Río Segundo, Córdoba
Encyclopedia
Rio Segundo, abbreviated as Río 2o, is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina
, built on the banks of the river Rio Segundo about 40 km east-southeast of Córdoba
and about 660 km west-northwest of Buenos Aires
. It is the largest city of the Río Segundo County(department). Rio Segundo straddles National Route 9
and a main train line that runs from Córdoba to Buenos Aires. Pilar is a smaller city in size that resides on the other side of the river.
s, meat, fodder, sand, and stone. There are several large meat processing plants (frigorificos) within city limits.
Georgalos, also found within city limits, is a large economic contributor for Rio Segundo making a variety of candies. Many workers travel by bus to Córdoba
to work in the Fiat
car manufacturing plant. Construction is also a large employer of Rio Segundo being that it is an old city that is in need of constant repair.
, food, and dance, Argentina as a whole is known by many as Little Europe. Another big influencer is the gaucho
and their traditional country lifestyle of self-reliance. Finally, indigenous American traditions (like mate tea
drinking) have been absorbed into the general cultural melting pot.
Most of Rio Segundo's residents enjoy traditional Argentine food
s that are influenced by cuisine from Spain
, Italy
, Germany
, France
and other European countries, and many foods from those countries such as pasta, sausages, and desserts are common in the city's diet. Argentina has a wide variety of staple foods, which include empanada
s, a stuffed pastry; locro
, a mixture of corn, beans, meat, bacon, onion, and gourd; and chorizo
, a spicy sausage. Other popular items include facturas (Viennese-style
pastry
), Dulce de Leche
and mate
, Argentina's national beverage.
The first establishment in the Rio Segundo area was a post office on the shores of the river. The post office was the beginning of growth for Rio Segundo; many travelers would stop at Rio Segundo prior to crossing the river. Prior to 1870, when the first bridge was built, people who wished to cross the river had to tread the waters with their carriages and handcarts with hopes that the unpredictable depths and currents wouldn’t wash them away.
Rio Segundo remained a wayside village until the introduction of the train to the area. The newly built railroad running from Buenos Aires
to Córdoba
passed directly through Río Segundo and brought even more growth to the area. In 1883 the city’s first school was founded, and one year later the cornerstone of the first church was laid. That same year Rio Segundo’s first industry came by way of Sr. Andrónico Gómez who was in the industry of beer making. In 1888 the city was granted a municipal building and elected their first mayor, Mayor Luís Loredo.
It wasn’t until 1916 that the first road going from Córdoba
to Rio Segundo finally passed through to Villa Maria and on to Buenos Aires
with the construction of a new bridge for automobiles. Also during this time many World War European refugees inhabited the area bringing with them their large variety of cultures.
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...
, built on the banks of the river Rio Segundo about 40 km east-southeast of Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
and about 660 km west-northwest of 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...
. It is the largest city of the Río Segundo County(department). Rio Segundo straddles National Route 9
National Route 9 (Argentina)
National Route 9 is a major road in Argentina, which runs from the center-east to the northwest of the country, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy...
and a main train line that runs from Córdoba to Buenos Aires. Pilar is a smaller city in size that resides on the other side of the river.
Economy
Most of Rio Segundo's economic revenue comes from the creation of raw materials such as; cerealCereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s, meat, fodder, sand, and stone. There are several large meat processing plants (frigorificos) within city limits.
Georgalos, also found within city limits, is a large economic contributor for Rio Segundo making a variety of candies. Many workers travel by bus to Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
to work in the Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
car manufacturing plant. Construction is also a large employer of Rio Segundo being that it is an old city that is in need of constant repair.
Culture and Daily Life
Rio Segundo's culture has several significant influences. As a result both of the prevalence of people of European descent and of conscious imitation of European styles in architectureArchitecture of Argentina
The Architecture of Argentina can be said to start at the beginning of the Spanish colonisation, though it was in the 18th century that the cities of the country reached their splendour...
, food, and dance, Argentina as a whole is known by many as Little Europe. Another big influencer is the gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
and their traditional country lifestyle of self-reliance. Finally, indigenous American traditions (like mate tea
Yerba mate
Maté, yerba maté or erva maté , Ilex paraguariensis, is a species of holly native to subtropical South America in northeastern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay...
drinking) have been absorbed into the general cultural melting pot.
Most of Rio Segundo's residents enjoy traditional Argentine food
Cuisine of Argentina
Argentine cuisine may be described as a cultural blending of indigenous Mediterranean influences with the wide scope of livestock and agricultural products that are abundant in the country...
s that are influenced by cuisine from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 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...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and other European countries, and many foods from those countries such as pasta, sausages, and desserts are common in the city's diet. Argentina has a wide variety of staple foods, which include empanada
Empanada
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Latin America, Southern Europe and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing...
s, a stuffed pastry; locro
Locro
Locro is a hearty thick stew popular along the Andes mountain range. The dish is a classic Ecuadorian cheese and potato soup from the Ecuadorian cuisine. This is also a dish in Peruvian cuisine, which at one point held the center of the Inca empire. It typical also in Argentina prepared by the...
, a mixture of corn, beans, meat, bacon, onion, and gourd; and chorizo
Chorizo
Chorizo is a term encompassing several types of pork sausages originating from the Iberian Peninsula.In English, it is usually pronounced , , or , but sometimes ....
, a spicy sausage. Other popular items include facturas (Viennese-style
Viennese cuisine
Viennese cuisine is the cuisine that is characteristic of Vienna, Austria, and its residents. Viennese cuisine is often treated as equivalent to Austrian cuisine, but while elements of Viennese cuisine have spread throughout Austria, other Austrian regions have their own unique variations...
pastry
Pastry
Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."...
), Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche
Dulce de leche is a thick,creamy, caramel-like milk-based sauce or spread.Literally translated, dulce de leche means "sweet from milk". It is prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a product that derives its taste from caramelised sugar. It is a popular sweet in Latin America, where...
and mate
Mate (beverage)
Mate , also known as chimarrão or cimarrón, is a traditional South American infused drink, particularly in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, southern states of Brazil, south of Chile, the Bolivian Chaco, and to some extent, Syria and Lebanon...
, Argentina's national beverage.
History
Rio Segundo held the aborigine name "Chanaes" or "Xanaes" which was actually the name of the river itself, however, the name was used for the area surrounding the river as well. Spanish Conquistadores were the first Europeans to enter the area and were originally following the river to the Atlantic Ocean. Prior to European discovery Rio Segundo was uninhabited it is believed that the area was initially founded by Spanish Conquistadores on December 25, 1576 and for that reason the area was given the name “Navidad” which translated means Christmas. Later the Spanish Founder Jerónimo Luís de Cabrera changed the name to Río Segundo.The first establishment in the Rio Segundo area was a post office on the shores of the river. The post office was the beginning of growth for Rio Segundo; many travelers would stop at Rio Segundo prior to crossing the river. Prior to 1870, when the first bridge was built, people who wished to cross the river had to tread the waters with their carriages and handcarts with hopes that the unpredictable depths and currents wouldn’t wash them away.
Rio Segundo remained a wayside village until the introduction of the train to the area. The newly built railroad running from 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...
to Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
passed directly through Río Segundo and brought even more growth to the area. In 1883 the city’s first school was founded, and one year later the cornerstone of the first church was laid. That same year Rio Segundo’s first industry came by way of Sr. Andrónico Gómez who was in the industry of beer making. In 1888 the city was granted a municipal building and elected their first mayor, Mayor Luís Loredo.
It wasn’t until 1916 that the first road going from Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
to Rio Segundo finally passed through to Villa Maria and on to 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...
with the construction of a new bridge for automobiles. Also during this time many World War European refugees inhabited the area bringing with them their large variety of cultures.