MéRIDA, MéRIDA

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:''For other places named Mérida, see Mérida.
The city of 'Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida' is the capital of Libertador County (Mérida, Venezuela) and of the state of the same name, Mérida. It is one of the most important cities in the venezuelan Ándes. Founded in 1558 by Juan Rodríguez Suárez, the city became the political capitol of the 'Gobernación de Mérida' in 1622. The city and the Gobernación de Mérida were part of the 'Virreinato de Nueva Granada' until 1777, year on which they became part of the 'Capitanía General de Venezuela'. Mérida played an active role during the Venezuelan independence war.
Known as "La Ciudad de los Caballeros" ("The City of Gentlemen"), the city is considered one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Venezuela. With a vibrant metropolitan area that reaches the 350,000 habitants, Mérida is home of the prestigious 'Universidad de los Andes' (ULA) [1], and it hosts the world’s highest and second largest cable car, the 'Teleférico de Mérida', rising to 4,765 meters (15,633 ft) across 12.5 km in four stages.
Mérida is located on a plateau formation in the valley of the Chama river, which crosses the full length of the city. The city is at an altitude of 1,630 m above the sea level, and has as a background, in the horizon, the highest venezuelan summit: the Bolivar Peak.

Contents

History

Law and government

Geography

Location

Climate and Vegetation

Tradition and Culture

Typical Festivals

Places of Interest

Surrounding cities

References

External links

History

Mérida is one of the most beautiful states in the country for its wonderful landscapes and mountains. This city is an excellent place to visit and it is very known for its excellent tourist sites.
Mérida is one of the oldest cities in Venezuela. It was founded in 1558 by Captain Juan Rodriguez Suárez. This city was originally called “Santiago de los Caballeros”.
The foundation of Mérida has caused many disputes. The Spaniard Juan Rodriguez Suárez was entrusted by Ortún Velazquez, governor of Pamplona, Colombia, with the mission of conquering the lands of the Sierra Nevada, an undertaking which had attracted the attention of Pamplonians for many years.
There were many who thought they would find gold under the snow, that coveted the metal which led so many astray, not only from their expeditions, but also from their reason. Many died in the jungles or lost their sanity in their eager search.
What is known is that Juan Rodriguez Suárez left Pamplona with 80 men and on October 9 in 1558, he founded the city where present day is Laguinillas. The site was questioned by Juan de Maldonado who empowered by Santa Fe Audience, and moved Mérida to its present site and named Santiago de los Caballeros.
History has recognized Rodriguez Suárez as the founder of Mérida.
He is remembered as a man of great courage, romantic spirit and quixotic ideals. He was called (Gentleman of the Red Cape).

Law and government

Mérida has one municipality: ''Libertador Municipality'', Venezuelan law specifies that municipal governments have four main functions: executive, legislative, comptroller, and planning. The executive function is managed by the mayor, who is in charge of representing the municipality's administration. The legislative branch is represented by the Municipal Council, composed of seven councillors, charged with the deliberation of new decrees and local laws. The comptroller tasks are managed by the municipal comptroller's office, which oversees accountancy. Finally, planning is represented by the Local Public Planning Council, which manages development projects for the municipality.

Geography

The city is located in the cordillera andina, in the valley formed between the Sierra Nevada de Mérida and the Sierra La Culata, between the rivers Chama and Albarregas.

★ Latitude: 8.598° N

★ Longitude: -71.145° W
Access by road is through ''Trasandina'' (troncal 7) joining Mérida with Trujillo, Barinas and Táchira states. It also has a national airport Aeropuerto Alberto Carnevali (SVMD).

Location

Mérida state is situated in the center of the Venezuelan Andes and has an area of 11.300 square kms, has a population of about 700.000 inhabitants, and is divided into 23 autonomous municipalities.
It is located in the west of the country and it is considered the highest and coldest city in the county, because has a mean temperature about 19°C and is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada at an altitude of 1620meters or 5315 feet.
It has wonderful landscapes such as the Sierra Nevada with its majestic Bolivar Peak (5007 meters high) and located in the south-eastern of the state and the Sierra de la Culata with its Los Conejos Páramo) and El Campanario Peak (4500 meters high) located in the northeast. The city has a high percentage of student population over 35000 young people from around Venezuela come here to study at the Universidad de los Andes.

Climate and Vegetation

The climate is cold but in the relatively small area of Mérida state, you will encounter several dramatic climatic changes all in a day.
The climate in the city is between 19°C and 20 °C, temperatures between 5°C and 9°C at El Bolivar Peak, or Below zero when its snows and 28°C in the El Vigía area.
Its rains almost every late afternoon in January –February that is the coldest months an August-September and in August and September it often rains at night.
The vegetation is exuberant and there are many lakes and rivers, a great number of which are well stocked with trout, one of the delicacies of Mérida. The most important river in the state is the “Chama” because a large part of the water resources of Venezuela originates in the Mérida mountains.
The state tree is the “Bucare” and the state flower is the “Frailejón” and in the “Coloradito” is founded the tree at the highest altitude in the world. In this mountains habitat the “Oso Frontino” bear and the majestic Condor flies through the skies of the páramos and in the lagoons you can get the best trouts of the city.

Tradition and Culture

The people of Mérida are very open, lively and very conservative, especially with religion and cultural customs.
Mérida is a friendly city, is always ready to welcome its visitors, for this reason it is called “The City of Gentlemen.
Christmas season in Mérida is very special with delicious “hallacas” and typical crèches or nativity scenes, made with enthusiasm and love by our habitants.
Attending a “Paradura del niño” literally, (the standing up of the holy
child) is specially exciting. This religious ceremony in honor of the child Jesus and is celebrated with prayers, song, fireworks, wine and cake.
The towns in Mérida state are picturesque, pleasant and clean. Their inhabitants are friendly, respectful and courteous. In Mérida, you will find beauty everywhere, in its scenery, its forest, its gardens and its female population, who are known throughout Venezuela as “Precious Merideñas”.

Typical Festivals

In Mucurubá on December 7 are celebrated “La Fiesta de las Velas, or the feast of the Candles, when seven o’clock in the evening all the electricity is turned off and some 18.000 candles are lit by people from all over the state.
Between on January 12 and 31 is celebrated, the typical festival in the city is called “Fiesta de San Benito”, where the person dances in the streets with drum music’s in a procession, because many people believe in San Benito like a holy .
The typical dance in the city is called “Los Vasallos de la Candelaria” (The Candelaria Vassals) on February 2, where people participants and children pass through the streets accompanied by music and dancing.
Also, on January 6 is celebrated in “Zea” the party of miraculous “Niño de la Cuchilla”, a party very typical where an imagine of the miraculous child is carried from his chapel in a near hill to the principal church of town.
In the finish months of the year about on December 8 is celebrated the party of “The Immaculate Virgin”, in the Mérida Cathedral with many mass during the day.
Surprisingly, the Meridians are bullfighting enthusiasts during carnival “The Feria del Sol” or “Fair of the Sun” is held and there are five afternoons of bullfighting at the Plaza Monumental Román Eduardo Sandia, with some of the best bullfighters in the world. The city elects the Queen of the Fair, and the atmosphere is festive, with parades, floats and popular dances.

Places of Interest

The Plaza Bolivar is a meeting place for the people of Mérida and is well known for its concerts. In the center of Plaza Bolivar there is an equestrian statue of the Libertador and according to the legend, the right hand of the bloody tyrant Aguirre is buried underneath it.
During his visit to Mérida, his holiness Pope John Paul II planted an Araguaney tree (The National Tree) in this plaza, which today flowers in front of the Cathedral of Mérida.
The Cathedral was originally built using the plans for the Cathedral in Toledo, Spain, but also there are many other churches in Mérida that you can visit, Milla Church, San José de la Sierra Church, and Espejo Church.
There are parks and churches all over Mérida. The city has different parks like “Albarregas” with its many sculptures, “Los Chorros de Milla” Zoo, “La Isla Park”, and “Las Heroinas” Park located in front of the Cable Car.
The city has three wonderful parks that are very visit for the tourist, their names are “Los Aleros” Park, It is a replica of an old Andean town, “La Venezuela de Antier” Park, It is a travel for the wonderful past of Venezuela in the century XX, and the new Park “La Montaña de los Sueños”, It is a film park where you can be character in many movies, and TV programs in the years 60 and 70.
Mérida, besides having everything, is also fortunate to have the highest (4.765 meters or 15.630 feet) and longest (12.50 kilometers or 7.70 miles) cablecar in the world , in its modern cabins the top of the Sierra Nevada can be reached in about an hour. The cablecar is Mérida’s most outstanding tourist attraction.
The ascent starts at the Barinitas station (In El Espejo sector of tow, between 24th an 25th streets) and there are four stations, La Montaña (2.436 meters or 7.990 feet) , La Aguada (3.452 meters or 11.633 feet), Loma Redonda and Pico Espejo.
The trip on the cablecar is a breathtaking and exciting experience.
The panoramic views from each of the stations, the changes in climate and vegetation at the different altitudes and the tropical snow of the Sierra at the top are spectacular.
In San Rafael del Páramo you can visit the wonderful stone chapel, work of pleasant artist Juan Félix Sanchéz and also from San Rafael de Mucuchíes there are excursions on mule to El Tisure Art Complex.

Surrounding cities

One of the many squares the city owns, besides Bolivar's, is Beethoven's so named to honor the famous German composer.
The Merideños (Merida's citizens) are highly fond of "la fiesta brava" (bull-fight), whose highest season takes place during "La Feria del Sol" the regional festivities that bring in the best known bull fighters.
At Los Chorros de Milla a beautiful local park, you will admire two splendorous high cascades (that give the park its name), luxuriant vegetation, pretty ponds and a small zoo. Altogether a fine place to spend a pleasant day.
Merida City is considered a tourist pole not only for the numerous attractions it offers but also for good standard hotels, inns, restaurants and most of all its friendly population
The valley where Mérida is located houses three cities: Ejido, Tienditas del Chama and Mérida itself.
Ejido is a bedroom community for Mérida, which is connected to it by the Avenida Andrés Bello, and over the years Mérida and Ejido have closed in on each other, almost turning it into a conurbation. The distance between them is however sufficient as to declare them separate cities. They are very similar cities in all aspects, including architecture, population, layout, etc.
Tienditas del Chama is a small "town" in the skirts of the Mérida mesa, in the Chama river basin, hence its name. It is connected to Mérida by a series of winding roads on the side of the mountain. Like Ejido, Tienditas is also a bedroom city for Mérida, where most of the valley's industries and jobs are based. Tienditas is a fairly poor town, with regular rural architecture.

References

External links