El Molino, La Guajira
Encyclopedia
El Molino is a town and municipality located in the Colombia
n Department
of La Guajira.
The town is known for having the colonial church Ermita de San Lucas, considered a National Monument of Colombia. The town also celebrates the Festival del Cantante (Spanish for Festival of the Singer). It became a municipality in 1989.
and Serranía del Perijá
mountains and the Cesar River
. The municipality is located on the mountain steps of the Serranía del Perijá covering a total area of 190 km² and at 240 meters over sea level.
The municipality of El Molino is located in the southern part of the Department of La Guajira limiting to the west and north with the municipalilty of San Juan del Cesar
; to the south with the municipality of Villanueva
and to east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The El Molino River is the main source of water for the municipality, flowing down from the Serrania del Perija mountain range and into the Cesar River
.
The first inhabtants in the region, prior to the Spanish colonization of the Americas
were indigenous peoples pertaining to the Cariachiles ethnic group. Capichin friars named the village "Población de San Lucas de El Molino" because of a Wheat
Mill (grinding)
which was later demolished. Besides Spanish families, El Molino also received colonizers from Portugal
, France
and Germany
to a lesser scale.
El Molino became a corregimiento of the municipality of Villanueva
and subsequently became a municipality in 1989. El Molino was officially formed by Ordinance 039 of 2001 segregated from the municipality of San Juan del Cesar
after a popular referendum.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n Department
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of La Guajira.
The town is known for having the colonial church Ermita de San Lucas, considered a National Monument of Colombia. The town also celebrates the Festival del Cantante (Spanish for Festival of the Singer). It became a municipality in 1989.
Geography
The municipality is within the Valley formed by the Sierra Nevada de Santa MartaSierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated mountain range apart from the Andes chain that runs through Colombia. Reaching an altitude of 5,700 metres above sea level just 42 km from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the world's highest coastal range...
and Serranía del Perijá
Serrania del Perija
The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch , in northern South America, between Colombia and Venezuela, ending further north in the Guajira Desert, a total distance of about 310 km...
mountains and the Cesar River
Cesar River
The Cesar River is a river in northern Colombia which is a part of the Magdalena Basin. It separates the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the mountain ranges of the Serrania del Perija an extension of the Cordillera Oriental...
. The municipality is located on the mountain steps of the Serranía del Perijá covering a total area of 190 km² and at 240 meters over sea level.
The municipality of El Molino is located in the southern part of the Department of La Guajira limiting to the west and north with the municipalilty of San Juan del Cesar
San Juan del Cesar
San Juan del Cesar is a municipality and town located in the La Guajira Department, Colombia.-Etymology:San Juan Bautista del Cesar name in and Chet-tzar or Sasare indigenous language for calm water, the name of the Cesar River.-History:...
; to the south with the municipality of Villanueva
Villanueva, La Guajira
Villanueva is a town and municipality located in the northern Department of La Guajira, Colombia. Villanueva is known in Colombia for being the cradle of many vallenato singers and composers...
and to east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The El Molino River is the main source of water for the municipality, flowing down from the Serrania del Perija mountain range and into the Cesar River
Cesar River
The Cesar River is a river in northern Colombia which is a part of the Magdalena Basin. It separates the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the mountain ranges of the Serrania del Perija an extension of the Cordillera Oriental...
.
Climate
The average temperature throughout the year is 28°C with two rainy season and two dry seasons. Climate varies depending on altitude from steppe to mountainous, ranging between 16°C and 34°C presenting warm, temperate and cold weather.History
The village of El Molino was founded in 1595 as Villa del Rosario by the Spanish colonizer Pedro Beltrán Valdés and became part of the Government of Santa Marta. The name was changed later to "Población de San Lucas de El Molino" and Later to simply El Molino.The first inhabtants in the region, prior to the Spanish colonization of the Americas
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
were indigenous peoples pertaining to the Cariachiles ethnic group. Capichin friars named the village "Población de San Lucas de El Molino" because of a Wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
Mill (grinding)
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
which was later demolished. Besides Spanish families, El Molino also received colonizers from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to a lesser scale.
El Molino became a corregimiento of the municipality of Villanueva
Villanueva, La Guajira
Villanueva is a town and municipality located in the northern Department of La Guajira, Colombia. Villanueva is known in Colombia for being the cradle of many vallenato singers and composers...
and subsequently became a municipality in 1989. El Molino was officially formed by Ordinance 039 of 2001 segregated from the municipality of San Juan del Cesar
San Juan del Cesar
San Juan del Cesar is a municipality and town located in the La Guajira Department, Colombia.-Etymology:San Juan Bautista del Cesar name in and Chet-tzar or Sasare indigenous language for calm water, the name of the Cesar River.-History:...
after a popular referendum.