La Vega (city)

Concepcion de la Vega is the capital of the province of La Vega in the Dominican Republic. The city lies near the ruins of La Vega Vieja ( the old La Vega dt ). La Vega Vieja was to La Isabela, the second scheduled European settlement founded in America. The place was next to the fortress of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, the Christopher Columbus in 1495 after a victory over the Taino Indians had built.

Geography

The city is located (also called Cibao ) on the banks of the river Rio Camu in the valley of La Vega Real.

History

The influx of Spanish immigrants after 1502 were lured by gold, the population of the small settlement grew quickly. La Vega Vieja was the first boom town in America and was founded in 1496 capital Santo Domingo soon rank as the most important city of the island from.

Between 1512 and 1525 a new stone fort was built. The city was also home to a cathedral, a goldsmith, a hospital, a convent and had several thousand indigenous and Spanish residents. The inhabitants of the city were the first who cultivated sugarcane in America.

But already the end of the gold occurrences recorded from around 1520. More and more people left the city. A majority of the native population died as a result of exploitation by the Spaniards or by introduced diseases. 1562 the city was destroyed by an earthquake. The survivors founded a new city, today's La Vega near.

General

La Vega is known for its Carnival, which takes place every Sunday afternoon in February and in August in the city center on Calle Independencia. At 16 clock appear in colorful costumes and masks painted the so-called Diablo cojuelos (German limping devil) who have the right to punish unwelcome persons with air -filled balloons, sandbags, Saublasen or whips through impact. The costume winners are organized in a kind of " Narrenzunft ". There are strict regulations, have to look like the costumes in each year, as the whips and other percussion tools must be fitted (to avoid injuries) and must vonstattengehen as the performances of the Diablos. The Carnaval vegana goes - like the carnival in general - to the ancient custom of ancient Europe (in particular the Roman Saturnalia ) return; he has in his earthiness a certain resemblance to the Swabian- Alemannic carnival. The originality of the Carnaval vegana but was pulled from the mid- 1980s through the commercialization affected.

In the vicinity of La Vega is the Sanctuary Santo Cerro is located (Holy Hill), whose church was built of stone from La Vega Vieja. According to legend, the Virgin Mary will be here the Spaniards appeared before a battle against the Taínos in 1495 and have promised them victory. Today processions held here every year on September 24.

From the first settlement of La Vega Vieja foundation walls are still preserved.

La Vega is otherwise a typical Creole city, in the center even wooden houses can be found. The city has (2002) about 98,000 inhabitants, and is the tenth largest city in the country. Economically it is important for processed agricultural products, metal processing and a brewery.