Maturin
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Maturín is the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas. The city has a population of 500,000 people according to the 2006 census.
[edit] History
December 7, 1760 is the official date of the foundation of Maturín (according to the Venezuelan Academy of History) by the Franciscan missionary Lucas de Zaragoza. However, the Jesuit priest Pablo Ojer found in Spain a document which proves a previous foundation of the city in 1722. This primitive town was called San Juan de la Tornera de Maturín and its founder was the Spanish governor Juan de la Tornera y Sota. San Juan de la Tornera de Maturín had the category of city for Spaniards, but it did not survive very long because of the lack of population and little economical resources. At the beginning San Judas Tadeo de Maturín (Lucas de Zaragoza gave this name to Maturín) was a Spanish mission created for the conversion of Indians Chaimas and Waraos, who lived next to Maturín. The Spaniards decided to move to Maturín and in nineteenth century it received the category of city and the name of San Fernando de Maturín.
Maturín (as a part of the province of Cumaná) was on the republican side during the declaration of the Venezuelan independence on July 5, 1811. Five battles took place in Maturín from 1813 to 1814, including the famous battle of Alto de los Godos. In this battle the Venezuelan patriots, leaded by Manuel Piar, obtained a great victory against the Spanish general Domingo Monteverde. Antonio José de Sucre, José Francisco Bermúdez, José Tadeo Monagas, José Gregorio Monagas and José Félix Ribas were others who fought in the five battles. The last battle of Maturín (1814), however, was a defeat. Persons, who had escaped from Caracas during the military campaign of José Tomás Boves against the republic, came to Maturín to shelter from the Spanish troops. After the battle of Urica (where Boves died) Tomás José Morales, a Spanish general, decided to take the town. The republicans defended the town, but they were beaten and many of them were murdered by Morales. The town was destroyed. Some survivors of the last battle rebuilt Maturín two years later.
Maturín grew slowly during nineteenth century. The causes of this lack of population were civil wars (which destroyed the former farming and livestock richness of the region and killed many people) and fatal diseases, such as malaria and yellow fever, which were caused by mosquitoes. In 1909 Maturín became capital of the new Monagas state. Before that the town was the capital of the canton Maturín from 1856 to 1859. In twentieth century Maturín has had a quick demographical growth thanks to the discovery of petroleum fields near to the town and a health campaign done by doctors to finish with mosquitoes. Maturín is the headquarters of a catholic bishopric since 1958.
[edit] Places of Interest
Plaza Bolívar is the main town square of Maturín and also the oldest of the city. In front of it is the Palacio de Gobierno (built in 1942), where the governor of the state of Monagas carries out his duties.
The church San Simón is the oldest in Maturín. It was built between 1884 and 1887 and is located in front of the Plaza Bolivar.
The cathedral Nuestra Señora del Carmen is a catholic temple of Roman style. Its construction began in 1961 and was finished in 1981. It is located in Bolívar avenue.
Amana del Tamarindo is a small town located thirty minutes from Maturín. It received its name from a tamarind tree located in the town, like the Amana river. Under this tree, which still exists, was the birthplace of general José Tadeo Monagas.