Concepción de la Vega

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Concepción de la Vega is the capital of the La Vega province of the Dominican Republic . The city is not far from the ruins of La Vega Vieja (German: the old La Vega). After La Isabela, La Vega Vieja was the second planned European settlement in America . The place was built next to the fortress Nuestra Señora de la Concepción , which Christopher Columbus had built in 1495 after a victory over the Taíno Indians.

geography

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

history

With the influx of Spanish immigrants after 1502, who were attracted by gold , the population of the small settlement increased rapidly. La Vega Vieja became the first boomtown in America and soon overtook the capital Santo Domingo, founded in 1496, as the most important city on the island.

Between 1512 and 1525 a new stone fort was built. The city also housed a cathedral, a goldsmith's, a hospital, a monastery and had several thousand local and Spanish residents. The city's residents were the first to grow sugar cane in America .

But the end of the gold deposit was already apparent around 1520. More and more people left the city. A large part of the native population died as a result of exploitation by the Spaniards or from diseases that were introduced. In 1562 the city was destroyed by an earthquake . The survivors founded a new town nearby, today's La Vega.

Classic carnival costume in La Vega, 1987

General

La Vega is known for its carnival, which takes place every Sunday afternoon in February and August in the city center on Calle Independencia . At 4 p.m., the so-called Diablo Cojuelos (English limping devils) appear in colorful costumes and lacquered masks , who have the right to punish unwelcome people with blown balloons, sandbags, sucking bubbles or even whips. The costume wearers are organized in a kind of "fools guild". There are strict regulations on how the costumes have to look each year, how the whips and other striking tools may be equipped (to avoid injuries) and how the Diablos must perform. The Carnaval vegana goes back - like the Carnival in general - to the customs of ancient Europe (especially the Roman Saturnalia ); In its originality it has a certain resemblance to the Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet . However, the originality of Carnaval vegana has been damaged by commercialization since the mid-1980s.

Near La Vega is the pilgrimage site of Santo Cerro (Holy Hill), the church of which was built from stones from La Vega Vieja. According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared here to the Spaniards before a battle against the Taínos in 1495 and promised them victory. Today processions take place here on September 24th.

Only the foundation walls of the first settlement, La Vega Vieja, have survived.

Otherwise, La Vega is a typical Creole town with wooden houses in the center. The city has (2002) approx. 98,000 inhabitants and is the tenth largest city in the country. It is economically important for processed agricultural products, metal processing and a beer brewery.

sons and daughters of the town

Web links

Coordinates: 19 ° 13 ′  N , 70 ° 32 ′  W