Santiago de Cali
Encyclopedia
Santiago de Cali simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia
and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department
. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because of its geographical location. The city was founded on 25 July 1536 by the Spanish conquistador
Sebastián de Belalcázar
.
origin, and it was brought by the Yanaconas Indians that came from Quito
serving Sebastián de Belalcázar
. This theory is related to the fact that near Quito there is an indigenous town named Calacali.
. In the region between the Cauca River
and the Western Cordillera, the Gorrones were established between the present day Roldanillo
and Cali. The biggest town of the Morrones was sited on the River Pescador near present-day towns of Zarzal
and Bugalagrande
. Although cannibals
, the Morrones traded with the Quimbayas
who inhabited the north of the Valle del Cauca.
On his way to Cali, Sebastián de Belalcázar
first met the Timbas who ran away before the arrival of the Conqueror's men, leaving behind their towns and gold. After the Timbas, towards the north, the Spaniards entered the territory of the chief Jamundí and his tribe, the Jamundíes, between the rivers Pance and Jamundí
. These Indians offered a strong resistance to the invaders, fighting with poisonous darts and arrows against the arquebus
es and swords of the Spaniards. After taking Jamundíes' town the Spaniards looted the Indians' gold.
Before taking complete control over the region, the Spaniards had to defeat the chief Petecuy, whose tribe inhabited the area between the river Lilí and the Western Cordillera. Petecuy formed a big army with many tribes and fought the Spaniards on Holy Tuesday
of 1536.
The Morrones gave up easily to the Spaniards and were divided in encomiendas. The already "mestizo
" nature of the Spaniards made the process of mixing with the Amerindians easy. In fact, Belalcázar himself fathered several children born in the Americas from Indian mothers, as did his men.
Cali was important for Belalcázar because it was beyond the Inca empire
. After the capture and execution of the Inca Atahualpa
at Cajamarca
, Francisco Pizarro
had sent Belalcázar to take possession of Guayaquil
and Quito on his behalf, but Cali, being beyond the Quechua empire, was claimed by Belalcazar as his own territory. After his death, his descendants maintained possession of much of the land until the war of independence against Spain
.
, came to the American continent in the third voyage made by Columbus in 1498. In 1532, after serving in Darién
and Nicaragua
, he joined Francisco Pizarro
in the conquest of Perú
. In 1534 Belalcázar separated from Pizarro's expedition to find the city of Quito
, and later in his search of El Dorado
he entered the territory of what is now Colombia, founding the cities of Pasto
and Popayán
.
On 25 July 1536, Belalcázar founded Santiago de Cali, first established a few miles north of the present location, near what are now the towns of Vijes
and Riofrio
. Under the orders of Belalcázar, captain Miguel Muñoz moved the city to its present location in 1537, where the chaplain Brother Santos de Añasco celebrated a mass in the place occupied by the Church La Merced today, and Belalcázar designated Pedro de Ayala as the first municipal authority.
During the Colonia (colonial period), Santiago de Cali was part of the gobernación of Popayán
, which was part of Quito
's Audiencia. Although initially Cali was the capital of Popayán's Gobernación, in 1540 Belalcázar moved this function to Popayán due to better weather.
Until the 18th century most of the territory of what is now Cali was occupied by haciendas (cattle farms and plantations of food, with some sugar cane), and the city was only a small town near the Cali River. In 1793, Cali had 6,548 inhabitants, 1,106 of whom were (African) slaves. The haciendas were the property of the dominant noble class with many slaves dedicated mostly to stockbreeding and raising sugar cane crops. Many of these haciendas became neighborhoods of the present city like Cañaveralejo, Chipichape, Pasoancho, Arroyohondo, Cañasgordas, Limonar, and Meléndez. Cali was strategically positioned for trade, centrally located in relation to the mining regions of Antioquia
, Chocó, and Popayán
. In the colonial period, the first trail for mules and horses between Cali and the port of Buenaventura
was completed.
of Spain and established its own junta. This local uprising predates the national one in Bogotá
by 17 days. The Governor of Popayán
, Miguel Tacón y Rosique, organized an army to control the uprising. The people from Cali called for help to the "Junta Suprema" in Bogotá, which sent a contingent under colonel Antonio Baraya to support the independence cause. For mutual defense, Cali also formed, with Anserma, Cartago, Toro, Buga
and Caloto, the "Friend Cities of the Cauca Valley
", also known as Confederated cities of the Cauca Valley, which declared independence from the Governorate
of Popayán on 1 February 1811, although they continued to recognize the absent Ferdinand VII as their head of state
. On 28 March 1811 in the battle of Bajo Palacé the Army of Baraya defeated the royalist army with the help of Atanasio Girardot
.
In the following years there were many battles between royalists and local militia. After having been released from captivity by Napoleon, Ferdinand VII sent a large army under the command of the "Pacificador" (Pacifier) Pablo Morillo
who restored royalist rule in the area by 1816.
In 1819 after Simón Bolívar
defeated the bulk of the royalist army in the Battle of Boyacá
, there were new uprisings in the Valle del Cauca and the Criollos
took control permanently. In 1822 Bolívar arrived in Cali. The city was an important military outpost and the region contributed many men to the war of independence that liberated the nations in the south.
The city was surrounded by mango plantations
, pastures and communal lands that were transferred from the Spanish Crown to the impoverished class. From the market gardens on these lends the city was supplied in food resources. The economy was based mainly on livestock, sugar cane, beef, panela
(jaggery
), a sugar derivative, cheese and the gold mines from the Pacific; there was also a small growing industrialization sector of the economy.
Around 1890 a private company, Company of Public Works of Cauca, built the Plaza de mercado (market plaza). This originates the development of a commercial area and from this becomes the transformation of the Plaza Mayor or plaza de Caycedo. In 1921, the market was sold to the Cali municipality, very close to the 9th street, were located the principal station of the tranvia
of Cali, this system linked the city with suburban areas.
trucks filled with 42 ton
s of dynamite
exploded near the train station, destroying around eight city blocks. A nearby army barracks was instantly destroyed, killing all 500 soldiers. Windows were shattered for miles. More than 1,000 people were killed and several thousand injured.
In the year 1971 Santiago de Cali hosted the Pan American Games
, an event which is considered by many as the height of the city's golden age as a model of civic orderliness: after it Cali was named the Sports Capital of Colombia
. In 1982, the government of Cali inaugurated what is now the third largest building in the Republic of Colombia
. "La Torre de Cali", or The Cali Tower. It has a hotel, offices and apartment complexes. It stands at 42 floors above the city, making it the 3rd largest building in Colombia and the largest building in Cali.
and to the east of the Western Mountain Range near the hills known as Farallones de Cali. The city rests approximately 1,000 meters (3,280 ft.) above sea level and its topography is fairly flat. Approximately 100 km west of Cali and over the Western Cordillera, lies the port city of Buenaventura
on the Colombian Pacific coast; to the northeast are the industrial town of Yumbo and the city of Palmira, where Cali's international airport, the Alfonso Bonilla Aragón
(CLO), is located in Palmira, Colombia. It is Colombia's third largest airport in terms of passengers, transporting 2,667,526 in 2009.
are the closest to the city. The Eastern part of the city is bordered by the Cauca river, North and South both are extended plains, in the first one you can find the industrial city of Yumbo
part of Cali's metropolitan area, to the south you can find Jamundí
, also part of the metropolitan area. The city is mainly flat, but there are areas mostly to the West that are Mountainous, like San Antonio and La loma de la Cruz, both are tourist sites.
There are Several rivers that descend from the Western Mountain Range and empty into the Cauca River those rivers pass through the metropolitan area of Cali. In the western part of the city the Aguacatal River flows into the Cali River
, which continues on to the Cauca River
. In the south the rivers Cañaveralejo, Lilí, and Meléndez flow into the CVC south channel which also empties into the Cauca River. Farther south, the banks of the Pance River
are a popular place for recreation and leisure.
, Cali features a tropical savanna climate
. The local climate is semi-tropical as the Western Mountain Range screens the flow of humidity from the Pacific coast towards the interior of the country. In the afternoons Cali enjoys a fresh cross breeze that originates in the west and blows east. The Western Mountain Range rises from an average of 2,000 meters above sea level
in the northern part of the city to approximately 4,000 meters to the south. Because of this variation in altitude, the weather in the northwest portion of the city is drier than in the southwest. The average annual precipitation varies between 900 mm to 1,800 mm depending on the metropolitan zone for a citywide average of approximately 1,000 mm. Cali's average temperature is 24 °C (75 °F) with an average low temperature of 19 °C (66 °F) and a high of 30 °C (86 °F).
Due to its proximity to the equator
there are no major seasonal variations. However, locals refer to the dry season as the city's "summer" period and call the rainy season "winter." There are typically two rainy seasons: from April to May and from October to November. Regardless, rain can be expected to fall at any point during the year nourishing the city's permanent green and lush vegetation.
Main touristic centers:
Just walking could not mean a lot, but calenos love doing it in the late afternoon. After 4 pm, when heat goes down, breeze starts. It comes from the neighboring mountains, and refreshes souls and bodies.
It is normal in Cali to think of a shopping mall as a touristic place. Most of them are built like urban boulevards, with open-air walking corridors that look like a 'Main Street' side walk. With large facilities providing full amenities, Caleños love just talking walks in them, enjoying the fact that everything is at their hands. The most traditional malls are Unicentro at south and Chipichape at North; both built in the open-air style. Others of this type are Palmetto Plaza, Jardin Plaza and Cosmocentro. Other malls in Cali are Centenario, Unico and La14. Tens of smaller malls are spread all over the city.
Certainly, bargains will not be found on most of these malls. Downtown's 13th, 14th and 15th streets are the bargains' hub of the city. In the 'San Andresito' or 'Pasaje Cali' malls (or any of that kind in the area) you can buy thousands of inexpensive China-made products. Street-selling is legal in only certain locations. There you could find one-of-a-kind crafts.
guides of Colombia, Cali has recently become famous for being a prime destination for people seeking cheap cosmetic surgery. Cali's surgeons are famous in Colombia for having shaped some of the country's most beautiful women. There have been no significant reports of problems in this area, but Lonely Planet
advises proper research before pursuing such an idea.
, located in the City of Palmira. It is Colombia's third largest airport in terms of passengers transporting (3,422,919 in 2010) and 4th in cargo. Alfonso Bonilla Aragón is located in a long, narrow valley that runs from north to south, and is surrounded by mountains up to 14,000 feet (4,000 m) high.
The airport is connected to the city by a highway known as the "recta a Palmira", that in the last few years has been upgraded to make it a more accessible airport to Cali and the surrounding city centers in the region. The airport has also has been remodeled recently, some of the last significant events in those terms were the inauguration of the VIP room in the National terminal and the installation of a main electronic screen in the center of the check-in area. As for any international airport, you can find different services and facilities :
There is a military airport close to the city's downtown. The Marco Fidel Suarez Military Air Base is located in the east side of the city and belongs to the Colombian Air Force
. It is used as one of the main training centers for the country's Fighter pilots
.
The city of Cali offers a variety of ways to move through the city; in March 2009, The Masivo Integrado de Occidente (MIO) began operations. It is planned to be the primary system that connects the city. Taxis and old buses are the secondary way to get around. Taxis are one of the best systems that tourists can use, as they are relatively inexpensive and are the most secure of the two. Non-MIO buses round-out the system and are used primarily by the working class to get around and are the least expensive to use. Buses are secure but not at the same level as taxis. This part of the transport in the city is waiting a needed reorganization of routes.
Masivo Integrado de Occidente
(MIO): A massive transit system; M.I.O is based on the transportation model that consist in the use of articulated buses that runs through dedicated bus lanes running down the middle of major thoroughfares. MIO bus stations are locate in the middle of the thoroughfare, and are connected with sidewalks by dedicated pedestrian crossings or bridges.
The system layout is 243 kilometers and is distributed in a main trunk, pre-trunk and complementary corridors. The system also integrated the renovation and recuperation of the public space. The MIO system was not only designed for the public transport, but built for public use with extensive new sidewalks, parks, gardens and public squares for the public to enjoy.
List of the Trunk or principal corridors:
More information about El MIO, in the official web site of Metrocali.
es to large coaches
. Recently, in their last float renovation wave, Colombian coaches operators have opted for Brazil's Marcopolo
buses. Informal stops exists for the short destination rides all alongside the way from Central Station to the town of destination. In some cases, it is enough for a passenger to ask to get off the bus for the bus to stop.
Since 1940, Valle del Cauca's PIB has grown at twice the average rate of the country, according to DANE statistics. In 1997 the regional GDP growth rate slowed, not even reaching 1%. In 1999 countrywide recession affected specially the regional economy, and GDP decreased −4% annually. Since then the economy has behaved erratically.
Economy 2006–2011
Between 2006 and 2011 the economy of Cali has continued to be 'highly dependent' on textiles and cultivation of sugar, according to several reports.
Between 1 January and 1 June 2011 there were 923 intentional homicides in the inner city of Cali, which is considered a 5% increase compared to 2010. The surge in violence in Cali in 2011 has partly been attributed to what has been described as an ongoing 'mafia war' between the 'neo-paramilitary' groups Los Rastrojos
and Los Urabeños. Los Rastrojos are considered the 'heirs' of the Cali Cartel
and Los Urabeños have their roots in Colombia's atlantic coast. Los Rastrojos are accused of committing at least 80 murders in Cali in 2011.
According to Colombia's most influential weekly magazine, Semana, there are over 1,700 assassins working for various groups in the city.
As of 2011 urban militias, known as Milicias Populares, of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
are active in the city and surrounding areas. Local civilians and foreigners have been adviced by the DAS
to take caution due to the risk of planted bombs and kidnappings.
The metropolitan police and the Colombian Army
have taken action to stop several high profile bomb attacks against military and administrative centers in recent years, such as the multiple FARC attacks against Cali's Palace of Justice in 2008 and 2010. These FARC militias in the Cali metropolitan area are thought to number more than 1000, and have caused serious concern among the authorities as they have stepped up activity in 2011.
In November 2010 the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning regarding Cali, warning of a sharp increase in crime and "terrorist activity".
The City Council is composed by 21 members, elected by citywide circumscription for four year terms. There is no relation between the number of City Counselors and the number of 'comunas' of the city, which is a merely administrative division created to facilitate city's management.
Cali has some decentralized agencies; the most important being :
Jorge Ivan Ospina, Francisco Lloreda, Bruno Diaz, Diego Luis Hurtado and Jorge Portocarrero were running for the Office. Jorge Ivan Ospina
(Left wing running as Independent) was elected Mayor for the 2008–2011 term with 49.05% of votes, followed by Francisco Lloreda (Conservative running as Independent) with 39.02%. Mr Lloreda was at his third attempt to become Mayor of the city, being defeated every time.
The Municipal Secretary of Education manages a large part of the city's budget, which has brought some politicians to try to control it as their personal organization.
The city is endowed with the most sophisticated and high-quality secondary education institutions and universities in the region. Most universities are located in the south of the city. Among the most prestigious are University of Valle
(Public), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Private), and Universidad ICESI
(Private).
La Manzana del Saber
Located in the south of the city, La Manzana del Saber is today the most important educational project in Cali. There is already a Science Museum and a public library, the project is going to build a new museum called "Abrakadabra" and a investigation center. The project is in construction phase, the demolition of a whole block of the city will be undertaken to build the complex.
You can find more information about this project at www.cali.gov.co. (Spanish)
(parade of horseback riders), tascas, salsa concerts, bullfights, parades, athletic activities, competitions and cultural exhibitions.
Cali is also known as the "Capital de la Salsa" given the city's infatuation with that type of Afro-Caribbean music. In early July there is the Summer Salsa Festival which lasts for one week. It usually includes concerts by some of the world's great salsa bands as well as dance shows and "melomano" competitions in which salsa connoisseurs try to out do each other by digging deep into the archives of salsa music and related sounds to find and reveal long lost tunes.
Rio Cali race
Cali has two main athletic events, a mid-year half marathon 1/2 Maraton de Cali and a December 10k race called Carrera del Río Cali.
Cali has two football stadiums; Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero and Estadio Deportivo Cali
/del Deportivo Cali/Palmaseca. Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero is currently home of both Deportivo Cali and América de Cali, since Estadio Deportivo Cali is still under construction. Deportivo Cali is the only football team owner of a stadium in Colombia since all of the other football stadiums are owned by the government, other important scenario in the city is "El pueblo Arena
" is a covered arena center use for all type of events, the main use is basketball.
, the 1999 World's Roller Hockey Championships, women's basketball and swimming events, Pan American Speed-Track Cycling Championships, and most recently the World's Roller Speed Skating Championships. Cali will host the World Games 2013
.
and América de Cali
football clubs. Many well-known football players were either born in Cali or have played in one of its clubs. Wellington Ortiz, Carlos (El Pibe) Valderrama, Anthony (El Pipa) de Avila, Alex Escobar, Julio Cesar Falcioni, Jorge da Silva, Jorge Bermudez, Giovanny Hernandez, Hugo Rodallega, Mario Yepes, Faryd Mondragón, Adolfo (el tren) Valencia, and Oscar Córdoba are a sample of them.
According to Conmebol
, América
ranks 2nd and Deportivo Cali
3rd in the Colombian national ranking, which ranks itself 3rd in the Conmebol ranking. America
was ranked as the world's 2nd best club in 1996 by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) and 35th in the All-Time Club World Ranking of the IFFHS. Cali is the Colombian city having hosted the most Colombian first division finals, with 40 matches being played in the stadium. America has won 13 titles, and has been second on 7 occasions. Deportivo Cali has won 8 titles, second in 11 occasions. They have played final against each other three times. In the early 50's, now second-division city's team Boca Juniors lost two finals.
Bullfighting
is staged during the Cali Fair
which is held in December. It is anticipated by many citizens in Cali, as well as all Colombia
. The bullfighting ring
is called La Plaza de Toros de Cañaveralejo, located southwest of Cali.
Capital of the World La sucursal del cielo
Panoramic View from Cristo Rey
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...
and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department
Valle del Cauca Department
Valle del Cauca is a department of Colombia. It is in the western side of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean, and it is considered one of the most important departments in the Republic of Colombia. Its capital is Santiago de Cali...
. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because of its geographical location. The city was founded on 25 July 1536 by the Spanish conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
Sebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar was a Spanish conquistador.-Early life:He was born Sebastián Moyano in the province of Córdoba, Spain, in either 1479 or 1480. He took the name Belalcázar as that was the name of the castle-town near to his birthplace in Córdoba...
.
Etymology
Cali is the shortened form of the official name of the city Santiago de Cali. The first part of the full name honours Saint James the apostle (Santiago in Spanish) whose feast day is celebrated on 25 July. The origin of the word "Cali" comes from the local native Indian tribe the "Calima" or "Calimas" descendants of the "Chibcha" tribe. Others believe that the word "Cali" has QuechuaQuechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
origin, and it was brought by the Yanaconas Indians that came from Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
serving Sebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar was a Spanish conquistador.-Early life:He was born Sebastián Moyano in the province of Córdoba, Spain, in either 1479 or 1480. He took the name Belalcázar as that was the name of the castle-town near to his birthplace in Córdoba...
. This theory is related to the fact that near Quito there is an indigenous town named Calacali.
Pre-Colombian era and conquest
Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the current region of Cali was inhabited by many indigenous tribes, mostly speakers of Cariban languagesCariban languages
The Cariban languages are an indigenous language family of South America. They are widespread across northernmost South America, from the mouth of the Amazon River to the Colombian Andes, but also appear in central Brazil. Cariban languages are relatively closely related, and number two to three...
. In the region between the Cauca River
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...
and the Western Cordillera, the Gorrones were established between the present day Roldanillo
Roldanillo
Roldanillo is a town and municipality located in the Department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia.TurismMuseo Rayo Museum rayo...
and Cali. The biggest town of the Morrones was sited on the River Pescador near present-day towns of Zarzal
Zarzal
Zarzal is a town and municipality located in the north of the department of Valle del Cauca, in Colombia. Its economy is based primarily on the extensive cultivation of sugar cane, on small and medium enterprises in the metallurgic sector and on utilities. Commerce is also of great importance,...
and Bugalagrande
Bugalagrande
Bugalagrande is a town and municipality located in the Department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia....
. Although cannibals
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
, the Morrones traded with the Quimbayas
Quimbaya civilization
The Quimbaya civilization is a South American civilization, noted for spectacular gold work characterized by technical accuracy and detailed designs. The majority of the gold work is made in tumbaga alloy, with 30% copper, which imparts beautiful color tonalities to the pieces...
who inhabited the north of the Valle del Cauca.
On his way to Cali, Sebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar was a Spanish conquistador.-Early life:He was born Sebastián Moyano in the province of Córdoba, Spain, in either 1479 or 1480. He took the name Belalcázar as that was the name of the castle-town near to his birthplace in Córdoba...
first met the Timbas who ran away before the arrival of the Conqueror's men, leaving behind their towns and gold. After the Timbas, towards the north, the Spaniards entered the territory of the chief Jamundí and his tribe, the Jamundíes, between the rivers Pance and Jamundí
Jamundí
Jamundí is a town and municipality located in the Department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia.Jamundí is located 23 km south of Cali, the capital of the Department, Valle del Cauca. The average Temperature is 23 grades Celsius.Foundation...
. These Indians offered a strong resistance to the invaders, fighting with poisonous darts and arrows against the arquebus
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
es and swords of the Spaniards. After taking Jamundíes' town the Spaniards looted the Indians' gold.
Before taking complete control over the region, the Spaniards had to defeat the chief Petecuy, whose tribe inhabited the area between the river Lilí and the Western Cordillera. Petecuy formed a big army with many tribes and fought the Spaniards on Holy Tuesday
Holy Tuesday
Holy Tuesday or Great and Holy Tuesday is the Tuesday of Holy Week, which precedes the commemoration of the death of Jesus.-Western Christianity:...
of 1536.
The Morrones gave up easily to the Spaniards and were divided in encomiendas. The already "mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
" nature of the Spaniards made the process of mixing with the Amerindians easy. In fact, Belalcázar himself fathered several children born in the Americas from Indian mothers, as did his men.
Cali was important for Belalcázar because it was beyond the Inca empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
. After the capture and execution of the Inca Atahualpa
Atahualpa
Atahualpa, Atahuallpa, Atabalipa, or Atawallpa , was the last Sapa Inca or sovereign emperor of the Tahuantinsuyu, or the Inca Empire, prior to the Spanish conquest of Peru...
at Cajamarca
Cajamarca
Cajamarca may refer to:Colombia*Cajamarca, Tolima a town and municipality in Tolima DepartmentPeru* Cajamarca, city in Peru.* Cajamarca District, district in the Cajamarca province.* Cajamarca Province, province in the Cajamarca region....
, Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess was a Spanish conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire, and founder of Lima, the modern-day capital of the Republic of Peru.-Early life:...
had sent Belalcázar to take possession of Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
and Quito on his behalf, but Cali, being beyond the Quechua empire, was claimed by Belalcazar as his own territory. After his death, his descendants maintained possession of much of the land until the war of independence against Spain
Patria Boba
The period between 1810 and 1816 in the New Kingdom of Granada was marked by such intense conflicts over the nature of the new government or governments that it became known as la Patria Boba . Constant fighting between federalists and centralists gave rise to a prolonged period of instability...
.
Founding and colonial period
The founder of Cali, Sebastián de BelalcázarSebastián de Belalcázar
Sebastián de Belalcázar was a Spanish conquistador.-Early life:He was born Sebastián Moyano in the province of Córdoba, Spain, in either 1479 or 1480. He took the name Belalcázar as that was the name of the castle-town near to his birthplace in Córdoba...
, came to the American continent in the third voyage made by Columbus in 1498. In 1532, after serving in Darién
Darién Province
Darién is a province in eastern Panama. It is also the largest province in Panama. It is hot, humid, heavily forested, and sparsely populated, having 48,378 habitants...
and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, he joined Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess was a Spanish conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire, and founder of Lima, the modern-day capital of the Republic of Peru.-Early life:...
in the conquest of Perú
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. In 1534 Belalcázar separated from Pizarro's expedition to find the city of Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, and later in his search of El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
he entered the territory of what is now Colombia, founding the cities of Pasto
Pasto
Pasto, officially San Juan de Pasto, is the capital of the department of Nariño, located in southwest Colombia. The city is located in the "Atriz Valley", on the Andes cordillera, at the foot of the Galeras volcano, at an altitude of 8,290 feet above sea level...
and Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
.
On 25 July 1536, Belalcázar founded Santiago de Cali, first established a few miles north of the present location, near what are now the towns of Vijes
Vijes
Vijes is a town and municipality located in the Department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia....
and Riofrio
Riofrio
Riofrio is a town and municipality located in the Department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia....
. Under the orders of Belalcázar, captain Miguel Muñoz moved the city to its present location in 1537, where the chaplain Brother Santos de Añasco celebrated a mass in the place occupied by the Church La Merced today, and Belalcázar designated Pedro de Ayala as the first municipal authority.
During the Colonia (colonial period), Santiago de Cali was part of the gobernación of Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
, which was part of Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
's Audiencia. Although initially Cali was the capital of Popayán's Gobernación, in 1540 Belalcázar moved this function to Popayán due to better weather.
Until the 18th century most of the territory of what is now Cali was occupied by haciendas (cattle farms and plantations of food, with some sugar cane), and the city was only a small town near the Cali River. In 1793, Cali had 6,548 inhabitants, 1,106 of whom were (African) slaves. The haciendas were the property of the dominant noble class with many slaves dedicated mostly to stockbreeding and raising sugar cane crops. Many of these haciendas became neighborhoods of the present city like Cañaveralejo, Chipichape, Pasoancho, Arroyohondo, Cañasgordas, Limonar, and Meléndez. Cali was strategically positioned for trade, centrally located in relation to the mining regions of Antioquia
Antioquia Department
Antioquia is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part of the Andes mountain range...
, Chocó, and Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
. In the colonial period, the first trail for mules and horses between Cali and the port of Buenaventura
Buenaventura, Colombia
Buenaventura is a port city and municipality located in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia . Buenaventura is the main port of Colombia in the Pacific Ocean....
was completed.
Independence
On 3 July 1810 Santiago de Cali refused to recognize the Council of RegencyJunta (Peninsular War)
In the Napoleonic era, junta was the name chosen by several local administrations formed in Spain during the Peninsular War as a patriotic alternative to the official administration toppled by the French invaders...
of Spain and established its own junta. This local uprising predates the national one in 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...
by 17 days. The Governor of Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
, Miguel Tacón y Rosique, organized an army to control the uprising. The people from Cali called for help to the "Junta Suprema" in Bogotá, which sent a contingent under colonel Antonio Baraya to support the independence cause. For mutual defense, Cali also formed, with Anserma, Cartago, Toro, Buga
Buga, Valle del Cauca
Buga formally Guadalajara de Buga is a city and municipality in the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia. It is famous for its Basilica del Señor de los Milagros, which houses an image of Christ called El Señor de los Milagros .-History:Guadalajara de Buga is one of the oldest cities in...
and Caloto, the "Friend Cities of the Cauca Valley
Patria Boba
The period between 1810 and 1816 in the New Kingdom of Granada was marked by such intense conflicts over the nature of the new government or governments that it became known as la Patria Boba . Constant fighting between federalists and centralists gave rise to a prolonged period of instability...
", also known as Confederated cities of the Cauca Valley, which declared independence from the Governorate
Governorate
A governorate is an administrative division of a country. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states, provinces, or colonies, the term governorate is often used in translation from non-English-speaking administrations.The...
of Popayán on 1 February 1811, although they continued to recognize the absent Ferdinand VII as their head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. On 28 March 1811 in the battle of Bajo Palacé the Army of Baraya defeated the royalist army with the help of Atanasio Girardot
Atanasio Girardot
Atanasio Girardot was a Colombian revolutionary leader who fought with Simón Bolívar in the Campaña Admirable and other battles. He died during the Battle of Bárbula, trying to plant the republican flag on Bárbula Hill....
.
In the following years there were many battles between royalists and local militia. After having been released from captivity by Napoleon, Ferdinand VII sent a large army under the command of the "Pacificador" (Pacifier) Pablo Morillo
Pablo Morillo
Pablo Morillo y Morillo, Count of Cartagena and Marquess of La Puerta, aka El Pacificador was a Spanish general....
who restored royalist rule in the area by 1816.
In 1819 after Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
defeated the bulk of the royalist army in the Battle of Boyacá
Battle of Boyacá
The Battle of Boyacá in Colombia, then known as New Granada, was the battle in which Colombia acquired its definitive independence from Spanish Monarchy, although fighting with royalist forces would continue for years....
, there were new uprisings in the Valle del Cauca and the Criollos
Criollo people
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
took control permanently. In 1822 Bolívar arrived in Cali. The city was an important military outpost and the region contributed many men to the war of independence that liberated the nations in the south.
Modernism
In the 19th century Santiago de Cali, capital of the Valley of the Cauca River State, was a very quiet community with no more than 20,000 inhabitants. The urban center of the city were in the neighborhoods of Empedrado or Altozano, which were surrounded by La Merced and San Antonio neighborhoods.The city was surrounded by mango plantations
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
, pastures and communal lands that were transferred from the Spanish Crown to the impoverished class. From the market gardens on these lends the city was supplied in food resources. The economy was based mainly on livestock, sugar cane, beef, panela
Panela
Panela is unrefined whole cane sugar, typical of Latin America, which is basically a solid piece of sucrose and fructose obtained from the boiling and evaporation of sugarcane juice....
(jaggery
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...
), a sugar derivative, cheese and the gold mines from the Pacific; there was also a small growing industrialization sector of the economy.
Around 1890 a private company, Company of Public Works of Cauca, built the Plaza de mercado (market plaza). This originates the development of a commercial area and from this becomes the transformation of the Plaza Mayor or plaza de Caycedo. In 1921, the market was sold to the Cali municipality, very close to the 9th street, were located the principal station of the tranvia
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
of Cali, this system linked the city with suburban areas.
Recent history
On 7 August 1956, at around 1 a.m., seven Colombian armyColombian Army
The National Army of Colombia is the land military force of the government of Colombia and the largest service of the Colombian Armed Forces...
trucks filled with 42 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
exploded near the train station, destroying around eight city blocks. A nearby army barracks was instantly destroyed, killing all 500 soldiers. Windows were shattered for miles. More than 1,000 people were killed and several thousand injured.
In the year 1971 Santiago de Cali hosted the Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, an event which is considered by many as the height of the city's golden age as a model of civic orderliness: after it Cali was named the Sports Capital of 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...
. In 1982, the government of Cali inaugurated what is now the third largest building in the Republic of 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...
. "La Torre de Cali", or The Cali Tower. It has a hotel, offices and apartment complexes. It stands at 42 floors above the city, making it the 3rd largest building in Colombia and the largest building in Cali.
Location
Cali is located on the Cauca Valley to the west of the Cauca RiverCauca 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...
and to the east of the Western Mountain Range near the hills known as Farallones de Cali. The city rests approximately 1,000 meters (3,280 ft.) above sea level and its topography is fairly flat. Approximately 100 km west of Cali and over the Western Cordillera, lies the port city of Buenaventura
Buenaventura, Colombia
Buenaventura is a port city and municipality located in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia . Buenaventura is the main port of Colombia in the Pacific Ocean....
on the Colombian Pacific coast; to the northeast are the industrial town of Yumbo and the city of Palmira, where Cali's international airport, the Alfonso Bonilla Aragón
Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport
-Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents :*On 3 May, Douglas C-47B FAC-1126 of SATENA was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Palmaseca Airport.*On 21 January 1974, a Vickers Viscount of Aeropesca Colombia was hijacked and diverted to Cali....
(CLO), is located in Palmira, Colombia. It is Colombia's third largest airport in terms of passengers, transporting 2,667,526 in 2009.
Geography
Santiago de Cali is located in a valley. The city is completely bordered by mountains to the West, Farallones de CaliFarallones de Cali
Farallones de Cali is a mountain in the West Andes of Colombia. It is considered the highest point in the West Andes at 4100 MASL. Farallones de Cali National Natural Park encompasses the mountain and much of the surrounding area...
are the closest to the city. The Eastern part of the city is bordered by the Cauca river, North and South both are extended plains, in the first one you can find the industrial city of Yumbo
Yumbo
Yumbo is a small, industrial city and municipality located in western Colombia. It is located in the Valle del Cauca department, just north of Cali...
part of Cali's metropolitan area, to the south you can find Jamundí
Jamundí
Jamundí is a town and municipality located in the Department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia.Jamundí is located 23 km south of Cali, the capital of the Department, Valle del Cauca. The average Temperature is 23 grades Celsius.Foundation...
, also part of the metropolitan area. The city is mainly flat, but there are areas mostly to the West that are Mountainous, like San Antonio and La loma de la Cruz, both are tourist sites.
There are Several rivers that descend from the Western Mountain Range and empty into the Cauca River those rivers pass through the metropolitan area of Cali. In the western part of the city the Aguacatal River flows into the Cali River
Cali River
The Cali River is a river of western Colombia. It flows through the city of Cali and drains into the Cauca River. Its headwaters are in the Farallones de Cali of the Cordillera Occidental....
, which continues on to the Cauca River
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...
. In the south the rivers Cañaveralejo, Lilí, and Meléndez flow into the CVC south channel which also empties into the Cauca River. Farther south, the banks of the Pance River
Pance River
The Pance River is located in the southern side of Cali city and is a popular place for locals for recreation and leisure activities. It is almost the only river in the city that is not polluted and people can still swim there. The Pance River is one of the major rivers in Cali...
are a popular place for recreation and leisure.
Climate
Under Koppen's climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, Cali features a tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
. The local climate is semi-tropical as the Western Mountain Range screens the flow of humidity from the Pacific coast towards the interior of the country. In the afternoons Cali enjoys a fresh cross breeze that originates in the west and blows east. The Western Mountain Range rises from an average of 2,000 meters above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
in the northern part of the city to approximately 4,000 meters to the south. Because of this variation in altitude, the weather in the northwest portion of the city is drier than in the southwest. The average annual precipitation varies between 900 mm to 1,800 mm depending on the metropolitan zone for a citywide average of approximately 1,000 mm. Cali's average temperature is 24 °C (75 °F) with an average low temperature of 19 °C (66 °F) and a high of 30 °C (86 °F).
Due to its proximity to the equator
Equator
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....
there are no major seasonal variations. However, locals refer to the dry season as the city's "summer" period and call the rainy season "winter." There are typically two rainy seasons: from April to May and from October to November. Regardless, rain can be expected to fall at any point during the year nourishing the city's permanent green and lush vegetation.
Historic district
Santiago de Cali offers historical areas with cultural variety and other attractions. In downtown Cali, there can be found many historical churches like La Merced and La Ermita. Cali contains a well preserved historical center, the most important zone is La plaza de Caicedo, considered the center of the city, which is a square surrounded by many historical and modern buildings like El edificio Otero, La Catedral and El Palacio de Justicia; This plaza is close to other touristic places, like The Saint Francis church (in Spanish, Iglesia de San Francisco), the municipal theater and La Merced church. The city is also rich in monuments, parks, squares and museums. The most emblematic sculptures are Cristo Rey, located upon a mountain range; Sebastian de Belalcazar, founder of the city; and Las tres Cruces, a place of pilgrimage during the days of the Holy Week.Regular tourism
There is a variety of nightclubs and restaurants. In the city you can find whole districts dedicated to tourism, for example Granada, one of the most traditional districts in Cali, full of gourmet restaurants, fashion stores and boutiques. Another spot to visit is along "La sexta" or the 6th street and Menga which has risen to be the most popular area for clubbing. Many types of nightclubs are there, as are restaurants and hotels. This area is usually called the "zona rosa" or pink zone, and is located in the north very close to Chipichape mall. In the recent years, the restaurant industry has boomed, ranking Cali very close to Bogotá in first-class restaurant options.Main touristic centers:
- Plaza de Caicedo: The main square of the city, located in downtown Cali. The plaza is named after Cali's hero, Joaquin de Caicedo y Cuero.
- Parque del perro: Located in the San Fernando neighborhood, this is one of the most popular areas in the city, full of restaurants and bars. If you want to party or just have a nice dinner, then this is the place for you. The park gets its name because it has a dog monument in the middle of it.
- Sebastian de Belalcazar's monument: It is the most visited and popular monument in the city located in the hills overlooking the city. The monument is famous due to its pointing finger which is point to the opposite direction of the valley, while its face is looking down at the city.
- Cali River: One of the most peaceful zones in the city, the river is located in the west and is surrounded by restaurants, hotels and museums like "La Tertulia", an art museum.
- Cristo Rey: A religious monument located on a hill that offers the best view of the city. It is 31 m high, from which 5 m belong to the basis.
- San Antonio: It is the most traditional neighborhood of Cali. In the colonial age, it was the extension of the downtown. Although it was split off by 'La calle Quinta' (Fifth street), it conserves its traditional aura which makes a inevitable step on the visit. All the neighborhood is on a hill, and at the top you will find the San Antonio Park.
- Juanchito: Although many would prefer to keep it away of the list, Juanchito has made fame. This zone of Cali (which actually belongs to another municipality) might have had the largest number of discothèques and clubs of the country. It all started on the sixties, when Salsa began winning caleños hearts. Some did not like the idea of insinuating dances, but for the majority it became a cult. And Juanchito their temple. To get there, caleños must pass a bridge over the Cauca riverCauca RiverThe 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...
. A simple action (?) that has been immortalized by the music, Salsa of course.
- Cali ZooCali ZooCali Zoo is located in the city of Cali in the country of Colombia. The Zoo belongs to a foundation that carries its name and whose mission, since it took the Zoo's administration in 1981, has been to improve the animals' diet, their natural environment and the medical care of the existing...
: Ranked in top 5 of Latin American zoos. It has became most than a place where to show animals, it makes research and has some formations. Its location could not be more wonderful, alongside the Cali river, just where valley and mountains get together. Nearby is the Cali Botanical Garden/ Jardín Botánico de Cali, founded by Jorge Enrique Orejuela.
- Farallones de Cali: A part of the city seats on hills belonging to the Colombian western chain mountain. Beyond these hills there is a full new world, which is protected by the Colombian government. It is the Farallones de Cali national park. Although Caleños have not yet fully discovered it, in the recent years it has boomed as a touristic destination for a full range of different people; adventurists to escalate, walk, paragliding; naturists for its natural and life environments; or simply for those looking for 'cold' weather minutes away of urban areas.
- La Ceiba: A large and old Ceiba tree on a street corner at the west of the city.
- Orquideorama Enrique Perez Arbelaer: This lovely, wooded park, at AV 2 N #48-10, is the site of the large orchid show hosted each fall by Asociacion Vallecaucana de Orquideologia. In 2011, the show will be held 21–25 September and will include international judging by the American Orchid Society. It is also a good place for birdwatching.
Just walking could not mean a lot, but calenos love doing it in the late afternoon. After 4 pm, when heat goes down, breeze starts. It comes from the neighboring mountains, and refreshes souls and bodies.
It is normal in Cali to think of a shopping mall as a touristic place. Most of them are built like urban boulevards, with open-air walking corridors that look like a 'Main Street' side walk. With large facilities providing full amenities, Caleños love just talking walks in them, enjoying the fact that everything is at their hands. The most traditional malls are Unicentro at south and Chipichape at North; both built in the open-air style. Others of this type are Palmetto Plaza, Jardin Plaza and Cosmocentro. Other malls in Cali are Centenario, Unico and La14. Tens of smaller malls are spread all over the city.
Certainly, bargains will not be found on most of these malls. Downtown's 13th, 14th and 15th streets are the bargains' hub of the city. In the 'San Andresito' or 'Pasaje Cali' malls (or any of that kind in the area) you can buy thousands of inexpensive China-made products. Street-selling is legal in only certain locations. There you could find one-of-a-kind crafts.
Medical Tourism
According to recent Lonely PlanetLonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
guides of Colombia, Cali has recently become famous for being a prime destination for people seeking cheap cosmetic surgery. Cali's surgeons are famous in Colombia for having shaped some of the country's most beautiful women. There have been no significant reports of problems in this area, but Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
advises proper research before pursuing such an idea.
Airports
Santiago de Cali is served by Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International AirportAlfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport
-Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents :*On 3 May, Douglas C-47B FAC-1126 of SATENA was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Palmaseca Airport.*On 21 January 1974, a Vickers Viscount of Aeropesca Colombia was hijacked and diverted to Cali....
, located in the City of Palmira. It is Colombia's third largest airport in terms of passengers transporting (3,422,919 in 2010) and 4th in cargo. Alfonso Bonilla Aragón is located in a long, narrow valley that runs from north to south, and is surrounded by mountains up to 14,000 feet (4,000 m) high.
The airport is connected to the city by a highway known as the "recta a Palmira", that in the last few years has been upgraded to make it a more accessible airport to Cali and the surrounding city centers in the region. The airport has also has been remodeled recently, some of the last significant events in those terms were the inauguration of the VIP room in the National terminal and the installation of a main electronic screen in the center of the check-in area. As for any international airport, you can find different services and facilities :
- Car rental : AVIS (+572 4860900) and other international companies.
- Hotel
- Restaurants, Coffees and bars : Some typical of Cali and Colombia
- Handicrafts stores
- Duty Free-Paid
- Travel Agencies
- Financial services (Locals) and Currency exchanges
- Telecommunication services
- Beauty Salon
- Nail Salon
There is a military airport close to the city's downtown. The Marco Fidel Suarez Military Air Base is located in the east side of the city and belongs to the Colombian Air Force
Colombian Air Force
The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
. It is used as one of the main training centers for the country's Fighter pilots
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
.
Public transportation
Masivo Integrado de Occidente
Masivo Integrado de Occidente
The Masivo Integrado de Occidente , also referred to as MIO, is a bus rapid transit system that serves Santiago de Cali, Colombia. The system is operated through articulated buses which move in dedicated lanes. Approximately the 97% of the spatial perimeter of the city will be involved by this...
(MIO): A massive transit system; M.I.O is based on the transportation model that consist in the use of articulated buses that runs through dedicated bus lanes running down the middle of major thoroughfares. MIO bus stations are locate in the middle of the thoroughfare, and are connected with sidewalks by dedicated pedestrian crossings or bridges.
The system layout is 243 kilometers and is distributed in a main trunk, pre-trunk and complementary corridors. The system also integrated the renovation and recuperation of the public space. The MIO system was not only designed for the public transport, but built for public use with extensive new sidewalks, parks, gardens and public squares for the public to enjoy.
List of the Trunk or principal corridors:
- Calle 5
- Carrera 15
- Calles 13 y 15
- Avenida de las Américas
- Avenida 3N
- Carrera 1
- Transversal 25
- Carrera 29 y Autopista Oriental
- Calle 70
More information about El MIO, in the official web site of Metrocali.
Bus Central Station
Cali is served by over 20 coach companies which gather in the Bus Central Station. The Station is centrally located nearby to the old-idle train station, which serves now as Metrocali's headquarters. Depending on the company and the destination, the vehicles range from minibusMinibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
es to large coaches
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
. Recently, in their last float renovation wave, Colombian coaches operators have opted for Brazil's Marcopolo
Marcopolo S.A.
Marcopolo S.A. is a bus manufacturer founded on August 6, 1949, in the southern Brazilian city of Caxias do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul. The company manufactures the bodies for a whole range of coaches, e.g. microbus, intercity and touring coach...
buses. Informal stops exists for the short destination rides all alongside the way from Central Station to the town of destination. In some cases, it is enough for a passenger to ask to get off the bus for the bus to stop.
Economy
Cali and the department (province) of Valle del Cauca (Valley of the Cauca River) conform one of the principal commercial centers in Colombia. The city is a national and international point of exchange. Cali has a privileged geographical location due to its proximity to the port-city of Buenaventura which is Colombian main port on the Pacific ocean. The city's economy is preceded and established mostly by its history reflected in the many sugar plantations on the area, which are part of the legacy of the haciendas(plantations). Industrial development is remarkable for the regional economy; the north part of the city is the most industrialized district. The city of Yumbo, a northern suburb of the metro area, is a major industrial hub for many corporations, such as Colombia's beverage producer Postobón S.A. and Bavaria a SABMiller brewery, among others.Since 1940, Valle del Cauca's PIB has grown at twice the average rate of the country, according to DANE statistics. In 1997 the regional GDP growth rate slowed, not even reaching 1%. In 1999 countrywide recession affected specially the regional economy, and GDP decreased −4% annually. Since then the economy has behaved erratically.
Economy 2006–2011
Between 2006 and 2011 the economy of Cali has continued to be 'highly dependent' on textiles and cultivation of sugar, according to several reports.
Crime
Crime is a serious problem in Cali. As of 2006, there were 1,540 intentional homicides in the city and 1,726 overall when including the metropolitan area. The rates for the city and metropolitan area were 62 and 63 per 100,000 respectively. By 2011 this has increased to 71 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, which has lead certain commentators to declare a 'crisis of security' in Cali.Between 1 January and 1 June 2011 there were 923 intentional homicides in the inner city of Cali, which is considered a 5% increase compared to 2010. The surge in violence in Cali in 2011 has partly been attributed to what has been described as an ongoing 'mafia war' between the 'neo-paramilitary' groups Los Rastrojos
Los Rastrojos
Los Rastrojos is a Colombian neo-paramilitary, armed group engaged in the Colombian armed conflict...
and Los Urabeños. Los Rastrojos are considered the 'heirs' of the Cali Cartel
Cali Cartel
The Cali Cartel was a drug cartel based in southern Colombia, around the city of Cali and the Valle del Cauca Department. The Cali Cartel was founded by the Rodríguez Orejuela brothers, Gilberto and Miguel, as well as associate José Santacruz Londoño...
and Los Urabeños have their roots in Colombia's atlantic coast. Los Rastrojos are accused of committing at least 80 murders in Cali in 2011.
According to Colombia's most influential weekly magazine, Semana, there are over 1,700 assassins working for various groups in the city.
As of 2011 urban militias, known as Milicias Populares, of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
are active in the city and surrounding areas. Local civilians and foreigners have been adviced by the DAS
Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad
The Administrative Department of Security was the Security Service agency of Colombia, also responsible for the immigration services. It was dissolved on 31 October 2011 as part of a wider Executive Reform, and it was superseded by the National Directorate of Intelligence, DNI.- Activities :Its...
to take caution due to the risk of planted bombs and kidnappings.
The metropolitan police and the Colombian Army
Colombian Army
The National Army of Colombia is the land military force of the government of Colombia and the largest service of the Colombian Armed Forces...
have taken action to stop several high profile bomb attacks against military and administrative centers in recent years, such as the multiple FARC attacks against Cali's Palace of Justice in 2008 and 2010. These FARC militias in the Cali metropolitan area are thought to number more than 1000, and have caused serious concern among the authorities as they have stepped up activity in 2011.
In November 2010 the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning regarding Cali, warning of a sharp increase in crime and "terrorist activity".
Politics
Cali is governed by a mayor who is elected for a four-year term. Under the mayor, there are several administrative departments and secretaries. Mayor's elections started in 1986, followed by Governors' in 1992. Before these dates, all Colombian regional executive-branch leaders were appointed by the President himself. The first elected mayor was Carlos Holmes Trujillo of the Liberal Party. Unlike other Colombian cities, Cali has not properly adapted to the quite new Mayor's election system. The city has had some unsuccessful stories with some of its elected mayors, two of them being removed of the office. Some argue this is caused by Aguablanca's huge mass population often driven to vote based in small short-termed gifts from populists candidates fully aware of this District needs. There were recorded cases of candidates giving bricks, cement and other stuff to the District's leaders in exchange of shifting votes to their campaigns.| Mayor | Started | Ended |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Holmes Trujillo García | January 1988 | January 1990 |
| Germán Villegas Villegas | January 1990 | January 1992 |
| Rodrigo Guerrero Velasco | January 1992 | December 1994 |
| Mauricio Guzmán Cuevas | January 1995 | August 1997 |
| Julio César Martínez Payán | August 1997 | December 1997 |
| Ricardo H. Cobo Lloreda | January 1998 | December 2000 |
| John Maro Rodríguez Flórez | January 2001 | December 2003 |
| Apolinar Salcedo Caicedo | January 2004 | May 2007 |
| Sabas Ramiro Tafur Reyes | May 2007 | December 2007 |
| Jorge Ivan Ospina Jorge Ivan Ospina Jorge Ivan Ospina is the mayor-elect of the Colombian city of Santiago de Cali. Ospina is also a doctor who has worked in the hospital located on the University of Valle, called, el hospital Universitario del Valle.-Election:... |
January 2008 | December 2011 |
The City Council is composed by 21 members, elected by citywide circumscription for four year terms. There is no relation between the number of City Counselors and the number of 'comunas' of the city, which is a merely administrative division created to facilitate city's management.
Cali has some decentralized agencies; the most important being :
- EMCALI: Energy, telecommunications, aqueduct and sewage systems services. http://www.emcali.com.co/vsmPC/index.php (Spanish)
- Emsirva: Public waste management company for the city of Cali. http://www.emsirva.com.co/ (Spanish)
- Metrocali: http://www.metrocali.gov.co/ (Spanish)
- Calisalud: http://www.calisalud.gov.co/inicio/index.php (Spanish)
- Corfecali: http://www.cali.gov.co/Corfecali.php (Spanish)
- EMRU: http://www.cali.gov.co/Emru.php (Spanish)
2007 Elections
The 2007 elections took place on 28 October 2007 to replace Ramiro Reyes as mayor of Santiago de Cali.Jorge Ivan Ospina, Francisco Lloreda, Bruno Diaz, Diego Luis Hurtado and Jorge Portocarrero were running for the Office. Jorge Ivan Ospina
Jorge Ivan Ospina
Jorge Ivan Ospina is the mayor-elect of the Colombian city of Santiago de Cali. Ospina is also a doctor who has worked in the hospital located on the University of Valle, called, el hospital Universitario del Valle.-Election:...
(Left wing running as Independent) was elected Mayor for the 2008–2011 term with 49.05% of votes, followed by Francisco Lloreda (Conservative running as Independent) with 39.02%. Mr Lloreda was at his third attempt to become Mayor of the city, being defeated every time.
Education
A large part of the population relies on the public educational system, which is underfunded and in some cases improperly managed. Schools are under municipal or departmental management, the former being the most common.The Municipal Secretary of Education manages a large part of the city's budget, which has brought some politicians to try to control it as their personal organization.
The city is endowed with the most sophisticated and high-quality secondary education institutions and universities in the region. Most universities are located in the south of the city. Among the most prestigious are University of Valle
University of Valle
The University of Valle , also called Univalle, is a public, departmental, coeducational, research university based primarily in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. It is the largest higher education institution by student population in the southwest of the country, and the third in...
(Public), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Private), and Universidad ICESI
Universidad Icesi
Universidad Icesi is a private university located in Cali, Colombia. The campus is located in the area of Pance, south of the city. Founded in 1979 by a group of businessmen in the region, the university offers undergraduate programs, specializations and masters degree studies. There are 3,813...
(Private).
Universities
- University of ValleUniversity of ValleThe University of Valle , also called Univalle, is a public, departmental, coeducational, research university based primarily in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. It is the largest higher education institution by student population in the southwest of the country, and the third in...
. (Public) It is the largest higher education institution by student population in the southwest of the country, and the third in Colombia, with more than 30,320 students. Its Faculties of Medicine, Engineering, Sciences, and Social Sciences rank as the best of the region. The first three rank at the top in the national level. Unlike every other Colombian public university, Univalle does not have a Law School. - Universidad Autónoma de OccidenteUniversidad Autónoma de OccidenteThe Universidad Autónoma de Occidente is a private university, established on 1970. Its first seat was on Champagnat neighborhood, in Cali. In 1999 was finished the building of its new campus located in the south of the city, in the place called Valle del Lilí...
. (Private) Founded in 1975, this private institution has more than 7,400 students. - Pontifical Xavierian UniversityPontifical Xavierian UniversityThe Pontificia Universidad Javeriana is a private higher education institution founded in 1623. It is one of the oldest, most traditional, and prestigious Colombian universities, directed by the Society of Jesus, with its main facilities in Bogotá and a second campus in Cali...
. (Private) Founded in 1970, Pontifical Xavierian University Seccional Cali serves as the sectional campus of the Pontifical Xavierian UniversityPontifical Xavierian UniversityThe Pontificia Universidad Javeriana is a private higher education institution founded in 1623. It is one of the oldest, most traditional, and prestigious Colombian universities, directed by the Society of Jesus, with its main facilities in Bogotá and a second campus in Cali...
of Bogotá. PUJ (by its Spanish acronym) is a private higher education institution currently with more than 5,700 students enrolled in its seventeen undergraduate and twenty graduate programs offered by its faculties of engineering, economic and administrative sciences, humanistic and social sciences and health sciences. With over 36,000 printed books spanning a wide array of academic topics, the university's library is one of the biggest in the city. Beginning in 2010 the university will inaugurate its Medicine school bringing its total number of undergraduate degrees to seventeen. Pontifical Xavierian University is one of the most prestigious universities in the city of Cali offering first class education through its accredited and award-winning programs. - Universidad IcesiUniversidad IcesiUniversidad Icesi is a private university located in Cali, Colombia. The campus is located in the area of Pance, south of the city. Founded in 1979 by a group of businessmen in the region, the university offers undergraduate programs, specializations and masters degree studies. There are 3,813...
. (Private) University ICESI was founded in 1979 by regional entrepreneurs looking to solve the lack of highly skilled professionals in the areas relevant to their business. It offers undergraduates programs, specializations and masters. It has more than 2,950 students and a library with over 30,000 books. On the 2nd semester of 2009, the university will start its highly anticipated Medicine School, which will use the Valle del Lily Health Center as its training and educational facility. - Universidad San Buenaventura. (Private) Founded in 1970 by the Franciscan Order, it's a private institution of higher education that serves like sectional for University of St. Buenaventura of BogotáBogotáBogotá, 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...
.
- Free University of ColombiaFree University of ColombiaUniversidad Libre is a university in Colombia initially founded under the name of Universidad Republicana in Bogota during the 19th Century. Since the original intention of this program was to offer the space for unbiased learning during a radical political period in the country, the proper...
. - Universidad Santiago de Cali (Private) The University Santiago de Cali also known as La santiago or USC is a private corporation and institution of higher education founded in 1959
- National Learning Service (SENA).
- Antonio Jose Camacho University Institute (Public)
- Corporación Universitaria Centro Superior (Private)
- Escuela Nacional Del Deporte (Mixed) Founded in 1984, the Escuela Nacional Del Deporte (Sports National School) is, along with Politecnico Jaime Isaza Cadavid (Medellín), the most important institution in Colombia for physical activity, physical therapy and sports science.
- University San Martin
La Manzana del Saber
Located in the south of the city, La Manzana del Saber is today the most important educational project in Cali. There is already a Science Museum and a public library, the project is going to build a new museum called "Abrakadabra" and a investigation center. The project is in construction phase, the demolition of a whole block of the city will be undertaken to build the complex.
You can find more information about this project at www.cali.gov.co. (Spanish)
Cultural centers
- Casa de la cultura Proartes. Since 1871 this house has been a great influence in the culture in cali. The building was restored on 1991 and it contains exhibition saloons, scenarios and a cinema.
- Centro cultural de Cali. Since 1997 it is considered the cultural center in the city and headquarters of the Municipal secretaries of truism and culture.
Museums
- Museo Arqueológico La Merced
- Museo Religioso y Colonial de San Francísco
- Museo del Oro Calima from the Rebublica bank
- Museo de arte moderno La Tertulia
- Museo Arqueologico de la Universidad del Valle
- Museo Departamental de Ciencias Naturales
- Museo Nacional del Transporte
- Museo de Arte Religioso
Feria de Cali (The Cali Fair)
"La Feria de Cali" is the main cultural event in the city. It is a fair that has been celebrated since 1957. The fair is celebrated from 25 to 30 December. The fair is known also as the "Feria de la Caña" (sugar cane fair) and "Feria de la salsa" (Salsa fair). People enjoy many activities like an opening cabalgataCavalcade
Cavalcade may refer to:*Cavalcade, a horseback procession, parade, or mass trail ride*A huge parade*A huge procession*Suzuki GV1400 Cavalcade, a Suzuki luxury touring motorcycle available from 1985 to 1988 in North America...
(parade of horseback riders), tascas, salsa concerts, bullfights, parades, athletic activities, competitions and cultural exhibitions.
Cali is also known as the "Capital de la Salsa" given the city's infatuation with that type of Afro-Caribbean music. In early July there is the Summer Salsa Festival which lasts for one week. It usually includes concerts by some of the world's great salsa bands as well as dance shows and "melomano" competitions in which salsa connoisseurs try to out do each other by digging deep into the archives of salsa music and related sounds to find and reveal long lost tunes.
Rio Cali race
Cali has two main athletic events, a mid-year half marathon 1/2 Maraton de Cali and a December 10k race called Carrera del Río Cali.
Sports
At a professional level, Cali hosts just football teams. At the amateur level there are Basketball, Football, Volleyball, and other sports. Nationally, Cali's athletes compete with Bogotá's and Medellín's in most sport tournaments and championships.Colombia's sports capital city
The city of Santiago de Cali is recognized as the sports capital of Colombia. It is the first Colombian city to have hosted the Pan American Games 1971 Pan Am Games, and because this region has won the National Olympic Games more than any other region in Colombia. The city also counts with one of the most developed sport infrastructures in the country, many sporting events have taken place in the city.Cali has two football stadiums; Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero and Estadio Deportivo Cali
Estadio Deportivo Calì
Estadio Deportivo Cali / Estadio del Deportivo Cali or Palma Seca Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium home of the Deportivo Cali Association, a football club from Santiago de Cali, Colombia . It is the biggest football stadium in Colombia...
/del Deportivo Cali/Palmaseca. Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero is currently home of both Deportivo Cali and América de Cali, since Estadio Deportivo Cali is still under construction. Deportivo Cali is the only football team owner of a stadium in Colombia since all of the other football stadiums are owned by the government, other important scenario in the city is "El pueblo Arena
Coliseo El Pueblo
Coliseo El Pueblo is an indoor sporting arena located in Cali, Colombia. Opened in 1971 for the 1971 Pan American Games, the capacity of the arena is 18,000 and is used mostly for basketball, most notably as the venue of the latter states of the 1982 FIBA World Championship.Also the arena is used...
" is a covered arena center use for all type of events, the main use is basketball.
Infrastructure
Cali's infrastructure has permitted it to host several major international sports competitions such as the 1971 Pan American Games, numerous Games of the Pacific, the final phase of the 1982 World basketball championship1982 FIBA World Championship
The 1982 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Colombia from August 15 to 28 , 1982.-Venues:- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:-Final round:...
, the 1999 World's Roller Hockey Championships, women's basketball and swimming events, Pan American Speed-Track Cycling Championships, and most recently the World's Roller Speed Skating Championships. Cali will host the World Games 2013
World Games 2013
The World Games of 2013 will take place in the city of Cali, from July 25 to August 4.The Games was originally scheduled to be held in the cities of Duisburg and Düsseldorf of Germany. However, the cities could not secure enough funding partly as a result of the global economic downturn in 2009,...
.
- Pascual Guerrero Olímpic stadium
- El Pueblo ArenaColiseo El PuebloColiseo El Pueblo is an indoor sporting arena located in Cali, Colombia. Opened in 1971 for the 1971 Pan American Games, the capacity of the arena is 18,000 and is used mostly for basketball, most notably as the venue of the latter states of the 1982 FIBA World Championship.Also the arena is used...
- Polideportivo de El Vallado
- Unidad Deportiva Panamericana
- Velódromo Alcides Nieto Patiño
- Gimnasio Evangelista Mora
- Patinódromo Los Diputados
- Estadio del Deportivo CaliEstadio Deportivo CalìEstadio Deportivo Cali / Estadio del Deportivo Cali or Palma Seca Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium home of the Deportivo Cali Association, a football club from Santiago de Cali, Colombia . It is the biggest football stadium in Colombia...
Football
Santiago de Cali is home of Colombia's Deportivo CaliDeportivo Cali
Asociación Deportivo Cali is a Colombian sports club based in Cali, Colombia. Mostly known for its football team, it also sponsors basketball, volleyball and swimming...
and América de Cali
América de Cali
Corporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali or simply América is a Colombian football club based in Cali. They currently play in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight professional league in the country....
football clubs. Many well-known football players were either born in Cali or have played in one of its clubs. Wellington Ortiz, Carlos (El Pibe) Valderrama, Anthony (El Pipa) de Avila, Alex Escobar, Julio Cesar Falcioni, Jorge da Silva, Jorge Bermudez, Giovanny Hernandez, Hugo Rodallega, Mario Yepes, Faryd Mondragón, Adolfo (el tren) Valencia, and Oscar Córdoba are a sample of them.
According to Conmebol
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
, América
América de Cali
Corporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali or simply América is a Colombian football club based in Cali. They currently play in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight professional league in the country....
ranks 2nd and Deportivo Cali
Deportivo Cali
Asociación Deportivo Cali is a Colombian sports club based in Cali, Colombia. Mostly known for its football team, it also sponsors basketball, volleyball and swimming...
3rd in the Colombian national ranking, which ranks itself 3rd in the Conmebol ranking. America
América de Cali
Corporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali or simply América is a Colombian football club based in Cali. They currently play in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight professional league in the country....
was ranked as the world's 2nd best club in 1996 by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) and 35th in the All-Time Club World Ranking of the IFFHS. Cali is the Colombian city having hosted the most Colombian first division finals, with 40 matches being played in the stadium. America has won 13 titles, and has been second on 7 occasions. Deportivo Cali has won 8 titles, second in 11 occasions. They have played final against each other three times. In the early 50's, now second-division city's team Boca Juniors lost two finals.
Basketball and bullfighting
Though there is no current basketball team that calls Santiago de Cali home, basketball is the second-most played sport in the city. Basketball is a preferred sport at the city center location "La Carrera del Cholado". Football still surpasses basketball in sport popularity.Bullfighting
Bullfighting
Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
is staged during the Cali Fair
Cali Fair
The Cali's Fair is the most important cultural event in Cali, Colombia. It is a celebration of the region's cultural identity, famous for the Salsa marathon, horse riding parades and dance parties....
which is held in December. It is anticipated by many citizens in Cali, as well as all 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...
. The bullfighting ring
Bullring
A bullring is an arena where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with Spain, but they can also be found in neighboring countries and the New World...
is called La Plaza de Toros de Cañaveralejo, located southwest of Cali.
Nicknames
Capital Mundial de la Salsa or SalsaSalsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
Capital of the World La sucursal del cielo
Other views
Panoramic View from Cristo Rey
Sky view of Southern Cali
External links
(Some of the following links are all in Spanish language)- Alcaldia de Santiago de Cali
- Cali travel page on Colombia Reports
- Gobernación del Valle del Cauca
- Universidad del Valle
- Universidad Santiago de Cali
- Universidad San Buenaventura
- Universidad Autónoma de Occidente
- Universidad ICESI
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana – Cali
- El País newspaper
- Occidente free newspaper
- Places to go and Things to do in Cali Colombia
- Armatedeplan.com – Todos los eventos en Cali
- (PDF) – 2005 Census data