When Europeans discovered the Gulf of Maracaibo in 1499, they gave the country the name Venezuela (“Little Venice”) in reference to the Indian pile dwelling villages. Later, in Coro, the country’s first colonial capital founded in 1527, a new architectural style was created in which building traditions of the Spanish Mudejar style merged with the Dutch Baroque. Even today, cobblestones, churches and colored houses bear witness to the colonial charm of bygone times.

According to pharmacylib, the most important writer in Venezuela is R. Gallegos , who made an important contribution to Venezuelan literature with his work »Doña Bárbara« (1929) and is one of the most respected writers in Latin America. The themes of his works break away from European models and are closely linked to the history of Venezuela. They reflect, among other things. the social differences and conflicts as well as the country’s search for identity. Other well-known authors are A. Uslar Pietri and M. Otero Silva . – Venezuela has a lively theater scene. There are numerous theaters and festivals both in the capital Caracas and in smaller university towns such as Coro.

The painter Martín Tovar y Tovar (* 1827, † 1902) is internationally known. Armando Julio Reverón (* 1889, † 1954) is considered a painter of light and an important representative of modernism in Venezuela. The Op Art artist JR Soto is the most important representative of Venezuelan art of the 20th century. In relief-like objects and installations, he created optical illusions of movement (“vibrations”) that create incalculable optical effects in the eye of the beholder.

In tropical Venezuela, life often takes place outdoors and you can hear gaita music from the Maracaibo area, but also salsa or merengue. The national dance Joropo with the instruments harp, cuatro and maracas is widespread throughout the country in various regional forms. The internationally known Oscar D’León (* 1943) (Venezuelan music) is considered the “king” of Venezuelan salsa.

Everyday culture is characterized by the Europeanized cultural life in the metropolis of Caracas on the one hand and the synthesis of Indian, African and Christian-European traditions on the other. This colorful cocktail is particularly reflected in the numerous folkloric and religious festivals. For example, Easter is celebrated with passion plays, especially in Mérida and the Andean villages. The centers of the colorful carnival festivities are El Callao and Carúpano in the state of Sucre.

With » Maria Lionza « a native African American religion was created. It is named after a mythical local princess, whose worship as the goddess of nature and “mother” is the focus of the cult. Their sanctuary is in Sorte (Yaracuy).

Baseball is a national sport, soccer and handball are also popular.

World Heritage Sites in Venezuela

World Heritage Sites (K) and World Natural Heritage Sites (N)

• Old town of Coro (K; 1993)
• Canaima National Park (N; 1994)
• University city of Caracas (K; 2000)

University City of Caracas (World Heritage)

The Ciudad Universitaria, built between 1940 and 1960 with almost 90 buildings, is considered a masterpiece of modern urban planning, architecture and art. The campus complex designed by Carlos Raúl Villanueva with its unusual shapes and facades is an outstanding example of modernism. The campus is like an island of calm in the middle of the seething concrete jungle of Caracas.

University City of Caracas: Facts