La Imperial or Ciudad Imperial was a city founded by Pedro de Valdivia on 16 April 1552 and named in honor of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, then (also) king of Spain. It was abandoned on 5 April 1600 and destroyed as a result of the Mapuche Uprising of 1598 during the War of Arauco. The ruins ('old city') were called Antigua Imperial. A city was refounded there in 1882 under the name Carahue.

The diocese was nominally restored in 2000 as Latin Titular bishopric of La Imperial (Spanish) / Civitatis Imperialis (Latin)

It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank :

37°15′S 73°19′W / 37.250°S 73.317°W / -37.250; -73.317