Mérida, officially known as Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida, is the capital of the municipality of Libertador and the state of Mérida, and is one of the principal cities of the Venezuelan Andes. It was founded in 1558 by Captain Juan Rodríguez Suárez, forming part of Nueva Granada, but later became part of the Captaincy General of Venezuela and played an active role in the War of Independence.
Etymology
The city was named after the founder Juan Rodríguez Suárez, who called so in honor of his hometown of Mérida in Extremadura, Spain.
However, Juan de Maldonado renamed it as San Juan de las Nieves. In
1559 the name changed again, opting this time for Santiago de los
Caballeros. Gradually, it was adopting the name of Santiago de los
Caballeros de Mérida, combining the variants that had been appointed to
the city until then.
The word Mérida comes from the Latin "emérita", from Emeritus,
one who has merit, which also references to veteran Roman soldiers who
were discharged from the army after completion of their mandatory
service commitment. Another feature common to both the Spanish and the
Venezuelan Méridas is that in both cities, there is a tributary of the
main river with the name Albarregas.
Geography
The Pico Bolívar.
Mérida lies within a valley, with many colonial towns adjacent
The city is located in the center of the Venezuelan Andes, in a wide plain in the valley of the Chama River, between the Sierra Nevada de Mérida to the southeast and the Sierra La Culata to the northwest. The old quarter of the city is on the alluvial plain known as Tatuy.
Climate
Mérida has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen:
Am), with cooler temperatures than other cities in Venezuela, because
of its high altitude; although not cool enough to be considered as
temperate. Though pollution has caused a rise in temperatures, this has
been less, in relative terms, than in other important cities in
Venezuela.
Points of interest
Church and plaza 'del Llano' located in the city center
Monuments, public buildings, and historic places
- House of Former Governors
- This colonial-style villa, located in the central quarter, was the official residence of the state governors.
- Rectorate's Building
- Seat of the university's rectorate and Aula Magna.
- Government Palace
- The government building, regional executive branch.
- Plaza Monumental Román Eduardo Sandia
- The Bullfighting Arena of Mérida was built in 1967. It has a capacity of 16,000 people and it is frequently used for cultural activities, besides serving its original purpose of bullfighting arena during the Sun Fairs.
- Cable Car
- The Mérida Cable Car is one of the main touristic spots. In its trajectory, it ascends from the central quarter to the Sierra Nevada. The cable car was completed in 1958. It was closed in 2008 for construction of a new cable car system. Despite numerous announced re-openings, it remains closed. (May 2015)
Religious buildings
Mérida has about two dozen religious buildings dedicated to Christianity, the most important of which are Catholic churches and chapels, since it is the religion with most number of followers in Venezuela.- Cathedral of Mérida
- The city's Minor Basilica, built in Baroque style, similar to the Cathedral of Toledo, Spain. It is the main Catholic building in the city, where the Archbishop of Mérida presides the mass services.
- Iglesia del Carmen
- The oldest religious structure in Mérida, Our Lady of Carmen Church stands close to the Plaza Bolívar. Visitors marvel at its colonial architecture and its historical significance - the church is a seat of the Carmelite Brotherhood. It served as cathedral of the city between 1812 and 1866, before the current one was built.
- Iglesia de la Tercera
- Iglesia del Llano
- Mérida's only building in the Gothic style. It stands near the place where an old chapel held the first wooden cross brought to Mérida by the Spaniards.
- Iglesia de Milla
- This is one of the oldest churches in the city, originally built in the 18th century and rebuilt in 1907 after an earthquake. It is located in front of the square with the same name.
- Archbishop's Palace
Parks, squares, and sightseeing
View of the Bolívar Square with the statue dedicated to the Libertador and the cathedral in the background
- Boulevard de los Pintores (Painters' Boulevard)
- On this street painters congregate in order to create, exhibit, and sell their works.
- Aquarium Garden
- This aquarium exhibits both fresh and salt water fish. It also has collections relating to Mérida's rural past.
- Beethoven Park
- Located in front of the Museum of Modern Art in the northern area of the city, this pretty park has a clock on the ground, whose numbers are flowerpots, and large mechanical carillon clock with wooden elves that play melodies from the famous German composer.
- Mérida Botanical Garden
- This was the first botanical garden in the city. It is located in the extreme north of the city and has about 40 hectares under cultivation.
- Parque Domingo Peña
- Also called Paseo de la Feria or Parque de los Conquistadores, consists of an avenue with a lookout point facing the Sierra Nevada. Student celebrations and get-togethers often take place here.
- Parque Metropolitano Albarregas
- This park is the largest in the city, 22 km (14 mi) long and 612 hectares in area. It is located on the bank of the Albarregas River, and contains play areas for children and a sculpture museum.
- Parque Ciudad de los Niños (Children's City Park)
- A large children's park, which models the shape of the city on a smaller scale.
- Parque de las Cinco Repúblicas (Park of the Five Republics)
- A park that is the home of the Bolívar Column, a monument dedicated to Simón Bolívar. This was the first sculpture constructed to honor Bolívar, in 1842. It was commissioned by the then-governor of the province, Gabriel Picón. It was erected to commemorate the moving of Bolívar's remains to the Panteón Nacional in Caracas, from their previous resting place in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia, where Bolívar had been buried following his death in 1830. The monument consists of a pillar on which sits Bolívar's face in bronze.
- Parque del Ejército (Park of the Army)
- A small park, located in the south of the city, commemorating Venezuela's army. It has green areas, a fountain, and models of military tanks.[18]
- Parque La Isla (Island Park)
- Situated in the former location of a coffee plantation of the same name, the park was built in 1960 partly as an underwater park, and is 3.5 hectares in area. Its infrastructure is reminiscent to that of an island, offering kids play grounds, trails, and athletic courts. The park houses the largest convention center in the city, as well as the headquarters of Corpoandes (a government-run corporation that promotes development in the Andes region), facilities for cultivating orchids, and a museum dedicated to beekeeping.
- Parque Las tres Méridas (Three Méridas Park)
- A small park that commemorates the three cities in the world named Mérida (in Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela). It features architectural elements typical of each city.
- Parque Zoológico los Chorros de Milla
- A small zoo situated in the extreme north of the city where the Milla waterfalls once flowed, it contains species indigenous to Venezuela and the Andes region.
- Parque la Marina (Park of the Navy)
- Located in Belensate, it has a large water pool surrounding a submarine fin, an underwater clock, and a children's play area in the shape of a boat.
- Parque Tibisay
- This park is dedicated to Tibisay, princess of the original dwellers of the region, the tribe Mucujún. According to legend, she still laments the death of her fiancé Chief Murachí, who died bravely fighting the Spanish conquistadors. This park is located at the north end of Urdaneta avenue.
- Plaza Belén
- A small plaza, located to the northeast of the city center, in a neighbourhood of the same name. Its design, like that of most of the other plazas described here, follows the prototypical Spanish colonial style.
- Plaza Bolívar
- The past and present main square of Mérida, surrounded by the most important public and historical buildings of the city.
Panoramic view of Plaza las Heroínas in the central quarter of the city.
- Plaza Glorias Patrias
- Consists of twin plazas constructed in honor of the independence leaders Vicente Campo Elías and José Antonio Páez.
- Plaza Las Heroínas (Plaza of the Heroines)
- A plaza constructed to honor five women from Mérida who fought for independence. It is surrounded by various markets and artisans shops, and the first Cable Car station.
- Plaza de Milla
- The actual name of this square is Plaza Sucre. It is located in front the Iglesia de Milla and near the army headquarters, northeast of the city center. It is dedicated to the independence hero Antonio José de Sucre, and it is frequently visited by locals and tourists alike, due to its convenient location among hotels, pensions, restaurants, stores, and ice cream parlors.
Education
"(Mérida is) ...a university with a city inside it" Mariano Picón Salas, date unknown
Universities
The University of the Andes, the most important in the city, was established in 1785, and offers undergraduate programs in art, sciences, literature, and humanities, long and short programs, as well as courses, degrees, post-graduate programs, specializations, diplomas, etc., bringing together more than 40,000 students and 6,000 professors. The university operates two campuses in Mérida, and about a dozen faculties spread throughout the city.Two other more recently founded universities are based in Mérida: the Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA), which offers undergraduate distance-learning courses; and, from 2006, the UNEFA, which is a military university specializing in Engineering for undergraduates. The main university centers to be found in the city are given below:
In addition to national holidays and events, several festivals take place and have origins in Mérida. Most are religious celebrations, and a few - such as the city's famous "Feria del Sol" or "Sun Fair" that takes place in the beginning of February - are of an international scale.
For Mérida, the most important and famous religious traditions are those celebrated by the city's Christian devotees during Christmas and Holy Week. These festivities include La Quema del Año Viejo (Burning of the Past Year), La Pasión Viviente de Cristo (Christ's Living Passion) and La Paradura del Niño (Christ Child's Standing) celebrated with prayers, song, fireworks, wine and cake.
Another of the more popular local customs (those without official government sanction) are the Caravanas Estudiantiles, student processionals organized by and for high school or university graduates upon earning their degree. In recent years, this tradition has been extended to include younger students who have completed their primary or elementary education. Such celebrations usually occur during the first days of June for high school graduates, and throughout nearly the entire year for college graduates.
Cuisine
Main article: Cuisine of Venezuela
The cuisine of the Mérida region differs notably from that of the rest of the nation. Among the most notable differences is the arepa andina (Andean Arepa), a variant of the traditional Venezuelan arepa
made from wheat flour instead of the more common corn. This difference
in ingredients is due primarily to the fact that the Andean region was
one of the few places in the country where wheat historically has been
harvested. Another notable dish is the pizca andina, common to
Mérida, Táchira and the Colombian Andes, a soup with potato, milk, long
onion, and parsley. Other important dishes are prepared with trout, the only fish found in the region.The city's typical brightened sweets, made from a base of milk and other ingredients, are also notable. There is a historical tradition of such sweets, which are said to originate in the convents where they were prepared in the 19th century. Also, one can find alfajores, aliados, and almojabanas. Popular drinks include corn liquor, mistella, and "donkey's milk", which is known as "Andean punch."
Music
The traditional music of the city is marked by waltz rhythms. It also includes regional or national rhythms, such as pasillos, a type of merengue and bambucos. The music of Mérida, like its people, is recognizable by the laid back rhythms. The use of the violin and mandolin are almost mandatory in the music style. Additionally, the city is commonly the birthplace of many rock and punk bands, among other genres. The city is also home to the Mérida State Symphony Orchestra.Sports Mérida has a strong athletic infrastructure; noteworthy among others is the Guillermo Soto Rosa Stadium, an important soccer facility and the old headquarters of the local soccer team. During the last month of 2005, the city was host to the 2005 Andean National Games, an event for which numerous athletic facilities were built, including the Cinco Águilas Blancas (Five White Eagles) Sports Complex—a 42 000-seat stadium and the current home stadium of the local team, Estudiantes de Mérida F. C.. Soccer is the most popular and widely supported sport, but given the city's location, a variety of extreme sports are also practiced as well.
In addition to the aforementioned soccer, the current athletic infrastructure also supports a wide array of other traditional sports, including tennis, basketball, baseball, and Venezuelan sports such as bolas criollas.
The Metropolitan Stadium of Mérida, dedicated on May 25, 2007 with a friendly match between Venezuela and Honduras, was host to the 2007 Copa América.
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