Armenia, Colombia

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This article is about the city in Colombia. For other uses, see Armenia (disambiguation).

Image:Armenia, Quindío, Colombia (bandera).svg

Armenia is the capital of the Quindío Department in Colombia with a population of 320,000 (last data available 2004) . Located at coordinates: 4.5170° north, 75.6830° west, 290 kilometers west of Colombia's capital Bogotá, 1480 meters over sea level. covering aprox. 121 km². Mid-size city located between the 3 largest Colombian cities Bogotá, Medellín and Cali. Telephone area code 096. Temperature 18ºC- 22ºC Raipur-India is the latest to become a sister city of Armenia.

Armenia was founded in october 14 1889 by Jesús Maria Ocampo A.K.A “Tigrero” (tiger killer, because his afection to the hunting of “Tigers”, as they called the local jaguar, extincted today.

The city was founded because of the need of a “fonda”, or trade center, which was built in the location where is today the Bolívar square, not only for Tigrero, but also other colonists who came from Salento , Antioquia , Manizales and areas surround the Quindío river and the La Vieja river (River of the old lady).

“Tigrero” came from Anaime, Tolima looking for shelter in the selvatic Quindio mountains, running away of general Gallo. He paid one hundred pesos in gold coins to don Antonio Herrera for the land to the location of the fonda. After that, it begun the selling of lands for building of houses, the first one was sold for eight Reales. In order to found a population, Tigrero returned to Anaime to ask for help to his friend Juan de La Cruz Cardona, and to marry the thirteen years old girl, Arsenia Cardona.

The legal recognition to the town was granted six monts after, in august 1890, when reached the minimum population required of one hundred people.

The city was initially called Villa Holguin, in honor of the current president of the country. It´s believed the name was changed to Armenia in memoriam of Armenian people murdered in Hamidian massacres of 1894-97.

The city experimented a quick growing and expansion of its economy, however, the means of transportation was rudimentary, mainly because of the difficult topography of andes mountains. Most of the transport of people and merchandises was in mule until the construction of the first asphaltic road in 1927 to Zarzal in Cauca river valley, which was celebrated with the first local carnivals keeped as a tratition untill today as the Armenia Party celebrated anually. Armenia had been called the "Ciudad Milagro" (miracle City), due to its fast urban growth and development

After the second world war, were imported many of the leftovers of the general purposes vehicles known as Jeeps, more appropiated to the difficult paths, which were incorporated to local folklore as the Yipao (parade of Jeeps). The yipao, the theatrical Castañeda family parade, the beauty pageants known as Chapoleras (Coffee harvesting Girls) in typical costumes, the popular dances, such as machete dance are widely known in the centire country and a touristic attraction.

The local economy is based on the production of coffee, plantains, and bananas. Many traditional plantations still exist in the surrounding area and many offer bed and breakfast accommodation and "ecotourism" packages. The city has a modern airport with daily links to Bogotá, Cali, and Medellín.

In january 25 1999, 1:19 p.m the city was devastated by a shallow 6.2 earthquake which caused extensive damage to the city, given the previously existent poor regulations in construction and the presence of many ancient buildings, so the earthquake claimed several thousand lives and left over 200.000 people homeless. International aid has since helped to rebuild and expand the city. Numerous new government buildings and highways have helped make Armenia one of Colombia's most modern cities. It is estimated that a large earthquake, approximately magnitude 6-7, will hit this area every 20 years due to high seismic activity.

Armenia has several universities, the primary being the University of Gran Colombia and the University of Quindio. Local sporting events include national and international soccer tournaments, bullfighting, golf, swimming and cycling. The mountainous area surrounding Armenia has helped create some of the greatest climbing cyclists in the world, many of whom compete internationally in events such as the Tour de France.

[edit] References

• Rendell, M.: Kings of the Mountains: How Colombia's Cycling Heroes Changed Their Nation's History, Aurum Press Ltd. 2003

[edit] Gallery

Armenia view

Soledad (Bird of loneliness) Blue-crowned Motmot seen in a public park. Armenia Downtown

es:Armenia (Quindío) eo:Armenia nl:Armenia (Colombia) pl:Armenia (miasto w Kolumbii) sv:Armenia