Everything about Managua totally explained
Managua is the
capital city of
Nicaragua as well as the
department and
municipality by the same name. It is also the largest city in Nicaragua. It is located on the southwestern shore of
Lake Managua. The city was declared the national capital in 1852. Previously, the capital had alternated between the cities of
León and
Granada. The city has a population of about 1,680,100; composed predominantly of Spanish-speaking
criollos (unmixed Europeans),
whites and
mestizos.
Founded in 1819 and given the name of
Leal Villa de Santiago de Managua, its original purpose was to serve as a rural fishing village. Efforts to make Managua the capital of Nicaragua began in 1824, after the Central American nations became independent from
Spain. Managua's location between the rival cities of León and Granada made it an ideal compromise site.
The city has been witness to the rise and fall of political powers throughout Nicaragua's history, and has suffered two devastating earthquakes over the course of the 20th century. Managua is the
economic,
political,
cultural,
commercial and
industrial center of Nicaragua.
In 2007, after a successful
literacy campaign, Managua was declared the first capital city in Central America to be rid of
illiteracy.
Etymology
The name Managua originates from
Mana-ahuac, which in the indigenous Nahuatl language translates to "adjacent to the water" or site "surrounded by water". This is confirmed by the
ancient footprints of Acahualinca found along the shores of
Lake Managua, along with other archaeological evidence, mainly in the form of ceramics and statues made of volcanic stone like the ones found on the island of
Zapatera and
petroglyphs found in
Ometepe island.
It wasn't until 1857, after Granada was destroyed by a U.S. mercenary army led by
William Walker, that the capital was firmly established in Managua. Between 1852 and 1930 Managua underwent extensive urbanization; becoming a base of governance, infrastructure and services. The city was cleared, however it never returned to its previous state. The earthquake caused many of Managua's residents to find refuge in the outskirts of the city. The old downtown hasn't been rebuilt to this day for fear of future earthquakes.
Geography
Managua is located on the southern shores of
Lake Managua (also known as Lake Xolotlán). Lake Xolotlán contains the same fish species as
Lake Cocibolca, except for the freshwater sharks found exclusively in the latter. Once a Managuan scenic highlight, the lake has been polluted from the dumping of chemical and waste water since 1927. A
waste water treatment plant funded by the
German government to decontaminate the lake is expected to be the largest in
Central America and will be completed in 2008.
Education
Managua is the national education center, with most of universities and higher education institutions based there. Nicaragua's higher education consists of 48
universities and 113
colleges and technical institutes which serve student in the areas of
electronics,
computer systems and
sciences,
agroforestry,
construction and
trade-related services. The educational system includes 1
U.S. accredited English-language university, 3
Bilingual university programs, 5 Bilingual secondary schools and dozens of
English Language Institutes. In 2005, almost 400,000 (7%) of Nicaraguans held a
university degree. 18% of Nicaragua's total budget is invested in primary, secondary and higher education. University level institutions account for 6% of 18%.
Colleges and universities
National Autonomous University of Nicaragua
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua (UNAN) (National Autonomous University of Nicaragua) is the principal state-funded public university of Nicaragua. UNAN was established in 1812 and its main campus is located in Managua. The original campus, UNAN-Leon, is located in León and is now secondary, mainly used for medicine majors.
Polytechnic University of Nicaragua
Universidad Politecnica de Nicaragua (UPOLI) (Polytechnic University of Nicaragua) is a university located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was founded in 1967. The university is divided into 6 schools: School of Administration, Commerce and Finance, School of Law, School of Design, School of Nursing, School of Engineering, Music Conservatory.
Instituto Centroamericano de Administracion de Empresas
Instituto Centroamericano de Administracion de Empresas (INCAE) (Central American Institute of Business Administration) is a private business school. INCAE was founded in 1964 with the support of the United States government and other Central American countries . The institution has a close affiliation with Harvard University, as it had played a part in its foundation. The Francisco de Sola campus in Managua, Nicaragua was the first to be established (1964), the Walter Kissling Gam campus in Alajuela, Costa Rica was the second established in 1984.
According to a study done by America Economia
INCAE ranked as the number one business school in Latin America for 2 consecutive years (2004, 2005) and ranked in the top ten international business schools by The Wall Street Journal in 2006.
Other universities
Economy
Managua is the economic center and a generator of services for the majority of the nation. Unlike many other Latin American countries, it doesn't suffer from massive migration of country peasants looking for work in the city, since many other cities of Nicaragua have well established economic industries. Nonetheless, as it's the only city with a population exceeding one million inhabitants, it houses many large national and international businesses. It is home to many factories which produce diverse products. Multinational companies such as
Wal-Mart,
Telefonica,
Union Fenosa, and
Parmalat have offices and operations in Managua.
Managua is also home to all of the major banks of the nation, Banco de la Produccion (BANPRO), Banco de America Central (BAC), Banco Uno, Banco de Finanzas (BDF), Banco de Crédito Centroamericano (BANCENTRO) and its parent company the LAFISE Group. Several new hotels including
Crowne Plaza,
Best Western,
InterContinental,
Holiday Inn, and
Hilton currently have facilities in Managua. As well as many hotels, Managua has opened four western style shopping centers or malls, such as
Plaza Inter,
Centro Comercial Metrocentro,
Galerias Santo Domingo, and
Multicentro Las Americas with many more being constructed.
There is a huge established local market system that caters to the majority of the Nicaraguan population. The Mercado Roberto Huembes, Mercado Oriental, Mercado Israel Lewites and other locations are where one can find anything from household amenities, food, clothing and electrical and other contracting supplies. Many of the backpacking, ecotourism types and tourists on a budget use these markets for their supplies. Although one needs to use caution regarding wallets and personal items (as with many public markets around the world) the markets can be the source of high quality and unique items. Tourists looking for an authentic experience should consider these destinations as there's always something interesting to eat and local customs to be experienced.
Managua is also currently experiencing an upsurge in
real estate prices and as well as a housing shortage. Foreigners, mainly from North America and Europe, are becoming interested in considering post-
retirement life in Nicaragua. The capital is also a need for modern office space in downtown Managua as the economy of Managua continues to grow. Economists predict that its demand for commercial real estate will increase. New office buildings are currently being constructed along the Carretera Masaya and in Villa Fontana. The most recent inauguration being the Edificio Invercasa.
Sites of interest
Plaza de la Revolución
Plaza de la Revolución (Plaza of the Revolution), which was formerly known as
Plaza de la República (Plaza of the Republic) is home to Managua's Historical Center. Managua's Center was destroyed by the 1972 earthquake. Managua, to date, hasn't rebuilt its center. The now Historical Center is located near the
Lago de Managua and many building are partially intact, however, some are now abandoned. Some of the more important buildings which managed to survive include the Catedral de Santiago (Old Cathedral), the Rubén Dario National Theater, and the National Palace of Culture. Within the Plaza of the Revolution is the Parque Central (Central Park) which contains many historical monuments, many dedicated to inspirational people, national heroes and poets. Some of these include the Tomb of Comandante
Carlos Fonseca, founder of the
FSLN, which is guarded by an
eternal flame. Near Central Park is the
Rubén Darío park, dedicated to Nicaragua's national poet. There is also a park dedicated to the Guatemalan writer
Miguel Ángel Asturias. Monuments include the monument of El Guerrillero sin Nombre (The Nameless Guerrilla Soldier) and Monumento a la Paz (Monument for Peace).
Old Cathedral of Managua
The old Cathedral of Managua was designed in, and shipped from
Belgium in 1920. The cathedral survived the 1931 earthquake but was extremely damaged due to the 1972 earthquake and was condemned, which led to the construction of the new cathedral of Managua, the newest constructed Roman Catholic cathedral. However, in recent years, the restoration of the old cathedral has appeared to be possible and is currently awaiting its renovation.
Rubén Dario National Theater
The
Rubén Dario National Theater is Nicaragua's most important theater, and is one of the most modern theaters in
Central America. Both national and international artists present shows, concerts, exhibitions, and cultural performances such as
El Güegüense among many others. The National Theater is one of the few buildings that survived the 1972 earthquake that destroyed 90% of Managua.
National Palace of Culture
The National Palace is one of the most impressive buildings in Nicaragua. It was built by President
Juan Bautista Sacasa in 1935 and it houses plenty of history. For more than 50 years, the National Palace was used as governmental office and now serves several purposes. The National Palace houses the
National Archive, the National Library, as well as the National Museum which is open to the public. The museum features paintings,
pre-Columbian statues, ceramics, etc. Also present inside is the National History room, as well as a room with the National Symbols. The National Palace of Culture (Palacio Nacional de la Cultura) was one of few building that survived the 1972 earthquake.
Tiscapa Lagoon (Natural Reserve)
The Tiscapa Lagoon, located inside the
Tiscapa Lagoon Natural Reserve is just south of the Managua's Historical Center. Leading up to the Lagoon is the Monumento Roosevelt (Roosevelt Monument). Another interesting monument is the statue of Sandino which is a statue of the Silhouette of General
Augusto C. Sandino, Nicaragua's national hero and stands at 59 feet tall. The monument was proposed by
Ernesto Cardenal and is protected by the
Nicaraguan military. The Sandino monument was constructed on top of the wreckage of
Somoza's presidential mansion. Also on the crater lip of Tiscapa is the Las Masmorras, a prison in which Somoza tortured current President
Daniel Ortega and many other
political prisoners, however, this site is closed to the public. however, many new buildings and shopping malls have been built since then throughout the city due to the lack of a new center. Many pre-Columbian artifacts have been found in and around lagoon and reserve.
Dr. Roberto Incer Barquero Library
The Dr. Roberto Incer Barquero Library, located in Managua, is designated to promote
Nicaraguan culture. The library has 67,000 books, free internet, a newspaper archive where users can borrow newspapers and magazines, and economical information of the Central Bank. Furthermore, the library offers a gallery in the same building, where famous Nicaraguan paintings, as well as pieces from new promising artists, are exhibited. In the numismatic hall there's a permanent exhibition of Nicaraguan coins, bills, and memorial medals from throughout Nicaragua's history.
Museum of Acahualinca
Managua is also home to the Museum of Acahualinca where the
Ancient footprints of Acahualinca, fossilized
Paleo-Indian footprints made some 6,000 years ago, are engraved in volcanic ash. The museum "Museo Sitio Huellas de Acahualinca" is located in west Managua in the Acahualinca neighborhood. In addition to the footprints, the museum also displays artifacts found in other localities around the country. Artifacts such as
mammoth footprints, pre-Columbian tools, a skull from
León Viejo,
and a small collection of pottery among other archaeological objects.
Dennis Martínez National Stadium
The
Dennis Martínez National Stadium was built in 1948 and was the largest stadium in Central America at the end of its construction, it survived the 1972 earthquake. The stadium was named in honor of Nicaragua first baseball player to play in
Major League Baseball, it serves as a venue for baseball and football (soccer) games, as well as concerts and religious events. The Dennis Martínez National Stadium has a capacity for 40,000 making it the largest stadium in Nicaragua.
The New Cathedral
The Catedral Metropolitana de la Purisima Concepcion (
Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception), more commonly referred to as La Nueva Catedral (The New Cathedral), was designed by the architect
Ricardo Legorreta and inaugurated in 1993. The new cathedral was built to replace the old cathedral, which had been damaged by the 1972 earthquake. The new cathedral has created much controversy, particularly about its architectural style and finance.
Culture
cultural capital, boasting several
restaurants,
theaters,
museums, and luxurious
shopping centers. The city is also home to many communities of immigrants and
ex-pats from but not limited to:
Taiwan,
China,
Germany, the
United States,
Palestine, and
Latin American countries.
Managua is home to the annual
Miss Nicaragua pageant; it's the national beauty pageant of Nicaragua. The pageant is traditionally held at the
Rubén Darío National Theater and has been held since 1955. The Miss Nicaragua pageant is responsible for selecting the country's representatives to the
Miss Universe,
Miss World, and
Miss International pageants (amongst others).
Gastronomy
Managua has an important gastronomical culture, due to the influence of immigrants and tourists, for that reason it's frequent to find food specialties of the diverse regions of Nicaragua, jointly with international ones. Managua enjoys an array of international cuisine, including, but not limited to,
Argentine,
Brazilian,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Indian,
Italian,
Japanese,
Mexican, and
Spanish restaurants, as well as
Nicaraguan. These are accompanied by many U.S.
fast food chains, as well as national fast food chains such as
Tip-Top and
Rosti-Pollo. A new culinary school and restaurant called Culinario Santa Lucia offers fun courses in international and local cuisines.
Festivals
Santo Domingo de Guzmán. It starts on the morning of August the 1st, when the "Bajada del Santo" (walk down of the saint) involves many joyful people walking and carrying the old statue of Santo Domingo from Las Sierritas Church in south Managua, to another church across the city to the north, in the area destroyed by the 1972 earthquake. It remains here for ten days until the morning of August the 10th, when the "Subida del Santo" (walking up of the saint) returns the statue to Las Sierritas Church where it remains for the rest of the year. Thousands of people attend this event which involves dancing, eating and drinking around marching musical bands, mainly for traditions that date back to pre-colonial times, or to ask for personal miracles, make promises, or give thanks to the saint . During the parade many people dress up in typical costumes, masks and painted bodies. Among other participants are "carrosas" (art cars and trucks) from local business companies, horseriders coming from Nicaragua and other Central American neighbouring countries to show off their horses, skills, and horserider costumes.
Another and newer festival has been taking place every year since 2003. The "Alegria por la Vida" (Happiness for Life)
Carnaval is celebrated in Managua at the beginning of the month of march. There´s a different slogan or theme every year. This event is celebrated with
parades,
floats, live music, food and dancing as well as the march of the Carnival Queen.
Museums, libraries and cultural centers
The National library holds a great amount of volumes, and affords abundant bibliographic information for anyone interested in the discovery and independence of
Nicaragua. The National Palace of Culture has on show an interesting exhibition of Nicaraguan art from the periods previous to its independence. Also located inside the National Palace of Culture is the National Museum containing some highly interesting archaeological finds with some good examples of pre-Columbian pottery, statues, and other interesting finds. Managua is also home to an array of
art galleries which feature pieces by both national and international artists. there's a modest
gay social scene in Managua. Also, as of March 2008, homosexuality will no longer be illegal or carry any prison sentence.
Sports
Baseball is by far, Nicaragua´s most popular sport followed by
football soccer and
boxing. The
Dennis Martínez National Stadium is home to many baseball games of Managua's Boer team. At the time of its construction in the late 1960s, it was the most modern stadium in Central America. It hosted the
Baseball World Cup in 1994. Baseball was first introduced to Nicaragua in 1888 in the Caribbean coastal town of
Bluefields, but didn't catch on in the towns on the Pacific coast region until 1891 when a group of mostly students originating from universities of the United States formed "La Sociedad de Recreo" (Society of Recreation) where they played various sports, however, baseball was the most popular among them.
Since the anticipation of the World Cup of 2006, there´s been growing amateur interest in the practice of little football or "futbolin" among teens and adults. New private courts or "canchas" like La Meca del Futbol and La Liga, offer well conditioned courts for rent by the hour. Such establishments have played a big role in the promotion of amateur games and fun tournaments. On the professional level, the National Nicaraguan Football team has still not had the public support nor the international exposure as the regional counterparts from Central America like the Costa Rican or Honduran teams. However, with support of the FIFA, the first ever national football stadium in Managua is currently under construction. In Managua there are 2 golf courses, the better known of which is Nejapa Golf & Country Club.
Crime
Nicaragua has been rated the safest country in Central America by various sources. Statistics and surveys by
INTERPOL, the
United Nations,
INCAE, the Inter-American Human Rights Institute and the Police Forces in the Americas show that statistically, Nicaragua has the lowest
crime rate in Central America and one of the lowest in Latin America. In addition, Nicaragua has the lowest
homicide rate in Central America. In 2007 the homicide rate was 14 per 100,000 people. Managua has also been rated the safest capital in the region, however, 40% of the crime that occurs in Nicaragua is centered in Managua. In 2005 Managua experienced a growth of 23.2% in crime, although it's the safest capital in the region, crime rates for Managua and neighboring cities have been rising over the past years. In Managua, the most common type of crime is
property crime,
petty theft and
street crime such as
robbery and
mugging.
Neither Nicaragua or the city of Managua have major
gang problems, in comparison to its
regional neighbors. However, in Nicaragua, as in all other Central American countries, as well as in the U.S., the Salvadoran-founded
MS 13 gang has recruited members. Despite their presence in the country, Nicaragua has the lowest number of MS 13 members in Central America. The number of gang members was estimated at 4,500 throughout the country, lower than all of its Northern neighbors in the region (excluding Belize). In 2003, the Policía Nacional de Nicaragua (National Police of Nicaragua) recognized gangs committed only 0.51% of all crimes. In 1991, there were 110 gangs in Managua, in 2001 the number of gangs reduced to 96 gangs with a total of 1,725 members. Over the next 3-4 years the number of gangs and gang members both decreased and increased. In late 2005 the number of gangs and members decreased significantly to 34 gangs and their 706 members in Managua, these represented 38% and 32% of the national total of gangs and its members. In a recent report by
La Prensa, Chief of Police,
Aminta Granera, stated that vehicles robberies has reduced; a mere 200 reports were filed in 2006. Also pending is a mega-project to reconstruct the old center of Managua, and to introduce a
monorail system, to alleviate future transportation problems in Managua. Both of these projects will revitalize the old center of Managua and boost tourism, commerce, infrastructure and economic development.
Media & communications
Managua is the home of most national broadcasting television channels as well as the major national newspapers. Some of the larger television channels include:
Canal 2,
Telenica,
Canal 10,
100% Noticias, and several others. Two of Nicaragua's main newspapers are
El Nuevo Diario and
La Prensa, both of which have offices based in Managua along with other smaller newspapers. There are numerous radio stations in Managua, some of which tend to have political, social, or religious affiliations.
Hospitals
The best hospitals in Managua are private since they've newer facilities, equipment, and access to international insurance companies. Emergency services are faster than the public hospitals and the costs are much lower than in the USA (example: emergency consultation is typically US$25 and a private room is U.S. $98 a day). The newest of all privates is Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas located at km 10, Carretera Masaya which has a private ambulance service. Other privates are Hospital Salud Integral, Hospital Militar Aleman which is for both private and military personnel, and Hospital Bautista (Baptist Hospital). Public hospitals have come to specialize in certain types of care, maternity, children, skin care, etc.
Transportation
Transportation-wise, Managua is one of Nicaragua's best positioned cities. All of Nicaragua's main roads lead to Managua, and there are good public transportation connections to and from the capital. There are four main highways that lead into Managua. The
Pan-American Highway enters the city from the north, connecting Managua to Nicaragua's northern and central departments. This highway is referred to as the Northern Highway. The Southern Highway, the southern part of the Pan-American highway, connects Managua to southern departments such as Carazo and Rivas. The Carretera Masaya connects Managua to the departments of Masaya and Granada. And the New Highway to León connects Managua with León. All of these highways are in good condition, with little traffic congestion. Infrastructure is very-well developed in Nicaragua compared to other Central American countries and there are few unnavigable roads or streets. There are very few towns or cities that have road leading to them that don't have different levels of public transportation. In fact, most buses are continually full even in the smallest of villages.
Within Managua, those who commute to and from work generally travel by bus or
taxi; as of yet there are no suburban trains, trams or monorails in Managua. Recently, with the assistance of the
Japanese government, Managua has commenced operating new modern
Mercedes-Benz buses on several bus routes with the intention of modernizing the city's transport system. Typical Nicaraguan buses are older
school buses from the United States. Additionally some buses are painted with religious artwork of Catholic saints. Managua has several bus terminals for inter-departmental travel, most of them located close to markets. Buses that arrive from or depart to a certain destination can often only be found at one specific terminal. Travelers who pass through Managua on their way from one city to another might need to transfer to another terminal within Managua. Nicaragua had an extensive and functional rail system. It fell into disrepair during the 1980s and the Chamorro government closed the system and sold the cars and rails for scrap.
The
Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (formally Managua International Airport) is the largest and only international airport of Nicaragua. It recently inaugurated its over US$52 million extensions and renovation partly financed by Spain. The airport has now been converted into the most modern airport of Central America. In Nicaragua, it's the most important hub for connections at both domestic and international levels. Frequent flights to local destinations like
Bluefields, the
Corn Islands and
San Carlos also depart from this same location. The airport is located at the northern highway, about 11 kilometers (8 miles) east of the city's downtown. Hotels, restaurants, and commercial centers can all be easily reached from the airport by car, taxi, or bus. There are a total of 10 airlines that operate flights to and from the airport. A setback occurred when Air Madrid filed for bankruptcy, ending the possibility of transatlantic flights to the Spanish capital; the company has also shown interest in building a hangar for regional maintenance of its aircraft and those of other airlines.
Sister Cities
Managua has nineteen
sister cities, as designated by
Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
Amsterdam (
The Netherlands)
Caracas (Venezuela)
Guatemala City (Guatemala)
Madison, Wisconsin (USA)
Madrid (Spain)
Manchester (United Kingdom)
Miami (USA)
Montélimar (France)
Panama City (Panama)
|col2 =
Quito (Ecuador)
Rans (France)
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Santiago de Chile (Chile)
San José (Costa Rica)
San Pedro Sula (Honduras)
San Salvador (El Salvador)
Taipei (Taiwan)
Valencia (Spain)
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