The
city of Granada was founded in 1524 between Xalteva
and the Cocibolca, or the Great Nicaragua
Lake, by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Hernandez
de Cordoba. This created the most ancient colonial
settlements of the American continent.
At
that time, a group of Chorotegas, the Dirianes,
were living in Xalteva. The indigenous province
had the name of Nequecheri. They were an Indian
race of warriors and artists and a merchant class,
presided over by the cacique, or chief. They were
respected for their knowledge in various disciplines,
including astronomy, botany and medicine.
From
its historical beginnings, Granada was distinguished
by the fusion of different elements of architecture
in the construction of the city and as a strategic
base for future explorations of the San Juan River.
These
discoveries promoted establishment of a river route
to the Atlantic that sealed the historical and geographic
destiny of Granada. This gave Granada a harbor like
quality which it has never lost. This quality has
become a part of its splendor, and then its decline
as a commercial center.
Warrior
of the cast of the Diarianes
Ruins
of the "Castillo de la Inmaculada Concepciòn"
In
the early 1660s, a boom of commerce made Granada
an important city, prompted by the growth of tobacco
and cacao plantations, and of cattle farms. The
commerce of Granada was inter-related with trade
with Cartagena, Guatemala, San Salvador, Panama
and Peru.
The
growth of commerce through the Great Lake from the
San Juan river, and the Spanish rivalries with England,
Holland and France made Granada victim of at least
three attacks by pirates that completely destroyed
the city.
To
protect Granada, the colonial authorities built the El
Castillo de la Inmaculada Concepcion on the San Juan river
in 1675. El Castillo (the castle) served to defend the
city from pirates, and also from the English who desired
to control the route.
At
the beginning of the 19th century Granada was
involved in regular commerce with the Antilles.
This
period was also characterized by brief armed movements,
first against the Spanish Empire (1812) and later
the Mexican Empire (1823) following independence.
There
was also a dispute among the new leaders, the
Creoles, regarding the power of the new state.
These led the people into civil war from 1824
to 1828.
Granada
Cathedral
Patio
of the "S. Francisco" Museum
In
1854, in yet another civil war, Granada was opposed
by its arch-rival, the internal city of Leon, and
was besieged for almost nine months after which
the city was finally liberated by Fruto Chamorro.
After
this civil war of 1854, Granada started an era of
reconstruction, serving during this same period
as the capital of the country – a period of
30 years of conservative governments.
This period saw many advances in Granada’s
infrastructure. Among the gains were electricity
(1872), telegraph (1875), telephone (1879), drinking
water (1880), train with its restored station (1986)
and in the last years, the public market and the
Colon Park (1892).
For
its beauty, which made the city a pearl of colonial
architecture, came the name La Gran Sultana (the
Great Sultancy). This name was first used in 1882
by the Spanish writer Emilia Serrano Garcia of Tornell.
South
side of the "Parque Central"
Cocibolga
lake beach
Palacio
Episcopal
However,
Granada’s political control of Nicaragua was
lost in 1893 following a revolution led by the liberal
general Jose Santos Zelaya.
The city was considered Nicaragua’s most wealthy
in the first years of the 20th century. While it lost
its political control of the country, there followed
other kinds of commercial and industry developments.
Granada never lost its character as a colonial and
neoclassic city.
The
citizens dedicated themselves to save and conserve
their historic center which now shows not only the
gains for diverse administrators, artists, business
people and other personalities, but also the deep
desire to preserve the future of the national cultural
treasure that is Granada.
The
city of Granada was named historical and cultural
heritage by Nicaragua on the 2nd of July, 1995.
