San Salvador
San Salvador
| San Salvador | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
|
|||
| Nickname(s): San Sivar - La Capital | |||
| Motto: Nuestra Capital (Our Capital) - 2011 Ibero-American Capital of Culture | |||
 |
|||
 San Salvador
|
|||
| Coordinates: 13°41′24″N 89°11′24″W / 13.69°N 89.19°WCoordinates: 13°41′24″N 89°11′24″W / 13.69°N 89.19°W | |||
| Country |  El Salvador |
||
| Department | San Salvador Department | ||
| City | 1525 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Democratic Republic | ||
| - Mayor | Norman Quijano (Alianza Republicana Nacionalista) | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 72.25 km2 (27.9 sq mi) | ||
| - Metro | 620.86 km2 (239.7 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 658 m (2,159 ft) | ||
| Population (2009 Census) | |||
| - City | 540,898 | ||
| - Density | 7,486.5/km2 (19,389.9/sq mi) | ||
| - Urban | 540,898 (Municipality) | ||
| - Metro | 2,290,790 | ||
| - Metro density | 3,689.7/km2 (9,556.3/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Central Standard Time (UTC-6) | ||
| Postal Code | |||
| Area code(s) | + 503 | ||
| HDI (2010) | 0.795 – very high | ||
| Website | http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/ sansalvador.gob.sv | ||
The City of San Salvador is the capital and largest city of El Salvador. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador (The City of the Great Holy Savior). It lies upon a seismic valley in northern Central America, surrounded with volcanoes and prone to earthquakes, which is why the Pipil and the Spaniards called the area in which the city is now settled "El Valle de las Hamacas" (The Valley of the Hammocks) "Salcoatitan" in Pipil language, due to its constant seismic activity. Its city proper has the third largest population in Central America after Guatemala City and Managua. However, Greater San Salvador is the second most populated metropolitan area in Central America after Greater Guatemala City. Home to one-half of El Salvador's wealth, the city's per capita GDP - PPP is approximately USD11,200, compared to a national average of USD5,260 (2002). The city has a long history, with origins dating back to the Spanish conquest of the Pipil city of Cuzcatlán which means "The Place of the Diamond Jewels". The name of the city San Salvador means "Holy Savior" in Spanish. People of San Salvador are called Capitalinos. The city is seen as a phoenix bird that in different forms it has risen triumph from its ashes due to the city's seismic volcanic location and the civil wars it has survived.
History
The origins of the city can be traced to before the Spanish Conquest. It is near the present location in San Salvador where the Pipil peoples established their capital, Cuzcatlán. Not much is known about this city, as it was abandoned by its inhabitants in an effort to avoid Spanish rule.
Under the orders of Pedro de Alvarado, Gonzalo de Alvarado and Diego de Holguín were ordered to take the settlement they found and develop it. Diego de Holguín became the first mayor of San Salvador after the town was founded on April 1, 1525. However, it was rebuilt and changed locations twice in 1528 and 1545. Originally founded in what is now the archaeological site Ciudad Vieja, north of the present-day city, it was moved to the Valle de Las Hamacas or the Acelhuate Valley, named so due to the intense seismic activity that characterizes it. The new site was chosen as it had more space and more fertile land, thanks to the pristine (now polluted) Acelhuate River. As the population of the country remained relatively small until the early twentieth century, the city grew very slowly.
During the presidency of Dr. Rafael Zaldivar on January 1885, businessmen and the president's family built the Sara Zaldivar Asylum for Indigents and the Elderly.
In 1902, Hospital Rosales was built, named after its benefactor, Dr. Jose Rosales, a banker who gave his fortune to the hospital and to the orphanage. The hospital's construction was began by president Carlos Ezeta and finished during the presidency of Tomás Regalado.
In 1905 president Pedro José Escalón began construction of the National Palace, funded by coffee exportation taxes.
In 1911, the Monumento a los Próceres de 1811 in Plaza Libertad and the Teatro Nacional were built during Dr. Manuel Enrique Araujo's presidency.
In 1917, an earthquake damaged the capital during the Carlos Melendez presidency. This earthquake was caused by the Volcanic Eruption of the San Salvador Volcano, the faith of the city was lucky since the lava from the volcano streamed down on the backside of the Volcano.
On December 2, 1931, after a coup d'état, president Arturo Araujo was ousted by the military and replaced by a military directorate. The directorate named then vice-president Maximiliano Hernández Martínez as president and Araujo went into exile. The Martínez regime lasted from December 4, 1931 to May 6, 1944.
In 1964, the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) candidate, José Napoleon Duarte, an engineer, was elected mayor. Duarte was Mayor of San Salvador from 1964 to 1970. During his term as mayor he built the Pancho Lara park in the Vista Hermosa neighborhood, renewed the electricity system, and began a system of adult education schools. The 1960s - 1980's was probably the golden age of San Salvador, in every single aspect Security, Life, Modernization, today the tallest building in the country has 28 Floors and 110 meteres in height, back in the 80's right before the beginning of the civil war many modernization projects were stopped because of the outbreak of war, projects like the construction of a 40 story high government building with approximately 160 meters in height, many hotels including the Sheraton Hotel Tower a 26 story high building with a rotating Restaurant at Top these projects and many more were canceled due to the war.
In 1969, celebrations in the Cuscatlán stadium were held in honor of the returning troops from the football war with Honduras. Boulevard de los Héroes (Boulevard of the Heroes) was named after the Salvadoran soldiers who fought in Honduras.
The 1986 San Salvador earthquake destroyed many government buildings and other important structures, injuring and killing hundreds. Thousands of people were displaced by the disaster and many found shelter in the ruins.
In 1986, Mayor Morales Ehrlich closed streets in the downtown area of the city for a large market which resulted in major traffic congestion affecting the area ever since.
The Chapultepec Peace Accords were signed on Thursday, January 16, 1992, ending 22 years of civil war and were celebrated as a national holiday with people flooding downtown San Salvador in Plaza Gerardo Barrios and in La Libertad Park.
Municipal government
El Salvador, by constitutional provisions, municipalities are autonomous in economic, technical and administrative (Art. 203). They are governed by a council consisting of a mayor (elected by free and direct vote every three years with an option to be re-elected), a trustee and two or more aldermen whose number varies in proportion to the population of the municipality. In the case of this city, is currently governed by Mayor Norman Quijano ARENA, for the period 2009-2012. He is accompanied by a liquidator, twelve aldermen and four substitutes, and a secretary. The functions and powers of this government are framed within the rules of the Municipal Code.
As for the administration of the municipality include organizational aspects. San Salvador has decentralized (celebrations committee, administration of the El Espino, Cuscatlan Park, management of cemeteries, etc.). To safeguard the interests of the municipality has a board of Metropolitan agents, the management structure comprises markets and services to citizens, under the direction of a gender unit; Managements districts of the municipality (which is six, to decentralize municipal work), financial management, and management of the historic center, etc. The township also is part of the Council of Mayors of the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador (COAMSS), composed of fourteen local councils that make up the area known as Gran San Salvador.
Population
Forty-eight percent of El Salvador's population reside in San Salvador. The city's 2.1 million inhabitants make it one of the most densely populated cities in Central America. About 87% of the population are mestizo, 1% are indigenous, and 12% are Caucasian. Roughly 57% of the population are Roman Catholic, signifying a steady rise in the city's Protestant population. The growth rate of San Salvador's population is 1.7% while 90.1% of the population is literate.
City mayors since 1964
- José Napoleón Duarte (1964–1970)
- Carlos Antonio Herrera Rebollo (1970–1974)
- José Antonio Morales Ehrlich (1974–1976)
- Alejandro Duarte (1982–1985)
- José Antonio Morales Ehrlich (1985–1988)
- Armando Calderón Sol (1988–1994)
- Mario Valiente (1994–1997)
- Héctor Silva Arguello (1997–2003)
- Carlos Rivas Zamora (2003–2006)
- Violeta Menjívar(2006–2009)
- Norman Quijano (2009–2012)
Sub-Division and Projects
The San Salvador Municipality is divided into District, currently the city has 6 Districts, District 1 (Downtown), District 2 (Colonia Miramonte, Centro America, Satelite, and Miralvalle) District 3, (Colonia Escalon, and San Benito) District 4, (Colonia La Cima, y San Francisco) District 5, (San Jacinto, Malaga, Monseratt) District 6 (Colonia Don Bosco). The Municipalty has been sub-divided intro district in order to maintain order and security, even with the police effort some districts still manage to have a really low reputation, like District 1, 5, 6, the reason why district one is in the bottom three, even if its the downtown of San Salvador where the city started, the district has a problem with illegal street vendors who take over the streets and settle their items to sell without any city permits, District 5 and 6 border are where the vast majority of the middle-low class and the poor live in, this is the reason why it is very dangerous. District 2, 3, and 4 on the other hand are the safest place withing the country where the economy really moves, District 2 is fairly for living, here most middle class people live in, and shopping, District 3 is the commercial district of Escalon - San Benito, where middle-high and rich people reside in and where most of the investment is at. District 4, is mostly residential for middle high class and mostly rich citizens.
In order to save District 1, or the Historic Downtown the current mayor Norman Quiajno (Alianza Republicana Nacionalista) launched many projects such as: Calle Arce, Re-Organization of Downtown, and Historic Downtown Tour. All of the projects will make District 1 as much safe as possible, and turn it into an old-style city touristic center.
City symbols
The symbols of the city are the shield, flag, anthem and the rod edicilia. The first three emerged at the initiative of a contest launched in 1943. The shield (designed by the painter José Mejía Vides) shows four quadrants: the two at the top right and bottom left oblique carry the blue and white (representing the Federal and National Flag), the top left frame displays an emerald necklace, symbol and the remaining Cuscatlán the bell of the Church of La Merced, which is awarded to José Matías Delgado having ringing in the 1811 Independence Movement.
As the flag was designed at the initiative of the authorities. Was chosen as the anthem produced by Carlos Bustamante (lyrics) and Ciriaco de Jesus Wings (music).
The municipal staff, meanwhile, shows a series of figures and symbols relating to local history. From top to bottom these images are: Image is representative of local breed, first Mayor Don Diego de Olguín, Carlos V of Spain, Royal Decree which named San Salvador City Mayor Don Antonio Gutierrez, 1811, Priest José Matías Delgado, Seal Liberation 1811, 1821 Independence Seal, Shield Current Municipal Freedom Union National Emblem God.
Demographics
|
|
San Salvador is populated by Europeans, Jews, North Americans, Central Americans, South American, Caribbean and a small group of Asians.
There is a significant population of Palestinian Christian and Chinese immigrants. There is also a small community of Jews and Muslims.
While the plurality of country's population is Roman Catholic, it no longer constitutes a majority. According to an October 2006 survey by the Technological University Public Opinion Center, 48% of the population was Roman Catholic, while some 28.2% are members of Protestant churches. Groups that constitute less than 5 percent of the population include Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons; 14.6 percent are not affiliated with any religious group.
Spanish is the language spoken by virtually all inhabitants. The capital city of San Salvador has about 316,090 people; an estimated 37% of El Salvador's population live in rural areas. The total impact of civil wars, dictatorships and socioeconomics drove over a million Salvadorans (both as immigrants and refugees) into the US; in addition small Salvadoran communities sprung up in Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Europe and Australia since the migration trend began in the early 1970s.
In recent years, San Salvador has flourished and has taken big steps for progress and modernization. In the 2010s, the crime levels in San Salvador have dropped in great numbers; less crimes have occurred. Safer now, San Salvador has bloomed, and is viewed as a city of tomorrow and is seeing an increase of Central American, South American, and Caribbean immigrants Guatemalans, Hondurans, Nicaraguans, Dominicans, Colombians, Venezuelan, Peruvians and Cubans searching for better living opportunities.
Religion and Culture
Religion As in much of the country, Roman Catholicism plays a prominent role in San Salvador. The city's own festivities, also known as "La Fiesta de Agosto," center around Jesus Christ, and the "Salvador del Mundo," after which the city was named. Famous Oscar Romero was the archbishop of San Salvador at the time of his assassination. The current archbishop of El Salvador is José Luis Escobar Alas. San Salvador has a an great number of Protestant-Evangelists around 39% of the population, one of the largest evangelic churches in the city are CIA - Centro Internacional de Alabanza, and the largest congregation Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista Amigos de Israel. The City also has a synagogue in the San Benito neighborhood that has service for the Jewish community in the city, and the newly built Mormon Temple of San Salvador a marvel of engineering and architecture, there other small Mormon churches in District 1 and 3 of the city. There is an Arab population but they don't practice Islam, most of them are Christian Arabs. There are Korean Evangelical Churches that give services in Korean language. There is a great diversity of religion within the city but the majority are Roman Catholic, and Protestant-Evangelical.
Culture
San Salvador is a rich cultural city, with many places such as the historical centre or downtown, which marks some of the most beautiful architecture in town. One of the main historical places of the capital city is the National Theatre. Recently remodelled, it was originally built in 1866.The National Palace keeps its original front, and combines neoclassic, neogothic and renaissance architectural details on its structure.
San Salvador also has other cultural places, such as the El Salvador's Art Museum (Museo de Arte de El Salvador, MARTE), the National Museum David J. Guzmán, the Luis Poma's Theatre, and the museum for kids, Tin Marin, among others.
2011 Ibero-American Capital of Culture & Bicentenary
UCCI nomination, grants (Latin American Capital Cities Union) each year between the different cities of Latin America candidates, for the year 2011. The UCCI sectoral committee nominated San Salvador “Capital Iberoamericana de la Cultura 2011.” Cities that have earned this merit must have participated actively in the organization of Latin American cities for culture, as well as networks and committees (as formulated in the Agenda 21 for culture, which is a policy framework for cultural diversity and the exercise of cultural rights.) The Municipal City Hall of San Salvador had prepared San Salvador for this year with the historic downtown restoration in order to remember the glory of the past days of the city, there are many decorations among all districts and ultimately event all over the city to reveal past and present culture, to make the city once again a place of culture, a place for family, a place for tourism, a place for life.
History
On November 5, 1811 is a prelude to a decanting process that will become the regional to reach its climax on September 15, 1821, with the declaration of independence of the Central American country.
By joining inevitably attempts to so many other Americans who are succeeding against the crown (movements in Chuquisaca, La Paz and Quito in 1809, the "Grito" in the town of Dolores, Mexico 1810, the establishment of the Governing Board Buenos Aires in 1810 and the independence of Venezuela in 1811), involved in the Creole of all social positions with no small peninsular long established on earth, some very few mestizos and Indians, our cimero "Grito de La Merced" situated within a kind of first phase of colonial Spanish American independence, even though the usual banal in the isthmus has relegated its commemoration only in jurisdictions Salvadorans.
San Salvadorian Participation
The distinguished historian Salvador Rodolfo Baron Castro, watering sources in the Archivo General de Indias in Seville (Spain), get your film screening to clarify the meaning of the highest order for the authorities of Guatemala realistic acquired the events of 4 and 5 November 1811, with the urban environment and socio-san Salvador as a center of the maelstrom subversive.
There are almost no haggle chroniclers that San Salvador was the privileged venue where came the "... first start impetuous freedom ... that first drew his sword is for our emancipation ...." And here, at the hands of historians as Baron Castro national and lard and Larin, learn to recognize, in high relief above all others, the exemplary figure of Father José Matías Delgado.
José Matías Delgado "Meritorious American Founding Father" It is impossible to determine who in Nairobi ahead pitched a subversive and original conception of starting the titanic challenge Hispanic Real Order. However, almost all the ancient writers and contemporary events, such as documentation in historical records, designated as the intellectual leader Cura Vicario, Priest Dr. José Matías Delgado.
Geography
The city's altitude average of 560 meters above sea level, gaining altitude toward 1000 meters above sea level at the foothills of the Quezaltepec, or San Salvador, volcano. In fact, the valley got its nickname from the Spaniards who called the area "El Valle de las Hamacas" (The Valley of the Hammocks) due to its constant seismic activity. Just East of the city, lies Lake Illopango, the largest volcanic lake in the nation.
Climate
San Salvador features a tropical wet and dry climate under the Koppen climate classification. San Salvador is mainly hot, the coolest months being November through February. The temperature varies widely between midday and midnight, due to changing levels of humidity throughout the day. The highest reading ever recorded in San Salvador was 38.5 °C (101.3 °F), the lowest was 8.2 °C (46.8 °F). The highest dew point was 27 °C (81 °F) and the lowest −10 °C (14 °F). San Salvador has two seasons: rainy and dry. The dry season lasts from November through April, and the rainy From May through October. Sometimes, when strong cold fronts affect El Salvador during the dry season, the dew point may fall to temperatures below 10 °C, an event that would be too cold for most of the inhabitants, but this rarely has any effect due to the fact that humidity remains low, which means the dew point remains less relevant, therefore a 7 °C-10 °C dew point is actually felt as a 15 °C-18 °C temperature.
| Climate data for San Salvador | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.1 (86.2) |
30.3 (86.5) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.2 (90) |
30.8 (87.4) |
29.5 (85.1) |
30.1 (86.2) |
30.0 (86) |
29.0 (84.2) |
29.1 (84.4) |
28.0 (82.4) |
28.6 (83.5) |
30.1 (86.2) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 15.9 (60.6) |
16.8 (62.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
19.0 (66.2) |
20.0 (68) |
19.6 (67.3) |
19.1 (66.4) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
18.0 (64.4) |
17.9 (64.2) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.4 (65.1) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 5.0 (0.197) |
2.0 (0.079) |
9.0 (0.354) |
36.0 (1.417) |
152.0 (5.984) |
292.0 (11.496) |
316.0 (12.441) |
311.0 (12.244) |
348.0 (13.701) |
217.0 (8.543) |
36.0 (1.417) |
10.0 (0.394) |
1,734 (68.27) |
| Source: worldweather.org; | |||||||||||||
Mountains and Hills
The City of San Salvador is settled on a valley between many hills, mountain, a volcano, and a caldera lake. The Highest point in the city is Cerro El Picacho with a prominent point of 1960 meters/6430 feet. The Picacho is connected to the San Salvador (volcano), even tough the name of the volcano is San Salvador the volcano its self is not in San Salvador, its on the municipality of Santa Tecla the highest point of the Volcano is 1893 meters/6211 feet. Another elevation within the municipality is the San Jacinto Hill, this hill divides the Municipality of San Salvador with San Marcos, with a height if 1162 meters/3812 feet. The are also some noticeable hills like Cerro Chantecuán and La Torre and Candelaria. La Cima another hill that has 921meters/3021feet this hills has been urbanized to almost a 85% of its total area, great houses, stand on this hill with a panoramic view of all San Salvador.
Withing the Urban Part of the city the highest place of elevation is Colonia Escalon in District 2 with 1003 meters/3290feet, and the lowest point is in District One below the Historic Downtown, Colonia San Esteban 645 meters/2016 feet. The land scape of the urban area has many slopes almost everywhere due to the presence of various hills.
Soil types include regosol, latosol, andosol, lava rocks and andesitic and basaltic lava.
Bodies of Water
The main rivers are the Rio Acelhuate which is 2.2 km, the river used to serve as a water source to San Salvador during the late 1800s and early 1900s but now due to urbanization the river today is very polluted, and contaminated. Within the city there aren't any major bodies of water, there are some small streams, and old aqueduct systems. Even tough the city does not have major bodies of water the municipality borders Soyapango and next to it is Ilopango and Municipality that has one of the largest lakes in the country the Ilopango Lake. The lake is only 17 km / 10 miles away from the historic downtown.
Economy
Financial Sector
As the capital, San Salvador has many economical activities, such as food production, beverages, handicrafts, construction materials, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, automobile and appliances repairs. Grupo TACA, a multinational consortium which includes the national airline of El Salvador, Costa Rica, and other Central American countries, has its headquarters in San Salvador. Unicomer Group, Almacenes Simán, Grupo Roble, Grupo Real, Excel Automotríz, Grupo Q, and many others also maintain their headquarters in San Salvador.
San Salvador's banking sector include banks such as Banco Agrícola, Citibank, HSBC, Scotiabank, BAC-Credomatic, Banco Promérica, Banco Pro-Credit and the Mexican Banco Azteca.
Important insurance companies such as Asesuisa, SISA, Mapfre-La Centroamericana and Scotia Seguros are also located in San Salvador.
San Salvador's most popular department/general stores include Almacenes Siman and Sears. Also the most popular retail companies are Walmart, La Despensa de Don Juan, Super Selectos and PriceSmart
The city’s financial district is not located at the Downtown like many other cities but it is widespread along other Districts in the city, like District 2 and District 3.
- World Trade Center (District 3)
The World Trade Center of San Salvador is at District 3 (Colonia Escalon) on 87th Avenue North and Mirador Street it is connected with the Crowne Plaza Hotel, World Trade Center San Salvador is offering the best designed office space in the country: interconnected to two hotels, a Convention Center and to a new commercial square with quality retail shops, restaurants and more. World Trade Center San Salvador is a one-of-a-kind concept due to the integration of its components, its world-class standards, location, and its list of well recognized corporate tenants. Since their completion, the first two towers have maintained a 100% occupancy rate with multinational companies, embassies and the city’s most successful firms – Banco Multisectorial de Inversiones (BMI), Ericsson, Continental Airlines, Microsoft, Inter-American Development Bank, Banco Promérica and the Japanese Embassy and many others.
World Trade Center San Salvador is the market leader in office space for the business world in El Salvador, because of it unique features and experience. Today Torre Futura takes the office market to new heights by adding value, maintaining a high standard of quality, efficiency and intelligence.
- Centro Financiero Gigante (District 2)
Centro Financiero Gigante is a complex of office buildings located in San Salvador, El Salvador. It has five towers as of July 1, one with 7 floors, another with 10, another with 12, another with 14 and the highest 19 floors, the tallest tower measures 77 meters (252.6 feet).
It is a phased project that began with the construction of the first two towers. After several years increased the number of buildings and has become one of the most concrete business complex in San Salvador. The tallest tower in the financialcenter is for the phone comppany Telefonica, The next tower is for RED - Business Communication System, the complex also has the Banco Azteca center, Stream Global Services that represent Dell in Central America, The Israeli Embassy of San Salvador, Tigo, Call Center, and some other small offices and banks.
The Complex was built in Phases, in 1997 the project started with Phase I which consisted of the two tallest towers, then a 7 story-high tower was built in Phase II, for the old Dell company in Central America, Phase III the buildings for Tigo a 12 story-high and Telemovil a 10 story-high bulding. The Last Phase was remodeling of the Telemovil Buidling to turn into Banco Azteca Center in the country.
- Alameda Manuel Enrique Araujo and Zona Rosa (District 3)
Along Alameda Manuel Enrique Araujo there are many businesses, banks, and financial centers, government institutions and museums, such as: AFP Confia, Superior Council of Public Health, HSBC Central Office, AFP Crecer, Ministry of Public Works, Centro Internacional de Feria y Convenciones (International Center of Fairs and Conventions), Presidential Palace, Museo de Antropolgia David J. Guzman (Anthropology Museum), Banco Promerica Financial Center, Ministry of Tourism, Channel 2 & 4 Studio Center, Channel 6 Studio Center, CAESS-Centro Intregal al Servicio al cliente.
In Zona Rosa there are some luxury hotels, museums, and a future business center under construction estimated to have 2 towers and a main building, one tower business, a hotel tower, and a shopping center in the main building all three connect to the main street in the Zona Rosa. Along Zona Rosa there are a lot of embassies too like the embassy of Chile, Taiwan, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Brasil, and Israel.
Communications
San Salvador is home to many communication company headquarters. El Salvador has some of the highest rates of people that can access internet, telephone communication and television communication in Central America. The Most popular communication companies in El Salvador are, Tigo, Claro-Telecom, Movistar-Telefonica, and Digicel. All of these companies provide 3G networks in El Salvador, TV-Cable, Internet and International Roaming.
El Salvador's television stations are largely based in San Salvador. Stations in San Salvador include the following:
- YSTV channel 2, also known as Teledos; one of the stations of Telecorporación Salvadoreña (TCS).
- YSU4 channel 4, also known as Canal Cuatro; another station of Telecorporación Salvadoreña.
- YSWA channel 6, also known as Canal Seis; another station of Telecorporación Salvadoreña.
- YSWE channel 8, broadcasting a service known as Ágape TV.
- YSWD-TV channel 10, an educational television station.
- TV Doce channel 12, broadcasting a service known as Telesistema.
- Channel 15, a station of MTV Networks Latin America.
- CF 17, an independent station broadcasting music videos.
- Canal 19 (channel 19), broadcasting Nickelodeon Latin America.
- Canal 21 (channel 21), broadcasting Telemundo.
- Musica a Colores channel 23, an independent station broadcasting music videos.
- Fundación Canal 25 (channel 25), broadcasting Trinity Broadcasting Network.
- Canal 27 (channel 27), an independent religious television station.
- UETC channel 33.
- VTV channel 35; another station of Telecorporación Salvadoreña.
- Canal Católico channel 57, a religious television station operated by the Roman Catholic Church.
- CJC channel 65.
- TCI channel 67.
Also the most popular retail companies are Walmart, La Despensa de Don Juan, Super Selectos and PriceSmart
City skyline
Contrary to other cities, the financial center of San Salvador is not located downtown, but at the periphery, especially towards the northwestern sections of the city. Downtown or "Old" San Salvador possesses many historical buildings, including the National Palace, the National Theatre, the Plaza Libertad, and the Cathedral. Due to continuous seismic activity, Downtown San Salvador has currently no major high rise buildings. However, improving building technologies are allowing the construction of taller earthquake-resistant buildings in San Salvador.
District 1
The historic center of San Salvador includes the area where he initiated the expansion of the capital city of El Salvador since the sixteenth century. The original buildings of the Spanish colony were mostly destroyed by natural disasters over the years, notable surviving buildings were erected in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Moreover, the place was long the center of political, economic and religious country. The earthquake of 1986 severely damaged the area and due to rising unemployment in the country has been occupied by a large amount of informal trade. The tallest buildings in district one are the government center buildings, the tallest one with 14 stories and 65 meters of height. But the tallest structure in District one is not a building its the bell tower from a cathedral, this bell tower was approximately 80 meters in height.
District 2
District two is mostly residential and the upper part of the district is generally calm, with flowing traffic all the time. This District has a long story, during the 1980s it was supposed to be the start of the modernization of San Salvador, but due to the outbreak of Civil War, many of these projects where cancelled like the New Government Center, that would have a 40 story high main building, and on the same are other facilities that were going to be used for medical purposes. But since the civil war was on the countryside rather than the city during the 80's Grupo Roble opened the Metrocentro Project a mall that was the largest at its time and today still is the largest in Central America, this project has a Mall, Hotel, Small Business Plaza with the company headquarters tower, that is know today a Torre Roble a 14 story and 56 meter high tower. Long after the civil war along the Plaza Las Americas the Centro Financiero Gigante Project started which consisted of 4 phases one with the two main towers and 3 faces with other small but great in are buildings, today all around Salvador del Mundo or Plaza Las Americas (Official Name) many business and banking headquarters have opened, such as Banco Agricola Headquarters, AFP Confia, Torre Montecristo and the Centro Finaciero Gigante that hold the companies of Tigo, Telefonia, RED, Banco Azteca and the Israeli Embassy.
District 3
District 3 In San Salvador is under going into a booming of vertical buildings with many projects already built, under construction and many on stand by, this district is the one with the most economic movement. Torre Futura World trade center is the tallest building in San Salvador and second Tallest building in the country with 99 meters and 19 stories, another building that is currently in construction and will be opened in October 2011 is the Alisios 115 Apartment Tower with 96 meters and 26 stories high the building stands on the Zona Rosa, located in an strategic place and next to this building two 24 stories 92 meter high towers will be built right after this project is finished. Campestre 105 Towers I, II, and III stand on the top of the Masferrer Roundabout Plaza, the tallest tower with 24 stories and 79.5 meters in height followed by its sister towers with respective floor count of 21 and 13. Next to the Campestre 105 stand the Terra Alta Apartment Tower, with 26 stories and 90 meters in height, The Hilton Hotel is another standing out building in the skyline. Next to the Zona Rosa lies the San Benito Apartment Area, where various projects like La Capilla 525, La Capillas 515, La Capilla 370, La Strada, and La Castella, are the main apartment tower complexes. Some projects that are still under elicitation is The Agrisal Tower Business Cneter, a 25 story high corporate tower connected to a hotel tower and a shopping center. Cifco the International Center of Convention and Fairs, the National Museum of Anthropology, almost all embassies are in District 3 of San Salvador, and District 3 is also safest place and the district with highest tourism rate in the Capital City. This district also has many monumental and government and banking buidligns like El Salvador del Mundo (Nickname)/Plaza Las Americas (Official Name), Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Tourism, HSBC Center, AFP Crecer. District 3 Is also home for most embassies like the embassies of Italy, Spain, Mexico, Taiwan (El Salvador established relationships with Taiwan rather than China), Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, Brazil, and many other. District Three is also home for a lot of shopping center and plazas like Plaza Basilea, and Plaza Zona Rosa, and of malls, Like El Paseo, and Galerias. Malls that have both national and international stores from North America and Europe.
District 4
Is composed of three main neighborhoods, La Cima (I, II, & III), Colonia Militar, and Colonia San Francisco, this skyline in this area is residential for people in the upper-middle class and rich classes, in this area you can see great homes, and even fascinating mansions. The RN-5 runs thru this district, a major highway in the city, along this road is what was the tallest building in the country for many years the Torre Cuscatlan a tower taht has 19 operating floors and two underground parking levels and a height of 79 meters, or know re-named Torre Citibank, a major landmark is the Cuscatlan Stadium which is the largest stadium in Central America with a capacity of over 35,000 capacity. The Torre Citi has been standing by itself for 30 years there has been some construction projects in this area but they were canceled for two different reasons in the 1980s because of the Civil War and in 2009 because of the economic recession.
District 5
Is a district where most of its skyline are homes, of middle-low and middle class. The outstanding landmarks are the National Zoo. District Five borders with San Marcos on the East, District Five is known to have some conflict and to be a bit dangerous. The Non-Urban part of District 5, or known as Los Planes de Renderos, many middle-high class people buy homes here to either live in them or to stay in them during vacation, the places is a great gastro-touristic destination, up in the mountains this area is very famous for its pupuserias, having tons of them, this is a great place for a view because of it height, you can see all of the Districts, and other municipalities; San Marcos, and in the far back near the horizon Mejicanos, and Ciudad Delgado.
District 6
Is the smallest district in San Salvador, most of its skyline is homes, for the middle-low class, the district is known to be quite dangerous. The most outstanding mark is the San Jacinto Hill, The Old Presidential House used to be in District 6. This district also borders Soyapango on the east, and Ciudad Delgado on the North.
San Salvador's Tallest
Below is a list of the 10 tallest buildings in the San Salvador Municipality
- 1st - Torre Futura or Torre 3 at the World Trade Center 99.0 meters/324.8 feet
- 2nd - Alisios 115 under construction, but achieved its final height 92.0 meters/301 feet
- 3rd - Terra Alta Apartments 90.0 meters/295 feet
- 4th - 105 Campestre Torre A 79.65 meters/257 feet
- 5th - Torre Cuscatlan Citi-Bank Tower or Torre Democracia 79 meters/259.1 feet
- 6th - Centro Financiaro Gigante(CFG) 77.0 meters/252.6 feet
- 7th - 105 Campestre Torre B 73.25 meters/240 feet
- 8th - Torre 525 Avenida La Capilla 71.0 meters/232.9 feet
- 9th - Ministerio de Gobernacion 65 meters/213.2 feet
- 10th - Torre 515 Avenida La Capilla 64 meters/209 feet
- 11th - Hilton Princess San Salvador Hotel 55 meters/180
- Within The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador in Antiguo Cuscaltan
- 1st* - El Pedregal also known as Multiplaza Apartamentos 110.3 meters/361.8 feet
- 10th* - Edificio Avante 67.1 meters/220.1 feet
- Planned
- Europlaza Busines Center approximate heights - Tower 1: 150meters/492 feet; 2 130meters/426 feet; 3 117meters/383feet; 4 100meters/328feet
- Las Magnolias 159 two towers of approximately- 88 meters/290 feet each
- Agrisal Complex two towers approximate heights - 95 meters/310 feet and 60 meters/190 feet
-
Torre El Pedregal 1
-
Torre Futura 2
-
Alisios 115 3
-
105 Campestre Tower A
-
Citi-Bank Tower
-
Terra Alta Apartments
-
Telefonica Tower (right of Red Tower)
-
105 Campestre Tower B
-
525 Avenida La Capilla
-
Edificio Avante
-
Government Center Tower 4
Urban development
Earlier colonial urban developments for the city of San Salvador failed to predict the growth of the city into great urban areas in the following centuries. Thus, the many narrow streets that span the city create traffic problems and overcrowded sidewalks. As the urban expansion of San Salvador continues, newer and better facilities and amenities are needed to cope with such expansion.
During the 60's, urban expansion was most prevalent towards the north and south, while the 70's saw growth continue further south, north and west. Colonias Miravalle, Montebello, Satellite, Maquilishuat, San Mateo Lomas de San Francisco, Alta Mira, Loma Linda, La Floresta, and Jardines de la Libertad were built during this period.
The expansion of San Salvador during this period, while in all directions, was geared more heavily towards the volcano of San Salvador. The expansion in housing was due to an increase of the middle class, military, professionals.
At the dawn of the century, the city expansion decreased westward. There was an expansion of middle-class neighborhoods such as Merliot, Santa Elena and the Tier, but the product of internal migration and cessation of armed conflict created a high demand for urban public housing. This gave rise to large urban development projects mostly to the east and north, to the phenomenon of "dormitory towns" and to a disorderly urban growth.
AMSS (San Salvador Metropolitan Area)
San Salvador was founded in the year 1525, it was the second city in Central America made by the Spanish. By the Year 1821 the year of Independence for El Salvador, San Salvador had a population of 10,000 inhabitants, four years later in 1825 the city grew to 25,000 Inhabitants, this was the result of internal migration to the capital city, this process happens twice in the history of San Salvador. Santa Tecla, El Salvador was founded as "Nueva San Salvador" on August 8, 1854 by the president José María San Martín after the capital city was destroyed by an earthquake. It served as capital of the republic from 1855 to 1859 and became departmental capital in 1865. The continued development of the city was spurred by the success of the local coffee industry, becoming a very productive commercial city. By the year 1890 San Salvador had 94,580 Inhabitants, in 1901 San Salvador was composed of the Urban Center (80,167), Vista Hermosa(13,123), y Planes de Rendero(1,560). In the following years San Salvador kept on growing from Downtown towards the outskirts of the volcano. It was not untile the 70's when the city took a great leap in population from 430,500 to 700,000 as San Salvador grew it joined other cities and The AMSS was created. The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador (AMSS) is a conglomerate formed by 14 municipalities. It was instituted in 1993, through Legislative Decree No. 732 of the Law on Territorial Development and the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador and neighboring municipalities. The Act defines that, depending on its urban development, these cities form a single urban unit.
Since 1990, it was felt that urban development in the Municipality of San Salvador and neighboring municipalities was having a remarkable growth, and even be defined as a big city. This situation required the planning and control of urban development in these municipalities and their conformation as a metropolitan area.
Currently, the AMSS constitutes the directional center of the country in political, financial, economic and cultural life and where he also accounts for 27% of the population and 70% of the public and private investment in 3% of the national territory. Together the fourteen municipalities give the AMSS a total population of 2,177,432 inhabitants (2009 census). The Government expects a total population of 2.5 million by the beginning of the year 2011.
List of Municipalities:
- San Savaldor - west
- Antiguo Cuscatlan - 4 kilometers southwest of San Salvador Highest HDI in El Salvador and Central America
- Santa Tecla - 9 kilometers southwest of San Salvador
- San Marcos - 6 kilometers south of San Salvador
- Soyapango - 6 kilometers east of San Salvador
- Ilopango - 8 kilometers east
- San Martin - 15 kilometers east
- Tonacatepeque - 12 kilometers north east
- Ciudad Delgado - 4 kilometers north east
- Cuscatancingo - 4 kilometers north
- Mejicanos- 5 kilometers north
- Apopa - 11 kilometers north
- Nejapa-13 kilometers north
- Ayutuxtepeque - 7 kilometers north
Tourism and Sites of Interest
Centro Historico de SS
The historic center of San Salvador includes the area where he initiated the expansion of the capital city of El Salvador since the sixteenth century. The original buildings of the Spanish colony were mostly destroyed by natural disasters over the years, notable surviving buildings were erected in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Current Mayor Norman Quijano started two big projects in order to restore the greatness of the buildings in the historic downtown, one was the re-arrange of system in which all public transportation will avoid passing thru the historic downtown, where all the illegal street vendor must move to a designated place or public market otherwise they will have to pay a fee and their stuff will be confiscated, this project also has the restoring and remodeling of many historical buildings.
National Palace
The current structure replaced the old National Palace built during the years 1866-1870, which suffered a fire on December 19, 1889. The construction, undertaken between 1905 to 1911, was in charge of the engineer José Emilio Alcaine and under the direction of the foreman Pascasio González Erazo. To finish its construction, through a legislative decree was stipulated that for every quintal of coffee exported, a colon would be used to complete the work. The materials used were imported from different European countries like Germany, Italy and Belgium. Its facilities were occupied by government offices until 1974.
Inside there are 101 secondary rooms and four main rooms with distinctive colors stand out: the Red Room-Salon Rojo, used since opening up the administration of General Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, for the ceremonial presentation of credentials of ambassadors or receptions Salvadoran Foreign Ministry ; Yellow Room-Salon Amarillo, used as an office of President of the Republic, Pink Room-Salon Rosado, which housed the Supreme Court and later the Ministry of Defence, and finally the Blue Room-Salon Azul, which was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. In this rooms Ionian, Corinthian and Roman style of furnishing and architecture stand out, and there the Legislature of El Salvador gathered since 1906. The name of this stay was for posterity, as the current meeting room is called the Salvadoran parliament.
Metropolitan Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Savior (Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador) is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Salvador and the seat of the Archbishop of San Salvador. The church was twice visited by Pope John Paul II who said that the cathedral was "intimately allied with the joys and hopes of the Salvadoran people." During his visits in 1983 and 1996, the Pope knelt and prayed before the Tomb of Archbishop Óscar Romero, assassinated in 1980, whose tomb here is a major pilgrim draw.
The Cathedral site is the place where the old Temple of Santo Domingo (St. Dominic) once stood. An even greater toll was exacted on Palm Sunday, March 31, 1980, during the funeral of Archbishop Romero, when 44 people were killed during a stampede after some elements, allegedly members of security forces (although it has never been corroborated) fired on mourners/worshippers and on Romero's funeral cortege, the real gunmen were never identified. Later, the square in front of the Cathedral was the site of rapturous celebrations after the signing of the Chapultepec Peace Accords that ended the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992. The Cathedral was completed and inaugurated on March 19, 1999 and finished off with a festive tiled facade by the Salvadoran master Fernando Llort.
National Theater
Teatro Nacional de El Salvador, or National Theater of El Salvador, is the oldest theater in Central America. Construction started on November 3, 1911, by the French architect Daniel Beylard, and inaugurated March 1, 1917. It is of French Renaissance style with modern touches. It was decorated by the Italian architect Lucio Capellaro, and its Great Hall is considered one of the most beautiful and elegant in Central America.
The National Theater is located on the southern side of Francisco Morazan Plaza on Calle Delgado. The Theater has a French Renaissance style with details of Rococo, Romantic Style, and Art Nouveau. It has capacity for 650 specters in the Grand Hall. It has balconies on three levels, within this balconies one out stands the others,The Presidential Balcony located between the Third and Second Floor and with a view straight to center stage . Also there is an ellipsoidal dome containing a mural painter Carlos Cañas and a striking crystal chandelier. Other spaces include the Hall, Chamber Hall, Grand Foyer, and Small works less room assembly and durability. It was declared a National Monument in 1979.Today the Theater is opened for touristic visits and since the Historic Downtown Restoration this building is now used for plays, shows, opera, singing, modern dance, and other type of presentations. This Theater is the largest and most luxurious one in Central America.
Calle Arce
The mayor of San Salvador, Norman Quijano, yesterday inaugurated the first phase of the redevelopment of the Maple Street, near the square of Health. The project includes the installation of 12 lights, founded in Spain dating from 1900 - along with six seats and the planting of 40 trees. All this on the sidewalks of the streets between 21. Nd and 19. Th Avenue North.
At the same time the renovation of sidewalks with ramps for access for people with disabilities and seniors. In the place were deployed 24 items Corps Metropolitan Agents (CAM), specializing in the care, guidance and the capital guidelines that will use the new public space.
That's the part that touches the capital's municipality: the care of the space renovated and will do with those agents known as CAM Patrimonial.Potenciar Maple Street, an attractive convener character through urban interventions, construction, environmental and sociological develop it into a suitable space for the development of academic activities, cultural, social and health services and quality equipment, counting on strong support from related institutions, as well as the formal trade and informal that is located in the area and the general public, to serve his journey as a model for rehabilitation of other arteries in the Historic Center of the Capital
Parks and Plazas
- Plaza Gerardo Barrios
La Plaza Gerardo Barrios, also known as the Civic Plaza is located in the heart of the city of San Salvador.
The statue that dominates the site, dedicated to President Gerardo Barrios, was unveiled in 1909 and created by Francisco Durini. The conception of the work was the brothers Antonio and Carlos Ezeta. The figure, made of bronze, shows a statue of the military. Such a structure is placed on a pedestal of granite depicting scenes of battles and the Shield of El Salvador.
Today the square houses, eventually, different exposures of public interest and political rallies. It is also the main site of celebration during the feast of San Salvador (5 and 6 August), because there ends the procession dedicated to the Divine Savior of the world (called "The Descent"), is also celebrated a Mass and is the main destination parades.
- Plaza Libertad
La Plaza Gerardo Barrios, also known as the Civic Plaza is located in the heart of the city of San Salvador.
The statue that dominates the site, dedicated to President Gerardo Barrios, was unveiled in 1909 and created by Francisco Durini. The conception of the work was the brothers Antonio and Carlos Ezeta. The figure, made of bronze, shows a statue of the military. Such a structure is placed on a pedestal of granite depicting scenes of battles and the Shield of El Salvador.
Today the square houses, eventually, different exposures of public interest and political rallies. It is also the main site of celebration during the feast of San Salvador (5 and 6 August), because there ends the procession dedicated to the Divine Savior of the world (called "The Descent"), is also celebrated a Mass and is the main destination parades.
Due to the commemoration of the centenary of the First Cry of Independence in 1911, was erected the Monument to the Heroes, which highlights an "angel of freedom" at its pinnacle holding laurel wreath in both hands. Years later, amid the emerging development of trade, its contours were constructed in the portals of the West (1915–1916) and La Dalia (1917).
- Plaza Morazan
The Government of El Salvador, headed by Rafael Zaldivar, ordered the erection of a marble statue in honor of Francisco Morazan, president of the Federal Republic of Central America for the March 15, 1882, in view of the fortieth anniversary of his death . The work was commissioned from the artist Francisco Durini in Genoa, Italy. The event was invited by the Government of Honduras, which was required to appoint a commissioner, went to the dignity that Ulloa Cruz graduate, son of Morazan. Meanwhile, the Senate of the Salvadoran state declared March 15 as "national civic celebration."
Casa Dueñas
Built in the 1920s, owes its name to have been built by the coffee farmer Miguel Dueñas. In 1922, the Ministry of Finance acquired the house as payment for debts Dueñas tax from its original owner. The house was unoccupied for years. Then, between 1930 and 1933, was leased by the diplomatic delegation of Mexico. From 1935 to 1957, the United States Legation rented the house to the residence of the plenipotentiaries. They lived there six U.S. diplomats, with occasional guests such as former Presidents Richard Nixon and Lyndon B. Johnson and Senator Robert Kennedy and movie stars Clark Gable and Tony Curtis.
Then it was the temporary headquarters of an advertising agency. Remained vacant since 1960 and total abandon, until 1973 the year in which you installed the Department of Vocational Training Ministry of Labour, which remained until late 1986, when the structure was declared a Cultural Asset by Executive Agreement of 8 May 1985. It was then that the ministry transferred the property to the authorities of the Ministry of Education, in order to consider the possibility of a restoration and rehabilitation.
In 2001 began the restoration work. Thanks to Dr. Alfredo Martínez Moreno former director of Salvadorean Language Academy and the Royal Spanish Academy.
Zona Rosa
Zons Rosa is a night life neighborhood in District 3 of the city of San Salvador. The area is one of the palces with the highest night life in the city, it has many hotels, different types of hotels ranging from 5 star luxury hotels to small guest but comfortable guest houses. The place is also great for eating having many high class restaurants and fast food restaurants, the are has a small business center, and a 25 story high business tower in construction. Zona Rosa has also many apartament proyects that are changing the landscape and life of that area. It is very easy to get to that area from any part of the city, it is 45 minutes away from the International Airport, and from Escalon one can take 79 Avenue South, coming from Alameda Manuel Enrique Araujo one just makes simple turn to the right on Avenida de La Revolucion.
Hotels
- Hilton Princess
Hilton Princess San Salvador hotel is conveniently located within the business district of San Salvador, 45 minutes away from the San Salvador International Airport; offering the plushest accommodations and the finest amenities among Hilton Princess. The Hilton Princess San Salvador hotel boasts 204 elegant guestrooms and suites and 5,934 square feet of flexible function space, perfect for corporate retreats, family reunions, weddings and events of all sizes and types.
- Sheraton Presidente
With a privileged location just a few steps from the city’s most exclusive stores, bars and restaurants. It has 225 rooms and suites have everything you need for a great night, including an amazing view of the city, in-room movies, 24-hour room service and our famously comfortable Sheraton Sweet Sleeper™ Bed. Within the city’s premier conference location, our event planning staff is ready to transform our 13,132 square feet of event space into a wonderful setting ideal for meetings, conferences or celebrations of all kinds.
- Suites Las Palmas
Hotel Suites Las Palmas is located in Colonia San Benito, one of the most exclusive and strategic neighborhoods in San Salvador, within the Zona Rosa’s lively environment, adjacent to many restaurants, bars, museums and near to International Center for Fairs and Conventions. The Hotel offers 47 luxurious suites which have been designed to fulfill the high Standards of our guests. Leisure and business travelers alike will find tranquility, comfort and security in order to enjoy either short or long stay.
Museums and Conventions
- Museums
Two of the most important museums in San Salvador are located in Zona Rosa. These are "Museo David J. Guzmán" and "Museo de Arte de El Salvador (MARTE)". David J. Guzman National Museum of Anthropology contains a variety of Mayan and Pipil artifacts that date to mayan classicla period, tihs museum hold many facilities distributed in one area, the Museum even has it's own theater, that schools usually rent while explaining their students the theory of evolution, how dinosaurs disappeared, and explaining the cultural heritage from the Mayan Civilization
Museo de Arte MARTE displays an extensive collection of Salvadoran and international art.
- CIFCO
The Centro Internacional de Ferias y Convenciones (CIFCO) is a multipurpose convention center in the city of San Salvador. Its facilities are located in the Colonia San Benito-Zona Rosa (District 3), 5 miles from the Historic Downtown of San Salvador (District 1), in a residential area with good transportation facilities, easy access to first class hotels. It is also regarded as the largest convention center, modern and most functional in Central America. It's affiliated with the Union of International Fairs (UFI) and the Association of International Fairs of America (AFIDA), which gives the convetion center a high category.
The CIFCO Amphitheatre is one of the most important shows facilities of El Salvador, it has developed concerts and international artists. It has a capacity, at the bottom, 2,000 loose chairs and on top, with a capacity for 9,500 people. Its maximum capacity is 15,000. It also has a parking for over 800 vehicles. From 2003 and until 2010, the Convention Center has entered a total renovation, which is the arrangement of five pavilions and restructuring of the drainage system, which is already finished. Besides working in the Central Hall weatherization of 10,000 m², the refurbishment of five pavilions, and begin construction of a coliseum-sand. It also includes the construction of a three-level underground parking for 3,500 vehicles, and hotels within the centro.
The Point of CIFCO
- Support through the Fairs, Exhibitions and Conferences exchange technological, commercial and industrial area in the National and International.
- Provide support for the institution framed in the rational use of resources.
- Plan and organize the participation of exhibitors from the Commerce, Industry and Tourism for massive events.
- Plan and establish the participation of exhibitors from specific sectors
- Reassure and comfort to visitors and exhibitors.
- Promoting the image of the institution and El Salvador both nationally and
International.
Restaurants and Night Life
There are many restaurants in the Zona Rosa with food from countries all over the world, there is a wide variety of restaurants bar and lounges, some of the most exclusive restaurants are 503 an uppscale, international cuisine and sushi lounge, Paradise Lobster and Steak Dinner, A Lo Nuestro. There are also many other restaurants like, La Pampa Argentina, Inka Grill, Sushi-Itto, Dynasty Chinese, Diva, Tre-Fratelli, and many more.
Zona Rosa has most of the night life in the city, having many bars, nightclubs, and Irish-English Pubs.
Shopping centers
- On Boulevard Los Heroes, one can find Metrocentro, the largest mall in the country and in Central America, it first opened in 1970, it took one year to make the first part of mall, by the year 2008 the mall has grown to 1,000 stores, and it receives an amount of about 1,700,000 shoppers every month. Grupo Roble, a Salvadoran construction company, the owners of Metrocentro have opened many other Metrocentro malls, in Santa Ana, San Miguel and Sonsonate, it also has opened Metrocentro Malls in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Panama.
- On Paseo General Escalon, there is also another mall owner by Roble, called Centro Comercial el Paseo. This is a small mall compared to the other but it has a considerable amount of shops, and a small food court plaza, the reason why El Paseo is small, is because of the exclusivity of its shops, the mall has a BMW Dealership, Super Selectos Super Market, MAX Electronic Stores, and other shops. Among the restaurants, the ones that out stand are La Panetiere (French), Tre Fratelli (Italian), Coffee Cup, Puerco Rico (Puerto Rican), TGI Friday's, Buffalo Wings, and other restaurants.
- Centro Comercial Galerias a eight floor high mall (3 levels for parking), is a mall built over two phases the first phase of the mall has the 3 parking floors and the floors for shopping center, what makes this mall unique is that it was built over an old house, which was restored and used for shopping space and the rest of the mall was built around it and on it, later on in order to expand the mall, for the construction of a theater, the owners constructed 2 more floors on top of the original construction giving the total amount of 9 stories, 3 underground parking and 5 for shopping. This mall has everything banking plaza, fast food court, La Pergola for mid-range food but served in a fast food style, there are many european shops, like givenchy, bershka, pull and bear, and zara.
Malls in Antiguo Cuscatlan
Most malls have many international shopping stores as well as national. Within the Metropolitan Area the two most modern malls have been built in Antiguo Cuscatlan, one by Grupo Roble, The Multiplaza mall a mall that has a project called a city within a city, since the mall, has an apartment tower that has become the tallest one in Central America, a five start hotel, and a office building. Within Antiguo Cuscatlan there is also La Gran Via mall, built by Urbanica, the mall opened up on 2004, the mall is connected to a JW Marriott Hotel, a banking building, mini golf course, theater, and a gym, the second starbucks in the country opened up in La Gran Via.
Cuisine
The restaurant scene in San Salvador is influenced by many different cultures. Food options include Italian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, French, Chilean, American, Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern, German, Chinese, Argentine and others. Local food options include several "Pupuserias" where one can purchase the famous Salvadoran Pupusas.
Museums
San Salvador has many museums. The two largest and most popular are Museo Nacional de Antropologia de El Salvador (MUNA) and Museo de Arte de El Salvador. Muna's mission is to let Salvadorans reflect on their cultural identity through exhibitions, research, publications and educational programs in the fields of archeology and anthropology, a testimony to the social processes of the various human groups who inhabited and do inhabit the length and width of the homeland. MARTE's mission is to contribute to the development of the country's education and culture through the conservation and dissemination of the artistic patrimony, and by strengthening historic knowledge, reaffirming cultural values that shape the Salvadoran identity, and promoting new artistic languages. MARTE, a private, nonprofit organization, opened on May 22, 2003. In the time that it has existed, the museum has become an essential reference in the cultural life of Central America, with its representative view of art from the mid-nineteenth century to contemporary times.
A different, but equally popular museum, is Tin Marín Museo de los Niños (Tin Marin Children's Museum), located between Gimnasio Nacional José Adolfo Pineda and Parque Cuscatlán. Tin Marín seeks to contribute to children becoming integral and creative citizens through significant learning, cultural stimulation and entertaining experimentation. The museum has more than 25 exhibits, including The Airplane, The Grocery Store, and the Planetarium.
Hotels
San Salvador is home to many hotels, just in San Salvador there are 90 hotels ranging from stars and sizes. One can find small hotels, built in calm, and relaxing neighborhoods, to hotels ranging from three stars, up to five stars. On the Zona Rosa, lies Hilton Hotel a five start hotel, built on 1997, by Grupo Agrisal, the hotel building has 55 meters in height(180 feet) and has 15 stories, plus 2 parking levels, the hotel has 204 rooms, and 8 suites. On 2009 the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador was selected as number one out of 290 Hilton Hotels in all of the Americas and number one out 120 Hotels who participated in a contest in Central America. In Zona Rosa, there is also other hotels such as, Suite Las Palmas, Sheraton Presidente, and other small hotels. Connecting to the Torre Futura World Trade Center, on the Escalon neihgborhood that lies on the foothills of Cerro El Picacho and the San Salvador Volcano, lies the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Connecting to the Metrocentro mall, the Real InterContinental hotel. In the Metropolitan Area, in Antiguo Cuscatlan there are mny other hotels: Holiday Inn which is connected by a pedestrian bridge to a small shopping plaza, with many restaurants and cafes and to the first starbucks in the country. Beverly Hills Hotel a five star suite hotel, located in northern Antiguo Cuscatlan next to the Avante Business Center.
San Salvador has many attractions, from bars to museums to historical places, not found anywhere else in Central America.
Gastronomic festivals
All over the country, there are gastronomic festivals, where people sell food and enjoy art and music. At San Salvador, one is held at Las Fuentes de Bethoven Park every month.
Sports
Estadio Cuscatlan The Stadium, with a capacity of over 45,000, is the largest football venue not only in Central America, but the Caribbean, as well. In addition to being the largest, Estadio Cuscatlán is often referred to as the most modern stadium in the region. It was announced on November 16, 2007 that Estadio Cuscatlán would become the first soccer stadium in Central America and Caribbean to have a large LED screen, where the supporters can view the action. The screen is 40 meters in height and width and was completed in March, 2008. Also, the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca, with a capacity of 32,000, held the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2002 (El Salvador came in 6th place among 37 countries).
Estadio Cuscatlan was built in the early 1980s right before the beginning of the civil war. This building, among many others, was supposed to start the great modernization of San Salvador in the '80s, but the civil war took 12 years of development from the country.
San Salvador is currently home to two teams in the Primera División (El Salvador): Alianza F.C. and C.D. Atlético Marte. Alianza F.C. currently plays their home games at Estadio Cuscatlan, while Marte currently plays their home games at Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca. Alianza is renowned throughout El Salvador for its loyal supporters and for the atmosphere created during games. Alianza gained fame in Central America for winning the CONCACAF Championship and for beating the Brazilian team, Santos, when that side featured the football legend Pele. Marte was also once a prominent team, winning 8 national championships and the 1991 CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup.
Living
Apartment life
San Salvador’s unimagined fast urban growth has put space for developments at a limit. Since the 2.1 million people living in San Salvador Metro are hemmed in by natural obstacles, such as the San Salvador Volcano, Lake Ilopango, and San Jacinto Hill, the city has begun to build taller. In recent years, San Salvador has seen a remarkable growth of apartment buildings. The areas with most apartments buildings are Escalon and San Benito/Zona .
Home life
In San Salvador, homes are typically classified or grouped in the following ways: Casa-ciudades are homes on main roads, in the middle of the city; Callejones are a group of homes by the side of a narrow street, normally lower-middle class people live there; Colonias are large neighborhoods where middle-class people live in; Colonias privadas are where upper-middle income people live, and usually contain entrances that are guarded; and there are Fincas, or suburbs where many upper-middle income and high-income families live. These areas tend to be walled and protected with armed guards. The poor in San Salvador often live in Marginales, which can be unsafe areas. As such, people are warned to stay away from these neighborhoods.
Education
San Salvador has Evangelicals private high schools such as Colegio Cristiano Josue, Colegio Bautista de San Salvador located in San Jacinto neighborhood. Also there are Catholic private high schools such as: Liceo Salvadoreño, Externado San José, Colegio Don Bosco, Colegio La Asunción, Colegio María Auxiliadora and other non-religious such as García Flamenco and Colegio Augusto Walte. San Salvador also has many private bilingual schools, such as: Academia Británica Cuscatleca (British English), Colegio Internacional de San Salvador (English), Escuela Americana (English), Escuela Panamericana (English), Liceo Francés (French) and Escuela Alemana (German). El Salvador has a school classification system made by the government teaching service called MINED, which gives scores to private and public schools, (A) being among the highest, and (C), schools that need a lot of improvement.
San Salvador is home to many higher education institutions. The only public university in the country is Universidad de El Salvador. Other private universities, like Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas and Universidad Dr. José Matías Delgado, two of the best universities in Central America, are located in the capital city. Other universities that teach a variety of professions are: Escuela de Comunicacion Monica Herrera, ESEN (Escuela Superior de Economia y Negocios), Escuela Militar (Military School) and many others.
Transportation
San Salvador, like many major metropolitan areas around the world, heavily relies on public transportation. There are many roads that lead to the city from different parts of the nation. San Salvador is also located near El Salvador's international airport.
Airport
San Salvador was first served by Ilopango International Airport, but on January 31, 1980, Ilopango was replaced by the bigger El Salvador International Airport Comalapa International Airport (IATA: SAL, ICAO: MSLP), commonly known as Cuscatlán International Airport, located about 50 km (30 miles) from San Salvador. It was built in the late 1970s to replace Ilopango International Airport, which is now used for military and charter aviation; it was rehabilitated as a commercial airport, re-opening in 2009. There are also plans to build a new airport on the Salvadoran coast of El Tamarindo, La Unión, along with tourist facilities on the beach or near to La Unión, according to the demand presented by the new, modern port. With 2,076,258 passengers in 2008, it was the third busiest airport by passenger traffic in Central America.
Roads
In the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, around 200,000 registered vehicles per day circulate. In the morning rush hour, about 300,000 trips are made. Around the city, there are primary ways that link with the interior of the country, these being the North Core, directed towards Apopa and Chalatenango; Santa Tecla Road, due west of the country; the road Comalapa International Airport; and Boulevard of the National Army, which heads to the east. Since the beginning of the century, the government has built various ways to remedy congested traffic. These roads are North Trunk Soyapango, the Constitution Boulevard extension, and the Boulevard Diego de Holguín (under construction).
The numerical designation of streets and avenues is organized according to the four squares that form the intersection of Avenida Espana and Avenida Cuscatlán north and south, respectively), and Delgado Arce street (to the west and east) in the downtown. Thus, the odd-numbered avenues north and south are to the west of this crossing and even numbers to the east. The streets, meanwhile, with an odd name west and east, are north of the junction; the even, west and east, to the south. Among the streets and main avenues of the city are the Paseo General Escalon, the section Alameda Alameda Manuel Enrique Araujo, Franklin D. Roosevelt-Calle Rubén Darío, the Alameda Juan Pablo II, Boulevard of Heroes, Boulevard Venezuela, Boulevard Los Proceres (also known as Autopista Sur), etc. Constitution Boulevard, Diego de Holguin Boulevard, was to be finished by November 2010).
With regard to public transit, there is a substantial availability of buses and minibuses at a cost of $0.20 for the former and $0.25 for the latter. In San Salvador, there are also the East and West terminals, with buses going to various parts of the country (West Terminal hosts companies that provide services to Guatemala and Mexico). The international bus service from Terminal Puerto Bus has routes to towns in Central America. Furthermore, since October 1, 2007, the National Railways of El Salvador (FENADESAL) has resumed service at an affordable cost of $0.10. The train departs from near the East Bus Station to the town of Apopa.
Disasters
The city has suffered from severe earthquakes over the years, the most disastrous of which occurred in 1854. Also worthy of mentioning is the 1917 eruption of the San Salvador volcano, which resulted in three major earthquakes that damaged the city so extensively that the government was forced to move the capital to the present-day city of Santa Tecla (known at that time as New San Salvador). The most recent earthquakes, in 2001 (one in January and one in February), resulted in considerable damage, especially in Las Colinas suburb, where a landslide destroyed homes and killed many people.
During the 1980s, conflicts in El Salvador erupted into a civil war, and many people fled to the city, since most of the fighting occurred outside of it (San Salvador itself was not directly affected by the war until the final offensive of 1989). Hurricanes, tsunamis, and landslides also pose a threat.
On November 2009, Hurricane Ida hit the departments of San Salvador, San Vicente and Cuzcatlan. In San Vicente, the municipalities of Verapaz and Guadalupe were totally destroyed by the rain that was brought by the Hurricane and a landslide that brought huge rocks. Many thousands of people were left homeless. However, the Army and the Red Cross rescued many people and the government opened public schools as temporary shelters for 3 months. The Hurricane destroyed some bridges and some towns lost communications. The people of El Salvador raised money for the homeless and international aid came from countries such as the United States, Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala, and the European Union.
Tropical Storm Agatha
See also: Tropical Storm Agatha (2010)
Agatha hit the Central American coast on Thursday, May 27, 2010. About 3 feet of water over a period of 5 days was registered in the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, with sinkholes, flooding, and devastation near downtown and Zona El Picacho; also areas such as Montebello, etc. Residents were warned of future evacuations.
The remnants of Agatha produced torrential rain in Central America across Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Honduras. Some areas picked up well over a foot of rain. Rainfall totals in some mountain locations could reached 30 inches. Life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides occurred.
The origins of Agatha were from an area of convection, or thunderstorms, that developed on May 24 off the west coast of Costa Rica. At the time, there was a trough in the region that extended into the southwestern Caribbean Sea, associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The system drifted northwestward, and conditions favored further development. On May 25, the convection became more concentrated, and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the potential for a tropical depression to develop. The next day, it briefly became disorganized, as its circulation was broad and elongated. However, the disturbance was in a very moist environment, and multiple low level centers gradually organized into one. The low continued to get better organized; however, there was a lack of a well-defined circulation. On May 29, after further organization of the circulation and convection, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression 1-E while the system was located about 295 miles (475 km) west of San Salvador, El Salvador.
In El Salvador, widespread flooding took place as heavy rains fell across the country. Throughout San Salvador and five other cities threatened by flooding, emergency officials urged residents to evacuate to shelters. A total of 140 landslides occurred.[43] The highest known rainfall total in the country was 400 mm (15.7 in); however, further rains fell since that total was reported. A total of six people were killed in the country. At least two other people were reported missing in the country. By May 30, President Mauricio Funes declared a country-wide state of emergency due to the widespread damage wrought by Agatha.
Crime
San Salvador hosts one of the most notorious unified crime family transnational gangs that spread across the Central American heart region, like the Mara Salvatrucha and the 18th Street gang that arrived during and since the Salvadoran Civil War. The security situation has taken a downturn in San Salvador; in 2002, there were over 9000 intentional homicides in the city of San Salvador by international global Central American Ganges or Maras. 2005 and 2006 saw a worsening security situation in San Salvador; and corruption, with the trend continuing in 2008. Crimes have increased to 13 daily, with this sharp increase having occurred in the last six years, making the words San Salvador City synonymous with crime. The portrayal of San Salvador was a dark and foreboding metropolis rife with crime, grime, corruption, and a deep-seated sense of urban decay, ultimately a vice city. After the civil war and left in complete ruins and destruction, people described and called the city "San Salvador La Ciudad Que Se Desmorona", "San Salvador The City That Crumbles". San Salvador is a rampant and recurring corruption within the city's civil authorities and infrastructure. There are certain locations especially in poor slums on the outskirts of San Salvador City where the gangs considerate are labeled as No man's land. Thanks to the current mayor of San Salvador, Norman Quijano, the city has changed in almost every single possible way, the reorganization of Downtown, is making the city much more safer, the city needs to maintain its safety since it's a gateway of hope to immigrant from Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Guatemala other Central American and South American countries were crime rates are much more higher
Security
Security issues in San Salvador and in El Salvador are becoming a thing of the past, the current PNC (National Civilian Police) is the best one in central america, and they are doing all things possible to keep the capital city, and the whole country safe. As od the 2011 Report, Guatemala is the most dangerous country, followed by Honduras, and then Mexico, Venezuela. El Salvador has managed not to come on the top 5 of the list.
San Salvador is divided in Districts, safety levels have increased so you can take a walk any time within District 1, 2, 3, 4 and parts of District 5, when you go to San Salvador you have to be confident of your self and not show fear, because this could call people's attention. El Salvador has a bad reputation but currently that its is just a reputation, that the country needs to change during the following Years.
District 6 borders the slums of the city of Soyapango, which is contaminated by gang members, or know as maras, this place its marked with high levels of crimes, this is due because many people from the low-poor class have settled here and they usually make alliances with other gangs, usually the problem in this area are between gang members and their families.
Landmarks
- Catedral Metropolitana, Metropolitan Cathedral
- Teatro Nacional de El Salvador, the National Theatre of El Salvador
- National Palace (El Salvador), the National Palace
- Monumento al Divino Salvador del Mundo, The Actual name is Plaza Las Americas
- Casa Presidencial, the Presidential Mansion
- Monumento a La Libertad, Monument to Liberty
- Estadio Cuscatlan
- Monumento a la Constitucion
- Masferrer Roundabout Plaza
Photo gallery of sites in San Salvador
-
Avante Santa Elena
-
Apartments in San Salvador
-
El Pedregal
-
Citi-bank Tower
-
Cuscatlan Stadium
-
Urban Apartments
-
Greater San Salvador, seen from the Quetzaltepec volcano.
-
Northwest San Salvador
-
The Metropolitan Cathedral
-
Monumento al Divino Salvador del Mundo (Monument to the Savior of the World)
-
Monument to the Revolution
-
Apartment Complex
-
El Pedregal Side View
-
San Benito Apartment Zone
-
Terra Alta
-
Luxurios La Gran Via
-
Multiplaza Mall
-
Multiplaza Mall
-
-
-
Escalon Apartments
-
Escalon Apartments
-
Escalon Apartments
-
Highway entering San Salvador through Santa Tecla.
-
Five star Hilton Hotel in zona rosa.
-
Office buildings near the 'Salvador del Mundo.
-
Shell Gas Station & Apartment building
-
National Palace
International relations
Twin towns — sister cities
San Salvador is twinned with:
|
|
See also
- Metropolitan Area of San Salvador
- San Salvador Department
- San Salvador (Volcano)
- Antiguo Cuscatlan
- Santa Tecla
- Concepcion de Ataco
- Soyapango
- ^ http://hdr.undp.org/docs/reports/national/ELS_El_Salvador/El_Salvador_2003_sp.pdf[dead link]
- ^ elsalvador.com :.: Las noticias de El Salvador en el Internet - San Salvador, El Salvador, CA
- ^ Proyecciónes de población, República de El Salvador
- ^ http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/bicentenario/?page_id=10097
- ^ http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/
- ^ http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/bicentenario/?page_id=2
- ^ San Salvador, the Capital of El Salvador - AlfaTravelGuide.com
- ^ Average Weather for San Salvador, * - Temperature and Precipitation
- ^ Servicio de Informacion Meteorologica Mundial - San Salvador
- ^ "(English) Weather Information for San Salvador". http://www.worldweather.org/174/c00282.htm. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Futura
- ^ http://www.torrefutura.com/homeeng
- ^ http://www.torrefutura.com/WorldTradeCenterSanSalvadorEng.htm
- ^ http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centro_Financiero_Gigante
- ^ http://www.cideu.org/_data/adjuntos_imagen/9233.jpg
- ^ http://www.sansalvador.gob.sv/?page_id=199
- ^ http://maps.google.com/
- ^ http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=1597
- ^ http://www.hotelsuiteslaspalmas.com.sv/
- ^ Marte, Museo de Arte de El Salvador
- ^ MUNA - Museo Nacional de Antropologia de el Salvador
- ^ http://www.explore-beautiful-el-salvador.com/cuscatlan.html
- ^ http://tinmarin.org/museo/el-museo/mision-y-vision
- ^ San Salvador Hotels: Read San Salvador Hotel Reviews and Compare Prices - TripAdvisor
|
|||||||||||
San Salvador Department
