Cumaná

Cumaná was the first settlement founded by Spain in Venezuela, established in 1515 by Franciscan friars,[2] under the name Nueva Toledo, but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people (such as the Cumanagoto people), it had to be refounded several times until Diego Hernández de Serpa's refoundation in 1569 with the name of Cumaná. Bartolomé de las Casas, attempting a peaceful colonization scheme, was pre-empted by Gonzalo de Ocampo's 1521 punitive raids against the local indigenous people, in retaliation for the destruction of the Dominican convent at Chiribichi. In 1537 New Andalusia Province was established, with Cumaná as capital (for which the Province was also known as the Province of Cumaná).

After Amerindian attacks became less of a threat, the city was on several occasions destroyed by earthquakes. Thus, the oldest part of the city is late 17th and 18th century; almost none of the 16th century architecture survived. Gained independence on 7/5/1811.

Cumaná is located in a Hot-semi arid Climate according to the Köppen Climate Classification.

The city features a wide variety of colonial style architecture still in excellent condition. The San Antonio de la Eminencia Castle, a large Spanish fort, is open to the public and can be seen from the beach. Also surviving is the Santa Maria de la Cabeza castle, which was built in 1669. The Museo del Mar (Museum of the Sea) displays marine and maritime artifacts.

The Cumana region is home to the Endler's livebearer, a vibrantly coloured aquarium fish named after John Endler who discovered it in nearby Laguna de Los Patos. This fish is now extinct within the lake but survives in home aquaria across the world.

Poecilia wingei - black bar endler

• Antonio José de Sucre (1795–1830), independence leader
• José Antonio Ramos Sucre (1890–1930), poet and diplomat
• Andrés Eloy Blanco (1897–1955), poet, humorist and politician
• Luis Peñalver (b. 1941), baseball player
• Iñaki Anasagasti (b. 1947), Spanish politician
• Rafael Betancourt (b. 1975), baseball player
• Francisco Sánchez (b. 1976), swimmer, world champion
• Luis Maza (b. 1980), baseball player
• Armando Galarraga (b. 1982), baseball player
• César Jiménez (b. 1984), baseball player
• Vanessa Peretti (b. 1986), first deaf entrant in the Miss Venezuela pageant
• Jesús Sucre (b. 1988), baseball player
• Gelmin Rivas (b. 1989), footballer

The city is served by Antonio José de Sucre Airport, with commercial passenger airline flights to Caracas.

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  The Natives of Cumaná attack the mission after Gonzalo de Ocampo's slaving raid. Colored copperplate by Theodor de Bry, published in the "Relación brevissima de la destruccion de las Indias".
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  Castle of San Antonio de la Eminencia
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  Sucre Street
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  Historical quarter of Cumaná
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  San Luis Beach
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  Ayacucho Square

• Krzysztof Dydniski & Charlotte Beech, Lonely Planet Venezuela, (2004)

• Media related to Cumaná at Wikimedia Commons