Pereira, Colombia

The city of Pereira is the capital city of the Colombian department of Risaralda. It stands in the center of the western region of the country, located in a small valley that descends from a part of the western Andes mountain chain. Its strategic location in the coffee producing area makes the city one of the most important urban centers in Colombia, as does its proximity to the three most important cities in the country – Bogotá, Cali and Medellín – and to the sea and the biggest airport in the whole area. In 2004 it reported a population of 576,329.

The city of Pereira

History

The early settlers were the Quimbaya tribes, famous for their gold artistic features, considered as the highest quality among cultures from pre-Columbian America.

The Spanish established their first settlement around the year 1540. The town of Cartago was first founded here and then moved around 1960 to the place where it is today; leaving the territory totally abandoned. Much later, in the middle of the 19th century, settlers from Antioquia settlers occupied the area and established the city in 1863. The city is thus the result of a major demographic and territorial movement known as the "Antioquian Expansion", which developed an enormous economic movement that boosted the development of the whole country.

The most important product for the settlers was coffee, which is still today the most important product. It has received not only the migrations from Antioquia, but still today, it receives migrants from Valle, Bogotá, and other major Colombian cities.

In 1966 Pereira became the capital city of the department of Risaralda.

Demographics

The population is approximately of 500,000 inhabitants as of 2005, making it the eighth biggest city in Colombia. Pereira also has a twin city, Dosquebradas, of approximately 200,000 inhabitants, making the area one of the most crowded urban areas in Colombia.

Points of Interest

Plaza de Bolívar

Plaza de Bolívar

Very famous because of the monument "Bolívar Desnudo" – Naked Bolívar. It is located in the center of the city. The area is the focus of commercial and financial activities. The most important activities in the city take place here.

Viaducto Cesar Gaviria Trujillo

Viaducto César Gaviria

This bridge is the symbol and pride of the city. Finished in 1998, it is one of the biggest bridges in South America. The bridge has the name César_Gaviria, in honor of the 40th president of the nation, who was born in this city.

Matecana City Zoo

Zoológico Matecana

One of the most important attraction of this city is its city zoo, which is the largest in Colombia and one of the largest in South America, it is internationally recognized for leading investigations in the preservation of animal life.