Mendoza, Argentina

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Cities and towns
in Argentina
Mendoza
Province Mendoza
Department Mendoza
Location 32°53′ S 68°50′ W
Population 110,993
Demonym mendocino
CPA base M5500
Phone code +54 261
Mayor Eduardo Cicchitti
Party Radical Civic Union
Gates of General San Martín Park
Gates of General San Martín Park

Mendoza is a city in the west of Argentina, and the capital of the Mendoza Province. As per the 2001 census [INDEC] it has about 111,000 inhabitants, plus 848.660 in its metropolitan area, making it the fourth-largest conurbation in Argentina.

Mendoza is on a major road between Argentina and Chile. It is a frequent stopover for climbers heading up Aconcagua (the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere) or for other mountaineering, hiking, horseback riding, rafting, and outdoor activities. In the winter, skiers come to the city for its easy access to the Andes.

One of the main industries of the Mendoza area is wine making. Another large industry is olive oil production.

Contents

[edit] History

Monument dedicated to the Army of the Andes, on the summit of the Cerro de la Gloria.
Monument dedicated to the Army of the Andes, on the summit of the Cerro de la Gloria.

Mendoza was founded in 1561 by Pedro del Castillo. Here José de San Martín organized the army with which he won the independence of Chile and Peru.

In 1861 a severe earthquake destroyed the city and killed at least 5,000 people. The city was rebuilt, and included new antiseismic urban designs, with large squares and wider streets and sidewalks than any other city in Argentina. San Martin street, and five main equidistant squares, are examples of that design.

[edit] Culture

The grape harvest is marked each year by the Vendimia festival, taking place in early March, in which 17 beauty queens (one for each provincial departament) are nominated, and one winner is selected by a panel of about 50 judges. The queen from Mendoza City cannot be chosen because she acts as host for all other queens. Mendoza City proper does not have vineyards.

Mendoza has an intense cultural activity, and the city is a main center for professional congresses and meetings. There are several museums, the main ones being the Museo Cornelio Moyano (a natural history museum) and the Museo del Área Fundacional (Foundation Area Museum, historical). In Maipú, 15 km southeast from Mendoza, there is the Museo Nacional del Vino (National Wine Museum), which focuses on the history of winemaking in the area. In Mayor Drummond, 14 km south from Mendoza, there is the Emiliano Guiñazú - Casa de Fader art museum, hosted in an 1890 mansion where many walls have paintings by the artist Fernando Fader.

[edit] Urban structure

Like most cities in Argentina, Mendoza looks like a European city. The city center has many trees, watered by ditches (small canals) which run alongside many of the roads providing welcome shade. The city is centered around the Plaza Independencia, with a pedestrian street, Sarmiento St., running through the center. Other major streets, running perpendicular to Sarmiento, are 9 de Julio St., San Martín Avenue, and running parallel to Sarmiento are avenues Colón, Arístides Villanueva and Las Heras. Many small parks, known as "plazas" are spread within the city. Three of these are Plaza Espaňa, Plaza Independencia and Plaza Fundacional.

Located West of the city is the Parque San Martín. It was designed by the world renowned landscape architect Carlos Thays. On its premises you can find soccer stadiums, a zoo, the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo and a monument that commemorates the cross of the Andes by San Martin and his army. A view of the city is available from the top of the hill "Cerro de la Gloria".

There are many Internet cafes and outdoor equipment supply stores. Some places offer wi-fi technology. There are also many bars on Aristídes Villanueva Avenue, that are really active during the weekends. Even luxurious accommodations are available at the [Park Hyatt Mendoza], facing Plaza Independencia.

[edit] Climate

General San Martín Park
General San Martín Park

Mendoza has very dry summers with wetter winters. Average temperatures for January (summer) are 35 °C (95 °F) during daytime, and 23 °C (73 °F) at night. For July (winter), the average temperatures are 12 °C (53 °F) and 3 °C (38 °F), respectively.

[edit] Transportation

Mendoza is 1,037 kilometres from Buenos Aires (14 hours by bus) and 380 kilometres from Santiago, Chile (6 hours by bus). Mendoza also has an International Airport. It takes less than 2 hours to fly from Buenos Aires and less than 1 hour from Santiago de Chile.

The Mendoza public transport system includes buses, trolleybuses and taxi-cabs. The trolleybuses are more comfortable than the city buses, but are slower and not as widespread.

[edit] Central Trans-Andean Railway

Mendoza developed because of its position on one of the Trans-Andean Railways where the Argentine and Chilean rail lines link. This line is currently out of use, but there are plans to restore it in summer 2007.

There is a break-of-gauge at Mendoza – and the other at Los Andes, Chile – between the broad gauge line (1676 mm) from the capital and the meter gauge of the Central Trans-Andean Railway. This Trans-Andean Railway is also a rack railway in some sections. Should this line be restored, it would make some sense to regauge the meter gauge section to join the broad gauge lines of Chile and Argentina directly.

[edit] Twin cities

[edit] References

In Spanish.

[edit] Publications

  • V. Letelier, Apuntes sobre el terremoto de Mendoza (Santiago de Chile, 1907)
  • V. Blasco Ibánez, Argentina y sus Grandezas (Madrid, 1910)

[edit] External links

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
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