Santa Marta
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| Santa Marta | |||
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| Nickname: America's Pearl (La Perla de America) | |||
 Municipality (dark gray) City (red) |
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| Region | Caribbean Region (Colombia) | ||
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| Department | Magdalena Department | ||
| Foundation | July 29, 1525 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | José Francisco Zúñiga Riascos, MCV | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 6,135.7 km² (2,369 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 6,135.7 km² (2,369 sq mi) | ||
| - Urban | 1,472 km² (568.3 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1 m (3 ft) | ||
| Population (2002 *)[1] | |||
| - City | 410,309 | ||
| - Urban | 394,168 | ||
| *Santa Marta's metropolitan area is yet to be determined. | |||
| Website: www.santamarta.gov.co |
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- This article is about the Colombian city. For other uses, see Santa Marta (disambiguation).
Santa Marta is a city and municipality, located in northern Colombia by the Caribbean sea and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, capital of the Magdalena Department. Founded on July 29, 1525 by Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, the city is an important maritime port and hub for tourism, history and culture. It was named after the Biblical Martha and was the first city to be founded in Colombia and second in South America after Cumaná (1521) in Venezuela[citation needed]. El Libertador Simón Bolívar died at a ranch named Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino on the outskirts of Santa Marta on 17 December 1830. The city has also been affected to some extent by the Colombian Armed Conflict.
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[edit] History
The area where Santa Marta lies was inhabited prior to the Arrival of Spanish explorers by Amerindians from the Tairona culture, and its subsequent families: Arhuacos and Koguis among others.
The city was founded in July 29, 1525 by Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, accompanied by some two hundred of his men and a few amerindians. He named the city after the Catholic day for Saint Martha, which in Spain was celebrated with festivities. However many historians argue that he named it after the Spanish city of Santa Marta de Astorgas, which he had visited [2]. With its foundation, the Spanish colonization also started the conquering of lands from this region, and the set up of Administrative functions for the colony, including a maritime port and the construction of defenses to prevent pirate raids.
During the Colonial times the city started losing its importance as maritime port to nearby city port of Cartagena.
During the mid-19th Century, French, English and North American immigrants along with some locals started to introduce industrial ways of productions and founded trade associations among industrials and the farmers. As a result they built railways which would connect productive networks.
In 1871, the University of Magdalena is founded, with initially two faculties: law and medicine.
During the 20th Century the city served as main port for massive exports of Bananas and coal produced inland with the assistance of major multinational corporations.
In 1968 the government decentralized the Port Authority, leaving Santa Marta with its own Por Authority (Capitania de Puerto). [3].
In recent years, Santa Marta has attracted large numbers of people displaced by the paramilitary groups operating in the area. The warm climate and the possibility of occasional work serving the tourist industry has increased the city's population drastically.
[edit] Geography and climate
[edit] Climate
Temperatures in the city of Santa Marta ranges from 18.65 to 31.15 degrees Celsius at sea level, but the Municipality of Santa Marta stratches up to the highest snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Rainfall in this region varies from 12 to 975 mm per month.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Tourism
Las Fiestas del Mar (The Festival of the Sea) is celebrated on a yearly basis in this city. It serves as a tourist attraction during the midyear vacation period. One of the main events in the festival is the jetski show organized by Santa Marta Esqui. There are beauty pageants, parades and parties in the city. The Festival's slogan is "Santa Marta, la magia de tenerlo todo" (translates as "Santa Marta, the magic of having it all").
- Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino: Built in the 17th century, was the last home of Simon Bolivar, today it is a house/museum in his honor.
- The Cathedral: it is a national monument built in 1766, it held the remains of Simon Bolivar until 1842.
- La Casa de la Aduana (Customs House): it is the oldest house of America, built in 1530. Today it is the Tayrona Museum.
- Madame Agustine House: it is a jewel of the colonial architecture.
- San Fernando Fort: built by Spanish conquerors to protect the city from the pirates, it is a fine sample of colonial military architecture.
- Tairona National Park: located at 34 km north of Santa Marta, it is the most important ecological reserve in Colombia. It has camping zones, virgin beaches, ecotourism, and indigenous tribes.
- Quebrada Valencia: a majestic waterfall emerging in the middle of the rain forest.
- Pueblito: also known as Cahirama, it is one of the 200 pre-Colombian cities discovered near Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
- Taganga: an authentic fishing town, it is known as a great place for scuba diving, and it has beautiful beaches nearby.
- The Mamancana Natural Reserve: This natural reserve offers the possibility to see wildlife and practice extreme sports such as paragliding, downhill, rock climbing, and canopying.
[edit] Sister Cities
Santa Marta has one sister city[4]
[edit] Sports
The town has a football (soccer) team, Unión Magdalena nicknamed El ciclón bananero (The Banana Cyclone).
Santa Marta is the birthplace of Carlos Valderrama, Colombia's most famous football (soccer) player.
[edit] See also
- Santa Marta Massacre
- Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
- Arhuacos
- Taironas
- Simon Bolivar
- Griselda Blanco
- Carlos Vives
- Carlos Valderrama (footballer)
[edit] References
- ^ OPS: Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud - Document www.col.ops-oms.org Accessed 29 September 2006.
- ^ Santa Marta: City government santamarta.gov.co Accessed 29 September 2006.
- ^ DIMAR: Port Authority of Santa Marta dimar.mil.co Accessed 29 September 2006.
- ^ Miami Beach Sister Cities Program
[edit] References
- (Spanish) (Spanish) Santa Marta in elportalcaribe.com
- (Spanish) (Spanish) Santa Marta in analitica.com
- (Spanish) UNIMAGDALENA
- (Spanish) Bank of the Republic, economic history of Santa Marta
[edit] External links
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