Zacatecoluca () is the capital
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
of the
La Paz
La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Aymara language, Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With 755,732 residents as of 2024, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities by populati ...
Department of
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
.
Located in Southern
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
, in the Rio Lempa valley, at the foot of
San Vicente (Chinchotepec) Volcano. A commercial center for the surrounding agricultural area, it also trades in cotton goods, baskets, salt, and lumber.
History
An
earthquake
An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...
in 1932 caused severe damage.
Zacatecoluca was the birthplace of José Simeón Cañas, who fought for and secured the emancipation of
slaves
Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
in
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
by Spaniards in 1825.
Zacatecoluca houses many traditional Spanish buildings including the Santa Lucia Catholic Church and used to hold the house where
José Simeón Cañas lived, until poor economy due to the many years of war caused the local government to sell the house to a supermarket branch, the house was destroyed and a poorly marked stone on the left of the supermarket entrance is all that is left of Cañas' housing legacy.
Santa Lucia Catholic Church holds a dear history to the people of Zacatecoluca, as an image of
Virgin Mary
Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
placed on top is said to have stopped an eruption of
lava
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...
and ash from completely destroying the city and its local population. On May 11, 1844, Zacatecoluca received the title of Generous and Loyal City becoming the Departmental Head of La Paz on February 21, 1852.
Geography
Climate
Sports
The local professional football club is named
Platense and they are former national league champions. They currently play in the
Salvadoran First Division.
Gallery
File:Iglesia Colonial San Sebastian Analco, Zacatecoluca.jpg, San Sebastian Analco church.
File:Concha acústica de Zacatecoluca.jpg, Concha Acústica.
File:Monumento a José Simeón Cañas.jpg, José Simeón Cañas monument.
File:Centro Historico Zacatecoluca.jpg, Zacatecoluca's history center.
References
{{Authority control
Municipalities of the La Paz Department (El Salvador)