Palmira
Encyclopedia
Palmira is a city and municipality in southwestern Colombia in the department of Valle del Cauca, located about 17 miles (27.4 km) east from Cali
, the department's capital and main city.
Palmira is located in the southwestern of Colombia, lying in the Cauca River
valley. 3°31’48” north altitude and 76°81’13” longitude west of Greenwich. The city covers an area of 448 square miles (1,160.3 km²). The average temperature is 23°C (73°F) and its altitude is 1000 m (3284 ft) above sea level.
Important agricultural products are sugar cane, coffee
, rice
, corn
, and tobacco
. The burning of the waste cane is the main source of air pollution in the city. In 2005, Palmira opened its first large and post modern shopping mall Centro Comercial Llanogrande Plaza, popularly called "La Catorce", after the department store 'La 14' located in the mall. The indoor/outdoor shopping center has become very popular among Palmireños since its opening as there are no other large shopping malls in the city. Nevertheless, Palmiranos can still do their basic shopping in La Marden or any of its other stores located all throughout the city, specially in El Centro. Before the mall was built, Palmireños had to travel to Cali
to many of its shopping centers such as La Catorce De Calima and Chipichape. Llanogrande has many restaurant
s, several outdoor bars
, an indoor cinema
, casino
, and a small amusement park
. It is located on the city's southwest side. Its address is Calle 31 No. 44-239. Palmira is also known for having many beautiful parks.
, Colombia's largest airline.
The citizens' most common method of transportation are the bicycle and motorcycle. There are so many of these in the city, that cars on the street have to drive slow and carefully in order to avoid hitting a pedestrian or a cyclist. In fact, the big quantity of motorcycles has become a new business since the past 5 years. Since there are a lot of motorcycles, their owners have started to offer their service of transportating people from one place to other as if they were a taxis. This at the same time, has created a big fight between taxis and "mototaxis", as many people call them, because it has reduced the demand of people willing to pay the cost of a taxi.
Similarly, another method of transportation that is very common, but mostly used as an attractive of the colonial architecture, are the white chariots which tourist can pay to get a tour of the city. Also, another similar type of chariots, without seats and with a loading part at the back, are used as wagons to transport materials for construction. These other chariots would play the role of mototaxis with taxis, but this time it will be with dump trucks.
(CIAT) founded in 1967.
Born in Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Robayo is an eight-semester student of law at Pontifical Xavierian University in Cali.
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, the department's capital and main city.
Geography
Cauca River
The Cauca River is a river in Colombia that lies between the Occidental and Central cordilleras. Born in southwestern Colombia near the city of Popayán, it joins the Magdalena River near Pinillos in Bolívar Department, and the combined river eventually flows out into the Caribbean Sea. It has a...
valley. 3°31’48” north altitude and 76°81’13” longitude west of Greenwich. The city covers an area of 448 square miles (1,160.3 km²). The average temperature is 23°C (73°F) and its altitude is 1000 m (3284 ft) above sea level.
History
According to the historian William Mallama Lugo, the city of Palmira arises in 1813 when Don Pedro Simón Cárdenas gave the name of Villa de las Palmas. Its inhabitants are called "Palmireños" or "Palmiranos".Industry and Recreation
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
. The burning of the waste cane is the main source of air pollution in the city. In 2005, Palmira opened its first large and post modern shopping mall Centro Comercial Llanogrande Plaza, popularly called "La Catorce", after the department store 'La 14' located in the mall. The indoor/outdoor shopping center has become very popular among Palmireños since its opening as there are no other large shopping malls in the city. Nevertheless, Palmiranos can still do their basic shopping in La Marden or any of its other stores located all throughout the city, specially in El Centro. Before the mall was built, Palmireños had to travel to Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
to many of its shopping centers such as La Catorce De Calima and Chipichape. Llanogrande has many restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, several outdoor bars
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, an indoor cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
, and a small amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
. It is located on the city's southwest side. Its address is Calle 31 No. 44-239. Palmira is also known for having many beautiful parks.
Transportation
The international airport Alfonso Bonilla Aragon, that serves Cali, is located in Palmira, and it is called (CLO) or Palmaseca. The airport is an important national and international hub for the Southwestern Colombia region. The international terminal is served with daily international flights to and from Houston, Miami, Quito, Madrid, Panama City and other important cities. Nine airlines provide service for the airport, including American Airlines, AeroRepública, and AviancaAvianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
, Colombia's largest airline.
The citizens' most common method of transportation are the bicycle and motorcycle. There are so many of these in the city, that cars on the street have to drive slow and carefully in order to avoid hitting a pedestrian or a cyclist. In fact, the big quantity of motorcycles has become a new business since the past 5 years. Since there are a lot of motorcycles, their owners have started to offer their service of transportating people from one place to other as if they were a taxis. This at the same time, has created a big fight between taxis and "mototaxis", as many people call them, because it has reduced the demand of people willing to pay the cost of a taxi.
Similarly, another method of transportation that is very common, but mostly used as an attractive of the colonial architecture, are the white chariots which tourist can pay to get a tour of the city. Also, another similar type of chariots, without seats and with a loading part at the back, are used as wagons to transport materials for construction. These other chariots would play the role of mototaxis with taxis, but this time it will be with dump trucks.
Education
It is also famous for having many colleges, as it has been called "The University City". The Agromomy School of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia is located here. Also located near Palmira, is the headquarters of the International Center for Tropical AgricultureInternational Center for Tropical Agriculture
The International Center for Tropical Agriculture is a not-for-profit research and development organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger while protecting natural resources in developing countries...
(CIAT) founded in 1967.
Famous residents
- Claudia PalaciosClaudia PalaciosClaudia Isabel Palacios Giraldo is a Colombian journalist and newscaster. She is best known as the weekend news anchor on CNN en Español, a position she has held since 2004....
, a Colombian journalist and newscaster, lived in Palmira until she was 15 years old. She now works for CNN en EspañolCNN en EspañolCNN en Español is CNN's Spanish language news channel. On March 17, 1997, CNN launched CNN en Español, a 24-hour Spanish-language news network for the Hispanic American and United States marketplace.-Mexico programming:...
in Atlanta, Georgia and resides there with her son Pablo. - Santiago EderSantiago EderJames Martin Eder , known in Colombia as Santiago Martín Eder Kaiser, don Santiago Eder or simply "El Fundador", is considered the pioneer of the sugar industry in Colombia, and is widely recognized as one of Colombia's leading 19th century industrial pioneers.-Early life:Eder was born in Mitau in...
, 19th century industrial pioneer and founder of ManuelitaManuelitaInversiones Manuelita S.A. is a Colombian agribusiness corporation, headquartered in Palmira, Valle del Cauca, whose main products are refined sugar, ethanol, palm oil, mussels and shrimp...
sugar mill. - María Catalina Robayo Vargas is a Colombian beauty queen who was crowned Miss Colombia 2010, the official representative to Miss Universe 2011.
Born in Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Robayo is an eight-semester student of law at Pontifical Xavierian University in Cali.
External links
- Centro Comerical Llanogrande Plaza Palmira's largest mall
- City of Palmira website (Spanish)
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Palmira (Spanish)
- Universidad del Valle - Palmira (Spanish)
- Manuelita - one of the municipality's largest employers (Spanish)