About El Salvador

EL SALVADOR
Compliments of www.elsalvadorturismo.gob.sv

ABOUT SAN SALVADOR:
It is located almost in the center of the Salvadoran territory and framed by the volcano of San Salvador, hills of Candelaria and Amatepec or Hill of San Jacinto. It was baptized by the Spaniards with the name of “Valley of the hammocks” because of the mobile nature of the floor. It has an elevation of 682 meters over sea level and an average annual temperature of 250 C.

San Salvador is an active metropolis of intense commercial life, with asphalted streets from east to west and avenues from north to south, as well as wide and modern boulevards.

San Salvador is the political, economical, and spiritual capital of the Salvadoran nation. The central government's seat and headquarters of the archbishopric are found there.

A SHORT HISTORY (complete history available on the web site)
Around April 1st, 1525 and in the vicinity of Cuscatlán, the captain Gonzalo de Alvarado, in execution of his brother's orders, Pedro de Alvarado, founded a Spaniard colony, with the title and name of “Villa de San Salvador”. Diego de Olguin was the first mayor.

The city had a colorful history and it was the cradle of the independence of Central America, because in that city the first scream of the independence was given on November 5th, 1811. On January 24th, 1814, another insurrectional movement exploded. The records of independence of Central America are signed in the halls of the town council On September 21st, 1821.

When the Mexican empire fell, Central America was constituted as a Federal Republic and El Salvador into one of its States. On June 12th, 1824, San Salvador was erected as capital of the State of El Salvador. From March to September of 1828, it resisted unbeaten.

San Salvador was capital of the Central American Federation from 1834 at 1839 and it was destroyed by the earthquake of April 16th, 1854. The place resisted with sacrifice and with exemplary heroism until October of 1863.


SOME OF THE IMPORTANT PLACES OF INTEREST:
BALBOA PARK
It was named in memory of the discoverer of the Pacific Ocean, Vasco Núñez de Balboa. It is located in the canton Los Planes de Renderos, municipality of Panchimalco at 12 Kilometers to the south of the city of San Salvador, and with a height of 1070 meters over sea level

It has a physical area of 40 blocks with paved avenues and big green areas. Its climate is from cool to warm, with annual average temperature of 200 C and a precipitation of 2000 mm3.

PUERTA DEL DIABLO
At a kilometer to the south of the Park Balboa, there is the Hill El Chulo, whose rocky formation caused by a plentiful storm in 1762 gives it the name of the “devil's door”. The multiple panoramas contemplated from there are of sublime beauty and of impossible description. There is an acoustic shell like a cave in the rocky mass, scenario of different recreational activities.

Its name is due to its curious formation: Two big rocks, coming out of the abyss, that cut the mountain which give the appearance of a gigantic portal opened to the landscape at the bottom. From here, the coast of Pacific Ocean can be sighted, Villa of Panchimalco, the lake of Ilopango, the Hill of Pavas, and the volcano of San Vicente.

MIRADOR DE LOS PLANES DE RENDEROS
It is located at the bank of the highway that leads to Panchimalco and the edge of the abyss that configures the mountain of Asuyatepec or Loma Larga. From here, you can contemplate the Hill of San Jacinto, San Marcos, the lake of Ilopango, and the rest of the capital city.

PANCHIMALCO
It’s native population that is located to the south from San Salvador at a distance of 14 kilometers and in an altitude of 600 meters over sea level. Its name in nahuat language means “Place of shields and flags”. All the natives that inhabit this area come from a place where at the moment is the city of San Salvador.

The colonial church dates back to 1725. This church is dedicated to Santa Cruz de Roma and during the month of May, the festival of the flowers takes place. Folkloric dances are a tradition in this type of parties.

In this town, there are still some rustic and primitive looms where huipiles and underskirts are made.

RUINS DE CIHUATAN
They are located to the northeast of the city of Aguilares, to the north of San Salvador, and at the left margin of the Acelhaute River. The Salvadoran archeologists Jorge Larde y Larín and Antonio Sol made the first explorations of the place in 1927 and 1929.

Cihuatan in nahuat language means: “City of Women”. It was a sanctuary or ceremonial center disseminated in an area of 5 Kilometers. Its main buildings are “The church” or square pyramid, of seven superimposed prisms, of 12 meters of height and with base of 36 meters for each side. It was Teocali or Ku and “the castle” oriented from north to south; there is a patio of ball game of 60 meters long by 35 meters of base; everything made of stone.

The ball game was the main form of amusement that the aborigines had; it was played with extremely elastic rubber balls. The patio consists of two parallel walls in vertical position: the ball, moved only with the arms and thighs, should be passed through on of the Litic rings. Whoever achieved it, was considered a champion and in his honor, the spectators sang, danced, and was given presents of feathers, blankets, drums, etc.

HILL OF SAN JACINTO
To the southeast of San Salvador and separated by the current of the Acelhuate River, The hill of San Jacinto rises at 1280 meters, denominated formerly Amatepec or “Hill of amates” by the pipiles.

In the summit of this hill, there is the amusement park of “Teleférico San Jacinto” that has restaurants, picnic areas, mechanical games, and a wonderful view of the city of San Salvador and the lake of Ilopango. It is the only one of its kind in all Central America.

CHURCH OF CANDELARIA - SAN SALVADOR
It is located in Candelaria neighborhood, area considered as the place where the capital city was established in the year 1545.
The church was built on February 2nd, 1816 and it was remodeled in 1879. The whole structure is made of wood and iron sheets and the roof is of inverted handcraft.

Their interior consists of three wings divided by 30 columns of Jonick and Tuscan style. Its illumination is made by means of brass lanterns of classic style and windows located in the lateral walls of the church.

As work of art, there is the image of Nuestra Señora of Candelaria made with a very fine detail. It is supposed to have been made in Guatemala, place where the majority of images came during the colony.


ARCHAEOLOGY IN EL SALVADOR
El Salvador is an unavoidable destination for archeology lovers, for being part of the Mayan World and for having important Archeological Sites. Among these, Joya de Cerén, a site declared human patrimony by UNESCO, and which testifies the development of civilizations from the year 1,200 B.C. that inhabited the territory of what is today El Salvador.

El Salvador possesses countless archeological sites. At the moment, almost a thousand have been detected, many of which have still not been dug. However, there are interesting archeological parks in which you can admire monumental pyramidal structures, patios of ball game, ceremonial temples, and structures that served as astronomical observations. In them, you can observe our ancestors’ day-to-day life when appreciating their residence structures and areas of agriculture (Joya de Cerén).

In archeological sites that have been opened to the public, there are interesting museums that show material vestiges of indigenous culture, and where enabled guides will explain important aspects of our ancestral culture and colonial time.

Joya de Ceren
It was declared “Patrimony of Humanity” by UNESCO in 1993. It shows the daily life of natives that was interrupted by the eruption of the volcano Caldera in the year 600 A.D. approximately. Due to this, it was preserved by more than 10 layers of ashes and for over 1400 years until it was discovered accidentally in 1976.

San Andres Archaeological Site
Located at 32 kilometers of San Salvador, it constituted a ruling, ceremonial, and administrative regional center between the years 600 and 900 A.D. It’s a site of important discoveries, among them, a religious scepter elaborated in flint, as well as skulls with dental inlays.

There is in this site a workshop of indigo from colonial times. It was buried by the eruption of the Volcano Playón in the year 1658 A.D. The site has a museum, store of handcrafts, local guides, and a cafeteria.

Tazumal Archaeological Site
The site is in the urban area of Chalchuapa, next to the cemetery. It is located at 82 kilometers of San Salvador.

Its first reference dates of the year 1892. The archaeological site Tazumal was registered formally in 1940 by the archaeologist Stanley Boggs. The occupation of Tazumal took place since 1200 B.C. Its biggest structure measures 24 mts. of height. It has twelve steps or platforms. In it, tombs with more than 116 vessels, jade jewelry, "mirrors" of iron pyre, devices of ball game, and ceramic with form of lizards were found. To the south, there is something that seems like a field of ball game. An area of what seems a ball game field defined by the pyramid is still being considered as investigation. At Tazumal, there is also the stone of victories. It is a monolith of Olmeca influence that presents four different engravings on its four sides. It belongs to approximately 700 years B.C. it is unavoidable destination for the lovers of the archaeology.

Colonial City of Suchitoto
Throughout its existence, Suchitoto has had sporadic periods of importance and historical relevance for the country. This is due to the fact of having been involved, either in a direct or indirect way, in events of valuable national meaning.

Since the arrival of Spaniards, the name of Suchitoto began to sound for being indirectly linked to the events of the foundation of San Salvador. During colonial times, it didn't have more importance than the rest of the towns with similar conditions. However, near the middle of the XIX century, Suchitoto was an important city that produced indigo and agriculture in El Salvador. At the end of the same century and at the beginning of the XX century, its geographical strategic location allowed it to be an important bridge between the north and the rest of the country.

In the XX century, between the years 1911 and 1931, three of its sons, in different periods, ended up being presidents of the republic. Other illustrious and important characters in the history of the country were also born on this place. Undoubtedly, all of this came to create and stimulate the urban growth and economic development in very particular ways. On the other hand, it is very interesting to find out that, although it began to acquire shape during the colony, its actual urban landscape was not born in colonial periods. The face we know today of Suchitoto began to form in the first decades of the conformation of the republic and not in colonial times, as it is usually believed today.