Neiva
Encyclopedia
Neiva is the Capital of the Department of Huila. It is located in the valley
of the Magdalena River
in south central Colombia
with a population of about 378,857 inhabitants. It is one of the most important cities in Southern Colombia, mainly because of its strategic geographical location.
. In 1550, don Juan de Alonso y Arias relocated the city to the place that is now the municipality of Villavieja
. At this location, the city was destroyed by indigenous tribes in 1560. The city was founded, at its actual location, for the third and final time in 1612 by Diego de Ospina y Medinilla.
Neiva became important during the colonial times because of its strategic location. It was located in the trade route that communicated the Viceroyalty of Peru
with Bogotá
and Caracas
. The city was declared as the capital of the Province of Neiva, made up of the Neiva, La Plata
, Timaná
, Purificación
cabildos
. In 1905 the city became the capital of the newly created Huila
department, which had been severed from the Tolima department by the national government.
In 1967, the city was hit severely by an earthquake
of magnitude 7.2. The earthquake destroyed several buildings including the Palacio de las 57 ventanas, the Governor's building.
and its low altitude, the city has a hot annual average climate with daytime temperatures ranging from 88 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.It is about 300 kilometers / 186.4 miles (about a five-hour drive) from the Colombian capital, Bogotá
.
The city of Palembang
in Indonesia
is the antipode
of Neiva.
.
which serve primarily Southern Colombia. Among the most important are the Universidad Surcolombiana
, the Corporación Universitaria del Huila and the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia.
named after Benito Salas Vargas
is located inside the city and serves domestic destinations.
festivities held between the last two weeks of June and early July. During this time, there are daily parades through the downtown area and showings of the Sanjuanero
, a folk dance, where the participants dress in a typical costumes and compete for being the best performers of the Sanjuanero choreography.
club which competes in the top division of the Colombian professional football (soccer) league. The games are played at the Guillermo Plazas Alcid Stadium
.
Basketball had historically a high popularity, although it has decreased in recent years. The cities Basketball games are played at the Coliseo Álvaro Sánchez Silva
court.
The city has host important national and international sport events. For example:
Magdalena River Valley
The Magdalena River Valley is a valley in Colombia located within the Colombian Andes mountain ranges. The valley is specifically located between the Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental and crossed by the river of the same name, the Magdalena River....
of the Magdalena River
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
in south central Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
with a population of about 378,857 inhabitants. It is one of the most important cities in Southern Colombia, mainly because of its strategic geographical location.
History
Neiva was first founded in 1539 by don Juan de Cabrera in an area now belonging to the municipality of CampoalegreCampoalegre
Campoalegre is a town and municipality in the Huila Department, Colombia....
. In 1550, don Juan de Alonso y Arias relocated the city to the place that is now the municipality of Villavieja
Villavieja, Huila
Villavieja is a town and municipality in the Huila Department, Colombia. The municipality covers most of the Tatacoa Desert. The town is built on the banks of the Magdalena River...
. At this location, the city was destroyed by indigenous tribes in 1560. The city was founded, at its actual location, for the third and final time in 1612 by Diego de Ospina y Medinilla.
Neiva became important during the colonial times because of its strategic location. It was located in the trade route that communicated the Viceroyalty of Peru
Viceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
with Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
and Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. The city was declared as the capital of the Province of Neiva, made up of the Neiva, La Plata
La Plata, Huila
La Plata is a town and municipality in the Huila Department, Colombia with a population of 55,784 inhabitants including the rural area at an altitude of 1,050 m. It is located 122 km away from Neiva, 147 km from the city of Popayán and 210 km from the town of St...
, Timaná
Timana
Timana is a town and municipality in the Huila Department, Colombia....
, Purificación
Purificación, Tolima
Purificación is a town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia....
cabildos
Cabildo (council)
For a discussion of the contemporary Spanish and Latin American cabildo, see Ayuntamiento.A cabildo or ayuntamiento was a former Spanish, colonial administrative council that governed a municipality. Cabildos were sometimes appointed, sometimes elected, but were considered to be representative of...
. In 1905 the city became the capital of the newly created Huila
Huila
Huila may refer to:* Huila Department, in Colombia* Atlético Huila a first division Association football team in Colombia.* Huíla Province, in Angola* Nevado del Huila, volcano in Colombia...
department, which had been severed from the Tolima department by the national government.
In 1967, the city was hit severely by an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
of magnitude 7.2. The earthquake destroyed several buildings including the Palacio de las 57 ventanas, the Governor's building.
Geography and climate
Due to its location near the equatorEquator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
and its low altitude, the city has a hot annual average climate with daytime temperatures ranging from 88 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.It is about 300 kilometers / 186.4 miles (about a five-hour drive) from the Colombian capital, Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
.
The city of Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
is the antipode
Antipodes
In geography, the antipodes of any place on Earth is the point on the Earth's surface which is diametrically opposite to it. Two points that are antipodal to one another are connected by a straight line running through the centre of the Earth....
of Neiva.
Tourist attractions
Throughout the city a tourist might enjoy the scattered city monuments, especially around the edges of the Magdalena River, where the local government has been maintaining the recently built sanctuary meant to safeguard the Magdalena from any pollutants and human produced contamination. Around this sanctuary there are parks and gardens usually crowded by locals and tourists who came to the growing city. The city can be reached by road travel, or by all major national airlines, coming to the Benito Salas AirportBenito Salas Airport
Benito Salas Airport is an airport that serves the city of Neiva, the capital of the Huila Department in Colombia. It was named after Benito Salas Vargas, a military and social leader during Colombia's independence war . Actually is in a rebuilding process, that includes a new control tower, and...
.
Education
Neiva is home to several universitiesUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
which serve primarily Southern Colombia. Among the most important are the Universidad Surcolombiana
South Colombian University
The Universidad Surcolombiana , also known as USCO, is a public, national, university based primarily in the city of Neiva, Huila, Colombia.-External links:* official website...
, the Corporación Universitaria del Huila and the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia.
Air Transportation
The Benito Salas AirportBenito Salas Airport
Benito Salas Airport is an airport that serves the city of Neiva, the capital of the Huila Department in Colombia. It was named after Benito Salas Vargas, a military and social leader during Colombia's independence war . Actually is in a rebuilding process, that includes a new control tower, and...
named after Benito Salas Vargas
Benito Salas Vargas
Benito Salas Vargas was a military and social leader during Colombia's independence war . He fought against Pablo Morillo during the Spanish reconquest of New Granada. In 1811 he joined the forces of Brigadier Jose Diaz, as part of the army of the United Provinces of New Granada commanded by...
is located inside the city and serves domestic destinations.
Festivals and events
This city is known for the Festival Folclórico y Reinado Nacional del BambucoFestival Folclórico y Reinado Nacional del Bambuco
The Bambuco Pageant and Folkloric Festival is the largest and most important celebration in Huila Department and one of the most important celebrations in southern Colombia. It is celebrated annually in the city of Neiva during the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and attracts a considerable number...
festivities held between the last two weeks of June and early July. During this time, there are daily parades through the downtown area and showings of the Sanjuanero
Sanjuanero
" El Sanjuanero" is a traditional Colombian bambuco song. Its music was written in 1936 by Anselmo Duran Plazas and its lyrics were written by Sofía Gaitán Yanguas. It was first performed on July 12,1936...
, a folk dance, where the participants dress in a typical costumes and compete for being the best performers of the Sanjuanero choreography.
Sports
Football is currently the most popular sport in the city. The city is the base for the Atlético HuilaAtlético Huila
Atlético Huila, is a Colombian football club based in the city of Neiva, that competes in the top division of the Colombian professional football league. The club was founded in 1990 and plays home games at the Guillermo Plazas Alcid stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 22,000...
club which competes in the top division of the Colombian professional football (soccer) league. The games are played at the Guillermo Plazas Alcid Stadium
Estadio Guillermo Plazas Alcid
Estadio Guillermo Plazas Alcid is a multi-purpose stadium in Neiva, Colombia. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 22,000 people. It was built in 1980. Atlético Huila plays its home matches at this stadium....
.
Basketball had historically a high popularity, although it has decreased in recent years. The cities Basketball games are played at the Coliseo Álvaro Sánchez Silva
Coliseo Álvaro Sánchez Silva
The Coliseo Álvaro Sánchez Silva, is an indoor sporting arena located in Neiva, Huila Department, Colombia. It is the most important sporting facility in Huila after the Estadio Guillermo Plazas Alcid. It has been recognized as having one of the best basketball courts in Colombia. It is used mainly...
court.
The city has host important national and international sport events. For example:
- XI National Games of ColombiaNational Games of ColombiaThe National Games of Colombia, known in Spanish as the Juegos Deportivos Nacionales, is the premier multi-sports event of Colombia at national level. The first instance of the event was organized in 1928 and for several years it took place at irregular intervals of time. The Colombian Sports...
1980 - Juvenile FinswimmingFinswimmingFinswimming is the progression of a swimmer using monofins or normal swimfins either on the water surface or underwater, using only muscle strength. It is a discipline of underwater sports. The competition distances are same as for swimming...
World Championship 2008 - South American Basketball Championship 2010South American Basketball Championship 2010The 2010 South American Basketball Championship was the 44th edition of the South American Basketball Championship. Eight teams featured the competition, held in Neiva, Colombia from 26 to July 31 in the Coliseo Álvaro Sánchez Silva. Argentina was the defending champion, but lost in the final to...
- FIBA Americas Championship for Women 2011