San Bernardino (Paraguay)

- 25.308333333333 - 57.3Koordinaten: 25 ° 18 ' S, 57 ° 18' W

San Bernardino is a small town and district in the Paraguayan department of Cordillera, located around 50 kilometers from Asunción.

The city was founded on August 24, 1881 by Jacob Schaerer as a German colony and has 10,176 inhabitants ( estimate of the City Council 2007). Originally the town was named Nueva Baviera ( Neubayern ), but was named after the First World War, after General Bernardino Caballero and Paraguayan President. The flag of the city corresponds with their horizontal bars in black, red and yellow practically the flag of Germany.

Because of its location on the eastern shore of Lake Ypacaraí San Bernardino is a major destination for the local population. Many wealthy Paraguayans have a holiday home in San Bernardino, which is, however, generally used only in the summer months of December to February. The architecture of the town center is dominated by some dilapidated buildings from the foundation phase and cottages of the 20th century, mixed with various hotels and restaurants. On the main access road, Ruta General Morínigo, there is a variety of mostly seasonal nightclubs, simple restaurants and resorts. On summer weekends, flow up to 20,000 guests to San Bernardino, which describes itself as Capital del Verano ( capital of the summer).

San Bernardino is the place of death of the political agitator Bernhard Förster, the brother of Friedrich Nietzsche. In the churchyard is the grave of Luis Alberto del Paraná, the singer of Los paraguayos.