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108-744: The Guaire River is a short river in Venezuela that flows through the nation's capital of Caracas . It is a tributary of the Tuy River and is 72 kilometers (45 miles) long in length. It rises in an area called Las Adjuntas in the Capital District of Venezuela at the confluence of the San Pedro and Macarao Rivers. On 19 April 2017, during the 2017 Venezuelan protests , the Mother of all Protests occurred. Demonstrators began gathering around

216-467: A hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSh ) despite receiving an average of approximately 452 millimetres or 18 inches of rainfall per year over 50.1 precipitation days. Humidity remains at a similar level year-round. The highest rainfall occurs between October and December, while March is the driest month. The average temperature is 28.9 °C (84.0 °F), with minimum temperatures of 23 °C (73 °F) and maximum 36 °C (96.8 °F). The city

324-552: A subtropical highland climate ( Cfb ) due to its elevated location within the Venezuelan Coastal Range (Maritime Andes) . Caracas precipitation varies between 900 and 1,300 millimeters (35 and 51 inches) (annual), in the city proper to 2,000 millimeters (79 inches) in some parts of the Mountain range. While Caracas is within the tropics, due to its altitude temperatures are cooler compared to other locations with

432-680: A bulwark of the Spanish Empire to land on its coasts the troops that end up destroying the First Republic of Venezuela . In 1821, finally the Coro Province incorporates to the process of independence, with the capture of the city by the troops led by the heroine Josefa Camejo and a group of patriots who came a long time plotting. By the time the General Rafael Urdaneta invades from Maracaibo commanding

540-470: A golden shell with the red cross of Santiago; and its seal is a crown with five golden points". In the same act, the king declared Caracas as "The Most Noble and Very Loyal City of Santiago de León de Caracas". The anthem of the city is the Marcha a Caracas , written by the composer Tiero Pezzuti de Matteis with the lyrics by José Enrique Sarabia and approved in 1984. Caracas is contained entirely within

648-482: A good environment for both agricultural and arable farming, which contributed to the system of commerce but meant that the town's population was initially sparse, as it was only large enough to support a few farms. In 1577, Caracas became the capital of the Spanish Empire 's Venezuela Province under the province's new governor, Juan de Pimentel (1576–1583). In the 1580s, Caraqueños started selling food to

756-582: A quarter of its population migrated in 1814, and the Venezuelan War of Independence continued until 24 June 1821, when Simón Bolívar defeated royalists in the Battle of Carabobo . Urban reforms only took place towards the end of the 19th century, under Antonio Guzmán Blanco : some landmarks were built, but the city remained distinctly colonial until the 1930s. Caracas grew in size, population, and economic importance during Venezuela's oil boom in

864-636: A rectangular shape. The basin is formed by the Caracas Valley, which is relatively high, narrow and long, surrounded by the high and steep Cordillera de la Costa, which runs parallel to the Litoral. Among the characteristics of the hydrographic network associated with the city of Caracas is the high degree of contamination present in the lower parts of the Guaire River due to its tributaries having been used for sewage collection since 1874, during

972-613: A state-run organization, is the largest company in Venezuela, and negotiates all the international agreements for the distribution and export of petroleum. When it existed, the airline Viasa had its headquarters in the Torre Viasa. Several international companies and embassies are located in El Rosal and Las Mercedes , in the Caracas area. The city also serves as a hub for communication and transportation infrastructure between

1080-575: A sudden nightly drop in temperature, until reaching 8 °C (46 °F). This peculiar weather is known by the natives of Caracas as the Pacheco . In addition, nightly temperatures at any time of the year are much (7 to 11 °C) lower than daytime highs and usually do not remain above 24 °C (75 °F) , resulting in very pleasant evening temperatures. Hailstorms appear in Caracas, although only on rare occasions. Electrical storms are much more frequent, especially between June and October, due to

1188-549: A third of its land, in poorly-planned slums that are generally dangerous to live in and access. Caracas has exceeded the administrative limits of its perimeter due to accelerated population growth, so that its most suitable demographic study territory is the Metropolitan District or AMC. According to 2011 calculations by the National Institute of Statistics, the metropolitan city had a population for

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1296-410: A typical tropical savanna climate. The annual average temperature is approximately 23.4 °C (74 °F), with the average of the coldest month (January) 21.7 °C (71 °F) and the average of the warmest month (May) 24.5 °C (76 °F), which gives a small annual thermal amplitude of 2.8 °C (5.0 °F). In the months of December and January abundant fog may appear, in addition to

1404-541: A valley of the Venezuelan Central Range , and is separated from the Caribbean coast by a roughly 15-kilometer (9 mi) expanse of El Ávila National Park . The valley is relatively small and quite irregular, and the altitude varies from between 870 and 1,043 meters (2,854 and 3,422 ft) above sea level ; the historic center lies at about 900 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level. This, along with

1512-759: A variety of museums with a broad representation of Catholic iconography or national historical value, so it is called "la ciudad museo". For these reasons it is declared, along with its nearby port of La Vela de Coro , a World Heritage Site on December 9, 1993, by Unesco in meeting held in the Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias . Since 2005 Coro has been officially listed as an "endangered" World Heritage Site (see List of World Heritage in Danger ). Climate change in Venezuela, in particular heavy rains, have caused significant damage to its rich architecture. Coro's traditional buildings were built with techniques based on

1620-594: A wooden balcony on the second floor. It was built in the 18th century as residence to the Colina Peredo family and takes its name from the family that occupied it since the mid-19th century and which was donated to the nation. It houses the People Earthenware Museum . Also known as Balcón de los Senior . It served as military headquarters of the patriot forces during the War of Independence . It

1728-479: A wrought iron structure that was imported from Andalusia . This religious complex consists in a church with three naves and an annex building that was a Franciscan monastery, which now houses the Diocesan Museum "Lucas Guillermo Castillo " . It begins to build in the 16th century and was destroyed by pirates in 1620. Its neo-Gothic tower is of more recent construction stands over 50 meters, which makes it

1836-675: Is 30 kilometres (19 mi) to the south, with a number of attractions including birdwatching and nature observation; Cerro Galicia, the highest hill in the district; the Hueque resurgence cave and associated waterfalls; the Acarite river cave; and the 305 metres (1,001 ft) deep Haitón del Guarataro , the deepest limestone cave in Venezuela. The economy in Coro is highly dependent on state government expenditure. Retail commercial activity, civil construction, tourism and professional services are

1944-434: Is a public university founded in 1721: it is the oldest university in Venezuela. The university campus was designed by architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The Simón Bolívar University ( Universidad Simón Bolívar , USB) is a public institution in Caracas that focuses on science and technology. Coro, Venezuela It has a wide cultural tradition that comes from being

2052-492: Is also the capital of Miranda municipality, to which are added the municipal agencies. The governor and the municipality is currently led by supporters of President Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías in a Venezuela's political map is also mostly covered by governors and mayors Chávez trend (MVR). However, in the December 2007 elections, the referendum on constitutional reform proposal, this party and political groups who accompanied him at

2160-471: Is based upon a fixed currency-exchange-rate of 2003 and might not be completely realistic, due to the elevated inflation rates of the last several years. In 2013, the World Economic Forum evaluated countries in terms of how successful they were in advertising campaigns to attract foreign visitors. Out of the 140 countries evaluated, Venezuela came last. A major factor that has contributed to

2268-478: Is called ranchos, built improvised, without any official planning, with deficiencies and inadequate materials, marking a difference between those who live in the valley proper, 45% of the population in 25% of the urban area lives in these settlements. The city center, developed around a small historic center, represents less than a quarter of the total area of the city, which has spread along the valley and has also been connected in recent years with satellite cities in

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2376-428: Is one of the first colonial cities, was founded in 1527, and its colonial architecture prevails until today. Over 600 buildings have been appointed in Coro as heritage. The historic centre remains characteristics typical of a city of the 18th and 19th centuries, with cobbled stone streets and colonial buildings. This is an important colonial city resort and the largest complex of colonial temples in Venezuela. It contains

2484-636: Is said that the Liberator Simón Bolívar stayed there on December 23, 1826, and from the balcony greeted the patriots who gathered outside to greet him. It houses the Coro Art Museum . It is said that St. Clement's Cross marks the spot where the first mass officiate at South America . It is sheltered by a pavilion erected ordered the Marshal Juan Crisóstomo Falcón during his presidential tenure. It

2592-476: Is sunny, averaging over 3100 hours of sunshine a year, with January being the sunniest month. It is characterized by strong winds that can register speeds of 35 kilometres per hour (22 mph; 19 kn). On 29 April 2015, Coro recorded a temperature of 43.6 °C (110.5 °F), which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Venezuela. Coro has never recorded a temperature below 18.9 °C (66.0 °F). Because of its status as capital of

2700-510: Is the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe of Carrizal, which according to legend, was rescued in 1723, by Native Americans of the region, of the corian beaches when a vessel sank near the coast of the people. The Natives were shocked to see the perfection of its forms. It is one of Venezuela's oldest houses, its construction dates from the 17th century. Its name comes from the sun located above its door, symbolizing God. Which would be located outside

2808-609: Is the largest private company in Venezuela. Caracas is also Venezuela's cultural capital, with many restaurants, theaters, museums, and shopping centers. Caracas has some of the tallest skyscrapers in Latin America, such as the Parque Central Towers . The Museum of Contemporary Art of Caracas is one of the most important in South America. Before the city was founded in 1567, the valley of Caracas

2916-544: Is the oldest Jewish cemetery in South America. Its origin goes back to the 19th century when the Sephardic Jewish colony of the Dutch island of Curaçao began migrating to the city in 1824. This cemetery is beginning to build in 1832 by Joseph Curiel , who buy land in the vicinity of the town to bury his baby daughter Hana. On this are wonderful mausoleums that reflect the spirit of ancient times. In this sanctuary

3024-798: The Brígido Iriarte Stadium , home to Atlético Venezuela, with a capacity of 12,000 spectators. In basketball, the Cocodrilos de Caracas play their games in the Gimnasio José Beracasa in the El Paraíso neighborhood. Caracas is the seat of the National Institute of Sports and of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee . The city hosted the 1983 Pan American Games . The Central University of Venezuela ( Universidad Central de Venezuela , UCV)

3132-616: The Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art ; and the Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex were built, as well as the Caracas Metro and a developed downtown area. Urban development was rapid, leading to the growth of slums on the hillsides surrounding the new city. Much of the city development also fell into disrepair come the end of the 20th century, with the 1980s oil glut and political instability like

3240-607: The Caracazo , meaning maintenance can not be sustained. The economic and social problems persist throughout the capital and country, characterized as the Crisis in Venezuela . By 2017, Caracas was the most violent city in the world. The coat of arms was adopted in 1591. Simón de Bolívar, an ancestor of Venezuelan liberator Simón Bolívar, had been named the first procurator general of the Venezuelan province in 1589. He served as

3348-627: The Dutch Empire , which Caraqueños later proved sympathetic to; by the 1670s, Caracas had a trading route through Curaçao . In 1728, the Guipuzcoan Company of Caracas was founded by the king, and the cacao business grew in importance. Caracas was made one of the three provinces of Nueva Granada , corresponding to Venezuela, in 1739. Over the next three decades the Viceroyalty was variously split, with Caracas province becoming

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3456-570: The Iraq War , and in 2012 there were 13,080 murders in Venezuela, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime . By 2019, Caracas was the city with the sixth highest homicide rate in the world outside of a warzone , with a rate of around 76 murders per 100,000 people. In 2023 it was the nineteenth , with a rate of around 52 murders per 100,000 people. Most murders and other violent crimes go unsolved, with estimates of

3564-631: The Paraguaná Peninsula and the changes in Venezuela following the passage of a rural to an urban and oil country. Since the early 50s Coro was declared a National Heritage. Coro is located at north of the Coro region , transition between the Venezuelan Coastal Range and the Cordillera de Mérida . Located on a coastal plain of xerophyte vegetation (19 msn) covering the entire western Falcón state and reaches its narrowest point just in

3672-629: The lieutenant governor of Coro Don Francisco Campuzano Polanco as his residence and bought on 1847 by Mr. David Abraham Senior, a sephardic trader from Curaçao who built there the Coro Synagogue , one of the oldest synagogues in Latin America . Currently, the synagogue is part of the Alberto Henríquez Museum of Art , which belongs to Universidad Francisco de Miranda . Great two-story building and topped with

3780-560: The tricolor , eventually adopted as the flag of Gran Colombia . It is now the basis for the official flag of three American republics, Colombia , Venezuela and Ecuador . The port of La Vela de Coro was where it was raised for the first time in Venezuela. During the beginning of the Venezuelan War of Independence , Coro, Maracaibo and Guiana did not comply with the provisions of the Junta Suprema de Caracas on April 19, 1810, remaining loyal to Spanish rule. Subsequently, formed

3888-469: The 1540s, the colony had been de facto controlled by Spaniards. Moving eastward from Coro, groups of Spanish settlers founded inland towns including Barquisimeto and Valencia before reaching the Caracas valley. On 25 July 1567, Captain Diego de Losada laid the foundations of the city of Santiago de León de Caracas . De Losada had been commissioned to capture the valley, and was successful by splitting

3996-530: The 1960s, President Rómulo Betancourt followed the same policy as the Marcos Pérez Jiménez government: promoting immigration, especially from Latin America and from other parts of the world. These policies were maintained until the late 1980s, with a notable influx of Argentines, Uruguayans, Chileans, Cubans, Peruvians, Ecuadorians, Chinese, and Arabs. Towards the beginning of the 1980s, immigration

4104-465: The 2011 census of 2,923,959 inhabitants. The Metropolitan District represents less than 1% of the national territory and is home to one-fifteenth of the total population of the country. In percentage numbers, 9.2% of the nation's total population lives in the five capital municipalities, out of the 335 municipalities that comprise the country. The region is called Greater Caracas or Metropolitan Region of Caracas (RMC) satellite cities or adjacent bedrooms:

4212-584: The Altos Mirandinos, the Central Coast of La Guaira, Guarenas, Guatire and the Valles del Tuy. This agglomeration had an estimated population of 4.3 million inhabitants in 2011. In the 20th century, an exodus of the peasantry to the capital and other cities intensified, motivated by a search for improvements in their quality of life. This led to depopulation of the rural areas of the country and

4320-867: The Capital District is a government system constituted by an executive body exercised by a Head of Government, and the legislative function will be in charge of the National Assembly. Before the creation of the Metropolitan District, the Federal District (current Capital District) had a governor appointed by the President of the Republic, while the Caracas municipalities of the State of Miranda governed with their respective mayors in isolation, without any coordinating entity. In April 2009,

4428-552: The Francisco Fajardo Freeway near Bello Monte began to flee the area, with many leaping into the Guaire River, which is used for sewage drainage, to avoid the tear gas. Caracas Caracas ( / k ə ˈ r æ k ə s , - ˈ r ɑː k -/ kə- RA(H)K -əs , Spanish: [kaˈɾakas] ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas ( CCS ), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela , and

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4536-602: The Grancolombian army, and the city had been released a few days earlier for the Coro army commanded by Camejo. The War of Independence and later the civil wars of the 19th century (including the Federal War that began in Coro) leaving the city deserted and destroyed its field, which plunged her into a period of decline that would recover the half- well into the 20th century with the construction of oil refineries in

4644-613: The Hotel Alba Caracas. The cost for the general maintenance of the north and south towers of the hotel is approximately 231.5 million Venezuelan bolivars. Although the Venezuelan Ministry of Tourism has taken the initiative to recognize the importance of the tourism industry, the Venezuelan government has not placed the tourism industry as an economic priority. In 2013, the budget for the Ministry of Tourism

4752-627: The Metropolitan District of Caracas would be created and that some of the powers of the Libertador , Chacao , Baruta , Sucre , and El Hatillo municipalities would be delegated to the Alcaldía Mayor , physically located in the large Libertador municipality, in the center of the city. The Metropolitan District of Caracas was suppressed on 20 December 2017 by the Constituent National Assembly of Venezuela . In

4860-602: The Middle East, Germany, China, and other Latin American countries. The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra is based in Caracas. Originally a youth orchestra, it is connected with the Fundación Musical Simón Bolívar (FMSB), known colloquially as El Sistema , Venezuela's social action music programme. The Guardian wrote that the orchestra represented "a message of social inclusion and

4968-611: The National Assembly Coro and the rest of the municipalities of Falcón and the Miranda municipality formed the circuit number 3 of the state. For the ruling party PSUV 's bid was for retired Gen. Melvin Lopez Hidalgo, while the table of democratic unity MUD was for Gregorio Graterol, former candidate for governor of the state. With more than 52% of the vote, the opposition candidate for MUD Gregorio Graterol wins

5076-721: The National Assembly reformed the Capital District Law, legalizing the constitution of a Head of Government or Governor for the Libertador municipality designated by the National Executive. Using as an argument what is established in article 156 of the constitution: Article 156. It is the competence of the National Public Power: 10. The organization and regime of the Capital District and federal dependencies. The city of Caracas occupies

5184-490: The Spanish Empire in America . The city is in its early days a "beachhead" or outpost of the Spanish during the conquest and colonization in the western and central Venezuela. From them left the expeditions of exploration and founding of new towns. Santa Ana de Coro lost the political capital of the Venezuela Province (also known as the Coro Province in official documents of the time) in 1578 to Caracas , motivated by repeated invasions of pirates ( Preston Somers Expedition

5292-418: The Spanish soldiers in Cartagena , who often docked in the coastal city when collecting products from the empire in South America. Wheat was growing increasingly expensive in the Iberian Peninsula , and the Spanish profited from buying it from Caracas farmers. This cemented the city in the empire's trade circuit. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the coast of Venezuela was frequently raided by pirates. With

5400-407: The Venezuela province. Luis de Unzaga created the Captaincy General of Venezuela in the summer of 1777, with Caracas as the capital. Venezuela then attempted to become independent, first with the 1797 Gual and España conspiracy , based in Caracas, and then the successful 1811 Venezuelan Declaration of Independence . Caracas then came under worse luck: in 1812, an earthquake destroyed Caracas ,

5508-429: The case of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas, the only member of the Capital District, the executive authority rests with the Head of Government of the Capital District, a position designated by the President of the Republic. According to Article 3 of the Capital District Law, the legislative function is exercised directly by the Republic through the National Assembly of Venezuela. Article 3. The special regime of

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5616-399: The center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern part of the country, within the Caracas Valley of the Venezuelan coastal mountain range (Cordillera de la Costa). The valley is close to the Caribbean Sea , separated from the coast by a steep 2,200-meter-high (7,200 ft) mountain range, Cerro El Ávila ; to

5724-400: The city being in a closed valley and the orographic action of Cerro El Ávila. The hydrographic network of the city of Caracas is made up of the Guaire river basin which is a sub-basin of the Tuy river. This basin crosses the valley where the city is located from West to East (Las Adjuntas – Petare ). It covers about 655 square kilometers, about 45 km. long and about 15 km. wide, has

5832-406: The city for a long period. It is located west of the historic centre and was built in 1741, for a lady of the Spanish elite, which, according to a promise, she vowed to build a temple on behalf of Saint Nicholas of Bari. It is the monument to Marshal Juan Crisóstomo Falcón , a Corian leader during the Federal War and was also President of the Republic from 1863 to 1868. Traveling one hour north,

5940-406: The city has a large number of both European Venezuelans and Asian Venezuelans who descend from the massive influx of various immigrants Venezuela received from all across Eurasia during the 20th century; in particular are descendants of Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians, Serbs , Chinese, Colombians, Germans, Syrians and Lebanese people. In 2020, the poorest 55% of the Caracas population lived on about

6048-433: The city of Barcelona, Anzoátegui ). From Coro emerged multiple expeditions to the Venezuelan and Colombian Llanos , the Andes and the Orinoco River in search of El Dorado , which allowed the conquerors to explore these vast territories. The government of the Welsers ends in 1545 for breach of contract and conflict of interests between them and the Spanish conquistadors who explored the territory from other focal points of

6156-428: The city of Caracas, as well as the municipal mayors in each of the municipalities comprising it. The Metropolitan District of Caracas was organized in a system of municipal government at two levels: the metropolitan or district and the municipalities. Caracas is Venezuela's cultural capital , with many restaurants, theaters, museums, and shopping centers. The city is home to many immigrants from Spain, Italy, Portugal,

6264-446: The city to the port of La Vela de Coro. The colonial town, a World Heritage Site, preserves a typical urban landscape of the 18th and 19th centuries, with its cobbled streets and hundreds of historic and traditional buildings. Some architectures reflects a Mudéjar style, while others reflect the cultural influence of the Netherlands through the colony of Curaçao. In the city there are interesting Catholic and secular buildings, that were

6372-450: The city, closing a few miles east of Coro by foothills of the Sierra de Falcón . To the north lies the Médanos Isthmus , named for it found in a formation of dunes or sand fields that have been formed by persistent trade winds and ocean currents. The isthmus connects the Paraguaná Peninsula with the mainland. at south of the city are the foothills of the Sierra de Falcón. Due to its extremely high potential evapotranspiration , Coro has

6480-427: The city. The city is occasionally subject to earthquakes – notably in 1641 and 1967. Geologically, Caracas was formed in the Late Cretaceous period, with much of the rest of the Caribbean, and sits on what is mostly metamorphic rock . Deformation of the land in this period formed the region. Under the Köppen climate classification , Caracas has a tropical savanna climate ( Aw ), but also exhibits traits of

6588-442: The coastal mountains of the Central Range as a barrier, Caracas was relatively immune to such attacks, compared to other Caribbean coastal settlements, but in 1595 the Preston–Somers expedition landed and around 200 English Privateers , including George Somers and Amyas Preston , crossed the mountains through a little-used pass while the town's defenders were guarding the more frequently used one. Encountering little resistance,

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6696-432: The communities of Charallave and Cúa de los Valles del Tuy with the subway transportation of the capital city. Some areas of the city have a grid layout, either inherited from the colony or developed during the urban projects of the 20th century. Other areas, built on the mountain slopes, do not follow this pattern, but adapt to the irregularities of the terrain. These elevated areas enjoy a temperate temperature throughout

6804-412: The construction of a new monument, beach walkways and a gateway to the city in the port of La Vela de Coro: these could have a considerable impact on the value of the site. In 2018 it was noted that while information provided by the "State Party" (i.e. Venezuela) demonstrated satisfactory advances in the implementation of many corrective measures, further information and actions were needed to ensure that

6912-486: The country at about 10:30am, with Caracas having 26 different routes for the main march to head to the office of the Ombudsman to demonstrate. As the march progressed through Caracas, the National Guard began to block routes and fire tear gas at marchers at 11:50am, whilst the demonstrators refused to leave despite the use of force. At about 12:30pm, demonstrations by both opposition and pro-government Venezuelans filled Caracas' avenues. Shortly after 12:45pm, protesters on

7020-493: The country, such as Valencia, which in the same period of time multiplied its population almost 25 times. Between the 1940s and 1950s, after the Second World War, a growing wave of European immigrants began, mostly Spanish, Portuguese and Italians and in other magnitudes, communities of Germans (Colonia Tovar), French, English, Serbs and Jews were established. New developments in Caracas were populated mainly by these European immigrants, such as La Florida and Altamira . During

7128-501: The demographic saturation of the centers. This saturation caused the expansion of marginal areas on the outskirts of the city; however, the lowest unemployment rates in the entire country correspond precisely to the metropolitan area of Caracas. In 1936, the total population of Venezuela had been equal to the estimated population of Greater Caracas for the year 2000: almost 4 million inhabitants. From 1936 to 1990, Caracas multiplied its population, although far less than any other major city in

7236-398: The early 20th century. In the 1950s, the metropolitan area of Gran Caracas was developed, and the city began an intensive modernization program, funding public buildings, which continued throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. Cultural landmarks, like the University City of Caracas , designed by modernist architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000;

7344-437: The entirety of the Libertador municipality of the Capital District and part of the state of Miranda, specifically the municipalities of Baruta, Chacao, El Hatillo and Sucre, which until 2011 formed the Metropolitan District of Caracas, which enjoyed legal personality and autonomy within the limits of the Constitution and the law. Until that year, the Metropolitan Mayor was the first civil, political and administrative authority of

7452-428: The first of the Spanish colonies to become part of the slave trade . The city was successful and operated on cacao and slave trade until the 1650s, when an alhorra blight, the Mexican Inquisition of many of their Portuguese traders, and increased cacao production in Guayaquil greatly affected the market. This and the destructive 1641 earthquake put the city into decline, and they likely began illegally trading with

7560-413: The forerunner in the independence process would end in defeat, the capture and killing of rebel leader. In 1806 an expedition landed in the port of La Vela de Coro led by Francisco de Miranda . It was intended to be liberating, but was not greeted with enthusiasm by the locals. The expedition is still important as the precursor of the Spanish American wars of independence and in particular for bringing

7668-416: The form of a cross in Venezuela. Mansion built in 1770 by the Talavera family, and on this was born Bishop Mariano de Talavera, which famous corian that supported the cause of independence. The origin of its name is from the legend that in its land would be buried a treasure that has not yet been located. Alberto Henríquez Museum of Art The house built was built in the first half of the XVIII century by

7776-460: The government of Antonio Guzmán Blanco, until today. The level of contamination is such that it does not allow the maintenance of the life of the species that once populated the basin, and it has become extinct or has been restricted to the highest areas of the basin, mainly within the boundaries of the national park. Avila. Awareness for the recovery of the basin has recently begun, however, much remains to be done before results can be observed. Among

7884-516: The highest of all assets. In 1985 the Lucas Guillermo Castillo Museum managed to acquire a place called La Casa Manzano Campuzano or Casa de los Capriles next to the convent. It has its origins in a church commanded to be built by the founder of the city Juan de Ampíes in the 16th century. It is a cruciform building where each end pointing towards a central point. It is one of the few examples of colonial architecture in

7992-584: The house of the Welsers and first Governor of the Province of Venezuela) restructures the layout of the streets based on the original layout of the founding of the city. With its earthen constructions unique in the Caribbean, Coro is the surviving example of the rich fusion of indigenous traditions with the Spanish Mudéjar architectural techniques and irregular shape of German Welser architecture. It

8100-519: The independence and of vindication of the dominated classes in Venezuela originated in this region; it is also considered to be the cradle of the Venezuelan federalist movement in the republican era. Thanks to the city's history, culture and its well-preserved Colonial architecture, "Coro and its port La Vela" was designated in 1993 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO . Since 2005 it is on the UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger . At its founding

8208-572: The invaders sacked and set fire to the town after a failed ransom negotiation. The city managed to rebuild, using wheat profits and "a lot of sacrifice". In the 1620s, farmers in Caracas discovered that Cacao beans could be sold, first selling them to native people of Mexico and quickly growing across the Caribbean . The city became important in the Viceroyalty of New Spain , as well as moving from largely native slave labor to African slaves,

8316-468: The key issues previously identified as affecting the property have been adequately addressed. From its historic colonial architecture to its diverse landscapes, Coro provides various forms of tourist attraction. In the extreme northeast of the city are the Médanos de Coro National Park, large dunes that are the only desert in Venezuela. They are located along the road that runs between the colonial area of

8424-418: The lack of foreign visitors has been poor transport for tourists. Venezuela has limited railway systems and airlines. High crime rates and the negative attitude of the Venezuelan population towards tourism also contributed to the poor evaluation. In an attempt to attract more foreign visitors, the Venezuelan Ministry of Tourism invested in multiple hotel infrastructures. The largest hotel investment has been in

8532-605: The landing at the city's first Governor and Captain General Ambrosius Ehinger representing the Welser , an Augsburg banking and trading family. The family received the Province of Venezuela (as Klein-Venedig ) from the emperor Charles V for exploration, founding cities and exploitation of the resources of this vast territory that stretched from Cabo de la Vela ( Guajira Peninsula ) to Maracapana (near

8640-559: The late 18th and early 19th century reaches its colonial peak. Precisely from this period are the best preserved civilian buildings in the city. In 1795 a slave uprising occurs, and generally dominated social classes in the Sierra de Coro, led by the free zambo José Leonardo Chirino , which was aimed at the elimination of slavery and the establishment of the republican regime known for the time as "the French law". The movement, which would be

8748-425: The main rivers and streams that make up the basin are in its northern slope: San Pedro River, Macarao River, Quebrada Caroata, Catuche River, Anauco River, Chacaito River, Tocome River, Caurimare River; on its southern slope we find that among the main tributaries are: El Valle river, Quebrada Baruta and Quebrada La Guairita. In the upper part of the basin there are two reservoirs with the purpose of supplying water to

8856-558: The manifest power of music to bring communities together". Professional sports teams in the city include the football clubs Caracas Fútbol Club , Deportivo Petare , Atlético Venezuela , SD Centro Italo Venezolano , Estrella Roja FC and Deportivo La Guaira . Deportivo Petare has reached the semi-finals of international tournaments, such as the Copa Libertadores , while the Caracas Fútbol Club has reached

8964-488: The metropolitan area and the rest of the country. Important industries in Caracas include chemicals, textiles, leather, food , iron, and wood products. There are also rubber and cement factories. Its nominal GDP is US$ 70 billion and the GDP (PPP) per capita is US$ 24,000. A 2009 United Nations survey reported that the cost of living in Caracas was 89% of that of the survey's baseline city, New York. However, this statistic

9072-498: The mud, like adobe and wattle , which gives it a unique personality. Equally characteristic has a certain pattern that combines traditional Spanish checkerboard layout with an irregular shape typical of medieval German cities, product of the period in which the city was the seat of the domain of Welser . In the central town, some streets end abruptly, breaking the regularity of the Spanish checkerboard. Ambrosius Alfinger (German of

9180-423: The natives into different groups to work with, then fighting and defeating each of them. The town was the closest to the coast of these new settlements, and the colonists retained a native workforce, which allowed a trade network to develop between Caracas, the interior, and Margarita; the towns further inland produced ample cotton products and beeswax, and Margarita was a rich source of pearls. The Caracas valley had

9288-501: The number of unresolved crimes as high as 98%. The U.S. Department of State and British Foreign and Commonwealth Office have issued travel warnings for Venezuela due to high rates of crime. Businesses that are located in Caracas include service companies, banks, and malls, among others. It has a largely service-based economy, apart from some industrial activity in its metropolitan area. The Caracas Stock Exchange and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) are headquartered here. PDVSA,

9396-588: The quarterfinals. Baseball team Leones del Caracas plays at the Monumental Stadium with a capacity of 40,000 spectators, while the Tiburones de La Guaira plays at University Stadium , with a capacity of nearly 26,000 spectators. The football stadiums in the city include the Olympic Stadium , home to Caracas Fútbol Club and Deportivo La Guaira, with a capacity of 30,000 spectators, and

9504-669: The rapid population growth, has profoundly influenced the urban development of the city. The most elevated point of the Capital District, wherein the city is located, is the Pico El Ávila , which rises to 2,159 meters (7,083 feet). The main body of water in Caracas is the Guaire River , which flows across the city and empties into the Tuy River , which is also fed by the El Valle and San Pedro rivers, in addition to numerous streams which descend from El Ávila. The La Mariposa and Camatagua  [ es ] reservoirs provide water to

9612-474: The region led by Terepaima and Guaicaipuro . Fajardo's 1560 settlement was known as Hato de San Francisco, and another attempt in 1561 by Juan Rodríguez de Suárez was called Villa de San Francisco, and was also destroyed by the same native people. The eventual settlers of Caracas came from Coro , the German capital of their Klein-Venedig colony around the present-day coastal Colombia–Venezuela border ; from

9720-531: The representative of Venezuela to the Spanish Crown, and vice versa. In 1591, de Bolívar introduced a petition to King Philip II for a coat of arms, which he granted by Royal Cedula on 4 September that year in San Lorenzo. The coat of arms represents the city's name with the red Santiago (St. James') cross . It originally depicted "a brown bear rampant on a field of silver, holding between its paws

9828-514: The scene of numerous events of historic significance, since the early republican period. Probably the architectural influences of Coro are unique. Among the buildings and places of interest highlights include: Since the creation of the Diocese of Coro by the papal bull of July 21, 1531, it directed the building of the Cathedral of St. Anne, one of the temples of Coro, and in 1567 the cathedral

9936-477: The seat on the circuit assembly, representing the fourth consecutive defeat of Chavismo in the city (the 2007 reform, the government in 2008, amendment in 2009 and parliamentary elections in 2010) The city has inherited a monumental architecture of the colonial and republican times features typical of the Andalusian architecture (southern Spain), with materials and techniques used by Native Americans based in

10044-720: The south there are more hills and mountains. The Metropolitan Region of Caracas has an estimated population of almost 5 million inhabitants. The historic center of the city is the Cathedral , located on Bolívar Square , though some consider the center to be Plaza Venezuela , located in the Los Caobos area. Businesses in the city include service companies, banks, and malls. Caracas has a largely service-based economy, apart from some industrial activity in its metropolitan area. The Caracas Stock Exchange and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) are headquartered in Caracas. Empresas Polar

10152-646: The state, Coro is the urban center around which political life of Falcón . It is the political and administrative capital, where is the seat of state government, among others, the Regional Council Legislature, the Governor, the courts and the seat (rector) of the Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda, as well as, the vast majority of representations of national government bodies. It

10260-579: The states of Miranda and La Guaira, creating a major metropolitan area known as Gran Caracas. The city's rapid population growth has resulted in increasing traffic congestion . To this end, the subway transportation system (Metro de Caracas) has been progressively expanded and is currently linked to the Los Teques Metro and, in the future, to the Guarenas-Guatire Metro system. The "Ezequiel Zamora" Central Railway System also links

10368-536: The time, were the first defeat after eight years of successive electoral successes. Coro margin than in the rejection of the reform ("NO") was 57.08%. In relation to the regional elections of November 2008 the Mayor was obtained by the ruling party (PSUV), although in the city its candidate for governor of the state got fewer votes, when the city was characterized by votes ruling party. In the September 2010 elections to

10476-517: The tourist will find world-famous beaches for windsurfing in the Paraguaná Peninsula . One hour south, "La Sierra de Coro" presents small towns with a more temperate climate and views of the city. On clear days, visitors will be able to see the médanos (dunes) and behind them the Paraguaná Peninsula with its Cerro Santa Ana. Driving west, tourists can also visit Urumaco , an important fossil site. The Sierra de San Luis National Park

10584-542: The town was called Santa Ana de Coro (there is now an unsuccessful campaign to reinstate the colonial name of the city) in the Spanish style that named new cities in America according to the Catholic calendar, accompanied by a name of Indian origin. According to the tradition the word coro derives from the Caquetio word curiana , meaning "place of winds". However, according to the authoritative DRAE Spanish dictionary,

10692-606: The urban settlement founded by the Spanish conquerors who colonized the interior of the continent. As Neu-Augsburg , it was the first German colony in the Americas under the Welser family of Augsburg (from 1528 to 1546). It was then the first capital of the Spanish Captaincy General of Venezuela (1546-1578) and head of the first bishop founded in South America in 1531. The precursor movement of

10800-472: The use of earth (adobe, and earth reinforced with a plant structure in a technique called "bahareque"). Many of these buildings are vulnerable to heavy rains, as in its natural state earth is a material of low resistance to moisture. As well as the damage from rains between November 2004 and February 2005, the built environment had, according to UNESCO, been adversely affected by the construction of inappropriate walls and fences. There has also been concern about

10908-562: The western part of the city; These are the Macarao Dam and the La Mariposa Reservoir. Caracas shares commonalities with many Latin American cities: densely populated and with limited space because it is surrounded by mountains. Because of this, the city has grown vertically. A very striking aspect is the number of people living in substandard housing built on the mountain slopes surrounding the city. This type of housing

11016-504: The word coro in its second meaning means "wind of the northwest", and comes from the Latin caurus . The city was founded on July 26, 1527, by Juan Martín de Ampués , with the name of Santa Ana de Coro. Ampíes covenanted to respect the authority of the Native chief Manaure highest authority of the natives of the region, the Caquetio people , This covenant is broken abruptly in 1529 with

11124-444: The year. According to the population census of 2011 the Caracas proper (Distrito Capital) is over 1.9 million inhabitants, while that of the Metropolitan District of Caracas is estimated at 2.9 million as of 2011 . The majority of the population is mixed-race , typically with varying degrees of European , Indigenous , African and occasional Asian ancestry. There is a noteworthy Afro-Venezuelan community. Additionally,

11232-400: Was marked by a strong exodus of Colombians. The multiethnic, cultural and racial mix has marked the city throughout history. Its ethnic composition is very diverse. Venezuela and its capital, Caracas, have been reported to both have among the highest per capita murder rates in the world. In 2010 Caracas had the highest murder rate in the world, having more deaths than Baghdad during

11340-440: Was one) and especially to the harshness of its climate. Finally it was no longer the seat of the bishopric in 1636. During the seventeenth century Coro was hit by a hurricane and invasions of pirates, to the point where it appeared in the charts of English and French of the time with the title of "destroyed." However, these calamities left intact the countryside, with its productive power, which allowed it to recover slowly. Thus, in

11448-549: Was only 173.8 million bolivars, while the Ministry of the Youth received approximately 724.6 million bolivars. The tourism industry in Venezuela contributes approximately 3.8 percent of the country GDP. The World Economic Forum predicts Venezuela's GDP to rise to 4.2 percent by 2022. On 8 March 2000, the year after a new constitution was introduced in Venezuela, it was decreed in Gaceta Official N° 36,906 that

11556-412: Was populated by indigenous peoples. Francisco Fajardo , the son of a Spanish captain and a Guaiqueri cacica , who came from Margarita , began establishing settlements in the area of La Guaira and the Caracas valley between 1555 and 1560. Fajardo attempted to establish a plantation in the valley in 1562 after these unsuccessful coastal towns, but it did not last long: it was destroyed by natives of

11664-555: Was sacked by the Corsair Francis Drake . The current structure dates from 1583 and was completed by the end of the 17th century, making it the oldest Catholic church in Tierra Firma . Magnificent mansion built in the 17th century by Don José Francisco Garcés de la Colina . This is a house that has a portal that rises to more than eight feet (2.4 m) high, and so named because of the large windows protected by

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