Medellin

Medellin is a city in northwestern Colombia. It is the capital of Antioquia department and counted in 2006 2.4 million inhabitants. The city is after Bogota the largest city in the country. Medellin is located in the Valle de Aburrá, and the same metropolitan area Valle de Aburrá (Aburra Valley). It is an area with more than 3.2 million inhabitants and an industrial and commercial center. The river the Medellín runs along the city.

The city was founded in 1616 by Francisco Herrera y Campuzano. At the end of the 20th century the city had much to do with violence and crime, including the Medellin cartel headed by Pablo Escobar. In recent years, the city is much safer and the crime rate dropped dramatically.

History

Medellin Metro

The city of Medellin was officially founded on March 3, 1616 by Francisco Herrera y Campuzano and called Poblado de San Lorenzo. On November 2, 1675, the name of the town changed to Villa de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria of Medellin. In 1813 the city was declared Medellin and thirteen years later the city was the capital of Antioquia state. In the 20th century the city, under the influence of industrialization, made a spectacular growth and at the edge of the city appeared large slums. In the eighties, the city was under the spell of the drug cartel headed by Pablo Escobar and the associated violence. In 1981 the United States even closed their consulate in the city and called a negative travel advice for the city. From the beginning of the 21st century, the city is a lot safer and they are working hard to modernize the city. For example, in 1995 opened the Medellin Metro, Medellin is the only Colombian city with a subway network.

Culture

Medellin is known as the City of Eternal Spring. Residents of the city are often called Paisas, though this is an official term for people from the Paisa region comprising the provinces of Antioquia, Risaralda, Quindío and Caldas.

Festivals

Feria de las Flores

The main festival of the town is the Feria de las Flores (flower festival), which takes place every year in early August. The highlight of this festival is the parade which is held at the end, where huge flowers are borne through the city. Part of the festival is the election of the Internacional Reina de las Flores (international flower queen). Other events include the International Poetry Festival, the annual Tango Festival, Comedy Festival and the Parade of Myths and Legends.

Sports

Medellin has two great football teams, Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín. Atletico Nacional is one of the best and most popular clubs in the country and the matches between both teams are big events. Medellin is also the birthplace of the cyclist Santiago Botero and the city is known for its good swim teams.