Mérida, Andean Region, Venezuela

🇻🇪 Mérida, officially known as Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida, is the capital of the municipality of Libertador and the state of Mérida, and is one of the main cities of the Venezuelan Andes. It was founded in 1558 by Captain Juan Rodríguez Suárez, forming part of Nueva Granada, but later became part of the Captaincy General of Venezuela and played an active role in the War of Independence.

It is home to the University of Los Andes and the Archdiocese of Mérida. It also has the highest and longest cable car in the world. It is the largest student and tourist centre of western Venezuela. The mass transit system (Trolebús Mérida) is available as a means of tourist transport.

This city sits on a plateau nestled in the valley of the Chama River, which runs from end to end. The town of Mérida is located at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,200 feet). As background on the horizon rises the country's highest summit: the Pico Bolívar with an altitude of 4,981 metres (16,342 feet).

Economy The city of Mérida has one of the lowest poverty indexes in Venezuela. According to the 2001 census, 18.09% of the population lives in poverty; this figure is beaten only by San Cristóbal (17.05%) and the municipalities of Chacao (8.69%), Baruta (11.22%) and San Antonio de Los Altos (6.13%) in the state of Miranda.

The city's economy has been evolving and transforming since the beginning of the 20th century. Traditionally, agriculture formed the most significant part of economic activity in Mérida, which was the distribution centre for agricultural goods in the state. Furthermore, large sugar cane haciendas were located nearby; their income led to the construction of a central sugar refinery in which all of Mérida's sugar cane was processed. This refinery was eventually abandoned and has now been converted into a museum. With the construction of Mérida Cable Car, the trans-Andes highway, and the city's airport, the city's economy evolved, with the tertiary services sector—especially tourism—displacing the primary agricultural sector.

Tourism, dubbed the "green industry", is the principal source of income in the city, and one of the most flourishing industries. Touristic activity benefits from the potential offered by the Andes mountains surrounding the city, and from the city's own parks, museums, and plazas, among other features. In addition, in recent years, owing to the creation of the only free cultural, scientific, and technological zone in the country, the city has begun to develop in the field of technology, thanks also to the support of the university in this matter. The city of Mérida now stands out at the national level for its low cost of living and its high (relative to cost of living) per capita income of $4,381, ninth among Venezuelan cities. The service sector contributes a large percentage of the state's income. In Mérida 82,537 people are economically active, of whom 6.67% are unemployed.

Education Mérida is a student city with a large percentage of its population found in classrooms, especially in the university area, where 20–30% of the population consists of students, and has a 0% illiteracy rate. It is the home of the University of the Andes, one of the most respected universities in the country, and the second to oldest. Mérida also contains various institutions of higher educations such as universities, university centres, polytechnic institutes, and university colleges, among others.

Education: University The University of the Andes, the most important in the city, was established in 1785, and offers undergraduate programs in art, sciences, literature, and humanities, long and short programs, as well as courses, degrees, post-graduate programs, specializations, diplomas, etc., bringing together more than 40,000 students and 6,000 professors. The university operates two campuses in Mérida, and about a dozen faculties spread throughout the city.

Two other more recently founded universities are based in Mérida: the Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA), which offers undergraduate distance-learning courses; and, from 2006, the UNEFA, which is a military university specialising in Engineering for undergraduates. The main university centres to be found in the city are given below: • University of the Andes (ULA) • Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA) • Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Fuerzas Armadas (UNEFA) • Santiago Mariño Polytechnic Institute (IUPSM) • Colegio Universitario Hotel Escuela de Los Andes Venezolanos (CUHELAV) • Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida Institute (ISCM) • Antonio José de Sucre University Institute • Cristóbal Mendoza Technological University Institute • La Frontera Technological Institute (IUFRONT).

Entertainment and tourism Mérida is the quintessential touristic city in Venezuela, being one of the most sought-after destinations by national and international travelers.

Hotels Lodging accommodations can be found to fit all budgets, including pensions and apartments for tourists with basic amenities. At least half of the hotels are located within the city, which is about 35% of the total number statewide. All in all, there are about 2,650 beds available. Moreover, there will be three large five-star hotels added before 2007, when Mérida becomes the host of the soccer event Copa América.

Shops The main commercial area of Mérida lies within the historic downtown. However, many services can be found in the suburbs. Two notable destinations by locals and tourists alike are Mérida's Mercado Principal (Main Market) and the Heladería Coromoto (Coromoto Ice cream Parlor). The Mercado Principal is famous for its variety of folk art, gastronomy, produce, groceries, and other local and regional goods. Heladería Coromoto is well known because it offers the greatest variety of ice cream flavors worldwide, with more than 800 choices.

Shopping malls For those who like to go shopping and spend the day enjoying stores or food courts, Mérida offers the following shopping malls: Las Tapias and Millenium located in Andrés Bello Avenue; Alto Prado and Pie de Monte located in Los Próceres Avenue; and Rodeo Plaza located in Las Américas Avenue.

Culture: Nightlife As a city with many students and tourists, Mérida enjoys a broad network of places open at night, mostly composed of clubs and bars. There are also various cafés, restaurants, and two movie theaters. Furthermore, a number of cultural events constantly take place in these locations. Notable among these events are the concerts of the Symphonic Orchestra of Mérida, as well as concerts by local bands. Many of the night-clubs and discos open until late at night, with a few of them staying open until sunrise.

Media: Television There are three television stations which broadcast from Mérida. Two of these are general-interest stations, airing programs including news, entertainment, and culture. The third is an institutional and educational channel and belongs to the Universidad de Los Andes.

The stations are: • Televisora Andina de Mérida, (TAM) • ULATV

Media: Radio The principal radio stations of the state also broadcast from Mérida. These stations are mostly privately owned, though in recent years some public community radio stations have emerged.

Press Some of the best-known newspapers from Mérida are: • El Correo de Los Andes • Cambio de Siglo • Diario Frontera • Diario Pico Bolívar • Cultura Tatuy.

Sport Mérida has a strong athletic infrastructure; noteworthy among others is the Guillermo Soto Rosa Stadium, an important soccer facility and the old headquarters of the local soccer team. During the last month of 2005, the city was host to the 2005 Andean National Games, an event for which numerous athletic facilities were built, including the Cinco Águilas Blancas (Five White Eagles) Sports Complex—a 42 000-seat stadium and the current home stadium of the local team, Estudiantes de Mérida F. C. Soccer is the most popular and widely supported sport, but given the city's location, a variety of extreme sports are also practiced.

In addition to the aforementioned soccer, the current athletic infrastructure also supports a wide array of other traditional sports, including tennis, basketball, baseball, and Venezuelan sports such as bolas criollas.

The Metropolitan Stadium of Mérida, dedicated on May 25, 2007, with a friendly match between Venezuela and Honduras, was host to the 2007 Copa América.

Transport During the colonial era and long after independence, the city was isolated from other parts of the country because of the lack of transportation routes to the outside world. Midway through the 19th century, the first highway was built, linking the city with the rest of the country, thereby facilitating access and vehicular traffic. After this point other routes were planned, but lack of maintenance and the nature of the terrain have caused significant interruptions in land traffic between Mérida and the rest of the country.

Transport: Air The city had one national airport, Alberto Carnevalli Airport, which is embedded in the centre of the city, and once offered connections to the principal cities of the western Venezuela, such as Maracaibo and Caracas. Furthermore, this airport was one of the most active in the country, with more than 20 daily flights to and from Caracas alone. The airport was closed down however in 2009 due to the many accidents that occurred because of its difficult position within the Andes. As of 2015, Avior Airlines offered flights to Caracas; those flights were later cancelled and the airport, as of 2022, has no commercial airline service. Other nearby airports, such as Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso International Airport in El Vigía, now serve Mérida.

The airport was built in 1956, on the former grounds of a slaughterhouse. Commercial air service was provided by two airlines. There is also an area for private aviation, which receives various types of private flights as well as air ambulance flights, and the delivery of parcels and other valuables.

Road network Mérida has four large internal roadways, which run from one end of the city to the other, and five smaller roadways. The largest is the combination of the Andrés Bello and Urdaneta avenues. With a length of more than 8 km (5 mi), it runs from the neighborhoods of the central quarter of Mérida to the outskirts of Ejido. The other three correspond to Las Américas and Alberto Carnevali avenues; 16 de septiembre and Tulio Febres Cordero avenues; and the corridor of Los Próceres avenue.

Two national highways connect Mérida with other cities in Venezuela. The first is Troncal 7 or the Trans-Andes Highway, which runs to the city of Valera. This highway crosses the Andes by way of the valley of the Chama River, and, arriving at the region of Apartaderos, is crossed by Local 1. Finally, following the course of the Santo Domingo River, it arrives at the city of Barinas. The other national highway is the so-called Carretera La Variante. Upon arriving at the Estanques region it becomes Local 8 or Autopista Rafael Caldera. La Variante connects Mérida with El Vigía, and in turn, with the Pan-American Highway, thereby giving the city a connection with Colombia and with other important destinations, such as San Cristóbal and Maracaibo.

In addition to the national highways, three alternative routes exit the city of Mérida. The first, called the Vía del Valle (Valley Road) links the city with the north, to various communities in the valley of the Culata, in the municipality of Santos Marquina. The second is an alternative route to the city of Ejido and other communities such as Jají and La Azulita; it is also a tourism route, with various lookout points facing Mérida in its initial section. A third minor route, used exclusively by rural vehicles, connects the city with the community of Los Nevados and with the Sierra Nevada National Park.

Transport: Public Along with a trolleybus rapid-transit system (still under construction and not fully open), the city relies on a vast system of urban and interurban bus routes which connect the city with its metropolitan area. The conventional bus routes traverse the various avenues of the city and cover a large percentage of the city's area. Mérida has one of Venezuela's best public transit systems; nevertheless, the system has become overwhelmed by increasing demand, and may be beginning to collapse. Among the existing routes, the route from the centre of the city of Ejido to the centre of the city of Mérida stands out, with a volume of thousands of passengers daily.

The bus routes are serviced by private companies, the majority of which are cooperatives or driver's associations, following the private model practiced in most of the cities in Venezuela. However, the prices charged are regulated by the city and supervised by the municipal organization for metropolitan transport. As is the practice throughout the country, the public transport system has special fares for senior citizens, and a student pass providing some of the lowest costs in the country.

After years of study, the construction of a non-polluting mass transit system was proposed; the trolleybus was chosen as the most appropriate means of transport. Construction of the Mérida trolleybus system started near the end of the 1990s. The first line was inaugurated on June 18, 2007, with 15 of 34 proposed stations completed. This route serves Ejido and Mérida. The second line is in the planning stages and is expected to be 12 km (7 mi) long with 3 common stations alongside or crossing route 1. Route 3, an aerial cableway (originally planned to be a funicular), is a 3 km (2 mi) long route that will connect the community of Chama to a Mérida trolleybus station; construction has yet to begin. Once construction is completed, Mérida will be the first city in Latin America with under 500,000 inhabitants to have a rapid-transit system. The existing bus lines will be reorganized into 47 or so feeder routes, in order to provide better public transit to less-serviced areas.

Regional transport The only regional public transit available in Mérida is by bus. These depart from the city bus station. In addition, there are other private terminals from which private lines depart. From the central station one can take buses to destinations within the state, the region, and the rest of the country. Some of the most heavily used routes in the country start from this station, in particular, those that link Mérida with the city of Caracas. Though Venezuela is undertaking the construction of a national railway system, the IAFE, in order to link together the country, the city of Mérida is not projected to be a stop on this system: the nearest stop will be the city of El Vigía, some 60 km (37 mi) away.

Points of interest Mérida contains numerous historical squares, colonial houses, churches, and government buildings that make up most of its sightseeing spots. Moreover, the educational development of the city due, for the most part, to its university (ULA) has contributed to the creation of museums, libraries, and centres for scientific research, such as the Center for Astronomy Research (CIDA), located a few km from the city in the mountains near Apartaderos.

Monuments, public buildings, and historic places House of Former Governors

This colonial-style villa, located in the central quarter, was the official residence of the state governors.

Rectorate's Building

Seat of the university's rectorate and Aula Magna.

Government Palace

The government building, regional executive branch.

Plaza Monumental Román Eduardo Sandia

The Bullfighting Arena of Mérida was built in 1967. It has a capacity of 16,000 people and it is frequently used for cultural activities, besides serving its original purpose of bullfighting arena during the Sun Fairs.

Cable Car

The Mérida Cable Car is one of the main touristic spots. In its trajectory, it ascends from the central quarter to the Sierra Nevada. Currently, it holds two world records: one for being the longest cable car system in the world (12.5 km or 7.8 mi) and another one for being the highest cable car system in the world (4,367 m or 14,327 ft). The cable car was completed in 1958. It was closed in 2008 for construction of a new cable car system. It was reopened in April 2016.

Religious buildings

Mérida has about two dozen religious buildings dedicated to Christianity, the most important of which are Catholic churches and chapels, since it is the religion with most number of followers in Venezuela.

Cathedral of Mérida

The city's Minor Basilica, built in Baroque style, similar to the Cathedral of Toledo, Spain. It is the main Catholic building in the city, where the Archbishop of Mérida presides the mass services.

Iglesia del Carmen

The oldest religious structure in Mérida, Our Lady of Carmen Church stands close to the Plaza Bolívar. Visitors marvel at its colonial architecture and its historical significance – the church is a seat of the Carmelite Brotherhood. It served as cathedral of the city between 1812 and 1866, before the current one was built.

Iglesia de la Tercera

Iglesia del Llano

Mérida's only building in the Gothic style. It stands near the place where an old chapel held the first wooden cross brought to Mérida by the Spaniards.

Iglesia de Milla

This is one of the oldest churches in the city, originally built in the 18th century and rebuilt in 1907 after an earthquake. It is located in front of the square with the same name.

Archbishop's Palace

A Baroque palace located in front of Bolívar Square. It has served as the residence for the Archbishop since 1951. It houses the Archdiocesan Museum.

Parks, squares, and sightseeing Mérida is famous nationwide for its great number of parks and squares, providing its inhabitants with access to nature. There are, at least, a dozen squares and two dozen parks, some of which are described below.

Boulevard de los Pintores (Painters' Boulevard)

On this street painters congregate in order to create, exhibit, and sell their works.

Aquarium Garden

This aquarium exhibits both fresh and salt water fish. It also has collections relating to Mérida's rural past.

Beethoven Park

Located in front of the Museum of Modern Art in the northern area of the city, this pretty park has a clock on the ground, whose numbers are flowerpots, and large mechanical carillon clock with wooden elves that play melodies from the famous German composer.

Mérida Botanical Garden

This was the first botanical garden in the city. It is located in the extreme north of the city and has about 40 hectares under cultivation.

Parque Domingo Peña

Also called Paseo de la Feria or Parque de los Conquistadores, consists of an avenue with a lookout point facing the Sierra Nevada. Student celebrations and get-togethers often take place here.

Parque Metropolitano Albarregas

This park is the largest in the city, 22 km (14 mi) long and 612 hectares in area. It is located on the bank of the Albarregas River, and contains play areas for children and a sculpture museum.

Parque Ciudad de los Niños (Children's City Park)

A large children's park, which models the shape of the city on a smaller scale.

Parque de las Cinco Repúblicas (Park of the Five Republics)

A park that is the home of the Bolívar Column, a monument dedicated to Simón Bolívar. This was the first sculpture constructed to honor Bolívar, in 1842. It was commissioned by the then-governor of the province, Gabriel Picón. It was erected to commemorate the moving of Bolívar's remains to the Panteón Nacional in Caracas, from their previous resting place in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia, where Bolívar had been buried following his death in 1830. The monument consists of a pillar on which sits Bolívar's face in bronze.

Parque del Ejército (Park of the Army)

A small park, located in the south of the city, commemorating Venezuela's army. It has green areas, a fountain, and models of military tanks.

Parque La Isla (Island Park)

Situated in the former location of a coffee plantation of the same name, the park was built in 1960 partly as an underwater park, and is 3.5 hectares in area. Its infrastructure is reminiscent to that of an island, offering kids play grounds, trails, and athletic courts. The park houses the largest convention centre in the city, as well as the headquarters of Corpoandes (a government-run corporation that promotes development in the Andes region), facilities for cultivating orchids, and a museum dedicated to beekeeping.

Parque Las tres Méridas (Three Méridas Park)

A small park that commemorates the three cities in the world named Mérida (in Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela). It features architectural elements typical of each city.

Parque Zoológico los Chorros de Milla

A small zoo situated in the extreme north of the city where the Milla waterfalls once flowed, it contains species indigenous to Venezuela and the Andes region.

Parque la Marina (Park of the Navy)

Located in Belensate, it has a large water pool surrounding a submarine fin, an underwater clock, and a children's play area in the shape of a boat.

Parque Tibisay

This park is dedicated to Tibisay, princess of the original dwellers of the region, the tribe Mucujún. According to legend, she still laments the death of her fiancé Chief Murachí, who died bravely fighting the Spanish conquistadors. This park is located at the north end of Urdaneta avenue.

Plaza Belén

A small plaza, located to the north-east of the city centre, in a neighbourhood of the same name. Its design, like that of most of the other plazas described here, follows the prototypical Spanish colonial style.

Plaza Bolívar

The past and present main square of Mérida, it is surrounded by the most important public and historical buildings of the city. It has an equestrian statue of Bolivar.

Plaza Glorias Patrias

Consists of twin plazas constructed in honor of the independence leaders Vicente Campo Elías and José Antonio Páez.

Plaza Las Heroínas (Plaza of the Heroines)

A plaza constructed to honor five women from Mérida who fought for independence. It is surrounded by various markets and artisans shops, and the first Cable Car station.

Plaza de Milla

The actual name of this square is Plaza Sucre. It is located in front the Iglesia de Milla and near the army headquarters, north-east of the city center. It is dedicated to the independence hero Antonio José de Sucre, and it is frequently visited by locals and tourists alike, due to its convenient location among hotels, pensions, restaurants, stores, and ice cream parlors.