La Vega (Dominican Republic)

La Vega is a city and municipality of the Dominican Republic, which is located in the province of La Vega, of which it is the capital.

Location

It is located in the north center of the country, in the Vega Real valley, in the high valley of the Camú River. The early village was created in 1494 by Christopher Columbus but moved after a major earthquake in the 1560s.

Limits

Bordering municipalities:

	North: Puñal, Moca, Cayetano Germosén and Salcedo
West: Santiago de los Caballeros, Sabana Iglesia, Jánico y Jarabacoa		This: Villa Tapia and San Francisco de Macorís
	South: Jarabacoa, Bonao, Jima Down and Fantino

Municipal districts

It is made up of the municipal districts of:

Climate

The climate is tropical in nature

Demography

Population estimates have gone from 189,000 inhabitants in 1995, to 241,000 in 2000, 385,500 (2004), 415,500 in (2007), noting great immigration activity.

The vast majority of immigrants come from rural areas and surrounding towns such as Bonao, Moca, Cotuí, Jarabacoa, Constanza, Jima, Tenares, Villa Tapia, Fantino, Angelina.

History

Spanish domain

The initial village, called La Concepción de La Vega, began with the founding of the La Concepción fortress (where part of its name arises) ordered to be built by Admiral Don Cristóbal Colón in 1494. Bartolomé de Las Casas expresses that Columbus, amazed by the beauty of the place, named it 'La Vega Real'. Its initial economic development had to be based on gold smelting and the cultivation and processing of sugar cane. Over time, the gold resources of Concepción de la Vega were exhausted. The economic growth of the city in the golden age enabled a high purchasing power for its inhabitants and this made it assimilate to a European city.

In the section of Concepción de la Vega today there are the archaeological remains of the Spanish Gold Factory, where the Taíno Indian workers brought the gold they took from the rivers to better wash it, melt it and convert it into ingots that they stored in the fortress until the time came to embark them towards Spain.

There the first coin was minted and the first merchants settled. In 1508 it was given the title of city and in 1512 it was established as the seat of the first bishopric established on the island, its sole holder being Doctor Pedro de Deza. Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas and Fray Pedro de Córdoba, defenders of the indigenous people, passed through it.

The city of Concepción de La Vega was where the first distribution of Indians took place, led by Rodrigo de Alburquerque, and where the convent of the Order of Mercedes was established, which was legendarily associated with the planted cross by Columbus on the Santo Cerro, giving rise to the birth of the cult of said Marian devotion in our country. This cross would achieve notable fame under the name of the True Cross.

Tradition has it that in one of the battles between the Spanish and the indigenous people, the Virgin of Las Mercedes appeared in this place, in the middle of the two fighting sides, and performed the miracle of returning the arrows that the indigenous people threw at her. the Spanish, thus making their victory possible. An artistic painting details this legend, of Hispanic tradition, and is preserved in the Church of Las Mercedes, in Santo Cerro.

On December 2, 1562 the city was destroyed by an earthquake, being moved to the southern bank of the Camú River. By 1598 there were only sixteen thatched houses and there were no squares or streets. In the time of Antonio Osorio, forty neighbors were registered, among them a shoemaker, a tailor and a dealer, and fifteen cassava and corn ranches were counted.

The date on which the new town was founded is unknown: historians report that, after the earthquake, the terrified neighbors decided to found the new town at a distance of two leagues, on the southern bank of the Camú River, where There was a hermitage dedicated to Saint Sebastian. Tradition says that the land was donated by a rich widow.

In the first decades of the XVIII century La Vega had a population that was close to 3,000 people, who lived in a very poor way. Of them, 450 were men-at-arms.

With the establishment of free trade, the town gained new life, which brought about the favorable consequence of the creation of Monte Cristi as a neutral port and the repopulation of Puerto Plata. The priest Francisco Amézquita y Lara was the first historian that La Vega had.

Haitian occupation

At the beginning of the 19th century, in 1805, the town of La Vega was burned down, like other towns in the region. Cibao, by the troops of Jean-Jacques Dessalines who were returning in disarray from the city of Santo Domingo after failing in their siege. Guido Despradel tells in his History of La Vega that:

"Only the Church and two more masonry houses were freed from the destructive fury of the fire to submit to this, and at that time, risueña villa de Concepción de La Vega, the illiterate Jean Jacques Dessalines. And such was the terror that seized his neighbors in the face of the rabid and brutal rush of the black hosts in defeat, who fled unpaved to the mountain and to the thickness of the forests, provoking a safe refuge which only made them come out, to re-establish housing on the ashes of their homes awesome religious animosity of the order of St Augustine, expressly sent to do so useful and useful work. »

From that time to that of the Haitian occupation in 1822, its progress was slow and limited in obtaining material benefits. La Vega had a very progressive ruler named Placide Le Brun, who ordered the first streets to be paved, to which he gave his name. Bridges were built and agriculture was stimulated.

On May 7, 1842, the city was once again struck by an earthquake that destroyed the main buildings it had at that time, such as the Government Palace and the church.

Independence of the Dominican Republic

In the days of the Dominican National Independence, the city of La Vega joined the cause of freedom, with the priest José Eugenio Espinosa y Azcona serving as a link. On March 4, 1844, La Vega formalized its statement in favor of independence, and that same day it became the first town in the country to hoist the tricolor flag, made by the Villa ladies.

Commerce, agriculture and industry gain new momentum with immigration from Santo Domingo, Santiago, Moca and other places. The historian Manuel Ubaldo Gómez points out that at that time public education only reached the wealthy.

A fact that decisively strengthened the economic development of the area was the inauguration of the railway between the port of Las Cañitas in Sánchez, Samaná and the city of La Vega, a product of the efforts of the worthy Gregorio Rivas. Indeed, the transportation of fruits and goods by this means provided new living conditions for vegan society.

In 1915 the city received the name of cultured city, for its dedication to art and culture. On the site of the ruins of the first city, there is an archaeological park and a small museum. Over the years, a town called Pueblo Viejo has emerged, in honor of the first place where the city existed.

Economy

Its economic activity was based on agriculture in its fertile lands and on livestock and logging in the mountains, but its economy became dependent on the commercial and industrial economy. Although agriculture is still widely reflected, it is disappearing every day as these lands are used to convert them into urbanizations and commercial areas. Local industries derive from the production of products, including the production of coffee, cocoa, food, textiles and alcoholic beverages.

The activity of the service sector is focused on supermarkets, large shopping centers and a variety of establishments.

The city is growing rapidly in population, economy, urban expansion, the industrial sector, the real estate sector and the expansion of the urban territory.

Heritage

The Convent of the Order of La Merced, the ruins of the Monastery of San Francisco and the Fort of La Concepción, the remains of the ancient city of La Vega and the Santo Cerro, a kind of a fortress church built on top of a hill with stones that were taken from the city devastated by the earthquake.

More recent buildings such as the Hospital de la Caridad, the Concordia Lodge, the Don Zoilo Palace, the La Progresista Theater, the La Humanitaria Hospital, the Royal Palace and the Central Casino are also part of its heritage.

Places of interest

Holy Hill

The city of La Vega was part, in ancient times, of the chiefdom of Maguá, which was very rich in gold.

It is said that in this place there was one of the greatest battles between Taínos and Spanish.

According to tradition, in 1495 during a battle on this hill between Taínos and Spaniards for gold, the Virgin of Las Mercedes appeared on a large wooden cross that Christopher Columbus had placed under a loquat tree.

Before he died, Columbus told his son Diego to build a church on this hill in honor of that Virgin, but Diego did not build it.

In 1527 the first convent of the Order of Mercedes was established on the hill.

The sanctuary that exists today was built in 1880 by Onofre de Lora, which is cared for by the Mercedarian Sisters of Charity.

In this place the Virgen de las Mercedes is venerated, whose festival is celebrated on September 24. Thousands of parishioners visit this sacred place annually.

The Santo Cerro, in addition to the sanctuary, has a museum and a viewpoint with a majestic view of the La Vega Real valley.

Any visit to La Vega must include a visit to this hill, which is located 8 kilometers from the city center.

Within the Santo Cerro is the monument to La Luz del Mundo, a piece of sculptural art in the shape of a cross about 13 meters high.

Ruins of Old La Vega

The town of La Vega Vieja was founded between the 15th and 16th centuries on the Spanish Island and the Fort of La Concepción was established there, which defended the site from any land attack. This is a great historical place, as it is where one of the first two dioceses in America was built.

After the violent and unpleasant experiences lived by Christopher Columbus' men in La Navidad and La Isabela, territories that, like the entire island, were the home of the Taínos, those who remained of them took refuge inland, with the intention also to exploit the newly discovered gold in those parts.

La Vega Vieja was the place chosen by Christopher Columbus to build one of the first settlements to strengthen the presence of the Spanish on the Island of Hispaniola. Eng:La Vega Vieja was the place chosen by Christopher Columbus to build one of the first settlements to strengthen the presence of the Spaniards on the Española Island.

The Admiral became interested in the place after verifying that in these properties, on the Verde River, they found gold. Furthermore, there was an abundance of precious wood in the place and there were many young Indians.

On December 2, 1562, a strong earthquake almost completely destroyed the city, so the colonizers decided to build another town in the place where the city of La Vega is today, seven kilometers from here.

After it, the only thing that remained standing was a part of the fortress, which can still be seen today. Of the cathedral, only a column and part of the foundation remained standing. In fact, the Spanish used part of the bricks from the old church and the fort to build the new city of La Vega. In the last 20 years of the 16th century the city was already completely depopulated.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is a monument where Byzantine art is combined with modern architecture.

The design of the Cathedral, located in front of the Central Park of this city, corresponded to the Dominican architect Pedro Mena Lajara and it was inaugurated on February 23, 1992, by the late president Joaquín Balaguer, who handed the keys to Bishop Monsignor Juan Antonio Flowers. Since its beginnings, this religious monument became a favorite place for both parishioners and devotees of the Virgin Mary, as well as national and foreign tourists.

The first stone of the new cathedral was laid on May 15, 1987.

The Cathedral of La Vega is one of the most visited places by Catholics and tourists.^{[citation required]}

Sacred Museum

It contains valuable pieces from the principles of evangelization on the island since it was created

Guaigui

It is one of the city's biggest tourist attractions, nestled in the hills of the Central Mountain Range. From its road it offers views towards the city of La Vega, bathed by the Camú River.

Festivities

• The patron saints of the municipality are celebrated in honor of La Virgen de la Antigua and finished on August 16.
• The feasts of the Virgin of Las Mercedes are also celebrated, whose national sanctuary is located in the Santo Cerro, every 24 September of every year.
• The vegan carnival is one of the most famous in the country, for its artistic wealth and is celebrated in February of each year.

Vegan Carnival

It was known that the inhabitants of La Vega Vieja dressed up as Moors and Christians and held celebrations that evolved into the current celebrations. For years the Vegan Carnival maintained a predominantly Spanishized expression, symbolized in an expressive theatricalization, the dance of the ribbons and its lame devils, with simple costumes of red, yellow, green and with their masks representing the medieval, andromorphic, Mephistophelian devil, with its two classic frontal cachitos, large ears, open mouth and exposed teeth, which was later creolized with goatskin beards.

Every Sunday in the month of February in the afternoon, the lame devils take to the street armed with their bull bladders, beating anyone who dares to go down to the street, but respecting those who remain on the sidewalk or road.

The center of the activity is Padre Adolfo Nouel Street, passing through the Parque de las Flores, where the devils whip the passers-by who provoke them or leave the road and where it culminates with a parade of more than 80 groups of troupes.

This picturesque dimension, colonial heritage, will be transformed with the Afro presence, where Cuban migrations and the residents of the popular neighborhoods of La Vega played an important role.

Currently the Vegan Carnival is the most important cultural event in this city that bears the name of the fertile valley that sustains it and of the entire country, it has been declared National Folkloric Heritage by the Chamber of Deputies. For some researchers, the first Carnival demonstrations on the island that we now share with Haiti, and in America, took place in what is today the Ruins of La Vega Vieja, in February 1520, on the occasion of a visit by Brother Bartolomé de Houses.

It was known that the inhabitants of La Vega Vieja dressed up as Moors and Christians and held celebrations that evolved into the current celebrations.

For years the Vegan Carnival maintained a predominantly Spanishized expression, symbolized in an expressive theatricalization, the dance of the ribbons and its cojuelos devils, with simple costumes of red, yellow, green and with their masks representing the medieval, andromorphic devil, Mephistophelian, with its two classic frontal cachitos, large ears, open mouth and exposed teeth, which was later creolized with goatskin beards.

Every Sunday in the month of February in the afternoon, the lame devils take to the street armed with their bull bladders, beating anyone who dares to go down to the street, but respecting those who remain on the sidewalk or road.

The center of the activity is Padre Adolfo Nouel Street, passing through the Parque de las Flores, where the devils whip the passers-by who provoke them or leave the road and where it culminates with a parade of more than 80 groups of troupes.

This picturesque dimension, colonial heritage, will be transformed with the Afro presence, where Cuban migrations and the residents of the popular neighborhoods of La Vega played an important role.

Currently the Vegan Carnival is the most important cultural event in this city that bears the name of the fertile valley that sustains it and of the entire country, it has been declared National Folkloric Heritage by the Chamber of Deputies. Vegan Carnival For some researchers, the first Carnival demonstrations on the island that we now share with Haiti, and in America, took place in what is today the Ruins of La Vega Vieja, in February 1520, on the occasion of a visit by Brother Bartolomé de Houses.

It was known that the inhabitants of La Vega Vieja dressed up as Moors and Christians and held celebrations that evolved into the current celebrations.

For years the Vegan Carnival maintained a predominantly Spanishized expression, symbolized in an expressive theatricalization, the dance of the ribbons and its cojuelos devils, with simple costumes of red, yellow, green and with their masks representing the medieval, andromorphic devil, Mephistophelian, with its two classic frontal cachitos, large ears, open mouth and exposed teeth, which was later creolized with goatskin beards.

Every Sunday in the month of February in the afternoon, the lame devils take to the street armed with their bull bladders, beating anyone who dares to go down to the street, but respecting those who remain on the sidewalk or road.

The center of the activity is Padre Adolfo Nouel Street, passing through the Parque de las Flores, where the devils whip the passers-by who provoke them or leave the road and where it culminates with a parade of more than 80 groups of troupes.

This picturesque dimension, colonial heritage, will be transformed with the Afro presence, where Cuban migrations and the residents of the popular neighborhoods of La Vega played an important role.

Currently the Vegan Carnival is the most important cultural event in this city that bears the name of the fertile valley that sustains it and of the entire country, it has been declared National Folkloric Heritage by the Chamber of Deputies.

For some researchers, the first Carnival demonstrations on the island that we now share with Haiti, and in America, took place in what is today the Ruins of La Vega Vieja, in February 1520, on the occasion of a visit by Brother Bartolomé de Las Casas.

It was known that the inhabitants of La Vega Vieja dressed up as Moors and Christians and held celebrations that evolved into the current celebrations.

For years the Vegan Carnival maintained a predominantly Spanishized expression, symbolized in an expressive theatricalization, the dance of the ribbons and its cojuelos devils, with simple costumes of red, yellow, green and with their masks representing the medieval, andromorphic devil, Mephistophelian, with its two classic frontal cachitos, large ears, open mouth and exposed teeth, which was later creolized with goatskin beards.

Every Sunday in the month of February in the afternoon, the lame devils take to the street armed with their bull bladders, beating anyone who dares to go down to the street, but respecting those who remain on the sidewalk or road.

The center of the activity is Padre Adolfo Nouel Street, passing through the Parque de las Flores, where the devils whip the passers-by who provoke them or leave the road and where it culminates with a parade of more than 80 groups of troupes.

This picturesque dimension, colonial heritage, will be transformed with the Afro presence, where Cuban migrations and the residents of the popular neighborhoods of La Vega played an important role.

Currently the Vegan Carnival is the most important cultural event in this city that bears the name of the fertile valley that sustains it and of the entire country, it has been declared National Folkloric Heritage by the Chamber of Deputies.

Education

In the city there is a private university founded in 1983, the Universidad Católica del Cibao (UCATECI).

There is also an extension of the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University (UNPHU), the Fernando Arturo de Meriño Agroforestry University and an extension of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), known as (CURVE-UASD).

Public schools:

• College La Sagrada Familia.
• School Arenous.
• School Del Carmen.
• School Garcia Godoy.
• Grullón Mitila School.
• School Father Lamarche.
• School Ramón del Orbe.
• School San Antonio.
• School San Martín De Porres.
• School San Miguel.
• Centro Educativo Ana Ramona Suárez
• Salesian Agricultural and Technical Institute
• Liceo Don Pepe Álvarez.
• Female Polytechnic Mercedes Morel.
• School Teacher Ana Ramona Suárez.

Private schools:

• College Agustiniano.
• College Cardinal Sancha.
• College Don Luis Despradel.
• College Eugenio María De Hostos.
• College Immaculate Conception.
• College Nubeluz.
• College Father Fantino.
• College Little Giants.
• College Santo Tomas de Aquino.
• College U.N.P.H.U.
• Colegio Vega Nueva.
• La Vega Christian School.

Catholic University of Cibao (UCATECI)

On February 25, 1983, the Executive Branch issued Decree number 820 by which the Cibao Technological Institute (INTECI) was created.

Later, with Decree number 764 of August 14, 1986, it changed its name to the Technological University of Cibao (UTECI). Its founder and first Rector was the then Bishop of the Diocese of La Vega, Mons. Juan Antonio Flores Santana, supported by a group of men and women from the municipality.

On January 31, 2002, it was declared a Catholic University, under the approval of Bishop Antonio Camilo González, assuming the name of the Catholic Technological University of Cibao (UCATECI) and more recently it was designated the Catholic University of Cibao (UCATECI).

UNPHU, La Vega Campus

The Campus was founded on March 5, 1973, corresponding to a request made by a segment of vegan intellectuals, led by Professor Francisco Javier Abreu Almánzar, supported by the Foundation for the Development of the Province of La Vega.

It is located on Avenida Federico García Godoy #71 in the Villa Fresca Sector, in an area of 12,040 square meters, which with its improvement consists of a two-level building, declared Dominican Cultural Heritage, was donated by the Dominican State to the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University. Four of the seven existing faculties of the University Headquarters are in force on the campus, that is: Legal and Political Sciences, with the School of Law, Economic and Social Sciences with the Schools of: Hotel Administration, Accounting and Auditing, Administration of Markets and Business Administration, Humanities and Education with the School of Education, as well as that of Engineering Sciences and Technology with the Schools of: Surveying and Computer Science.

Transportation

With regard to access roads, the city is very well positioned, since it has the services of the country's main highway (Duarte Highway) that connects the southern region, especially the capital of the republic and the north of the country.

The quality of the roads, for its part, is not consistent, there are paved areas, others that have never been paved and streets in poor condition are very common, an example is the main avenue of the city, Imbert Avenue., which is not completed.

Regarding the transportation of the city center with conchos cars, the old public transport junks were replaced with car models from 1995 to 2005 to have higher quality transportation in this productive city. However, the service is poor, it has few routes and few units, so the waiting time is usually long, and you do not have access to all parts of the city.

Sports

Basketball

In La Vega, the La Vega Superior Basketball Tournament is held every year between the months of October and December. Currently, this tournament has five teams:

• Club Dosa (CD)
• Club Enriquillo (EC)
• Club The Matica (CM)
• Club La Villa (CV)
• Club Parque Hostos (HCP)

Vegan Olympic Complex

El complejo de la llamada n#34;Ciudad Olímpica#34; cuenta con varias instalaciones deportivas:

• Fernando Teruel Sports Palace.
• The Vegan Olympic Stadium.
• The Olympic Pool.
• Karate, Judo, Pesas, Taekwondo and Chess.
• Volleyball courts.
• A football stadium with an athletic track.
• An area to practice bike mounts, motocross and other extreme sports, etc.

Other sports complexes

• DOSA: One of the oldest and most important sports centers in the city, belonging to the Salesians. It has a roof that contains two basketball courts and two volleyball courts, us beisball stadium and one sotfball, a football stadium and several karate, takwando and judo facilities, among other facilities.
• Sports center San Agustín: One of the most recent, has the largest tennis complex in the city and has a semi-olympic swimming pool.
• Play number one and play number two: There are two stadiums: one from Sotfball and one from baseball, before they were in the center of the city, they were transferred to the Ponton sector at the entrance of the city.

Sister Cities

• Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.