Nuestra de Señora de Halle facts for kids
Nuestra Señora de Halle was an important fort built in 1603 in what is now the Bío Bío Region of Chile. A fort is like a strong castle or military base. It was set up by Alonso de Ribera, who was the Governor of Chile at that time.
The fort was located on the south side of the Bio Bio River, near where it met the Rele River. It was also close to where the Bio Bio and Laja rivers joined, and not far from another fort called San Rosendo. Governor Ribera named the fort after the city of Halle in Belgium. He had spent many years fighting in wars there before coming to Chile.
From Fort to Town
In 1605, the fort of Nuestra Señora de Halle was changed into a town. This new town was named Monterrey de la Frontera. It was named after Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey, who was the Viceroy of Peru at that time. A viceroy was like a powerful ruler who governed a large area for the King of Spain.
Sometimes, people also called this new town Coya. They thought it might be a new version of an older, ruined town called Santa Cruz de Coya, which was nearby.
Life in Monterrey
From 1612, a priest named Padre Luis de Valdivia lived in the Jesuit mission house in Monterrey. The Jesuits were a group of Catholic priests who often set up missions and schools.
The town of Monterrey de la Frontera lasted for about 12 years. In 1617, it was destroyed by the Mapuche people. Today, a small town named Monterrey is located near where the old fort and town once stood.
See also
In Spanish: Fuerte Nuestra de Señora de Halle para niños
