Medellín is the capital of Antioquia, one of the departments of the Colombia. With a population of 3.312.165 inhabitants in 2005 (for the agglomeration), it is the second city most populated of Colombia after Bogotá. The inhabitants of Medellin are commonly called them Paisas .

Geography

The city is located at Western 6°15' Northern and 75°36'. It is located at 400 km of Bogotá and extends on 382 km ².

The town of Medellín is built in the steepsided valley of the Aburrá at an altitude of 1.538 meters and it is crossed by the Medellín which continues its course towards North. it is called Capital of Montaña ( Capitale of the Mountain ).

The temperatures vary there 30°C in summer with 16°C the winter, which is worth the other nickname of " to him; Ciudad of Eterna Primavera" ( City of spring eternal ).

At north are located the towns of Bello, Copacabana, Girardot and Barbosa; in the south Itagüí, Envigado, Sabaneta, Estrella and Caldas.

The area is rich in gold mines (70% of the production of gold of the country).

History

During the Medellin History had several names: Aburrá of los Yamesíes, San Lorenzo de Aburrá, San Lorenzo de Aná, Valle de San Bartolomé, Villa of Candelaria de Medellín and current Medellin.

The first Spaniards unloaded in the area during the years 1500 and 1501, the area was then occupied by many tribes belonging to the big family of the Caribbean. The name of Medellín holds its origin of the name " Metellium" , old Latin name of the town of Medellín, in the Spanish province of Badajoz resulting itself from its founder Cecilio Metello.

The valley where today Medellin was seen, for the first time by Spanish in August 1541. They were in forwarding for the account of Jeronimo Luis Telejo, which him even obeyed the orders of the Marshal Jorge Robledo, to find grounds and richnesses.

Populated natives of various ethnos groups - Yanmesies, Niquias, Nutabes and Aburraes, according to the history - the valley were a favourable place so that the Iberian colonists, with the head of which Francisco Herrera and Campuzano, base on March 2nd, 1616 the village of San Lorenzo on the site that occupies today the park of El Poblado.

In 1674, an official certificate of the queen Marianne of Austria allots the title of Villa to him, and in 1675 the Villa of Nuestra Señora of Candelaria de Medellín is established (the Villa of Notre Dame of Chandelière de Medellín).

In 1813, the governor Juan del Corral declares it city, moved by his commercial importance.

April 17th, 1826, Medellín was high with the category of capital of Antioquia, and thus removed the title with Santa Fe of Antioquia of the most active city economically.

Education

Medellín is L `one of the principal arts centres of Colombia with 24 universities or colleges of higher education and 22.000 students. Most important are the public universities Universidad de Antioquia and Universidad Nacional , the private universities Universidad EAFIT , Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , Escuela de Ingenieria de Antioquia and THESE .

Transport

Medellín is served by the international airport Jose María Córdova located at Rionegro and by the regional airport of Olaya Herrera.

Since 1995, the city has two underground lines (North-South, Center-Ouest); a system of because cable called Metrocable also connects North.

Tourist places

• the Musée D `Antioquia presents an important collection D `works offered by Fernando Botero: his and those D `important European artists latino- and North-Americans of the XXe century. Moreover, it S `attaches to make known the excellent artists paisas XIXe century at our days.
• the Basílica Metropolitana of Inmaculada started in 1875 and inaugurated in 1931. By its gigantic dimension, it is classified seventh in the world and first in Latin America.
• the Cerro Nutibara is a mountain located in full center of Medellín which one regards as the cultural lung of the city. There is there an impregnable panoramic sight of all Valle de Aburrá. One finds an art gallery there just as a reproduction of an old village antioqueño.
• the botanical garden with many varieties of Orchis S
• the festival Feria of mow Flora which is largest Carnaval of Antioquia; it is held each year in August since 1957. One sees there a parade of tanks Parade, Défilé silleteros (flowered parade), equestrian parade, etc

Évêché

• Diocese of Medellin
• Cathedral of Medellin

Criminality

Medellín is also known for its banditism; in July 2005, one recorded 310 assassinations making an annual average of 35 murders for 100.000 people.

With the rise of the capacity of the narcotrafiquants in the Seventies and Eighties, and the appearance of the Trust of Medellín with at its head Pablo Escobar, the reputation of violence of Medellín was then spread throughout the world like a powder trail. Finally in December 1993, the trust was dismantled by the actions of the Colombian government.

External bonds

• Official site of the government on Medellín
• Town hall of Medellin

Simple: Medellín