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167-404: San Salvador ( Spanish pronunciation: [san salβaˈðoɾ] ;) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department . It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The Municipality of San Salvador has 525,990 inhabitants (2024). The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador , which comprises
334-562: A caste system , with Spaniards at the top, mixed-race individuals in the middle, and Africans and indigenous Central Americans at the bottom. Spaniards owned most of the region's land and wealth, and indigenous people composed most of its labor force. The Catholic Church dominated all aspects of Central American society during Spanish colonial rule. Although the region's indigenous inhabitants were gradually forced by colonial officials to convert to Catholicism, they retained many of their cultural traditions. The Spanish king Ferdinand VII
501-497: A monarch held his or her court, the selection, relocation, founding, or capture of a modern capital city is a highly symbolic event. For example: The capital city is usually but not always a primary target in a war, as capturing it usually guarantees capture of much of the enemy government, victory for the attacking forces, or at the very least demoralization for the defeated forces. In ancient China , where governments were massive centralized bureaucracies with little flexibility on
668-457: A tropical wet and dry climate under the Köppen climate classification , and enjoys very warm to hot weather all year round, with daily mean temperatures of 27 °C or 80.6 °F. Its average elevation of 658 meters (2,159 feet) causes the city to experience slightly cooler temperatures in the mornings, higher solar radiation, and greater diurnal air temperature variation (particularly during
835-611: A 20th-century Costa Rican lawyer and rector of the University of Costa Rica , described the presidency of the Federal Republic of Central America as "merely decorative". The Supreme Court of Justice was established on 2 August 1824 as the federal republic's judicial branch. It consisted of six justices, two of whom were elected every two years. The first justices took office on 29 April 1825. The Supreme Court could not enforce its rulings on unconstitutional laws passed by
1002-620: A District board. There are seven districts in San Salvador, Districts 1–6 and the Historic Downtown. The six districts: Total population in all six districts: 567,788 The city is located in the Boquerón Volcano Valley, a region of high seismic activity. The city's average elevation is 659 meters (2,162 feet) above sea level , but ranges from a highest point of 1,186 meters (3,891 feet) above sea level to
1169-557: A capital city that was already made since the Spanish rule in 1546; such name can also applies to the Salvadoran department . [REDACTED] Kingdom of Spain 1525–1821 [REDACTED] Mexican Empire 1822–1823 [REDACTED] Central America 1823–1841 [REDACTED] El Salvador 1841–1896 [REDACTED] Central America 1896–1898 [REDACTED] El Salvador 1898–present Before
1336-445: A compromise between two or more cities or other political divisions, historical reasons, or enough land was needed to deliberately build a new planned city for the capital. The majority of national capitals are also the largest city in their respective countries. Modern examples are Beijing , Berlin , Cairo , London , Madrid , Mexico City , Moscow , Paris , Rome , Jakarta , Metro Manila , Seoul , and Tokyo . Counties in
1503-558: A congress to determine the region's future. The Mexican Constituent Congress [ es ] ordered Mexican forces in Central America to cease hostilities on 1 April, and the Central American congress convened on 24 June. Except for the state of Chiapas , it declared Central American independence from Mexico on 1 July. At Central America's independence from Mexico, the Central American congress established
1670-585: A decree dissolving the Federal Republic of Central America; the Federal Congress accepted his decree on 14 July. On 30 January 1841, El Salvador declared independence from the Federal Republic of Central America. At the fall of the federal republic, four of its five successor states were led by opponents of federal rule and proponents of their respective states' secession: Braulio Carrillo (Costa Rica), Francisco Malespín (El Salvador), Carrera (Guatemala), and Francisco Ferrera (Honduras). According to
1837-551: A kind not found elsewhere in Latin America. The Metropolitan Cathedral was built in the 1950s combining Baroque and eclectic styles of architecture. The National palace, built in 1905, is a mix of Gothic , Neoclassical , and Renaissance Revival architecture. The National Theater is the oldest theater in Central America, being built in 1917 in the French Renaissance Revival style with details in
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#17327657450782004-626: A letter to Mexican President Vicente Guerrero in November 1829 with the same request; Guerrero did not respond either. After Central American Minister of Relations Manuel Julián Ibarra sent a third request to the Mexican government to extradite the refugees in December 1829, Mexico said that it could grant the Central American request. Arce threatened to invade the Federal Republic of Central America in late 1831 from Soconusco (a territory along
2171-406: A letter to the Mexican minister of external relations falsely claiming that Central American refugees fleeing to Mexico were actually enemy forces who sought to "chain and submit their towns to the Spanish yoke" (" encadenar y someter sus pueblos al yugo español "). He asked the Mexican government to extradite the refugees back to Central America. Receiving no reply, José Francisco Barrundia sent
2338-504: A los mayores peligros "). The federal republic consisted of five states: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Each state was subdivided into 45 partidos (districts). From 7 February 1835 to 3 May 1839, the Federal District was centered around San Salvador as the national capital. Briefly, from 1838 to 1839, the federal government considered separating Los Altos from Guatemala and elevating it to
2505-922: A lowest point of 596 m (1,955 ft) above sea level. The municipality is surrounded by these natural features of the landscape: the Acelhuate River on the east, the San Jacinto Hill on the south east, El Picacho Mountain and the Bicentennial Park on the West, North by the San Antonio River, southward by the Cordillera del Balsamo (Balsam Mountain Range); westward by the Boquerón Volcano and Cerro El Picacho ,
2672-470: A matter of convention, and because all or almost all the country's central political institutions, such as government departments, supreme court, legislature, embassies, etc., are located in or near them. Many modern capital cities are located near the centre of the country, so that they are more accessible to its population and have better protection from possible invasions. (See also § Capitals in military strategy ) The location may also be based on
2839-468: A population of 257,754 inhabitants, accounting for about 3.99% of the country's population, while the metropolitan area had 1,767,102 inhabitants, comprising 27.4% of the country's total population. The population of San Salvador is predominantly Roman Catholic , with a significant minority of Protestants. There is more diversity of religion than in most Latin American countries. The Protestant population
3006-711: A rebellion in San Juan Nonualco and Santiago Nonualco in response to indigenous killings by Ladinos (mixed-race people) the month before. Aquino and 2,000 supporters (known as the Liberation Army) marched on San Vicente , capturing it the following day. The Liberation Army proclaimed him as San Vicente's political chief. Indigenous Salvadorans in Cojutepeque, Ilopango , San Martín , San Pedro Perulapán , and Soyapango supported Aquino's rebellion. Initial efforts by Salvadoran soldiers to suppress
3173-670: A rebellion in San Salvador against Spanish rule which was defeated by loyalist forces. Additional independence rebellions occurred in December 1811 in Nicaragua [ es ] ; in 1813 in Guatemala; and in 1814 in San Salvador [ es ] . All were defeated by loyalist forces, but pro-independence sentiment spread among Central American leaders. The Cortes of Cádiz (a Spanish constitutional congress in Cádiz ) drafted
3340-424: A rebellion against conservative Nicaraguan political leader Miguel González Saravia y Colarte [ es ] , capturing several cities. Ordóñez's rebellion continued after Central America declared its independence from Mexico. On 19 March 1823, Iturbide abdicated the Mexican throne. When news of Iturbide's abdication reached Filísola on 29 March, he called for Central American political leaders to establish
3507-494: A result of a contest launched in 1943. The shield (designed by the painter José Mejía Vides ) is divided into four quadrants: the two quadrants at the top right and bottom left have blue and white fields symbolizing the national flag; the top left quadrant displays a symbolic emerald necklace; and the lower right contains the bell of the Church of La Merced, representing the 1811 Independence Movement , when José Matías Delgado rang
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#17327657450783674-426: A result, which led to liberals continuing to accuse him of betraying the liberal cause. Juan Barrundia [ es ] , José Francisco Barrundia's brother, opposed the federal government and was one of Arce's foremost critics. He moved Guatemala's capital back to Guatemala City from Antigua Guatemala in mid-1825 (reversing the 1823 move) and seized private property to establish state government offices, since
3841-554: A territory: Plymouth in Montserrat . There are several countries where, for various reasons, the official capital and seat of government are separated: Some historical examples of similar arrangements, where the recognized capital was not the official seat of government: With the rise of the modern nation-state , the capital city has become a symbol for the state and its government , and imbued with political meaning. Unlike medieval capitals, which were declared wherever
4008-404: A total of 13,000 m (139,931 sq ft) of office space. Since their completion, the first two towers have maintained a 100% occupancy rate with multinational companies, embassies, and firms such as Banco Multisectorial de Inversiones (BMI), Ericsson, Continental Airlines, Microsoft, Inter-American Development Bank, and Banco Promérica maintaining offices there. Centro Financiero Gigante
4175-427: A water source for San Salvador during the late 1800s and early 1900s, but due to urbanization is now polluted. There are small streams running down from Lake Ilopango, and a few old aqueduct systems, but the municipality itself has no major bodies of water. Lake Ilopango , although not located in the municipality, is the closest large body of water, being only minutes away from the San Salvador historic center. The lake
4342-468: Is a complex of office buildings consisting of five towers, the highest of which is 77 meters (253 feet) tall and has 19 floors. It is a phased project which began with the construction of the two towers. After several years the number of buildings has increased, and it has become one of the most significant business complexes in San Salvador. The tallest tower is occupied by the Telefónica phone company,
4509-761: Is also home to about 3,500 Jews; the Jewish community is still robust, but less so since the 1980s, as a large number of them left with the start of the Salvadoran Civil War. Many Jews had migrated to El Salvador during World War II due to the work of José Castellanos Contreras , the Salvadoran diplomatic Consul General in Geneva, Switzerland , who helped a Jewish-Hungarian businessman named Gyorgy Mandl save up to 40,000 Jews in Central Europe from
4676-407: Is also home to regional offices for transnational entities. Unicomer Group , Almacenes Simán , Grupo Roble, Grupo Real, Excel Automotríz, and Grupo Q all have their central offices in San Salvador. Since the early 2010s there has been a boom in the construction of call centers providing services to national and international companies alike. San Salvador lacks a consolidated financial district; this
4843-511: Is also the largest natural body of water in the country, with an area of 72 km (28 sq mi). The Cerrón Grande Reservoir, 78 km (48 mi) north of San Salvador, was formed by damming the Lempa River in the municipalities of Potonico, (Chalatenango) and Jutiapa (Cabañas). The Cerrón Grande Dam provides a substantial portion of the region's electricity . Spanish is the language spoken by virtually all inhabitants. English
5010-533: Is governed by a council consisting of a mayor (elected by direct vote every three years, with an option to be re-elected), a trustee and two or more aldermen whose number varies in proportion to the population of the municipality. The functions and powers of this government are framed within the rules of the Municipal Code. San Salvador's government is composed of departments, including the departments of festivals, parks, cemeteries, and finance. To safeguard
5177-662: Is mainly due to the lack of urban planning that has plagued the city since the aftermath of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992. Some clusters have formed, however, in an organic manner; today most of the banking and telecommunications are concentrated along the Alameda Manuel Enrique Araujo in District Two. Business complexes and towers have sprouted in the commercial districts of Colonia Escalón and Colonia San Benito , both in District Three of
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5344-831: Is mostly Evangelical. One of the largest Protestant churches in the city is the Iglesia Cristiana Josue (from the Assemblies of God ), another is the Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista, Amigos de Israel (Bible Baptist Tabernacle, Friends of Israel). There are also members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , which opened the San Salvador El Salvador Temple in 2011. There are also smaller Latter-day Saints chapels in Districts 1 and 3. As in most of
5511-642: Is related to the enduring power of the city first as the capital of the Republic and the Empire , and later as the centre of the Catholic Church . In several English-speaking states , the terms county town and county seat are also used in lower administrative divisions . In some unitary states , subnational capitals may be known as 'administrative centres'. The capital is often the largest city of its constituent, though not always . Historically,
5678-483: Is spoken more widely than in the past, due mainly to cultural influences from the United States, especially in entertainment, and the large number of Salvadoran emigrants returned from the United States. According to the 2007 Census, 72.3% of the population of San Salvador is mestizo, 25.8% is white, having mostly Spanish ancestry, and a few of French or German descents. In 2015, San Salvador was projected to have
5845-582: Is the case with Nanjing by Shanghai , Quebec City by Montreal , and several US state capitals . The decline of a dynasty or culture could also mean the extinction of its capital city, as occurred at Babylon and Cahokia . "Political nomadism" was practiced in ancient Near East to increase ties between the ruler and the subjects. Although many capitals are defined by constitution or legislation, many long-time capitals have no such legal designation, including Bern , Edinburgh , Lisbon , London , Paris , and Wellington . They are recognized as capitals as
6012-541: Is usually not a separate national capital, but rather the capital city of one constituent nation will also be the capital of the state overall, such as London , which is the capital of England and of the United Kingdom. Similarly, each of the autonomous communities of Spain and regions of Italy has a capital city, such as Seville and Naples , while Madrid is the capital of the Community of Madrid and of
6179-417: Is well known in the western world as the source of Balsam of Peru and Tolu balsam . El Salvador is the main exporter of these resins, which are still extracted manually. El Cerro de San Jacinto (San Jacinto Hill) , is located on the eastern border of the municipality and is shared with Soyapango , Santo Tomás and San Marcos . The summit is located at 1,153 meters (3,783 feet) above sea level. The hill
6346-568: The 8th and 18th parallel north . On 5 May 1824, the National Constituent Assembly ordered each of the federal republic's five states to draft a constitution and install state-level legislative, executive, and judicial branches similar to those of the federal government. Each state could elect legislators, a governor, and judicial officials in indirect elections. Like the Senate at the federal level, each state's Senate
6513-680: The Acelhuate River . The population of the city remained relatively small until the early 20th century. In January 1885, during the presidency of Rafael Zaldívar , a group of businessmen and the president's family contributed funds for building the Sara Zaldivar Asylum for Indigents and the Elderly. In 1902, the Hospital Rosales was built, named after its benefactor, Jose Rosales, a banker who gave his fortune to
6680-709: The Battle of La Trinidad on 10 November 1827, recapturing Comayagua and Tegucigalpa. Arce offered to hold a presidential election in early 1828 in an attempt to appease the liberals, who declined his offer. He resigned the presidency on 14 February and fled to Mexico; Beltranena succeeded Arce as interim president. Morazán invaded El Salvador in June 1828 with an army of Honduran and Nicaraguan soldiers, capturing San Salvador on 23 October. In late 1828, Morazán raised 4,000 soldiers for an invasion of Guatemala. Beltranena's government warned its citizens that Morazán's primary objective
6847-523: The Byzantine capital, Constantinople , Byzantine forces were able to regroup in several provinces; provincial noblemen managed to reconquer the capital after 60 years and preserve the empire for another 200 years after that. The British forces sacked various American capitals repeatedly during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 , but American forces could still carry on fighting from
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7014-645: The Christian Democratic Party candidate, José Napoleon Duarte , an engineer, was elected mayor; he served from 1964 to 1970. During his term he ordered construction of the Pancho Lara park in the Vista Hermosa neighborhood, renewed the electrical grid , and set up a system of schools for adult education . The 1960s to the 1980s were the golden age of San Salvador in all aspects of security, quality of life, and modernization. Today
7181-622: The Estadio Cuscatlán were held in honor of the returning troops from the Football War with Honduras. The Boulevard de los Héroes (Boulevard of the Heroes) was named after the Salvadoran soldiers who fought there. The 1986 San Salvador earthquake destroyed many government buildings and other important structures, injuring and killing hundreds. Thousands of people were displaced by the disaster and many struggled to find shelter in
7348-698: The First Central American Civil War without a formal declaration of war. Honduras supported El Salvador's invasion, but Arce's federal soldiers defeated the invasion in a 23 March battle at Arrazola (near Guatemala City). Arce launched a counter-invasion into El Salvador and was defeated on 18 May at Milingo, near San Salvador. While Arce was campaigning in El Salvador, he sent a division of soldiers commanded by Colonel José Justo Milla into Honduras to arrest liberal Honduran Governor Dionisio de Herrera . Milla's forces captured
7515-589: The First Mexican Empire on 1 July 1823, was the United Provinces of Central America ( Spanish : Provincias Unidas del Centro de América ). Upon the adoption of the country's constitution on 22 November 1824, the United Provinces of Central America changed its name to the Federal Republic of Central America ( República Federal de Centro América ). In the years shortly after independence, some official government documents referred to
7682-662: The Isthmus of Tehuantepec and south to the Isthmus of Panama . Spain transferred control of the Yucatán Peninsula to New Spain (modern-day Mexico ) in 1560, and transferred control of Panama to Peru seven years later. In 1568, the Central American audiencia was reorganized as the Captaincy General of Guatemala . The captaincy was subdivided into corregimientos , gobiernos , greater mayorships , and intendancies . Central America had
7849-695: The Kingdom of Spain as a whole and Rome is the capital of Italy and of the region of Lazio . In the Federal Republic of Germany , each of its constituent states (or Länder , plural of Land ) has its own capital city, such as Dresden , Wiesbaden , Mainz , Düsseldorf , Stuttgart , and Munich , as do all of the republics of the Russian Federation . The national capitals of Germany and Russia (the Stadtstaat of Berlin and
8016-514: The Latin word caput (genitive capitis ), meaning ' head ', later borrowed from Medieval Latin capitālis ('of the head'). The Latin phrase Roma Caput Mundi meaning 'Rome capital of the world' ( lit. ' head of the world ' ) was already used by the poet Ovid in 1st century BC . It originates out of a classical European understanding of the known world : Europe , North Africa , and Southwest Asia . The phrase
8183-568: The President of El Salvador . San Salvador is located in the Salvadoran highlands, surrounded by volcanoes and prone to earthquakes. The city is also home to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Salvador , as well as many Protestant branches of Christianity, including Evangelicals , Baptists , and Pentecostals , and the restorationist Christian sect the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . San Salvador has been
8350-536: The Rococo , Romantic and Art Nouveau architectural styles. The building contains three levels of seats, including a Presidential box at the center of the second level, and has seating for 650 people. The structure is surmounted by an ellipsoidal dome , the interior of which is adorned with a mural painted by Carlos Cañas and a crystal chandelier. San Salvador is also home to the museum Museo de Arte de El Salvador (MARTE), whose collection includes artworks dating from
8517-524: The Spanish Constitution of 1812 , which made Spain a constitutional monarchy . Ferdinand repealed the liberal constitution after returning to power in 1814, since he wanted to rule as an absolute monarch . His refusal to rule as a constitutional monarch and the desire of colonial leaders for greater local autonomy led to independence rebellions throughout Spain's American colonies. The rebellions were primarily led by liberals who supported
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#17327657450788684-535: The Spanish conquest , the Pipil people established their capital, Cuzcatlan , near the current location of San Salvador. Not much is known about Cuzcatlan, as it was abandoned by its inhabitants in an effort to avoid Spanish rule. Under the orders of conquistador Pedro de Alvarado , his associates Gonzalo de Alvarado and Diego de Holguín occupied the empty settlement and began to develop it. Diego de Holguín became
8851-548: The Union of Ibero-American Capital Cities selected San Salvador as a "Latin American capital of culture", recognizing San Salvador's cultural diversity. The city government is restoring the downtown area, with the goal of celebrating the city's past and promoting cultural diversity. The symbols of the city are the Monumento al Divino Salvador del Mundo , shield, flag, anthem, and staff of office . The first three were created as
9018-537: The United Kingdom have historic county towns, which are often not the largest settlement within the county and often are no longer administrative centres, as many historical counties are now only ceremonial, and administrative boundaries are different. The number of new capitals in the world increased substantially since the Renaissance period, especially with the founding of independent nation-states since
9185-537: The United Provinces of Central America ( Provincias Unidas del Centro de América ), was a sovereign state in Central America that existed between 1823 and 1839/1841. The republic was composed of five states ( Costa Rica , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras , and Nicaragua ), and a Federal District from 1835 to 1839. Guatemala City was its capital city until 1834, when the seat of government
9352-523: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Naypyidaw was founded in Burma 's interior as the former capital, Rangoon , was claimed to be overcrowded. A few nation-states have multiple capitals, and there are also several states that have no capital. Some have a city as the capital but with most government agencies elsewhere. There is also a ghost town which is currently the de jure capital of
9519-492: The federal city of Moscow ) are also constituent states of both countries in their own right. Each of the states of Austria and cantons of Switzerland also have their own capital cities. Vienna , the national capital of Austria , is also one of the states, while Bern is the ( de facto ) capital of both Switzerland and of the Canton of Bern . Governing entities sometimes plan, design and build new capital cities to house
9686-443: The late 1833 presidential election , the electoral college chose Valle as Central America's next president. Valle defeated Morazán because many voters and politicians opposed Morazán's use of military force to settle disputes between liberals and conservatives, and saw Valle as a moderate who could offer peace. Valle died of illness on 2 March 1834 while he was traveling to Guatemala to become president. As Morazán finished second in
9853-403: The 1812 constitution's Enlightenment ideals. Conservatives joined the independence movements in 1820, when Ferdinand was forced by Colonel Rafael del Riego to restore the 1812 constitution. On 15 September 1821, Central American colonial leaders declared independence from Spain and signed the Act of Independence of Central America . They established the Consultive Junta to temporarily govern
10020-411: The Caribbean coast in case Spain attempted to reassert control of the region. George Alexander Thompson, a British diplomat who visited Central America in 1825, said that the federal army would only have been able to resist a Spanish invasion with guerrilla warfare . By the end of 1829, the Central American federal army (now called the Protector Allied Army of the Law) totaled 4,000 soldiers. That year,
10187-431: The Central American government was unable to pay its debts to the military. Although Ariza pledged his loyalty to the National Constituent Assembly, many assembly members fled the city and called on soldiers from Chiquimula , Quetzaltenango , and San Salvador to suppress the insurrection. Neither Ariza's rebels nor Colonel José Rivas and his 750 soldiers from San Salvador wanted a battle. Conservatives took advantage of
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#173276574507810354-425: The Consultive Junta to join the First Mexican Empire in November 1821, and the junta voted for annexation on 5 January 1822. The Mexicans sent Brigadier General Vicente Filísola to enforce the annexation. Liberals in Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua resisted Mexican attempts to annex the region. Liberals and conservatives fought in Costa Rica's Ochomogo War , which ended with the liberals gaining control of
10521-405: The Federal Congress declared all legislation passed after September 1826 null and void. Many leading conservatives were imprisoned or exiled under threat of death after the civil war, and many also had their property confiscated. Morazán also cracked down on the church. He expelled many members of the clergy from the country for supporting the conservatives, confiscated Church properties, and forced
10688-446: The Federal Congress reduced the maximum size of the federal army to 2,000 soldiers due to general distrust by the states of the power and influence of the federal army. Each state was instructed to provide soldiers to the federal army. The federal peacetime army, as established by the Federal Congress in 1829, consisted of three infantry brigades, one artillery brigade, and one cavalry regiment. By 1831, only 800 federal soldiers remained;
10855-656: The Federal Congress, since its rulings were subject to Federal Congress review. The Federal Republic of Central America found it difficult to maintain its federal army. Before Central American independence, few Central Americans pursued a military career. Guatemalan historian Manuel Montúfar y Coronado wrote that "military influence was unknown in Central America; before Independence, there was no military career" (" el influjo militar fue desconocido en Centro América; antes de la Independencia, no había carrera militar "). The Central American federal army originated as rebel groups who resisted annexation to Mexico in 1822 and 1823, and
11022-560: The Federal Congress; the liberals began impeachment proceedings against him on 2 June 1826. Salvadoran liberals, still loyal to Arce, did not attend the impeachment proceedings and prevented the congress from reaching the quorum necessary to begin them. Ten days later, the Guatemalan liberals abandoned their impeachment attempt. Arce sent federal soldiers to arrest Raoul in July 1826, accusing him of insubordination by sending letters to Arce calling for his resignation. Juan Barrundia sought to defend Raoul and sent 300 Guatemalan soldiers to arrest
11189-567: The Federal District around the city on 7 February 1835 in accordance with article 65 of the federal constitution, which called for a federal district in the country's capital when "circumstances permitted". The district covered a 20-mile (32 km) radius around San Salvador and extended 10 miles (16 km) south to the Pacific Ocean. All federal-government offices relocated to the Federal District. El Salvador temporarily moved its state government from San Salvador to Cojutepeque before permanently relocating to San Vicente on 21 September. During
11356-572: The Guatemalan conservatives and that would establish a centralized government. Arce called for an extraordinary congress to convene in Cojutepeque on 10 October to reestablish constitutional order, since the Federal Congress consistently failed to reach a quorum after Juan Barrundia's arrest. The call for an extraordinary congress was unconstitutional, because it exceeded Arce's presidential duties. On 6 December, in response to Arce's call for an extraordinary congress, Mariano Prado (the liberal acting governor of El Salvador) called for delegates from all
11523-503: The Honduran capital of Comayagua on 10 May 1827 after a 36-day siege, and captured Herrera. Francisco Morazán —secretary general of Honduras in 1824, a Honduran state senator, and a military officer—was captured shortly afterwards in Tegucigalpa ; Morazán escaped and fled to Nicaragua, where he rallied an army of Honduran exiles to oppose Arce. his forces were supported by Nicaraguan rebels led by Ordóñez, who launched an anti-Arce rebellion in León. Morazán's army defeated Milla's army at
11690-399: The Nazi persecution by giving them Salvadoran nationality papers. The city has a small community of Palestinians , mostly descendants of Palestinian Christian families who immigrated from Palestine in the late 19th and early 20th century, with the highest rate of immigration between 1910 and 1925. San Salvador is rich in Spanish heritage, and its historical center contains architecture of
11857-452: The Ottomans which made a spice trade blockade across Afro-Eurasia three years earlier. Thus, various places were named after the event with that name in order to designate the Christian church, such as Christopher Columbus who baptized in the island of Guanahani , Bahamas in 1492. And so, Gonzalo made it honor to the Divine Savior of the World , and the representation of the conquistador leader, Pedro de Alvarado at that moment to expand
12024-530: The Pacific coast claimed by Central America and Mexico over which neither had full control) to reclaim the presidency. General Ramón Guzmán, mayor of the Honduran city of Omoa , declared a state of rebellion in November 1831, raised a Spanish flag in the city, and sent ships to Cuba to ask for support from conservative archbishop Ramón Casaus y Torres [ es ] (exiled by Morazán in 1829). This
12191-532: The Salvadoran capital. The World Trade Center San Salvador is located in District 3 (Colonia Escalón) at Avenida Norte and Calle del Mirador. The World Trade Center is interconnected to two hotels (one of which is the Crowne Plaza Hotel), a convention center and a commercial center containing retail shops and restaurants. As of October 2012, the center consists of two towers of 8 levels each, with
12358-638: The Spanish and Portuguese sphere. The Central American Integration System has its headquarters in San Salvador. San Salvador was named by Gonzalo de Alvarado in 1525, after the Transfiguration of Jesus which celebrates every 6 August for the feast in the Western Church. That day in 1456 Pope Callixtus III made a commemoration of the Hungarian victory at the Siege of Belgrade against
12525-472: The United Provinces of Central America. The following day, the congress reorganized as the National Constituent Assembly and tasked itself with drafting a constitution for newly-independent Central America. José Matías Delgado was Central America's provisional president until 10 July 1823, when the National Constituent Assembly appointed a triumvirate [ es ] consisting of Arce, Juan Vicente Villacorta and Pedro Molina Mazariegos . Since Arce
12692-737: The United States , the United States Declaration of Independence , and the Spanish Constitution of 1812. On 22 November, the constitution was formally adopted after all 64 members of the assembly signed it. The National Constituent Assembly dissolved itself on 23 January 1825, and was succeeded by the Federal Congress on 6 February. On 14 September 1823, Captain Rafael Ariza y Torres began an insurrection in Guatemala City (the capital city) because
12859-429: The army to raise 10,000 soldiers to defend their country against a European invasion. The Congress of Deputies approved Arce's plan; the Senate vetoed it, however, citing a lack of funding. In mid-1826, Arce reduced his troop requirement to 4,000. Guatemalan liberals in the Federal Congress contacted French military officer Nicolás Raoul [ es ] to help draft a military code to prevent Arce from controlling
13026-516: The assembly was functioning. On 12 October 1823, Rivas determined that the National Constituent Assembly was suppressing civil liberties and marched back into the city. On 17 October, believing that Rivas was acting on behalf of El Salvador, 200 soldiers from Quetzaltenango arrived in Guatemala City and skirmished with his forces. After a few days, the assembly drafted an agreement to appease both sides. Rivas' forces withdrew to El Salvador, and
13193-495: The bells. The flag was designed at the request of the city government. The anthem was written by Carlos Bustamante (lyrics) and Ciriaco de Jesús Alas (music). The municipal staff shows a series of figures and symbols relating to local history. From top to bottom these images are: a native Amerindian, first mayor Diego de Olguín, Carlos V of Spain , the Royal Decree which gave San Salvador its name, Mayor Antonio Gutiérrez,
13360-720: The capital has been changed for geopolitical reasons; Finland 's first city, Turku , which had served as the country's capital since the Middle Ages under the Swedish rule, lost its position during the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812, when Helsinki was made the current capital of Finland by the Russian Empire. The convergence of political and economic or cultural power is by no means universal. Traditional capitals may be economically eclipsed by provincial rivals as
13527-599: The capital itself and 13 of its municipalities, has a population of 2,404,097. The urban area of San Salvador has a population of 1,600,000 inhabitants. The city is home to the Consejo de Ministros de El Salvador (Council of Ministries of El Salvador), the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador , the Supreme Court of El Salvador , and other governmental institutions, as well as the official residence of
13694-453: The capital's temporary relocation to Sonsonate as a threat. After nearly all of the Salvadoran state assembly resigned on 15 May 1834 due to rising tensions between San Martín and Morazán, San Martín announced his intention to resign; however, he retained his gubernatorial powers. In late May, Morazán invaded El Salvador to force San Martín out of office. Morazán captured San Salvador on 6 June, and San Martín resigned six days later. San Martín
13861-494: The church to reduce the number of priests and nuns in the country. Morazán ran for president in the 1830 federal election . Although he finished first, with 202 electoral votes, he did not win a majority. Similar to 1825, the Federal Congress was given the authority to elect the president; the liberal-dominated congress voted for Morazán, and he took office on 16 September. The Federal Congress elected liberal Mariano Prado as Morazán's vice president. In May 1829, Morazán sent
14028-715: The civil war and Cornejo earlier in 1832. Prado imposed a tax to help raise funds for the state government. The tax was unpopular with Salvadorans – particularly indigenous Salvadorans, who saw it as a restoration of tribute to the white population that was abolished in 1811. San Salvador rebelled against Prado on 24 October, forcing his government to temporarily move to Cojutepeque. Similar rebellions against Prado broke out in Ahuachapán, Chalatenango , Izalco , San Miguel , Tejutla and Zacatecoluca , but were quickly suppressed by Salvadoran soldiers. On 14 February 1833, indigenous laborer Anastasio Aquino launched
14195-565: The country as the Federated States of Central America ( Estados Federados del Centro de América ). The federal republic has also been referred to as the Federation of Central America ( Federación de Centro América ). The Spanish conquered Central America in the 16th century. The region was divided into several audiencias (jurisdictions) until, in 1542, it was organized into a single audiencia extending north to
14362-493: The country's first president . Arce subsequently aligned himself with the country's conservatives due to liberal opposition to the concessions he granted conservatives to secure his election as president. The republic was politically unstable, experiencing civil wars, rebellions, and insurrections by liberals and conservatives. From 1827 to 1829, it fell into a civil war between conservatives who supported Arce and liberals who opposed him. Liberal politician Francisco Morazán led
14529-569: The country, Roman Catholicism plays a prominent role in the celebration of holidays, including Las Fiestas Agostinas (The August Festivals) in honor of Jesus Christ, the Patron saint of El Salvador, referred to as El Salvador del Mundo (The Savior of the World). These events are becoming less prominent with a sharp decline in the Roman Catholic population during the past decade. San Salvador
14696-523: The country. Liberal rebels in El Salvador, led by Delgado and Arce, resisted two invasions by Filísola in 1822 and 1823. The former ended with an armistice and Mexican withdrawal; the latter resulted in Filísola overthrowing Delgado as the political leader of El Salvador (forcing Arce to flee to the United States) and capturing the city of San Salvador . General José Anacleto Ordóñez launched
14863-659: The country. The metropolitan area accounts for 3% of the national territory but 70% of public and private investment is made there. The economy of San Salvador, Antiguo Cuscatlán , and Santa Tecla is a mixed one composed mainly of services, private education, banking, business headquartering, and industrial manufacturing. Other municipalities in the metropolitan area depend either on industry, like Soyapango and Ilopango, on public services, like Mejicanos, or on power generation, as in Nejapa and Apopa. The other municipalities have not developed their own economies, however, they have provided
15030-573: The countryside, where they enjoyed support from local governments and the traditionally independent civilian frontiersmen. Exceptions to these generalizations include highly centralized states such as France , whose centralized bureaucracies could effectively coordinate far-flung resources, giving the state a powerful advantage over less coherent rivals, but risking utter ruin if the capital were taken. Federal Republic of Central America The Federal Republic of Central America ( Spanish : República Federal de Centro América ), initially known as
15197-517: The dry season) than nearby cities at sea level such as Acajutla . Its weather cools from the months of November through February due to seasonal winds of the dry season. During these months one can expect a daily mean of 22.2 °C (72.0 °F). The hottest months of the year are April and May, during the transition from the dry season (November to April), to the rainy season (May to October). In April and May average maximum temperatures reach 32.2 °C (90.0 °F). The highest reading ever recorded
15364-484: The eighteenth century. In Canada , there is a federal capital , while the ten provinces and three territories each have capital cities. The states of such countries as Mexico , Brazil (including the famous cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo , capitals of their respective states), and Australia also each have capital cities. For example, the six state capitals of Australia are Adelaide , Brisbane , Hobart , Melbourne , Perth , and Sydney . In Australia,
15531-430: The election and retained the presidency; on 2 June, the federal government called for a new presidential election the following year. On 2 February 1835, the electoral college re-elected Morazán as Central America's president and José Gregorio Salazar as Morazán's vice president; they were sworn in on 14 February. On 30 May 1838, the Federal Congress convened and declared that each of the federal republic's five states
15698-434: The federal constitution, the government of the Federal Republic of Central America was "popular, representative, and federal". All elected officials were appointed with indirect elections ; voters chose electors who would vote on their behalf, rather than voting directly for candidates seeking public office. In presidential, vice-presidential and legislative elections, there were three rounds of voting; voters chose electors in
15865-539: The federal government still occupied the state's government buildings. After Juan Barrundia threatened to raise an army to "contain the despotism of a tyrant" (referring to Arce), the Federal Congress agreed to vacate the building used by the federal treasury and give it to the Guatemalan state government. In August 1825, in response to the arrival of 28 French warships in the Caribbean Sea , Arce called for
16032-453: The federal government was unable to repay its foreign loans, despite favorable terms. Central America's economic troubles were caused in part by the federal government inability to collect taxes and inadequate interstate infrastructure. Central American politicians, writers, and intellectuals have called for the reunification of Central America since the dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America. There have been several attempts by
16199-621: The federal republic in February 1831 after recognizing Morazán as Central America's president and renouncing its declaration of secession. Morazán defeated July 1829 rebellions in Honduras and Nicaragua, and a rebellion in Honduras in January 1830. In May 1832, Prado resigned as vice president of Central America to become the governor of El Salvador; however, he was not popular among El Salvador's residents for helping Morazán overthrow Arce in
16366-407: The federal republic in January 1832. The federal government moved the national capital from Guatemala City to the Salvadoran city of Sonsonate on 5 February 1834, but Salvadoran politicians did not want it to move the capital to the city. Salvadoran Governor Joaquín de San Martín believed that Morazán's moving the federal capital to San Salvador was an attempt to remove him as governor, and saw
16533-564: The federal republic on 7 January 1832. On 24 February 1832, Raoul led federal soldiers into Soconusco and fought Arce's rebel army in the town of Escuintla . He defeated Arce's outnumbered army, and the victorious soldiers looted the town. After this defeat, Arce fled back to Mexico. Morazán invaded El Salvador in mid-March and captured San Salvador on 28 March, proclaiming himself the provisional governor of El Salvador on 3 April. Cornejo and 38 other Salvadoran political leaders were arrested and imprisoned in Guatemala for their involvement in
16700-413: The federal republic until the federal constitution was reformed. That month, Costa Rica proposed establishing a National Constituent Assembly to pass a constitutional reform; th assembly began on 20 April 1833. On 13 February 1835, the Federal Congress approved constitutional reforms drafted by the National Constituent Assembly. The reforms were minor, and only Nicaragua (which renounced its secession after
16867-408: The federal republic. In response to Barrundia's arrest, Lieutenant Governor Cirilo Flores [ es ] moved the Guatemalan state government to Quetzaltenango and passed several anti-clerical laws. An indigenous mob, spurred by conservatives and the church, attacked and killed Cirilo on 13 October for passing the laws. Arce invaded Quetzaltenango and defeated those who continued to support
17034-445: The federal soldiers' commander, arguing that the federal government needed a state governor's permission to move soldiers within a state. When Arce sought to formally condemn Juan Barrundia, liberal Guatemalan senators boycotted the meeting and the Senate failed to reach the quorum necessary to condemn Barrundia. Despite Senate inaction, Arce had Barrundia arrested and removed from office on 6 September for attempting to conspire against
17201-480: The first mayor of San Salvador after the town was founded on 1 April 1525. The town changed location twice, in 1528 and 1545. Originally established in what is now the archeological site of Ciudad Vieja , north of the present-day city, it was moved to the Valle de Las Hamacas , so named for the intense seismic activity that characterizes it. The new site was chosen because it had more space and more fertile land, thanks to
17368-459: The first round, electors voted for a further set of electors in the second round, and those electors voted for candidates seeking public office in the third round. Voting was compulsory. The federal republic's government was divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches, with no term limits. The Federal Congress was its bicameral legislative branch. The Chamber of Deputies (the lower house) consisted of 41 deputies allocated across
17535-497: The following day, ending the civil war. After capturing Guatemala City in April 1828, Beltranena was removed from the presidency; Morazán became the de facto president of Central America, but did not officially assume office. On 22 June 1829, Morazán appointed a new Federal Congress. It elected José Francisco Barrundia, the Senate's senior member, as Central America's interim president three days later. At Morazán's instruction,
17702-401: The government . A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the government's offices and meeting places; the status as capital is often designated by its law or constitution . In some jurisdictions , including several countries, different branches of government are in different settlements, sometimes meaning multiple official capitals. In some cases, a distinction is made between
17869-494: The great crisis of Japanese invasion . National capitals were arguably less important as military objectives in other parts of the world, including the West, because of socioeconomic trends toward localized authority, a strategic modus operandi especially popular after the development of feudalism and reaffirmed by the development of democratic and capitalistic philosophies. In 1204, after the Latin Crusaders captured
18036-445: The highest point in the municipality at 1,929 m (6,329 ft). El Boquerón Volcano was dormant since its last eruption in 1917, but has been active recently. East of the municipality lies the San Jacinto Hill and the caldera of Lake Ilopango , the largest natural body of water in the country with an area of 72 square kilometers (28 square miles). The caldera is seismically active, but has not erupted since 1880. San Salvador has
18203-782: The hospital and to the orphanage. The hospital's construction was begun by president Carlos Ezeta and finished during the presidency of Tomás Regalado . In 1905, president Pedro José Escalón initiated construction of the National Palace funded by coffee exportation taxes. The Monumento a los Próceres de 1811 (Monument to the Heroes of 1811), located in the Plaza Libertad , and the Teatro Nacional de El Salvador were built in 1911 during Manuel Enrique Araujo 's presidency. In 1917, an earthquake during an eruption of
18370-604: The host city for regional and international sporting, political, and social events. It hosted the Central American and Caribbean Games in 1935, 2002, and in 2023 and the Central American Games in 1977 and 1994, as well as the Miss Universe pageant in 1975 and in 2023 . San Salvador was also the host city of the 18th Ibero-American Summit in 2008, the most important sociopolitical event in
18537-551: The inconvenience of conversion to other currencies. San Salvador's economy is mostly based on remittances, followed by service and retail sector, rather by industry or manufacturing. San Salvador is home to the great majority of corporations in the country, and supports many commercial activities, including food and beverage production; the pharmaceutical and chemical industries; the sale of automobiles, handicrafts, and construction materials; as well as appliance repair. Most national companies have their headquarters in San Salvador, which
18704-546: The interests of the municipality, there is a board of metropolitan agents. Each of the six city districts also has a government department. The mayor is a member of the Council of Mayors of the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador (COAMSS), composed of fourteen local councils that make up the area known as Greater San Salvador. The municipality is further subdivided into districts governed by the municipal mayor and by
18871-415: The liberals to victory, and was elected president in 1830. The republic descended into a second civil war from 1838 to 1840, by the end of which the states of Central America declared independence and the federal republic ceased to exist. Historians have attributed the country's political instability to its federal system of government and its economic struggles. Agricultural exports were insufficient and
19038-417: The major economic centre of a state or region has often become the focal point of political power, and became a capital through conquest or federation . Historical examples are ancient Babylon , ancient Athens , ancient Rome , Abbasid Baghdad , Constantinople , Chang'an , and ancient Cusco . The modern capital city has not always existed: in medieval Western Europe, an itinerant (wandering) government
19205-571: The mid-19th century to the contemporary era. The museum has held temporary exhibitions of works by internationally renowned artists like Picasso , Rembrandt , Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró . The Museo Nacional de Antropología (MUNA) or National Museum of Anthropology, founded in 1883 by David Joaquín Guzmán , has exhibits on human settlements, agriculture, artisans, commerce and trade, religion, arts and communication. The museum aims to foster cultural awareness for Salvadorans through exhibitions, research, publications and educational programs. In 2011,
19372-526: The military, and Arce expelled Raoul from the country. Eventually, Arce and the Federal Congress compromised; the congress approved the raising of 4,000 soldiers, and Raoul oversaw recruitment. Despite a minor rebellion in Costa Rica led by José Zamora, who called himself a "vassal of the king of Spain", the feared European invasion did not take place. As the liberals tried to circumvent his role as commander-in-chief, Arce refused to implement laws passed by
19539-618: The municipality where the elevation is consistent. The city shares many topographic features with neighboring municipalities in the San Salvador and the La Libertad departments. The most notable topographical feature visible in San Salvador and its metropolitan area is the Boquerón Volcano , which looms over this region in its foothills at a height of 1,893 meters (6,211 feet) above sea level . San Salvador shares Cerro El Picacho , 1,931 meters (6,335 feet) above sea level, with
19706-469: The nearby San Salvador volcano damaged the city, but it escaped additional damage because the lava flowed down the back side of the volcano. On 2 December 1931, president Arturo Araujo was ousted by a military coup d'état and replaced by the military Civic Directory . The directory named vice-president Maximiliano Hernández Martínez as president and Araujo went into exile. The Hernández Martínez regime lasted from 4 December 1931 to 6 May 1944. In 1964,
19873-562: The neighboring municipality of Mejicanos . The portion of the Cordillera del Bálsamo (Balsam Mountain Range) that sits in the Municipality has an average elevation of 1,030 meters (3,379 feet) above sea level . The Cordillera del Bálsamo is named after the Myroxylon balsamum tree, one of two species of Central American and South American trees in the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae). The tree, often called Quina or Bálsamo ,
20040-466: The next tallest tower is used by RED Business Communication Systems. The complex also includes the Banco Azteca center, Stream Global Services representing Dell in Central America, The Israeli Embassy of San Salvador, Tigo , call centers, and other small offices and banks. The project started in 1997 with Phase I, the construction of the two tallest towers. In Phase II a seven-story-high tower for
20207-454: The official ( constitutional ) capital and the seat of government, which is in another place . English-language news media often use the name of the capital city as an alternative name for the government of the country of which it is the capital, as a form of metonymy . For example, the "relations between London and Washington " refers to the " relations between the United Kingdom and the United States ". The word capital derives from
20374-641: The old Dell company in Central America was built, and in Phase III a 12-story-high tower for Tigo and a 10-story-high tower for Telemovil. The final phase was remodeling of the Telemovil building to convert it into the Banco Azteca Center. Capital city A capital city or just capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country , state , province , department , or other subnational division , usually as its seat of
20541-525: The president to veto laws passed by the Federal Congress, abolishing the electoral college and implementing direct elections, and restricting eligibility to hold office to landowners. The arrest of these conservatives after Morazán's military victory in El Salvador in 1832 led political leaders across the federal republic to call for political reforms. Nicaragua declared independence on 3 December 1832, citing fears of federal authoritarianism after Morazán's invasion of El Salvador, and said that it would not rejoin
20708-402: The president, it could also review Supreme Court rulings. One-third of the Senate's members were elected every year. The Council of Deputies could override a Senate legislative veto with a two-thirds majority, or a three-fourths majority for tax legislation. From 1824 to 1838, there were a total of 11 congressional terms. The president led the executive branch. Elected to a four-year term, he
20875-477: The priest José Matías Delgado, the seal of liberation of 1811, the 1821 independence seal, the shield of the Municipal Freedom Union, the national emblem, and God. On 5 May 2015, Mayor Nayib Bukele presented the redesigned city shield and flag. The new city coat of arms is silver as a symbol of purity; it has the flag of El Salvador in the center, and a ribbon on the bottom with the date 1834,
21042-466: The provincial level, a dynasty could easily be toppled with the fall of its capital. In the Three Kingdoms period, both Shu and Wu fell when their respective capitals of Chengdu and Jianye fell. The Ming dynasty relocated its capital from Nanjing to Beijing , where they could more effectively control the generals and troops guarding the borders from Mongols and Manchus . The Ming
21209-541: The rebellion were defeated by the Liberation Army in San Vicente and Zacatecoluca, but Aquino's army was defeated in battle by Morazán in San Vicente on 28 February. This ended the rebellion; Aquino was captured in April and executed on 24 July, with his body publicly displayed in San Vicente. In 1831, Salvadoran conservatives called for political reforms in the federal government. Reforms included allowing
21376-565: The rebellion. Honduran soldiers under Colonel Francisco Ferrera began a siege of Omoa in March, recaptured Trujillo in April, and recaptured Opoteca in May. Reaching the Central American coast, Guzmán's Spanish reinforcements were arrested by Honduran soldiers. He continued to resist federal forces in Omoa until 12 September, when his soldiers mutinied and turned him over to federal custody. This ended
21543-440: The rebellion; Guzmán was executed the following day, and Domínguez (captured by federal forces during the fall of Opoteca) was executed on 14 September. On 1 April 1829, Costa Rica seceded from the Federal Republic of Central America "without separating itself" (" sin separarse ") from the federal republic. The Costa Rican government justified its secession by saying that the federal government had ceased to exist. It rejoined
21710-465: The redevelopment of parks and historic buildings in the Rescate del Centro Histórico , which involves the removal of street vendors. This has led to several riots in the area, but he has managed to place the vendors in new markets where they can operate their own stalls. The cities in El Salvador, by constitutional provision (Article 203), are economically and administratively autonomous. San Salvador
21877-457: The reforms were completed) and Costa Rica ratified them. Morazán and the Federal Congress wanted to move the national capital from Guatemala City beginning in 1830, since they wanted the capital in a better defensive position and the federal government felt that the city's residents hated it due to the civil war. Morazán wanted to move the capital to San Salvador, but conservative Salvadoran political leaders resisted his proposal and seceded from
22044-578: The region until a permanent government could be established. Most government administrators, including Brigadier General Gabino Gaínza (the final captain general of Guatemala), retained their positions. After independence, Central American leaders were ideologically divided about whether to remain independent or to join the First Mexican Empire; monarchists supported annexation, opposed by republicans and nationalists. Mexican Regent (and later Mexican Emperor ) Agustín de Iturbide asked
22211-411: The remnants of Cirilo's government on 28 October. In October 1826, Arce called for a special election to install a new Guatemalan government; the conservatives won, and Mariano Aycinena became governor of Guatemala on 1 March 1827. After the election, many liberals fled Guatemala for El Salvador in search of assistance from its liberals to regain power. They spread rumors that Arce was controlled by
22378-567: The republic's successor states during the 19th and 20th centuries to reunify Central America through diplomatic and military means, but none succeeded in uniting all five former members for more than one year. All five former members of the Federal Republic of Central America are members of the Central American Integration System (SICA), an economic and political organization that promotes regional development. The country's initial name, adopted at independence from
22545-607: The ruins. In 1986, Mayor Morales Ehrlich closed streets in the downtown of the city to create a large pedestrian mall, which has resulted in chronic traffic congestion. The Chapultepec Peace Accords were signed on 16 January 1992, ending 12 years of civil war . The signing is celebrated as a national holiday with people flooding downtown San Salvador in the Plaza Gerardo Barrios and in La Libertad Park. Since 2009, Mayor Norman Quijano has worked for
22712-424: The seat of government of a polity or of a subdivision. Deliberately planned and designed capitals include: These cities satisfy one or both of the following criteria: Some examples of the second situation (compromise locations) are: Changes in a nation's political regime sometimes result in the designation of a new capital. Akmola (renamed Astana in 1998) became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, following
22879-475: The second triumvirate sent Colonel Manuel Arzú to attempt to mediate peace between the liberals and conservatives. The mediation failed, and Arce led a federal invasion of Nicaragua on 22 January 1825 to end the civil conflict. His invading force got the liberals and conservatives to sign an armistice without engaging in combat. Arce dissolved both rival governments, and their leaders were exiled from Nicaragua. The federal republic's first presidential election
23046-784: The situation, and forced the triumvirate to resign on 6 October. They installed a second, less-liberal triumvirate [ es ] consisting of Arce, José Cecilio del Valle , and Tomás O'Horan . Since Arce and Valle were outside the country when the second triumvirate was formed, José Santiago Milla and Villacorta were substitutes. Valle and Arce did not sit on the triumvirate until February and March 1824, respectively. The second triumvirate ordered Rivas to march 150 soldiers into Guatemala City and, soon afterwards, Ariza fled into exile in Mexico. The National Constituent Assembly then returned to Guatemala City. The Salvadoran government ordered Rivas to remain near Guatemala City and verify that
23213-438: The soldiers from Quetzaltenango returned home. Liberals and conservatives had been fighting for control of Nicaragua since Ordóñez launched his rebellion against the pro-Mexico Nicaraguan government in 1823. The liberals had control of León (the liberal capital) and Granada , and the conservatives controlled Managua (the conservative capital), Rivas and Chinandega . Clashes resulted in hundreds of deaths. In October 1824,
23380-464: The state militias had more soldiers and were better funded and equipped. During the 1830s, the federal army's military supremacy over the state militias relied on the discipline of its soldiers and public perception that a caudillo -like figure led the federal army. In 1836, Morazán said that the federal army had been reduced to "a handful of ancient veterans that have survived the greatest dangers" (" un puñado de antiguos veteranos que han sobrevivido
23547-585: The states except Guatemala to convene their own extraordinary congress in Ahuachapán . Ultimately, neither congress convened. Prado ordered Salvadoran soldiers to the El Salvador–Guatemala border in late December 1826 to prepare to overthrow Arce. Aycinena declared leading Guatemalan liberals, including Molina Mazariegos and Rivera Cabezas, as outlaws in Guatemala in early March 1827. Prado ordered his soldiers to invade Guatemala in response, beginning
23714-493: The states, with one deputy per 30,000 people. Each deputy was accompanied by a supplement deputy. Half of the Chamber of Deputies' members were elected annually. The Senate (the upper house) consisted of two senators from each state, for a total of ten senators. The Senate, which first met on 24 April 1825, acted as a de facto executive council that approved legislation passed by the Council of Deputies. An advisory body to
23881-791: The status of a state. Although Guatemala claimed Belize as part of its territory, coastal Belize was occupied by the British . Guatemala and Mexico claimed sovereignty over Soconusco, but neither had full control of the region. Portions of Soconusco were effectively independent, but its leaders preferred union with Central America. Central America bordered the Mosquito Coast on the Caribbean, which it claimed as part of its territory. The Federal Republic of Central America covered approximately 200,000 square miles (520,000 km ) and spanned about 900 miles (1,400 km) north to south between
24048-542: The tallest building in the country has 28 floors and is 110 meters high. With the commencement of the Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s, many modernization projects were halted. Examples of suspended projects include a 40-story government building approximately 160 meters in height, and the Sheraton Hotel Tower, a 26-story building with a rotating restaurant on top. In 1969, celebrations in
24215-677: The term "capital cities" is regularly used to refer to those six state capitals plus the federal capital Canberra , and Darwin , the capital of the Northern Territory . Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and also of the United Arab Emirates overall. In unitary states which consist of multiple constituent nations, such as the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Denmark , each will usually have its own capital city. Unlike in federations , there
24382-537: The territory of Cuzcatlan . This name made an inspiration for the country which was a part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala as province, later an alcalde mayor, and fast forward in 1785 an indendency . After entering into the 19th Century with its first Independent movement , the Central American Independence Act , and the resist against the Mexican rule , the country got the name of El Salvador since 1824. Leaving San Salvador as
24549-617: The votes of conservative senators by promising to allow the Federal Congress to decide if a Catholic archdiocese would be created in El Salvador; the conservatives opposed the archdiocese because Delgado, a liberal symbol of Salvadoran independence, would have become archbishop. The liberals considered Arce's compromise with the conservatives as betraying his liberal positions. Liberals Molina Mazariegos and Mariano Gálvez refused to accept cabinet appointments as secretary of relations and secretary of finance, respectively, due to this perceived betrayal. Arce appointed conservatives to his cabinet as
24716-493: The workforce required for industry in neighboring municipalities. San Salvador, as well as the rest of the country, has used the U.S. dollar as its currency of exchange since 2001. Under the Monetary Integration Law, El Salvador adopted the U.S. dollar as a legal tender alongside the colón. This decision came about as an attempt to encourage foreign investors to launch new companies in El Salvador, saving them
24883-424: The year San Salvador was declared capital of Central America. On the sides it has two swords: to the left the sword of Francisco Morazán , and to the right, the sword of Gerardo Barrios , representing his past victories. A crown of laurels encircles the coat of arms, which is also surrounded by 6 stars, representing the 6 districts that form the city. San Salvador disproportionately concentrates economic activity in
25050-410: Was annexed by the First Mexican Empire in January 1822 before regaining its independence and forming a federal republic in 1823. The Federal Republic of Central America adopted its constitution , based on that of the federal government of the United States , in November 1824. It held its first presidential election in April 1825 , during which liberal politician Manuel José Arce was elected as
25217-422: Was 38.5 °C (101.3 °F), the lowest was 8.2 °C (46.8 °F). The highest dew point was 27 °C (81 °F) and the lowest −10 °C (14 °F). Thunderstorms occur almost daily during the rainy season, mostly in the afternoon and through the night—by morning the sky clears and the days are usually sunny until the afternoon storms. San Salvador has a very hilly terrain; there are few parts of
25384-820: Was common. The capital city attracts politically motivated people and those whose skills are needed for efficient administration of national or imperial governments, such as lawyers , political scientists , bankers , journalists , and public policy makers . Some of these cities are or were also religious centres , e.g. Constantinople (more than one religion), Rome / Vatican City (the Roman Catholic Church ), Jerusalem (more than one religion), Babylon, Moscow (the Russian Orthodox Church ), Belgrade (the Serbian Orthodox Church ), Paris, and Beijing. In some countries,
25551-632: Was destroyed when Li Zicheng took their seat of power, and this pattern repeats itself in Chinese history, until the fall of the traditional Confucian monarchy in the 20th century. After the Qing dynasty 's collapse, decentralization of authority and improved transportation and communication technologies allowed both the Chinese Nationalists and Chinese Communists to rapidly relocate capitals and keep their leadership structures intact during
25718-456: Was followed by a second conservative invasion force, led by Colonel Vicente Domínguez [ es ] , that entered Central America from British Honduras and supported Guzmán's rebellion and invaded inland Honduras . The Honduran cities of Opoteca and Trujillo also declared themselves in a state of rebellion. José María Cornejo , the conservative governor of El Salvador, supported Arce's invasion and declared El Salvador's secession from
25885-449: Was free to establish any form of republican government. Nicaragua seceded from the Federal Republic of Central America on 30 April 1838. Honduras did the same on 26 October, followed by Costa Rica on 15 November. On 2 February 1839, all of Central America's federally-elected government officials (including Morazán) left office. They had no successors, since no federal election was held. On 17 April, Guatemalan President Rafael Carrera issued
26052-405: Was held on 21 April 1825. Arce was the liberals' candidate, and Valle the conservatives' choice. During the election, 41 of the 82 electors voted for Valle; 34 voted for Arce, four voted for other candidates, and three did not vote due to complications in receiving votes from their electoral districts. No candidate received a majority; the constitution required a majority, and the Federal Congress
26219-577: Was in the United States when the triumvirate was established, Antonio Rivera Cabezas was appointed as his substitute. The three rotated executive power on a monthly basis. Initially, the National Constituent Assembly was composed of delegates from El Salvador and Guatemala; Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua did not send their delegates until October 1823, refusing to send them until Mexican soldiers withdrew from Central America. The National Constituent Assembly consisted of 64 delegates, distributed across Central America. The National Constituent Assembly
26386-542: Was not formally established as a political entity until 1829. Although the president was commander-in-chief of the federal army, only the Federal Congress had the authority to raise and maintain armies and to declare war and peace. In July 1823, the Central American federal army had 10,000 soldiers. The legislature increased the size of the federal army to 11,800 soldiers in December of that year, organized into two light battalions, two squadrons, and one artillery brigade. The federal army established defensive garrisons along
26553-594: Was once famous for the San Jacinto Cable Car and Park located at its summit, but the facilities were eventually abandoned. Soil types include regosol , latosol , and andosol , as well as soils derived from andesitic and basaltic rocks. The river nearest San Salvador is the Acelhuate , which is 2.2 km (1.4 mi) long. Although not within the municipality, it forms a natural boundary between San Salvador and Soyapango. The Acelhuate served as
26720-755: Was overthrown in 1808 by the French emperor Napoleon , who installed his brother Joseph as king of Spain . Spain's colonies in the Americas (including the Captaincy General of Guatemala) did not recognize Joseph as the legitimate king and established provisional governments, known as juntas , which continued to recognize Ferdinand as king. Although the Central American colonial government remained loyal to Ferdinand, some criollo leaders in Central America wanted greater autonomy. In November 1811, José Matías Delgado and Manuel José Arce launched
26887-557: Was relatively weak in comparison with other contemporary Latin American presidents, particularly because he could not veto or pocket veto legislation, could not send legislation back to the Federal Congress for reconsideration, and was required to enact all laws passed by the Federal Congress within fifteen days. The authors of the federal constitution sought to oppose a caudillo -like president with dictatorial powers by implementing checks on presidential power to ensure legislative supremacy. Rodrigo Facio Brenes [ es ] ,
27054-531: Was relocated to San Salvador . The Federal Republic of Central America was bordered on the north by Mexico , on the south by Gran Colombia and on its eastern coastline by the Mosquito Coast and British Honduras , both claimed by the federal republic. After Central America (then known as the Captaincy General of Guatemala ) declared its independence from the Spanish Empire in September 1821, it
27221-439: Was succeeded as provisional governor by Carlos Salazar (José Gregorio Salazar's brother), and by José Gregorio Salazar on 13 July. As provisional governor, José Gregorio Salazar defeated a rebellion launched by San Martín which sought to restore him to power. San Salvador became the federal capital in June 1834 to symbolize the liberal victory over the conservatives in the 1827–1829 civil war. The federal government established
27388-537: Was tasked with electing the president instead. The congress voted 22–5 to elect Arce president. Valle was entitled to become vice president since he was the runner-up in the election, but refused to accept the position; so did liberal José Francisco Barrundia . Ultimately, the conservative Mariano Beltranena became Arce's vice president. Arce and Beltranena took office on 29 April. Arce's electoral victory angered conservatives who backed Valle, and alienated liberals (particularly Guatemalan liberals) because he had won
27555-410: Was the de facto government of Central America until the constitution was adopted. Its two political factions were the liberals and the conservatives ; the liberals supported federalism , and the conservatives supported centralism . The National Constituent Assembly drafted the constitution on 12 June 1824, and published it on 4 July. The constitution was inspired by the federal government of
27722-480: Was the commander-in-chief of the Federal Army. The president had a cabinet of three secretaries (ministers): the secretary of relations, the secretary of war, and the secretary of the treasury. Article 111 of the federal constitution allowed the president to seek consecutive re-election once, after which he must leave office for at least one term before being eligible for re-election a second time. The president
27889-605: Was to destroy the Catholic Church; Morazán refuted the Guatemalan government's warning, saying that his Christian "Protector Allied Army of the Law" (" Ejército Aliado Protector de la Ley ") did not seek to destroy the church and sought only to liberate Guatemala from "the wrongs [they had] suffered" ( los males que habéis sufrido "). He invaded in January 1829, and began besieging Guatemala City on 5 February. The city surrendered on 12 April and Morazán's soldiers entered it
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