Santa Ana de Coro
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| Coro and its Port* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| State Party |  Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv, v |
| Reference | 658 |
| Region† | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1993 (17th Session) |
| Endangered | 2005- |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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The city of Santa Ana de Coro was founded in 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind". Coro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela. The city had a turbulent history in colonical times and suffered a number of attacks. In the sixteenth century it was a base for a German attempt to colonise South America. In 1806 it was briefly taken by Francisco de Miranda, who was fighting for the independence of Latin America from the Spanish, and Coro's port of La Vela was the first place in Venezuela where the country's tricolour flag was raised.
Since the 1950s Coro has been conserved as a national monument, and in 1993 Coro and its port were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. However, in 2005 Coro was inscribed in the List of World Heritage Sites in danger.
From historic, colonial architecture to unique natural scenery, Coro presents a diverse set of tourist attractions. On its northeast border, the city blends into “Los Medanos de Coro”, extensive sand dunes that form the only desert in Venezuela. The dunes are alongside the road between the colonial zones of Coro and its port La Vela which are about five miles apart. The World Heritage Site conserves an urban landscape of typically 18th and 19th century appearance with cobbled streets and hundreds of historic and traditional buildings. Some buildings reflect the Spanish "Mudéjar" (ie Islamic) style, others reflect the cultural influence of Holland via its colony of Curaçao. There are interesting churches and an old Jewish cemetery. Other colonial towns in Venezuela tend not to have conserved their heritage so well, and in any case the cross-cultural influences of Coro are probably unique.
Coro's traditional buildings are built of earth - adobe, or earth reinforced in a technique known as "bahareque". Such earthern structures are vulnerable to rain damage, and heavy rainfall in recent years (possibly related to climate change in this arid region of Venezuela) has caused damage to Coro - this rain damage is one factor in the current "at risk" status of Coro's World Heritage Site. Other factors relate to planning considerations which may be detrimental to the historic built environment.
Traveling one hour north, the tourist will find world-famous beaches for windsurfing in the Paraguaná Peninsula. One hour south, “La Sierra de Coro” presents small towns with a more temperate climate and views of the city. On clear days, visitors will be able to see the Medanos and behind them the Paraguana Peninsula with its Cerro Santa Ana. Driving west, tourists can also visit Urumaco, an important fossil site.
The economy in Coro is highly dependent on state government expenditure. Retail commercial activity, civil construction and professional services are the principal activities of the city economy.
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