendency), spiritual power (Cathedral) and the judiciary. The square used to be called Square of Arms due to the common practice of being the place to safeguard the weapons of the military bodies. The name it bears today is because in 1820, after the capture of Corral, Lord Cochrane found the country was already incorporated into the Republic. The Republic Square is the only under that name in the country. The Republic Square, although outdated by the growth of the city, has been the center of the city where the most important civic and religious ceremonies took place.