(Redirected from Quilmes)''(If you are looking for the football club see:
Quilmes Atlético Club)''
(municipality)
'Quilmes' is a city in the , with a population over 500,000. It is the capital of
Quilmes Partido (''Partido de Quilmes''). It is located 16 kilometers away from the capital of Argentina, the Autonomous City of
Buenos Aires.
The ''
Quilmes'' were a native tribe who lived in the surroundings of
Tucumán. In the 17th century, after repeated attempts by the invading Spaniards to control their lands, the Quilmes were defeated and were forced to settle in a restricted colony (''reducción'') near
Buenos Aires, where the authorities could control them. The 1,000 km journey from Tucumán was made on foot, causing hundreds of Quilmes to die in the process. By 1810 the colony had been abandoned and become a ghost town. The land was divided in parcels and the town of Quilmes was laid down.
During the first
British invasion, the British arrived from
Montevideo through Quilmes and went to Buenos Aires from there.
Quilmes is the home of two
football teams:
Quilmes Atlético Club and
Club Atlético Argentino de Quilmes. The first was founded in the 19th century by the Scots, and the second one was founded later, by Argentines who were not allowed to play for the QAC. They are two of the oldest Argentine football teams.
Quilmes proper consists of two main parts, east and west, which are divided by the tracks of the Metropolitano passenger train line. East Quilmes has several relatively wealthy areas and a large shopping district. As one travels east toward the
Río de la Plata, neighborhoods become increasingly poor, and two large ''
villas miseria'' (slums) are found close to the river. These areas often experience severe
flooding.
The city also gives its name to the famous beer ''
Cerveza Quilmes'', as this is where it was first brewed.
References
''In Spanish.''
★
Municipality of Quilmes - Official website
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Villordo.com - Quilmes blog
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Sergio Villordo - Personal site
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UKULA Travel Section - Quilmes Travelogue