San Cristóbal is the
capital cityCapital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of the
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n state of Táchira. It is located in a mountainous region of Western
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. The city is situated 818 m/2,625 ft above
sea levelMean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
in the northern
AndesThe Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
overlooking the Torbes River, 56 km/35 mi from the
ColombiaColombia, 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 border. San Cristóbal was founded in 1561 by Juan de Maldonado. From its inception, the city evolved rapidly as one of the most progressive and important centers of commerce in the country, due primarily to its rich soil and its proximity to the border with
ColombiaColombia, 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...
.
The city was severely damaged by the Earthquake of Cúcuta (also known as Earthquake of the Andes) in 1875. The city is located on the
Pan-American HighwayThe Pan-American Highway is a network of roads measuring about in total length. Except for an rainforest break, called the Darién Gap, the road links the mainland nations of the Americas in a connected highway system. According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world's...
.
Education
San Cristobal has a large student population. There are many post-secondary schools, both public and private, in San Cristobal.
The main ones are:
- Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira (UNET)
- Universidad de los Andes (ULA)
- Universidad Católica del Táchira (UCAT)
- Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Fuerzas Amadas (UNEFA)
- Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA)
- Instituto Universitario Politecnico Santiago Mariño.
- Instituto Universitario Antonio Jose de Sucre.
- Instituto Universitario Monseñor Talavera.
- Instituto Universitario Jesus Enrique Lozada.
Law and government
San Cristóbal has one municipality:
San Cristóbal Municipality, Venezuelan law specifies that municipal governments have four main functions: executive, legislative, comptroller, and planning. The executive function is managed by the
mayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, 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
comptrollerA comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
's office, which oversees
accountancyAccountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
. Finally, planning is represented by the Local Public Planning Council, which manages development projects for the municipality.
Industry and Economy
San Cristobal is the third richest city of Venezuela, after Chacao and Baruta municipalities in Miranda State. As throughout the
Andean statesThe Andean States are a group of nations in South America that are defined by sharing a common geography or culture such as the Quechua language and Andean cuisine which was primarily spread during the times of the Inca Empire, but also before and after it.Politically speaking, Argentina and Chile...
, the people of
TáchiraTáchira State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is San Cristóbal.Táchira State covers a total surface area of 11,100 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 1,177,300....
are characterized as hardworking, cordial, conservative, and devoted to their historical, religious, and folkloric traditions. The primary industries here are centered around
agricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, mainly the production of
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
,
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, and vegetables. Other important industrial sectors which have helped fuel the economic engines of the region include meat production (cattle), manufacturing industries like shoe, basket, and ceramics production. A fact that perhaps is not widely known is that it was in Táchira State, and not in Zulia State, that the first oil wells were excavated in 1875(located in the Petrolea sector close to Rubio)-- a procedure done in those days by hand and with buckets. It is a commercial, transportation, and industrial center.
TextileA textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s,
leatherLeather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
products,
cementIn the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, tanneries, and
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
are produced, and
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
,
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
,
pineapplePineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
s, and
cornMaize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
are exported. The service sector is also strong. There are many branches of nationals banks located in the city, and it is the headquarter of two important financial institutions SOFITASA (bank of private investment) and Banforandes (Government's bank). These two main local banks are an important engine of the local economy because they help to finance many project in the region. In the dairy industry, Leche Táchira is one of the most consolidated industries in the country; this company is based in San Cristobal.
Sports
Deportivo Táchira Fútbol ClubDeportivo Táchira Fútbol Club is a traditional and a popular Venezuelan football club. It was founded in 1974 by the initiative of Gaetano Greco...
, usually known as Deportivo Táchira, is a football club located in San Cristóbal.
Architecture
San Cristóbal's architecture is rich and varied. The wedding cake and modernist architectural styles are particularly evident in the
facadeA facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
s of the Universidad Nacional Abierta and La Casa Antigua, a Spanish style building with various ornaments and sculptures. Another example is La Entrada Central, the only facade that's left from the old Hospital Vargas. Among the most notable churches are La Iglesia El Angel, the
GothicGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
styled church
San JoséSaint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, and the El Santuario Church.
Transportation
There are three airports that serve Táchira State and its capital San Cristobal. Airport Juan Vicente Gómez of San Antonio, Airport Mayor Buenaventura Vivas of Santo Domingo del Táchira and International Airport of La Fria. There is a bus terminal located just below the La Concordia neighborhood of San Cristobal where buses, taxis and other land vehicles arrive and depart daily.
Famous natives
- Rafael de Nogales Méndez
Rafael Inchauspe Méndez, known as Rafael de Nogales Méndez was a Venezuelan soldier, adventurer and writer...
, soldier and writer.
- Isaías Medina Angarita
Isaías Medina Angarita was a Venezuelan military and political leader, president of Venezuela from 1941 until 1945....
, Military and former president of Venezuela.
- Manuel Felipe Rugeles
Manuel Felipe Rugeles was a poet, journalist and Venezuelan politician who was born in San Cristóbal, Venezuela in 1903 and died in Caracas in 1959. As a poet he belonged to the so-called Generation of 1918...
, poet and journalist.
- Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera
Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera, composer, teacher, musician, folklorist and writer, was born in San Cristóbal, Táchira, August 23, 1913. He lived his first years in the Venezuelan city of San Cristóbal. Between 1919 and 1921 he lived, with his parents and siblings, successively in Cúcuta, San Luis and...
, folklorist and musician.
- Francisco Arias Cárdenas
Francisco Javier Arias Cárdenas is a Venezuelan politician and career military officer. He participated in Hugo Chávez' unsuccessful February 1992 coup attempt, being pardoned in 1994 by Rafael Caldera, along with the other conspirators...
, Former Governor of Zulia State, Presidential Candidate and Representat of Venezuela at the UN.
- Veruska Tatiana Ramírez, model and former Miss Venezuela
The Miss Venezuela contest is the national beauty pageant of Venezuela and has been held since 1952. It is responsible for selecting the country's representatives to the Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth and Miss International pageants .Under the direction of Osmel Sousa, Venezuela has...
.
- Giancarlo Maldonado
Giancarlo Gregorio Maldonado Marrero is a Venezuelan footballer who currently plays for Atlante. The striker, who was born in Caracas, is the all-time leading Venezuelan goalscorer, where he has the nickname Maldogol.-River Plate:...
, footballer.
- Tomas Rincon
Tomás Eduardo Rincón Hernández is a Venezuelan footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or right back for German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV. He currently captains the Venezuela national football team....
, footballer
- Édgar Ramírez
Édgar Filiberto Ramírez Arellano is a Venezuelan actor. He played Carlos in the 2010 French-German biopic series Carlos, a role for which he won the César Award for Most Promising Actor at the César Awards 2011. He also played "Paz", a CIA assassin in the movie The Bourne Ultimatum.Ramírez...
, actor.
Attractions & surroundings
One of the most celebrated festivities which attracts visitors from all over is the Feria Internacional de San Sebastián held annually at Pueblo Nuevo next to Táchira state football club's grounds. This fair, which occurs at the end of January, combines bullfighting festivities with a myriad of sport activities such as the
Vuelta al TáchiraThe Vuelta ciclista al Táchira is a multi-day road bicycle racing stage race held annually each January in the state of Táchira, Venezuela...
, a bicycle race, artistic festivals, agricultural fairs, and many other spectacles. Nearby small businesses, in particular eateries, restaurants and small independent retailers thrive of the activities in Pueblo nuevo.
Places to visit in and around San Cristóbal include all the squares and parks around the city, the enchanting colonial town of San Pedro del Río and Peribeca. During Christmas these towns are full of decorations and mangers of every shape and size. Near the border with
ColombiaColombia, 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...
is the town of San Antonio de Táchira, with its lively commercial beat. Other interesting towns are Palmira and Abejales, above the town of Tariba, famous for their sugar cane baskets, and the town of El Topón, a typical agricultural town. The water fall of Chorro el Indio is an entertaining place to visit and be surrounded by nature.
Plaza de los Mangos, in Barrio Obrero, is a popular youth hangout close to San Cristobal's city centre. A leafy square home to music shops, imported clothing retailers, Mini malls, nightclubs, eateries, ice-cream parlours, pool halls, Internet cafés, and small music venues, Plaza de los Mangos has become a busy hub for youth life. On a small off-shoot road on the Plaza's north-eastern corner a small Virgin Mary figure is housed under a protruding old tree branch, a branch once used for public hangings, the date of the last hanging varies with who you ask.
Events
Feria Internacional de San Sebastian. the San Sebastian fair is the largest fair in the country. It takes place at the end of each January. There is animal, agricultural, industrial and commercial trade.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
San Cristóbal is twinned with the following cities and municipalities:
Kamloops, British ColumbiaKamloops is a city in south central British Columbia, at the confluence of the two branches of the Thompson River and near Kamloops Lake. It is the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the location of the regional district's offices. The surrounding region is more commonly...
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, ColombiaColombia, 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...
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San Cristóbal de CuéllarSan Cristóbal de Cuéllar is a municipality located in the province of Segovia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 203 inhabitants....
, SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
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, SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Omaha, NebraskaOmaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
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Nuevo BerlínNuevo Berlín is a town in the Río Negro Department of western Uruguay. It is located on the east bank of Uruguay River northwest of the junction of Route 24 with Route 20. South of the town flows the stream Arroyo de la Yeguada and to its west, in the Uruguay River, is the island Isla del Burro...
, UruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
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