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Puerto la Cruz, is a port city located in Anzoategui state in Venezuela's capital Sotillo municipality. Is bound to the state capital, Barcelona, also to Dairy and turn to Guanta, and shaping the metropolitan area's largest and most important eastern Venezuela.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Economy 4 Malls 5 Restaurants 6 Shipping 7 Ports and Airport 8 Mass Transport System 9 Places of Interest 10 Education 11 Sports 12 Sister Cities 13 Media 14 References

[edit] Geography

Located directly on the Caribbean Sea.

The height of the city is 64 m down to 0m.

The city is located in a Lat 10 ° 13 'N and Long 64 ° 37' W

T º weather with the 25 to 28 degrees C

Borders Mochima National Park.

North Eastern region, Coastal Mountains

[edit] History

The history of this town begins when the Spaniards arrived in Venezuela. In 1780, the Christian Mission of Pozuelos (Pozuelos means small wells) was founded, having Indians as the majority population.

On April 9, 1862 a group of 26 families from Margarita Island decided to settle in Pozuelos Bay.

The Virgen del Amparo (Virgin of Amparo) and the Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) were adopted as the main religious identities of the town. November 8 of every year since then is celebrated as the Dia de la Virgen del Amparo (Day of the Virgin of Amparo) and May 3 as the Dia de la Santa Cruz (Day of the Holy Cross).

In 1868 the first Church was built and the name of the town was changed to Puerto de la Santa Cruz (Port of the Holy Cross), but as the years passed people got used to calling it just "Puerto La Cruz".

[edit] Economy

This city hosts Puerto José, one of the largest oil refineries in the country, which with its 200,000 barrels per day, supplies the domestic market and is exported to Caribbean countries such as Cuba and the Antilles. The José refinery is one of the primary processing centers of the largest oil company PDVSA and is integrated in manufacturing oil from crude extracted in the states of Monagas and Anzoategui.

This city is one of the largest tourist attractions in Venezuela being the gateway to a beautiful although heavily neglected and ill maintained national park. The beaches of Mochima National Park surround the city. Places such as Isla de Plata, Playa Conoma, Isla Arapo and Playa Arapito, are known for their great beauty although infamous to locals for the immense amount of pollution they harbor. To the west the city contains a port for one of the main ferry lines linking Isla Margarita with the mainland and to the east has a private marina that caters to travel and sightseeing. Inexpensive day trips are offered to national park islands such as Playa El Faro, Los Chimanas, Cachicamo and Isla Borracha.

In addition to tourism, Puerto La Cruz is well positioned to become the largest city and commercial center in the region, as big banks have put their regional headquarters there as well as an endless number of commercial businesses, and large shopping centers.

[edit] Malls

• C.C. Regina (Av. Municipal)
• C.C. Galeria Colon (Paseo Colon)
• C.C. Central Madeira (Av. Municipal)
• C.C. Cristoforo Colombo (Paseo Colon)
• C.C. Grand Parade (Municipal Av.)
• C.C. The Walk (Paseo Colon)
• C.C. Caribbean coral Center (Calle Carabobo)
• C.C. Irene (Av. July 5)
• C.C. Cambur Shop Center (Calle Juncal)
• C.C. Bella Vista (Bella Vista Street)
• C.C. Caribbean Mall (Avenida Americo Vespucio)
• C.C. The Grace of God (Av. July 5)
• C.C. Plaza Mayor (Dairy)
• C.C City Bridge Reakl
• C.C Gold Country
• C.C Nevery Plaza
• C.C Judibana (Av. Municipal)

[edit] Restaurants

• Porto Grill (Paseo Colón)
• El Peñero de la Cruz (Paseo Colón)
• El Rincón del Marino (Av. 5 de Julio)
• El Rincón del Bucanero :(Calle Juncal frente de la Plaza Bolívar)
• Restaurant El Moroco (Av. 5 de Julio)
• La Fonda de Gustavo (Calle Arismendi)
• Gran Hong Kong (Paseo Colon)
• Restaurant Amir Palace (Paseo Colon)
• Marisqueria Tio Pepe (Paseo Colon)
• La Taberna del Guácharo (Calle Carabobo)
• Tasca La Barraca (Av. Alberto Ravell)
• Tasca Restaurant Judibana (Av. Stadium)
• Bar Restaurant El Llanero (Calle Maneiro)

[edit] Shipping

There are big avenues that the crossing from north to south and from east to west. Among them are:

• Av. Municipal, which is the main avenue of the city of 2 main channels and 2 of service in each direction and was the first to be paved.
• Av. July 5, is the avenue of trade for excellence and most shops are of Arab immigrants in the city.
• Av. Paseo Colon, almost all of this avenue bordering the Bay of Pozuelos which is one of the largest bays in the world. It has a beautiful boulevard very famous because that is where is located the symbol of the city of Puerto La Cruz, which is the cross representing the same, as well as the famous statue of a pirate so striking that identifies the place. In addition here are established known hotels.
• Av. Bolivar, there are varieties of shops devoted to the sale of automotive spare parts, as well as dealers. Paseo with Connects Miranda Av. Intercommunal Jorge Rodriguez (formerly Avenida Andres Bello), this avenue helps greatly to land transport.
• Prolongation Paseo Colon, is a branch of Av. Paseo Colon, starts from the sector Espigón The (razil front of the Hotel), passes through the Sector El Paraiso and stay on the Ave. Americo Vespusio Dairy.

[edit] Ports and Airport

Puerto la Cruz has several shipping ports from which can be achieved many destinations and attractions and shopping, as the island of Margarita by the transport service operated by companies Conferry and Great Chieftain Express (which resumed its activities in December 2006) and the beaches located on the islands of the National Park Mochima, which may also be reached from Dairy.

Commercial view of a sector of Puerto La CruzTambién has an oil port for the export of crude oil, located in the area of Guaraguao, which is processed at the refinery in the city.

Puerto la Cruz does not have its own airport, to be near the city of Barcelona, uses his International Airport General Jose Antonio Anzoategui for air transport.

[edit] Mass Transport System

According to local authorities are awaiting the signature of President Hugo Chávez after having signed an agreement between the mayors of Puerto La Cruz (Sotillo Municipality) and Barcelona (Bolivar Municipality) with the Chinese company Transtech Engineering Corporation for construction a network of modern mass transportation. But its launch was estimated for August 2007 and since its announcement in March of that year has not been re-appointed over the project.

In concrete construction is expected that it would last approximately two years to complete the first phase of the Metro urban and thus be able to reduce by 50%, according to estimates the high traffic that is logged daily in this metropolitan area. This ambitious project involves an air transport mainly though with sections on land.

[edit] Places of Interest

• Paseo Colon
• Andres Eloy Blanco Park
• La Toma, San Diego Sector
• The Laguna Natural Maguey
• Club Terminal Guaraguao

[edit] Education

In the city there are various universities, institutes and colleges, among which are the following:

Universities

• UDO Universidad de Oriente, Nucleus Anzoategui Av. Argimiro Gabaldon. Barcelona (Public)
• UGMA University Grand Marshal of Ayacucho. Barcelona (Headquarters)
• UNIMET Metropolitan University (Graduate Studies)
• IUPSM Polytechnic Institute "Santiago Mariño." Barcelona (Headquarters)
• USM University of Santa Maria (Nucleus East). Barcelona

Institutes

• Institute of Technology Jose Antonio Anzoategui. (Public).
• University Institute of Technology (IUTA) with 2 locations: Barcelona and Puerto La Cruz. (Private).
• Institute Monsignor Arias Blanco. (Private).
• Instituto Universitario Pedro Maria Freites. (Private).
• University Institute of Technology "Antonio José de Sucre" (Private)
• University Institute of Technology "Rodolfo Loera Arismendi" (Private).

Schools and Colleges

• College Juan Crisostomo Falcon
• Carmen Mary College
• College Miguel Otero Silva
• Salesian College Pius XII
• Basic School Great Liberator
• L.B Mercedes de Pérez Freites
• U.E Angel Mottola
• U.E.C Antonio Maria Claret
• U.E. Dr. Cristobal Mendoza
• U.E General Isaias Medina Angarita
• U.E College Laura Vicuna
• U.E Strings Down
• U.E Alcazar's Neveri
• U.E Bolivarian Guaraguao
• U.E College Italo Venezolano, Angelo Marta
• U.E Colegio Santa Teresita.
• U.E From Jean-Jacques Rousseau Integral Support
• Dr U.E. Raúl Leoni
• U.E Eloy Guillermo Gonzalez
• U.E Eloy Palacios
• U.E Gual and Spain
• U.E Iberoamericana
• Experimental Institute U.E
• U.E Jacinto Benavente
• U.E Juan Antonio Sotillo
• U.E Lights and Virtues
• U.E Mother Maria de San Jose
• U.E Manuel Placido Maneiro
• U.E Maria Montesorri
• U.E Minerva
• U.E Our Lady of Fatima
• U.E Our Lady of Lourdes
• U.E Our Lady of Lourdes II
• U.E Romulo Gallegos
• U.E San Celestino
• U.E Liberator Simón Bolívar
• U.E Simon Rodriguez
• U.E Tomás Alfaro Calatrava
• U.E Virgen del Carmen

Spanish Language Schools

• Jakera Spanish School Playa Colorada [1]

[edit] Sports

Despite the importance of the city also has a good efficient sports infrastructure, however are being carried out work in the local sports complex for its full restoration and turn it into a real sports town because in these years have grown the Eastern fans of the sport.

Baseball

The city is the seat of Caribes team of Anzoategui (formerly of East Caribbean), which played at the Estadio Alfonso Chico Carrasquel which has a capacity of 18,000 spectators.

Basketball

It is also the headquarters of the professional basketball team Marinos of Anzoategui (before Marinos de Oriente), which played in the Polideportivo Simón Bolívar (former Michigan Luis Ramos) better known as the Caldera del Diablo.

Football

The city has 2 football stadiums, the first Jose Antonio Anzoategui stadium with a capacity for 40,000 fans and hosted the America's Cup 2007 matches were played where the teams that played in Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador. The stadium also hosts the soccer team Deportivo Anzoategui team from the First Division venezolana.

It also has another that is the Salvador de la Plaza Stadium which hosts the Inter Anzoategui team of the Third Division Venezolana.

Sports clubs

• Baseball: Caribes of Anzoategui.
• Basketball: Marinos of Anzoategui.
• Football: Deportivo Anzoategui and Inter Anzoategui

[edit] Sister Cities

• Santa Cruz, California
• Puerto de la Cruz, Spain

[edit] Media

TV

• Televisora de Oriente "TVO"
• Puerto TV
• Anzoategui TV
• OrbitAaTV
• Telecaribe

Radio

• La Mega de Puerto la Cruz 100.9
• Éxitos de Puerto La Cruz
• Ultra Estéreo de Puerto la Cruz
• CNB de Puerto La Cruz 93.7
• Vértice de Puerto La Cruz
• Plaza
• Exitosa
• Actualidad 640 AM
• Lasser 97.7
• Caribe 102.7
• Marina 103.7
• Cielo
• News
• Rumbera 94.5
• Turística FM
• Radio Puerto La Cruz (760 am)
• Orbita 107.5 FM

Periodicals

• El Tiempo: Leading daily Anzoategui State

It has two editions for Anzoategui (North and Central-South) and one for the state of Sucre.

• El Norte
• La Nueva Prensa de Oriente

Wikimedia Commons is home to multimedia content on Puerto La Cruz.Commons

[edit] References

Retrieved from "http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_La_Cruz"