Altos
Encyclopedia
Altos is a district and locality of the Cordillera Department
, Paraguay
.
It is also called “Altos de Ybypytaré”, which in Guaraní
means “path of the wind”, previously called “San Lorenzo de la Cordillera de los Altos”, one of the oldest cities of Paraguay
. It is known as the “Terrace of the country” because of its high altitude.
is 22º Celsius, in summer reaches 39°C and in winter drops to 3°C.
founded it, on August 10, 1538. The second one tells that it was Friar Luis de Bolaños
in 1580, with the purpose of being the first “Reducción Guaraní” of Río de la Plata
and Paraguay.
It was the hiding place of Joseph Mengele, notorious nazi scientist
and medical doctor, who experimented in the Nazi concentration camps. Mengele and his wife flew to Altos in 1959, after the government of Occidental Germany
discovered their home in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, and he received the notification for arrest. His wife did not adapt to this new life and left him. In 1960, he panicked after hearing news of the interest of the nazi hunter in his capture,and with kidnapping of Adolf Eichmann
, left Altos to go to Hohenau
in the South of Paraguay
.
, as well as general agriculture, woodcraft, and the breeding of horned cattle.
It is located in Heroes' Square in the center of the city.
Marshal José Félix Estigarribia
's fatal plane crash was near the city of Altos, by the Aguaí Stream.
The most important artisan production is the carving of timbó wood in the shape of animals, mythological beings and masks that are later painted with intense colors. The masks became famous as “kamba ra’anga”, an image of the mulatto, used in the re-enactments of the battles between the kambá (mulattos) and the guaicurúes (natives), during the festivities of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, on July 28 and 29th in Itaguazú, located 2 kilometers from Altos. This is an important festivity of colonial origins in which are also organized games and prepared typical food.
The route to access the city provides a beautiful landscape for visitors to enjoy, because it goes up a chain of mountains and looks down onto the Ypacaraí Lake
and the exuberant vegetation surrounding it. “The Tukanga Route” is an outing offered by the Municipality and it is called that way because of the abundance of “tucanes” (toucans) in the area. The region is distinctive for its richness in natural resources.
There is also the Saldivar Stream, located in a natural reserve with more than 4 hectares, 8 kilometers from the center of city.
The farm “El Gaucho” has 4 hectares of abundant vegetation, with modern and comfortable amenities that recreate colonial times.
The rural hotel “La Grappa” offers visitors the natural environment of the mountainous country, in addition to nights of Paraguayan and Latin American folklore.
“The Bar of Tereré” is a very particular establishment that invites visitors to try the refreshing Paraguayan beverage called “Tereré”, served to ameliorate the high temperatures. In this bar, the experts guide the visitors in the right selection of the yerba, yuyo (medical herb) and utensils for the tereré, all in a place decorated with traditional crafts and furniture. It is located in the avenue that connects San Bernardino and Altos.
. His house is located in the historical area of the city. Luis Alberto traveled through all Europe
, entertaining with his music and receiving important awards for his records.
and Loma Grande
, located to the east of Altos.
Cordillera Department
-History:During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries this area of the country was going through a serious crisis due to population bellicosity of the Indians from Chaco. The villagers from Tobatí located north of the river Pirapo then called, had to migrate south for the continue attacks by...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
Etymology
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
means “path of the wind”, previously called “San Lorenzo de la Cordillera de los Altos”, one of the oldest cities of Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. It is known as the “Terrace of the country” because of its high altitude.
Climate
The climate in this department is mild and dry. The average temperatureTemperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
is 22º Celsius, in summer reaches 39°C and in winter drops to 3°C.
Demography
Altos’ population is 13,114 in total, 6,862 men and 6,252 women, according to information provided by the Statistics, Polls and Census General Direction.History
There are two versions of its foundation. The first tells that Domingo Martínez de IralaDomingo Martínez de Irala
Domingo Martínez de Irala was a Spanish Basque conquistador.He headed for the Americas in 1535 enrolled in the expedition of Pedro de Mendoza and participated in the founding of Buenos Aires...
founded it, on August 10, 1538. The second one tells that it was Friar Luis de Bolaños
Luis de Bolaños
Luis de Bolaños was a Spanish Franciscan friar and missionary evangelist, initiator of the system of reductions in Paraguay and northeastern Argentina....
in 1580, with the purpose of being the first “Reducción Guaraní” of Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
and Paraguay.
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and medical doctor, who experimented in the Nazi concentration camps. Mengele and his wife flew to Altos in 1959, after the government of Occidental Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
discovered their home in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and he received the notification for arrest. His wife did not adapt to this new life and left him. In 1960, he panicked after hearing news of the interest of the nazi hunter in his capture,and with kidnapping of Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
, left Altos to go to Hohenau
Hohenau (Paraguay)
Hohenau is a city of the Itapúa Department, Paraguay, located 8 kilometers away from Trinidad and 365 kilometers away from Asunción. It has extensive cultivation fields and streams nearby like the Capi'ivary, Poromocó, Mansisovy, Santa María and others.-Name:...
in the South of Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
Economy
The Altos is known for the harvesting of pharmacological plants and coffeeCoffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, as well as general agriculture, woodcraft, and the breeding of horned cattle.
Tourism
The church is from the time of the Jesuit Missions and in honor of its patron saint, San Lorenzo (Saint Lawrence).It is located in Heroes' Square in the center of the city.
José Félix Estigarribia
Marshal José Félix Estigarribia Insaurralde was a decorated Paraguayan war hero and President of Paraguay for the Liberal party. Educated as an agronomist, he joined the national Army in 1910 and spent time in Chile and in Saint Cyr's military academy in France for additional training...
's fatal plane crash was near the city of Altos, by the Aguaí Stream.
The most important artisan production is the carving of timbó wood in the shape of animals, mythological beings and masks that are later painted with intense colors. The masks became famous as “kamba ra’anga”, an image of the mulatto, used in the re-enactments of the battles between the kambá (mulattos) and the guaicurúes (natives), during the festivities of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, on July 28 and 29th in Itaguazú, located 2 kilometers from Altos. This is an important festivity of colonial origins in which are also organized games and prepared typical food.
The route to access the city provides a beautiful landscape for visitors to enjoy, because it goes up a chain of mountains and looks down onto the Ypacaraí Lake
Ypacaraí Lake
Ypacaraí Lake is a major waterbody located in Paraguay about 25 km east of Asunción. The lake lies in the western part of the Asunción-Sapucai-Villarrica graben, a tectonic depression of Mesozoic age, and drains to the northwest trough Salado River into Paraguay River...
and the exuberant vegetation surrounding it. “The Tukanga Route” is an outing offered by the Municipality and it is called that way because of the abundance of “tucanes” (toucans) in the area. The region is distinctive for its richness in natural resources.
There is also the Saldivar Stream, located in a natural reserve with more than 4 hectares, 8 kilometers from the center of city.
The farm “El Gaucho” has 4 hectares of abundant vegetation, with modern and comfortable amenities that recreate colonial times.
The rural hotel “La Grappa” offers visitors the natural environment of the mountainous country, in addition to nights of Paraguayan and Latin American folklore.
“The Bar of Tereré” is a very particular establishment that invites visitors to try the refreshing Paraguayan beverage called “Tereré”, served to ameliorate the high temperatures. In this bar, the experts guide the visitors in the right selection of the yerba, yuyo (medical herb) and utensils for the tereré, all in a place decorated with traditional crafts and furniture. It is located in the avenue that connects San Bernardino and Altos.
People from Altos
Altos is the hometown of the internationally renowned artist Luis Alberto del ParanáLuis Alberto del Paraná
Luis Alberto del Paraná was a Paraguayan singer and guitarist. During the fifties, sixties and early seventies, he traveled extensively around the globe with his group Los Paraguayos, popularizing Paraguayan music. He is the best-selling Paraguayan musician ever.-Family and early life:He was born...
. His house is located in the historical area of the city. Luis Alberto traveled through all Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, entertaining with his music and receiving important awards for his records.
How to get to Altos
Access to the city is through the cities AtyráAtyrá
Atyra is an old city of Paraguay, 61 kilometers from the country's capital, Asunción. Located in the Altos Cordillera, it is part of the Cordillera Department.-Original name and founding:...
and Loma Grande
Loma Grande
Loma Grande is a district of the Cordillera Department, Paraguay....
, located to the east of Altos.