Altamira (Caracas)

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Plaza Francia

Satellite view of Plaza Francia in Altamira

Altamira is a Venezuelan neighborhood located in the Chacao municipality of Caracas.

[edit] History

Altamira was created on June 30, 1577 by Juan Andres Varela. This neighborhood is currently home to Plaza Francia', a well-known landmark which includes an obelisk and a fountain. This square and most of Altamira was built by Luis Roche, who owned most of the area in 1943. In 1944, Luis Roche ordered -with permission of the government- the construction of many avenues and the square. Roche wanted the square's obelisk to be "higher than the Cathedral of Caracas". The square was completed on August 11, 1945 and was originally called Plaza Altamira. On January 17, 1967 the Venezuelan and French governments agreed to rename Plaza Altamira to Plaza Francia (France Square in Spanish). The French government built a Plaza Venezuela in their country in 1975.

In 1948, Luis Roche began exploring the posibility of building a tunnel between Altamira and the Caribbean Sea. He contacted the people who were in charge of the construction of the Hudson River Tunnels, in New York City. This project was scrapped due to its high cost as it required three tunnels, two of them used exclusively for ventilation. If built, the tunnel would have been about eight kilometers long. Luis Roche was later assigned Venezuelan Ambassador to Argentina.

Today, Altamira has its own Metro Station, many hotels and resturaunts, and is an important business center in Caracas. Avenida Francisco de Miranda (a major avenue in Caracas) and the Distibuidor Altamira (a congested highway exit) are both located in Altamira.

Altamira was the scene of a massacre on December 6, 2002. João de Goüvea murdered three citizens and injured 19 participating in an opposition manifestation in Plaza Altamira against Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. The massacre occurred during the 2002-2003 general strike. Other politically-related crimes included the assassination of two military officers, and an attack by government supporters on August 15, 2004, the day after the recall referendum. All of these events occurred near Plaza Francia.