Cumaná

History

Cumaná was the first settlement founded by Spain in Venezuela and South America, established in 1515 by Franciscan friars, under the name Nueva Toledo, but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people (such as the Cumanagoto people), it had to be refounded several times until Diego Hernández de Serpa's refoundation in 1569 with the name of Cumaná. The birthright of the continent is disputed with the town of Santa Fe (Sucre). Bartolomé de las Casas, attempting a peaceful colonization scheme, was preempted by Gonzalo de Ocampo's 1521 punitive raids against the local indigenous people, in retaliation for the destruction of the Dominican convent at Chiribichi. In 1537 New Andalusia Province was established, with Cumaná as capital (for which the province was also known as the Province of Cumaná).

After Amerindian attacks became less of a threat, the city was on several occasions destroyed by earthquakes. Thus, the oldest part of the city is late 17th and 18th century; almost none of the 16th-century architecture survived. The city gained independence on the 15th of July, 1811.

Geography

Climate

Cumaná has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSh), narrowly bordering a tropical savanna climate (Aw).

| Jan record high C = 35.2 | Feb record high C = 37.3 | Mar record high C = 38.4 | Apr record high C = 39.7 | May record high C = 38.4 | Jun record high C = 36.5 | Jul record high C = 39.8 | Aug record high C = 36.4 | Sep record high C = 37.3 | Oct record high C = 37.4 | Nov record high C = 37.0 | Dec record high C = 36.0 | year record high C = 39.8 | Jan record low C = 16.5 | Feb record low C = 17.0 | Mar record low C = 18.1 | Apr record low C = 19.5 | May record low C = 16.1 | Jun record low C = 18.7 | Jul record low C = 18.9 | Aug record low C = 19.9 | Sep record low C = 19.4 | Oct record low C = 19.5 | Nov record low C = 19.5 | Dec record low C = 18.1 | year record low C = 16.1 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240210151620/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Venezuela/CSV/Cumana_80420.csv | archive-date = 10 February 2024 | access-date = 10 February 2024}}

Attractions

The city features a wide variety of colonial-style architecture still in excellent condition. The San Antonio de la Eminencia Castle, a large Spanish fort, is open to the public and can be seen from the beach. Also surviving is the Santa Maria de la Cabeza castle, which was built in 1669. The Museo del Mar (Museum of the Sea) displays marine and maritime artifacts.

Indigenous species

The Cumana region is home to the Endler's livebearer, a vibrantly coloured aquarium fish named after John Endler, who discovered it in nearby Laguna de Los Patos.

Notable people

DESCRIPTIONS MUST BE BRIEF AND HAVE NO LINKS; alphabetical order by family name. --

• Iñaki Anasagasti (b. 1947), Spanish politician
• Rafael Betancourt (b. 1975), baseball player
• Andrés Eloy Blanco (1897–1955), poet, humorist and politician
• José Buttó, (b. 1998), baseball player
• Armando Galarraga (b. 1982), baseball player
• Edgardo Henriquez (b. 2002), baseball player
• César Jiménez (b. 1984), baseball player
• Luis Maza (b. 1980), baseball player
• Javier Otero (b. 2002), footballer
• Luis Peñalver (b. 1941), baseball player
• Vanessa Peretti (b. 1986), first deaf entrant in the Miss Venezuela pageant
• Gelmin Rivas (b. 1989), footballer
• Francisco Sánchez (b. 1976), swimmer, world champion
• Antonio José de Sucre (1795–1830), independence leader
• Jesús Sucre (b. 1988), baseball player
• José Antonio Ramos Sucre (1890–1930), poet and diplomat

Transportation

The city is served by Antonio José de Sucre Airport, with commercial passenger airline flights to Caracas.

Gallery

File:Masacre de Gonzalez de Ocampo en Cumana.jpg|The Natives of Cumaná attack the mission after Gonzalo de Ocampo's slaving raid. Colored copperplate by Theodor de Bry, published in the "Relación brevissima de la destruccion de las Indias". File:Castillo San Antonio de la Eminencia. Cumaná - Sucre - Venezuela.JPG|Castle of San Antonio de la Eminencia File:Calle Sucre, San Francisco - panoramio.jpg|Sucre Street File:Vista Casco Histórico de Cumaná, Edo. Sucre.jpg|Historical quarter of Cumaná File:Playa San Luis - panoramio.jpg|San Luis Beach File:Plaza Ayacucho De Cumaná.jpg|Ayacucho Square

References

• Krzysztof Dydniski & Charlotte Beech, Lonely Planet Venezuela, (2004)

References

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