San Luis, Argentina

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

San Luis is a city in the Cuyo region of Argentina, and the capital of San Luis Province, at the feet of the Sierras Grandes, on the Río Chorrillos River. The city, located 762 meters above the sea level, has a population of 153,322 (2001 census [INDEC]), and its current mayor is Alfonso Vergés.

[edit] Information about the City

The city lies on the National Route Number 7 that connects Mendoza (255 km) with Buenos Aires (791 km), parallel to the Río Chorrillos River. The other closest provincial capitals are San Juan (323 km) and Córdoba (412 km).

Interesting point of the city are the Park of the Nations, the neoclassical cathedral, a number of museums including the Dora Ochoa De Masramón Provincial Museum, and the colonial architecture. Fishing in the nearby locations is also popular. The Sierra de las Quijadas National Park is located 122 kilometres from the city.

The city's climate is continental with temperatures around 3ºC and 33ºC, an annual average of 17ºC.

The San Luis Airport (IATA: LUQ, ICAO: SAQU) at coordinates 33°16′38″S, 66°21′09″W is only a few hundred meters from the centre, has regular flight to Buenos Aires.

[edit] History

San Luis was founded in the August 25, 1594 by Luis Jufré de Loaysa y Meneses to be later abandoned, and then again in 1632 by Martín García Oñez de Loyola as San Luis de Loyola Nueva Medina de Río Seco.

By the end of the 19th century the city had only 7,000 inhabitants.

Because the city is located at the part of the Sierras Grandes known as Punta de los Venados, the inhabitants of the city are called puntanos.

[edit] External links

• Official Site (Spanish)
• Municipal information — Municipal Affairs Federal Institute (IFAM), Municipal Affairs Secretariat, Ministry of Interior, Argentina.
• City info (English)
• City History (Spanish)

Provincial Capitals of Argentina (by Province)
Buenos Aires • Catamarca • Chaco • Chubut  • Córdoba • Corrientes • Entre Ríos • Formosa • Jujuy • La Pampa • La Rioja • Mendoza • Misiones • Neuquén • Río Negro • Salta • San Juan • San Luis • Santa Cruz • Santa Fe • Santiago del Estero • Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and The South Atlantic Islands • Tucumán