Ciudad Darío
Encyclopedia
Ciudad Darío is a municipality
in the Matagalpa
department
of Nicaragua
. It is the birthplace of poet Rubén Darío
.
Previously known as Metapa and Chocoyos even before that, Ciudad Darío is located 90 km (about 56 miles) from Managua
. The population is about 10,000.
In pre-historical times this area was probably part of an ancient lake, where the Ucumulali river (Rio Grande) used to flow its waters to the Pacific Ocean (long before the formation of Managua lake), but according to some Geologists, cataclistic earth movements rose huge mountains on its way (Totumbla mountain with its Guisisil peak) and made the river deviate its course toward the Caribbean sea, as it is now. This area originally was inhabited by Matagalpa Indians. Their main settlement was the vicinity of the lagoon of Moyua, where archeologist discovered pre-colonial stone columns that may had belong to a temple.
The Spanish may have found thereby small Indian villages by the year 1528 when acting Governor Diego de Castañeda ordered captain Gabriel de Rojas to search the passage to the North Sea: lleva gente de a pie y a caballo, unos dicen que a 50 hombres, otros que lleva 200, por el camino que llevan se cree que saldran a la mar del norte. (Indian Archives, Seville, Spain)
In 1627 Fray Garcia de Loaysa lured some Matagalpa Indians to setlle in this region of Metapa, at the same time Fray Juan Godoy was founding the Indian reduction of San Ramón Nonnato, near Matagalpa, with Indians taken from the mountain of Cacaobaca (Jaime Incer. Viajes, Rutas y Encuentros, p. 254). During the Spanish colonial times Metapa was an important resting place for missioners and troops that were on their way to the interior of the country. In 1685 the Bishop of Nicaragua and Costa Rica Fray Ramon Rojas, died here, exhausted after escaping from the attack of pirate Dampier to the city of Leon, he was buried in Metapa.
In 1703 Metapa was visited by the missioner Fray Margil de Jesus. In 1752 by Bishop Fray Agustin Morel de Santa Cruz. In 1856 was the base for the “Junta de Recursos” formed by Nicaraguan patriots to collect funds to create the "Ejército del Septentrión" (Northern Army) who fought against the filibusteer troops of William Walker.
In 1857 was included to be part of the newly formed Matagalpa Department by the government of General Tomas Martinez
In 1867 Metapa was the birthplace of a boy named Felix Ruben Garcia, later known as Ruben Dario, one of the greatest poets of the Spanish language.
In 1883 died there Jorge Choiseul Praslin, whom many people thought could be the famous French Duke Theobald de Choiseul Praslin, who escaped from France in 1847.
In 1920 Metapa changed name to Ciudad Dario by a Decree of the Government of President Emiliano Chamorro
Metapa or Ciudad Dario is located 90 kilometers from Managua, at the side of the paved road to the city of Matagalpa. Eddy Kuhl
It is said that the original settlement that is Ciudad Darío today was called Chocoyos. The small town received this name because the people who lived there during the time built their houses using green branches.
Bishop Fray Agustin Morel of Santa Cruz came to the town in in 1752 and it was renamed Metapa. On January 18, 1867, Félix Rubéen García Sarmiento, better known as Rubén Darío
, was born to Rosa Sarmiento in Metapa. On February 20, 1920, Metapa was re-named Ciudad Darío in Rubén Darío's honor.
In 1943, the house in which Darío was born was declared a national museum. Located near the center of the city, the building retains its original look, despite its restorations beginning in 1999. Annually, people will gather at the house on the date of his birthday for poetry readings, dance performances, and other cultural activities.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in the Matagalpa
Matagalpa (department)
Matagalpa is a department or region in central Nicaragua. It covers an area of 8,523 km² and has a population of 644,900 . The capital is the city of Matagalpa with about 250.000....
department
Departments of Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a unitary republic, and for administrative purposes, it is divided into 15 departments and two self-governing regions based on the Spanish model:-Zelaya Department:...
of Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. It is the birthplace of poet Rubén Darío
Rubén Darío
Félix Rubén García Sarmiento , known as Rubén Darío, was a Nicaraguan poet who initiated the Spanish-American literary movement known as modernismo that flourished at the end of the 19th century...
.
Previously known as Metapa and Chocoyos even before that, Ciudad Darío is located 90 km (about 56 miles) from Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
. The population is about 10,000.
History
History of the town of Metapa, in NicaraguaIn pre-historical times this area was probably part of an ancient lake, where the Ucumulali river (Rio Grande) used to flow its waters to the Pacific Ocean (long before the formation of Managua lake), but according to some Geologists, cataclistic earth movements rose huge mountains on its way (Totumbla mountain with its Guisisil peak) and made the river deviate its course toward the Caribbean sea, as it is now. This area originally was inhabited by Matagalpa Indians. Their main settlement was the vicinity of the lagoon of Moyua, where archeologist discovered pre-colonial stone columns that may had belong to a temple.
The Spanish may have found thereby small Indian villages by the year 1528 when acting Governor Diego de Castañeda ordered captain Gabriel de Rojas to search the passage to the North Sea: lleva gente de a pie y a caballo, unos dicen que a 50 hombres, otros que lleva 200, por el camino que llevan se cree que saldran a la mar del norte. (Indian Archives, Seville, Spain)
In 1627 Fray Garcia de Loaysa lured some Matagalpa Indians to setlle in this region of Metapa, at the same time Fray Juan Godoy was founding the Indian reduction of San Ramón Nonnato, near Matagalpa, with Indians taken from the mountain of Cacaobaca (Jaime Incer. Viajes, Rutas y Encuentros, p. 254). During the Spanish colonial times Metapa was an important resting place for missioners and troops that were on their way to the interior of the country. In 1685 the Bishop of Nicaragua and Costa Rica Fray Ramon Rojas, died here, exhausted after escaping from the attack of pirate Dampier to the city of Leon, he was buried in Metapa.
In 1703 Metapa was visited by the missioner Fray Margil de Jesus. In 1752 by Bishop Fray Agustin Morel de Santa Cruz. In 1856 was the base for the “Junta de Recursos” formed by Nicaraguan patriots to collect funds to create the "Ejército del Septentrión" (Northern Army) who fought against the filibusteer troops of William Walker.
In 1857 was included to be part of the newly formed Matagalpa Department by the government of General Tomas Martinez
In 1867 Metapa was the birthplace of a boy named Felix Ruben Garcia, later known as Ruben Dario, one of the greatest poets of the Spanish language.
In 1883 died there Jorge Choiseul Praslin, whom many people thought could be the famous French Duke Theobald de Choiseul Praslin, who escaped from France in 1847.
In 1920 Metapa changed name to Ciudad Dario by a Decree of the Government of President Emiliano Chamorro
Metapa or Ciudad Dario is located 90 kilometers from Managua, at the side of the paved road to the city of Matagalpa. Eddy Kuhl
It is said that the original settlement that is Ciudad Darío today was called Chocoyos. The small town received this name because the people who lived there during the time built their houses using green branches.
Bishop Fray Agustin Morel of Santa Cruz came to the town in in 1752 and it was renamed Metapa. On January 18, 1867, Félix Rubéen García Sarmiento, better known as Rubén Darío
Rubén Darío
Félix Rubén García Sarmiento , known as Rubén Darío, was a Nicaraguan poet who initiated the Spanish-American literary movement known as modernismo that flourished at the end of the 19th century...
, was born to Rosa Sarmiento in Metapa. On February 20, 1920, Metapa was re-named Ciudad Darío in Rubén Darío's honor.
In 1943, the house in which Darío was born was declared a national museum. Located near the center of the city, the building retains its original look, despite its restorations beginning in 1999. Annually, people will gather at the house on the date of his birthday for poetry readings, dance performances, and other cultural activities.