Ciudad Darío

Ciudad Darío is a municipality in the Matagalpa department of Nicaragua. It is the birthplace of poet Rubén Darío.

Previously known as Metapa and Chocoyos, Ciudad Darío is located 90 km (about 56 miles) from Managua. The population is about 10,000.

History

In pre-historical times this area was probably part of an ancient lake, where the Ucumulali river (Rio Grande) used to flow its waters to the Pacific Ocean (long before the formation of Managua lake), but according to some Geologists, cataclistic earth movements rose huge mountains on its way (Totumbla mountain with its Guisisil peak) and made the river deviate its course toward the Caribbean sea, as it is now. This area originally was inhabited by Matagalpa Indians. Their main settlement was the vicinity of the lagoon of Moyua, where archeologist discovered pre-colonial stone columns that may had belong to a temple. The Spanish may have found thereby small Indian villages by the year 1528 when acting Governor Diego de Castañeda ordered captain Gabriel de Rojas to search the passage to the North Sea: lleva gente de a pie y a caballo, unos dicen que a 50 hombres, otros que lleva 200, por el camino que llevan se cree que saldran a la mar del norte. (Indian Archives, Seville, Spain)

In 1627, Fray Garcia de Loaysa lured some Matagalpa Indians to setlle in this region of Metapa, at the same time Fray Juan Godoy was founding the Indian reduction of San Ramón Nonnato, near Matagalpa, with Indians taken from the mountain of Cacaobaca (Jaime Incer. Viajes, Rutas y Encuentros, p. 254). During the Spanish colonial times Metapa was an important resting place for missioners and troops that were on their way to the interior of the country. In 1685 the Bishop of Nicaragua and Costa Rica Fray Ramon Rojas, died here, exhausted after escaping from the attack of pirate Dampier to the city of Leon, he was buried in Metapa.

In 1703, Metapa was visited by the missioner Fray Margil de Jesus and in 1752 by Bishop Fray Agustin Morel de Santa Cruz. In 1856, it was the base for the “Junta de Recursos” formed by Nicaraguan patriots to collect funds to create the "Ejército del Septentrión" (Northern Army) who fought against the filibusteer troops of William Walker. In 1857 was included to be part of the newly formed Matagalpa Department by the government of General Tomas Martinez In 1867 Metapa was the birthplace of a boy named Felix Ruben Garcia, later known as Ruben Dario, one of the greatest poets of the Spanish language. In 1883 died there Jorge Choiseul Praslin, whom many people thought could be the famous French Duke Theobald de Choiseul Praslin, who escaped from France in 1847. In 1920 Metapa changed name to Ciudad Dario by a Decree of the Government of President Emiliano Chamorro Metapa or Ciudad Dario is located 90 kilometers from Managua, at the side of the paved road to the city of Matagalpa. Eddy Kuhl

It is said that the original settlement that is Ciudad Darío today was called Chocoyos. The small town received this name because the people who lived there during the time built their houses using green branches.

Bishop Fray Agustin Morel of Santa Cruz came to the town in in 1752 and it was renamed Metapa. On January 18, 1867, Félix Rubéen García Sarmiento, better known as Rubén Darío, was born to Rosa Sarmiento in Metapa. On February 20, 1920, Metapa was re-named Ciudad Darío in Rubén Darío's honor.

In 1943, the house in which Darío was born was declared a national museum. Located near the center of the city, the building retains its original look, despite its restorations beginning in 1999. Annually, people will gather at the house on the date of his birthday for poetry readings, dance performances, and other cultural activities.