Valencia, Carabobo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nueva Valencia del Rey (New Royal Valencia)
Avenida Bolívar, Valencia
Flag Seal
Nickname: Capital industrial de Venezuela" (English:"Industrial capital of Venezuela)
Valencia Municipality in Carabobo State
Nueva Valencia del Rey (New Royal Valencia) Valencia Municipality in Carabobo State
Coordinates: 10°10′51.6″N 68°00′14.4″W / 10.181, -68.004
Country	Venezuela
State	Carabobo
Municipality	Valencia
Founded	March 25, 1555
Government
- Mayor	Francisco Cabrera Santos (CONPACO)
Area
- Total	2,323 km² (896.9 sq mi)
Elevation	520 m (1,706 ft)
Population (2001)
- Total	742,145
- Density	319.5/km² (827.5/sq mi)
- Demonym	Valenciano(a)
Time zone	VST (UTC-4:30)
- Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC-4:30)
Postal code	2001
Area code(s)	0241
The area and population figures are for the municipality
Website: Alcaldía de Valencia (Spanish)

Valencia is the capital city of Carabobo State, and the third largest city of Venezuela.

The city is an economic hub that contains Venezuela's top industries and manufacturing companies. The population of Valencia reached some 1.5 million in the year 2003, and it is expected to grow dramatically in the years to come. Greater Valencia unofficially incorporates the communities of Naguanagua, San Diego, and other smaller bordering cities. It is thought to be greatly underrated, partially due to its proximity to Caracas (some 180 km away).

The elevation of the city is 520 meters (1,700 ft). Valencia is located in a valley, surrounded by a mountain range called the Coastal Range (Cordillera de la Costa). On the eastern outskirts of the city lies Lake Valencia, Venezuela's second largest lake.

Contents 1 History 2 Law and government 3 Media 4 Sites of interest 4.1 Art centers 4.2 Museums 4.3 Parks and points of interest 5 Transportation 6 Twinning 7 External links

[edit] History

The city has been an active participant of Venezuela's history. Valencia was founded by Captain Alonso Díaz Moreno on March 25, 1555 — as the locals are proud of reminding visitors, eight years before Caracas. It was the first Spanish settlement in central Venezuela and its official name was Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Nueva Valencia del Rey. The infamous conquistador Lope de Aguirre besieged the city in 1561. In 1677 it was raided by French pirates, who burnt down its City Hall, thus destroying many very important documents about the early settlement of Venezuela. The German scientist Alexander von Humboldt visited the city on his trip through the Americas. He reported that at the time of his visit the city had around 6000 to 7000 inhabitants. On June 24, 1821 the battle of Carabobo was fought on the outskirts of the city, sealing the independence of Venezuela from imperial Spanish rule.

[edit] Law and government

Valencia has one municipality: Valencia Municipality, Venezuelan law specifies that municipal governments have four main functions: executive, legislative, comptroller, and planning. The executive function is managed by the mayor, who is in charge of representing the municipality's administration. The legislative branch is represented by the Municipal Council, composed of seven councillors, charged with the deliberation of new decrees and local laws. The comptroller tasks are managed by the municipal comptroller's office, which oversees accountancy. Finally, planning is represented by the Local Public Planning Council, which manages development projects for the municipality.

[edit] Media

Newspapers:

• Diario El Carabobeño http://www.el-carabobeno.com/
• Diario Notitarde http://www.notitarde.com/

[edit] Sites of interest

[edit] Art centers

• Ateneo de Valencia
• Teatro Municipal de Valencia

[edit] Museums

• Casa Páez
• Casa de los Celis, settlement of the Museum of Art and History and the Lisandro Alvarado Foundation.
• Museum of History and Anthropology
• Iturriza Palace, or Quinta Isabela, Museum of the city (Museo de la Ciudad).

[edit] Parks and points of interest

• Negra Hipólita Park or Fernand Peñalver Park
• Valencia's Metropolitan Park (Parque Metropolitano)
• Valencia's Aquarium (Acuario de Valencia) (ranks as largest aquarium in Latin America)
• Plaza Monumental de Valencia, second largest bullring in the world.

[edit] Transportation

The city is well connected with the rest of the country by a network of highways and roads well maintained by INVIAL.

A modern metro system is being constructed that will connect the city's remote suburbs with the downtown area.

• Buses are the main means of mass transportation. There are two bus systems: the traditional system and the VALBUS. The traditional system runs a variety of bus types, operated by several companies on normal streets and avenues:

• bus; large buses.
• buseta; medium size buses.
• microbus or colectivo; vans or minivans.

• The airport, Arturo Michelena International Airport (SVVA), is the nation's third busiest. It is served by all major Venezuelan airlines.

[edit] Twinning

Valencia is twinned with:

Naples, Italy
Valencia, Spain
Sibiu, Romania
Naguanagua, Venezuela
Plovdiv, Bulgaria

[edit] External links

• Valencia, Carabobo is at coordinates 10°10′52″N 68°00′14″W / 10.181, -68.004 (Valencia, Carabobo)Coordinates: 10°10′52″N 68°00′14″W / 10.181, -68.004 (Valencia, Carabobo)
• Valencia at Venezuelatuya.com

v • d • e   State Capitals of Venezuela Caracas, Distrito Capital Puerto Ayacucho, Amazonas  · Barcelona, Anzoátegui  · San Fernando de Apure, Apure  · Maracay, Aragua  · Barinas, Barinas  · Ciudad Bolívar, Bolívar  · Valencia, Carabobo  · San Carlos, Cojedes  · Tucupita, Delta Amacuro  · Santa Ana de Coro, Falcón · San Juan de los Morros, Guárico  · Barquisimeto, Lara  · Mérida, Mérida  · Los Teques, Miranda  · Maturín, Monagas  · La Asunción, Nueva Esparta  · Guanare, Portuguesa  · Cumaná, Sucre  · San Cristóbal, Táchira  · Trujillo, Trujillo  · La Guaira, Vargas  · San Felipe, Yaracuy  · Maracaibo, Zulia