Teja island (Spanish ''isla Teja'') is an island in the city of

Valdivia Valdivia (; Mapuche: Ainil) is a city and commune in southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder Pedro de Valdivia and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and Cau-Ca ...

, Chile, surrounded by three rivers: Cau-Cau river to the north, Cruces river to the west and Valdivia river to the southeast. Prior to the mid-19th century the island was known as ''isla Valenzuela'' after Francisco de Valenzuela, an

encomendero The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish labour system that rewarded conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. The labourers, in theory, were provided with benefits by the conquerors for whom they laboured, including military ...

that settled there in 1552. In the second half of the 19th century the island became known for its

roof tile A roof ( : roofs or rooves) is the top covering of a building, including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights, providing protection against rain, snow, sunlight, extremes of temper ...

(Spanish: ''teja'') and brick factory, hence the name ''isla Teja''. Initially it was outside the proper city, but with the arrival of German immigrants many of them settled there and since 1939 the island is directly connected to downtown Valdivia through the Pedro de Valdivia bridge. A large section of the island's western riverside sank below water level due to the

Great Chilean earthquake The 1960 Valdivia earthquake and tsunami ( es, link=no, Terremoto de Valdivia) or the Great Chilean earthquake (''Gran terremoto de Chile'') on 22 May 1960 was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. Various studies have placed it at 9.4– ...

of 1960. The island holds the main campus of

Universidad Austral de Chile Austral University of Chile ( es, Universidad Austral de Chile or UACh) is a Chilean research university based primarily in Valdivia, with a satellite campus in Puerto Montt. Founded on September 7, 1954, it is one of the eight original Chilean Tr ...

and since the construction of Río Cruces bridge in 1987 it became the main route to the neighboring areas of Niebla, Corral and Mancera Island. The island contain wetlands that are protected by the Urban Wetlands Law.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Teja Island River islands of Chile Islands of Los Ríos Region Populated places in Valdivia Province Neighborhoods in Valdivia