Quiriquina Island, Chile is located at the entrance to the Bay of Concepción, 11 km north of Talcahuano.
In April, 1557, Don Garcia de Mendoza, Spanish viceroy of the Kingdom of Chile, arrived at the harbor of Concepción, with a large force of infantry and established himself upon the island of Quiriquina. He used it as a base for his campaign against the Mapuche, in the continuing Arauco War.
It was used as a concentration camp for political prisoners for Concepción and the Biobío Region. This camp was active from September 11, 1973 to April 1975.