Minas, Uruguay
Encyclopedia
Minas is the capital of the Lavalleja Department
in Uruguay
. It is located in the south of the department, on the intersection of Route 8
with Route 12
. The city is situated between hill ranges and the basins of the streams Arroyo San Francisco and Arroyo Campanero. Its status was elevated to "City" category on 16 May 1888 by decree Ley No. 1.980.
and Galicia regions of Spain
settled in the area following a frustrated attempt to populate Patagonia
. The idea of a city in the area was first raised in 1753 by Jose Joaquin de Viana, the governor of Montevideo
, who wanted to create a population centre in "the zones of the mines". He commissioned Rafael Perez Del Puerto to design the layout of the city, the basis of which remains in place today.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
In the northeast part of the city there is the big Parque Rodó which contains a zoological garden, a public open air swimming pool, an area for picnics and a small football field. At the east end of the city is the hill and park Cerro Artigas containing an mounted statue of the 19th century Uruguayan hero General Jose Artigas.
Surrounding area
The Parque Salto del Penitente lies 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east of the city, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to the west-southwest is Parque Salus and 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the southeast is the Parque de Vacaciones UTE-ANTEL, a park for the vacations of the employees of the Uruguayan Electricity Company and the Uruguayan Telecomunications Company.
, an Uruguay
an Association footballer.
Lavalleja Department
The Department of Lavalleja is a department of Uruguay. The capital is Minas. It is located in the southeast of the country, bordered to the north by the department of Treinta y Tres to the east with Rocha, to the south with Canelones and Maldonado, and to the west to Florida.The department is...
in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,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...
. It is located in the south of the department, on the intersection of Route 8
Route 8 (Uruguay)
Route 8 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1975, it was assigned the name Brigadier General Juan Antonio Lavalleja, a national hero of Uruguay...
with Route 12
Route 12 (Uruguay)
Route 12 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1983, it was assigned the name Doctor Luis Alberto de Herrera. It connects Florida to Minas.-References:...
. The city is situated between hill ranges and the basins of the streams Arroyo San Francisco and Arroyo Campanero. Its status was elevated to "City" category on 16 May 1888 by decree Ley No. 1.980.
History
The city was founded in 1783 as Villa de la Concepcion de las Minas, when a number of families from the AsturiasAsturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
and Galicia regions of Spain
Spain
Spain , 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...
settled in the area following a frustrated attempt to populate Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
. The idea of a city in the area was first raised in 1753 by Jose Joaquin de Viana, the governor of Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, who wanted to create a population centre in "the zones of the mines". He commissioned Rafael Perez Del Puerto to design the layout of the city, the basis of which remains in place today.
Population
In 2004, Minas had a population of 37,925.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 31,805 |
| 1975 | 35,225 |
| 1985 | 34,658 |
| 1996 | 37,146 |
| 2004 | 37,925 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Features
In the cityIn the northeast part of the city there is the big Parque Rodó which contains a zoological garden, a public open air swimming pool, an area for picnics and a small football field. At the east end of the city is the hill and park Cerro Artigas containing an mounted statue of the 19th century Uruguayan hero General Jose Artigas.
Surrounding area
The Parque Salto del Penitente lies 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east of the city, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to the west-southwest is Parque Salus and 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the southeast is the Parque de Vacaciones UTE-ANTEL, a park for the vacations of the employees of the Uruguayan Electricity Company and the Uruguayan Telecomunications Company.
Famous people
It is the birthplace of Sebastián AbreuSebastián Abreu
Washington Sebastián Abreu Gallo is an Uruguayan footballer who plays with Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas in Brazil as a striker.Best known by his nickname El Loco , the prolific goalscorer – for club and country – played for more than 20 teams during his professional career, in six different...
, an Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,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...
an Association footballer.