Colonia Tovar: Difference between revisions
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'''Easter.''' Along with the religious celebrations of [[Easter]], in Colonia Tovar performed the traditional German <<nests>>, to celebrate the coming of Easter bunnies with its eggs. In developing these, involving the whole family and it is customary for the children look for eggs hidden in the courtyards. The Monday after Easter the residents of Colonia Tovar attend the Chapel of the Resurrection. There he performed the blessing of the crops and food, and everyone shared a day of camping. The Parade of the Gorilla wearing a pants suit with a beard cover stick and a mask. |
'''Easter.''' Along with the religious celebrations of [[Easter]], in Colonia Tovar performed the traditional German <<nests>>, to celebrate the coming of Easter bunnies with its eggs. In developing these, involving the whole family and it is customary for the children look for eggs hidden in the courtyards. The Monday after Easter the residents of Colonia Tovar attend the Chapel of the Resurrection. There he performed the blessing of the crops and food, and everyone shared a day of camping. The Parade of the Gorilla wearing a pants suit with a beard cover stick and a mask. |
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== Sites of Interest == |
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View of a sale of fruits and vegetables in Colonia Tovar. |
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View of the typical architecture in Colonia Tovar. |
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'''City Museum:''' The Museum of the City was created by Dr. Néstor Rojas and offers a thorough investigation about the history, customs and traditions of the Germanic people. |
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'''Breikanz Mall:''' is located in the center of Colonia Tovar, Codazzi street. This is a series of shops offering crafts particular to [[Germany]] and typical of the region. We also offer steaks, [[embutido]]s, and [[vienna sausage]]s. |
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'''Codazzi Peak Natural Monument:''' Codazzi Peak reaches its maximum height of 2,429 m in [[Aragua]] state jurisdiction, but as covering an area of 11,850 has also shared by the states of [[Vargas]], [[Miranda]] and the Capital District. It was declared a national monument by presidential decree of June 5, 1991, in honor and national recognition to the Italian geographer and cartographer [[Agustino Codazzi]], born in 1793 and died in 1859. In the natural area is installed the Archaeological Museum Panarigua and Inn Panarigua. |
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'''Tovar Brewery''', the first Venezuelan [[beer]] made in Colonia Tovar in 1843, arrived as soon as the founders. Production has remained the same since. Its production is performed by Cervecería Tovar C. A. and preserves the quality standards required in the [[Reinheitsgebot|Bavarian Purity Law of 1516]]. |
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'''Historical Center:''' several buildings in the city center and around the Plaza Bolivar are the historical axis of Colonia. The most representative buildings are the Church of St. Martin of Tours, the Casa Codazzi and the Old School, all in the lower part of town. As is the most popular is there are many restaurants, cafes, craft shops, as well as services such as public telephones, parking and restrooms. |
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'''Anno Domine Museum''', also in the center is the Anno Domine Museum, which holds equipment of the first settlers, documents, paintings belonging to Baroness Elizabeth von Seller. |
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=== Media === |
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* '''KAY Radio''' |
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== Sister cities == |
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* {{flag|Germany}} [[Passau]], [[Bavaria]] |
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* {{flag|Venezuela}} [[Maracay]], [[Aragua]] |
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* {{flag|Kenya}} [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]] |
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* {{flag|Venezuela}} [[Altagracia de Orituco]], [[Guárico]] |
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* {{flag|Brazil}} [[Blumenau]], [[Santa Catarina]] |
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* {{flag|Peru}} [[Pozuzo]], [[Oxapampa Province]] |
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* {{flag|Germany}} [[Endingen am Kaiserstuhl]], [[Baden-Württemberg]] |
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* {{flag|Peru}} [[Pozuzo]], [[Cerro de Pasco]] |
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* {{flag|USA}} [[Helen, Georgia|Helen]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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Revision as of 15:46, 14 July 2012
 | This article currently links to a large number of disambiguation pages (or back to itself). (July 2012) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2008) |
Colonia Tovar | |
|---|---|
| File:Centro, Colonia Tovar.jpg | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
| Country |  Venezuela |
| State | Aragua |
| Municipality | Tovar Municipality |
| Founded | 8 April 1843 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 250 km2 (100 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,200 m (7,200 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 14,309 |
| • Density | 57/km2 (150/sq mi) |
| • Demonym | Coloniero/a |
| Time zone | VST |
| Postal code | 1030 |
| Area code(s) | 0243, 0244 |
| Website | www.coloniatovar.net |
Colonia Tovar (English: Tovar Colony) is a town of Venezuela, capital of the municipality Tovar in Aragua state. Founded in 1843 by a group of immigrants from the then independent state of Baden (later incorporated into Germany), is characterized by maintaining the cultural imprint of their origin, so it is called "the Germany of the Caribbean". Depends primarily on agriculture and tourism, and is located 42 km from Caracas. The Colonia is known for its temperate crops (peaches, strawberries, beets, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, chard, broccoli, lettuce, onions and potatoes) and their derivatives. Since 1990 has shown a high rate of population growth, rising from 3,373 to 14,309 inhabitants in 2001.
History
In those years, between France and Germany was an independent state called the Grand Duchy of Baden, which occupied much of the eastern bank of the Rhine River in the southwest corner is the winery mountain area Kaiserstuhl. From here come from the most settlers who came to found and settle in Colonia Tovar.
It then formed a colonizing company composed of Agustin Codazzi and Ramón Díaz, and as guarantor Martín Tovar y Ponte (Count of Tovar). Codazzi contacted residents of Kaiserstuhl and selected the area where it would install the colony, taking into account the geographic and climatic similarities. The selected land belonged to the nephew of Count of Tovar, Manuel Felipe Tovar, who donated for the installation of the colony.
On October 14, 1841 was baptized the territory as Palmar del Tuy and it conducted basic infrastructure. Once completed, the settlement enterprise went to the medieval old town in the mountainous Endingen in Kaiserstuhl to select the settlers. The contracts between the company and immigrants were signed at the inn Der Pfauen, located a few meters from the entrance of the city. Finally, the immigrants who sailed to Venezuela amounted to 391 people: 240 men and 151 women, most of them from the Kaiserstuhl, which departed on December 18, 1842.
-Kaiserstuhl_(2).png?lang=en)
They went along the Rhine, embarked in the port of Le Havre (France) on January 19, 1843 and arrived at the La Guaira March 4 aboard the French ship Clemence piloted by Captain Malverin. Was scheduled to land on the Puerto Maya coast, north of La Victoria, but given that there not had previously opened the path traced by Codazzi, were forced to turn to Choroní to go up the alternate path, also designed by Codazzi and opened by the engineer Inder Pellegrini leaving La Victoria to the place assigned for the new population. However, they could not disembark immediately in Choroní because it had declared an epidemic of smallpox on board and had to be quarantined in Choroní since March 13 that same year. On March 31, landed, they headed to the city of Maracay and La Victoria where there were received by President of Venezuela Carlos Soublette. Settlers arrived in Palmar del Tuy on April 8, 1843, 112 days after out of Baden. That day is considered the foundation day of Colonia Tovar, who took the last name of the donor. Among the first settlers there were scientists, naturalists, writers and painters, such as Karl Ferdinand Appun, Karl Moritz, Anton Goering, Ferdinand Bellerman (painter who was sponsored by Humboldt) and many others, most of whom are buried in the city cemetery. Initially, the village was organized around the production of coffee. As <<los colonieros>> were thriving, production spread to new lands and activities such as growing vegetables and fruits, it found good market in Caracas or La Victoria, and then the manufacture of barrels, using quality timber of the zone. For many years the colony was connected with Caracas by a river. The difficulty of communication, isolation and the environmental setting so different from the alpine mountains of Germany did that for quite some time, people are kept isolated and static, with a very slow population growth and even negative at some point, due to rural exodus.
From the 60's, when Colonia Tovar was declared of tourist interest, began to reverse that trend, with the development of communications and tourism needs of Caracas, Maracay and other cities, which led to significant economic development. Today it is one of the richest in the country measured by person and one who has better life. Colonia Tovar's prosperity in turn led to high population growth of the population, from 3,373 to 14,309 inhabitants in 2001. Currently the paths tend to become congested at weekends due to the large number of visitors. The ancient descendants of early settlers are fully integrated into the country and have been crossbred with the native population. Speak Spanish and have had to rescue his own knowledge of German and improve because of the demands by the arrival of many German tourists are always surprised to find a typical German town full tropics.
Geography
The Colonia Tovar is at almost 2,200 m in the central coastal mountains of the Venezuelan Coastal Range. It is connected with Caracas and La Victoria by road. Its climate is temperate mountain with daily thermal amplitudes of about 8 °C, with a mean of 16.8 °C, and frequent mists, especially at dawn and evening. The data on average temperature and rainfall amounts of Colonia Tovar month are:
- Location: Lat 10° 25 'N, Long 67º 18' W, altitude, 2,200 m
- Temperatures in °C: in January (6.7), February (8.1), March (10), April (11.5), May (12.3), June (13.7), July (14.2 ), August (13.9), September (12.6), October (10.3), November (7.9), December (7.1). Annual average temperature: 10.7 °C
- Rainfall in mm:' January (66) February (32) March (24) April (67), May (127), June (143), July (176), August (133), September (149), October (166) November (118) December (70). Amount annual rainfall: 1271 mm.
The city is located in the northern of Aragua state. The municipality has the shape of <<L>>, and bounded on the north by the Caribbean Sea, the northeast by the state of Vargas, in the east Caracas (Libertador municipality) in the south bordering the Aragua River and east ends with the Santiago Mariño Municipality. The Colonia Tovar is settled in very rugged terrain with creeks and streams. Prevail mountain landscapes of misty appearance characteristic of the Venezuelan Coastal Range (an mountainous alignment against the Venezuelan coast of the Caribbean Sea), which is the greater height of Aragua state, the Codazzi peak of 2,429 meters, located north of the town. The cloud forest that characterizes the dominant vegetation changes as you lower rungs of the relief as gallery forest and ends with savanna weeds southward and xerophytic in the north sea. The colony is surrounded by houses (chalets) relatively far apart in many small plots of intensive use. It develops an intensive agriculture (horticultural, fruit growing) high productivity and profitability: flowers, strawberries, tomatoes, peaches, garlic, peaches and other temperate crops. Its are also installed ceramic craft workshops, sausage factories, cookies and candy, breweries, canned foods (jams, peaches, etc..), In addition to traditional agricultural activities that result in the marketing of vegetables, fruit, flowers, pork and its derivatives, etc..
Hydrography, flora and fauna
The hydrography of Tovar municipality is divided into three basins: of the Caribbean Sea, formed by the rivers: San Miguel, Ocumare, Cata, Aroa and Tuy, of the Orinoco River, formed by the Memo River and the Guárico River, and the endorheic of Lake Valencia where empty into the Rivers of Aragua, Turmero, Maracay, Tapa-tapa, Tocorón and Las Minas. The River Aragua, southern boundary of the Colonia Tovar, was formed by the confluence of the rivers Gabante and Curtidor, a level of «Pie de Cerro», at north of La Victoria. The River Gabante, in turn, is tributary to Quebrada Honda, while the River Curtidor converge River San Carlos and Quebrada Coche. All these rivers and streams rise in the high mountains surrounding the Colonia Tovar. The headwaters of the Tuy River are near the town. In its first stage is a mountain river. The city is located in a catchment area of the river, which forms a kind of amphitheater. The Colonia is located within Codazzi Peak Natural Monument and near the Henri Pittier National Park. In addition to its diverse climate zones and flora, The Colonia Tovar has a great diversity of wildlife, mainly species of birds, which includes a total of 578 registered species. The region has a rich fauna, recognized for its biodiversity, especially migratory birds. Mammals and snakes also contribute to the diversity of this area.
In the Estación Biológica de Rancho Grande is a zoological museum with the species of the area, plus an informative trail of interpretation of the biological processes that occur in the Cloud Forest. It also has facilities and equipment for users to review the material under appropriate conditions such as magnifying glasses, water, trays and instruments of measurement and accessible literature. Among the diverse flora include orchids, bromeliads and varieties of tree ferns. The fauna is characteristic of cloud forest; is habitat for many species due to its status climax. Among the wildlife species most characteristic referred to in Golden-headed Quetzal, Toucan beak emerald bottle, also known by the residents with the name "tiátaro." Among the most common primates include Black howler, there are also Hummingbird coludo blue and Tiles swallows. Also common Tara butterfly, Mountaineer armadillo and many more. There are two paths: the road to El Junquito and route La Victoria, the last of a remarkable beauty.
Economy
Because of agriculture, los colonieros have spread around the grounds surrounding the valley when it started the boom in coffee exploitation. After growing his fruits and vegetables got good market in Caracas and La Victoria. Currently, weekends and holidays, near the Church, farmers and craftsmen set up a market with stalls that resemble typical houses with red roofs, offering local produce, mainly fruit, flowers, vegetables, plants, candy and crafts. Tovar also produces quality wooden casks, which are famous in and out of the mountain. Los coloneros also produce other crops and goods originating in European culture, such as peaches, tree tomato, passion fruit, strawberries, blackberries, figs, vegetables, bread, sausages, pastry, sauces and pasta, beer, wood, ceramics, wrought iron and crafts in general. With the influx of tourism from the 1960's, settled hotels in cozy and familiar cottages. Also installed restaurants in traditional huts, serving typical dishes of coloniera culture. Tourism, mainly from Caracas, Valencia and Maracay, has been replacing agriculture as the main economic activity in the Colonia since.
Language and culture
Tovar was organized from the beggining as a closed community. The founders had the intention that they maintain their cultural traditions for a long time. Upon arrival, they built houses retaining the distinctive architecture of the Kaiserstuhl. The badische, Baden dialect, was the language that dominated the area and food and clothing remained intact. Even for a time forbade marriage outside the colonia, in order to ensure ethnic and cultural continuity. Although the official language of Venezuela is Castilian, the majority language in Colonia Tovar is the alemannisch: alemannic, Alemán Coloniero precisely. It is a variant language they have inherited generations after 150 years, although many phonetic and lexical turns are no longer used in Europe. The alemannic belongs, next to bavarian, the branch called high german of the Germanic language family. The houses, buildings and shops in the city are also made according to the alpine style, giving it an unmistakable identity peculiar. The Church of St. Martin in the center of town is a true copy of the Endingen in Germany, from where the founders. In 1940 it established Spanish as the official language and exogamous marriage became a free practice. In the early 21th century, the inhabitants of Tovar are integrated into Venezuelan culture, without abandoning their customs immigration. Among the traditions that remain is the craftsmanship, heritage of the founders, preserving traditional skills in arts and crafts in wood, ceramic and other materials. It also works the Academic Center of Violin, as a school that prepares students in the art of manufacturing, maintenance and repair of symphonic instruments and popular.
Gastronomy
The cuisine of the Colonia Tovar is conditioned by its German origin. In small popular restaurants are famous desserts of the Colonia, such as strudels, gugelhupf, cakes and churros and/or meat with cream, the traditionals Kaiserschmarrn, Germknödel, Apfelstrudel and Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, known in English such as Black Forest cake, along with charcuterie and specialties including the famous German sausages. It is also characteristic of the cuisine of Colonia the Tovar Beer, which occurs in the area.
Dances and celebrations
Oktoberfest-Beer Festival. In Colonia Tovar is held annually in October, the Germanic traditional festival known as Oktoberfest. Sometimes have been invited groups from Germany to play traditional music. It also performs the International Festival of Chamber Music Colonia Tovar.
On April 8 it celebrate the founding of Colonia. To this date there are cultural activities in the Plaza Bolívar. The celebrations include a parade, involving educational, dance groups and cultural associations local and guests. It also performs the annual election of the Queen of Colonia Tovar.
The Carnival. During the carnival parades are made of Jokilis and Gorilas. The Jokili is a character that exists in Germany since 1782, a mixture of jester and harlequin. Their dress consists of a red suit with fringe on collar, sleeves, waist and legs, which reveal bells. They placed a three-pointed hat, white gloves and pointy shoes. They also have a wooden mask, made for each Jokili in particular. A carved wooden stick, which carries a knotted rope and the other side a pig's bladder, a globe, is the instrument that usually hit bystanders who observe this holiday.
Festivities in honor of St. Martin of Tours. The patron saint of travelers, St. Martin, is honored on 11 November. In the Church, is an image of the saint, which was brought by the founders from Baden. That day also performs the Festival of Flowers, Fruits and Crafts, in which prizes are awarded to the excellence of the products produced in the municipality.
Festivals. Two festivals are held annually, usually between March and April, one and the other between August and September. One is cultural heritage of the municipality, according to Decree of the Mayor of Tovar, held since 1992 and is known as the International Festival of Chamber Music Colonia Tovar. The second is Friends of Chamber Music Colonia Tovar and is since 1997.
Easter. Along with the religious celebrations of Easter, in Colonia Tovar performed the traditional German <<nests>>, to celebrate the coming of Easter bunnies with its eggs. In developing these, involving the whole family and it is customary for the children look for eggs hidden in the courtyards. The Monday after Easter the residents of Colonia Tovar attend the Chapel of the Resurrection. There he performed the blessing of the crops and food, and everyone shared a day of camping. The Parade of the Gorilla wearing a pants suit with a beard cover stick and a mask.
Sites of Interest
View of a sale of fruits and vegetables in Colonia Tovar. View of the typical architecture in Colonia Tovar.
City Museum: The Museum of the City was created by Dr. Néstor Rojas and offers a thorough investigation about the history, customs and traditions of the Germanic people.
Breikanz Mall: is located in the center of Colonia Tovar, Codazzi street. This is a series of shops offering crafts particular to Germany and typical of the region. We also offer steaks, embutidos, and vienna sausages.
Codazzi Peak Natural Monument: Codazzi Peak reaches its maximum height of 2,429 m in Aragua state jurisdiction, but as covering an area of 11,850 has also shared by the states of Vargas, Miranda and the Capital District. It was declared a national monument by presidential decree of June 5, 1991, in honor and national recognition to the Italian geographer and cartographer Agustino Codazzi, born in 1793 and died in 1859. In the natural area is installed the Archaeological Museum Panarigua and Inn Panarigua.
Tovar Brewery, the first Venezuelan beer made in Colonia Tovar in 1843, arrived as soon as the founders. Production has remained the same since. Its production is performed by Cervecería Tovar C. A. and preserves the quality standards required in the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516.
Historical Center: several buildings in the city center and around the Plaza Bolivar are the historical axis of Colonia. The most representative buildings are the Church of St. Martin of Tours, the Casa Codazzi and the Old School, all in the lower part of town. As is the most popular is there are many restaurants, cafes, craft shops, as well as services such as public telephones, parking and restrooms.
Anno Domine Museum, also in the center is the Anno Domine Museum, which holds equipment of the first settlers, documents, paintings belonging to Baroness Elizabeth von Seller.
Media
- KAY Radio
Sister cities
Germany Passau, Bavaria- Venezuela Maracay, Aragua
Kenya Nairobi, Kenya- Venezuela Altagracia de Orituco, Guárico
Brazil Blumenau, Santa Catarina
Peru Pozuzo, Oxapampa Province- Germany Endingen am Kaiserstuhl, Baden-Württemberg
- Peru Pozuzo, Cerro de Pasco
USA Helen, Georgia
See also
External links
- La Colonia Tovar - Official Website
- Colonia Tovar - Tourism Website of Colonia Tovar
- Colonia Tovar - Main Website