San Javier (''Сан-Хавьер'') is a town situated on the east bank of the river

Río Uruguay The Uruguay River ( es, Río Uruguay, ; pt, Rio Uruguai, ) is a major river in South America. It flows from north to south and forms parts of the boundaries of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, separating some of the Argentine provinces of La M ...

in the

Río Negro Department Río Negro Department ( es, Departamento de Río Negro, ) is a department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of and a population of 54,765. Its capital is Fray Bentos. It borders Paysandú Department to the north, Tacuaremb� ...

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

. It was founded in 1913 by a Russian group of settlers, members of the New Israel religious sect, who migrated under the influence of the then spiritual leader Vasily Lubkov, from the

Voronezh Voronezh ( rus, links=no, Воро́неж, p=vɐˈronʲɪʂ}) is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on ...

region of

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...

Location

It is located west of Route 24, north of the department capital

Fray Bentos Fray Bentos () is the capital city of the Río Negro Department, in south-western Uruguay, at the Argentina-Uruguay border, near the Argentine city of Gualeguaychú. Its port on the Uruguay River is one of the nation's most important harbours. T ...

, west of Young and south of

Paysandú Paysandú () is the capital of Paysandú Department in western Uruguay. Location The city is located on the banks of the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina. It lies northwest of Montevideo via Route 1 and Route 3, on the ju ...

, the capital of

Paysandú Department Paysandú Department () is a department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of and a population of 113,124. Its capital is the city of Paysandú. It borders Salto Department to its north, Tacuarembó Department to its east, R� ...

. Russian is the second official language after Spanish.

History

A populated centre was founded here by 300 families of Russian settlers on 27 July 1913 They belonged to the Russian sect New Israel and were seeking religious freedom, which was denied to them under the

Czar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...

. Their leader, Basilio Lubkov had been imprisoned in Russia as a religious dissident. The settlers introduced the sunflower, as well as some advanced agricultural techniques to Uruguay. They constructed a flour mill and the first

sunflower oil Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil pressed from the seeds of the sunflower (''Helianthus annuus''). Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient. Sunflower oil is primarily composed ...

producing plant in the country. On 1 July 1953, the status of San Javier was elevated to "Pueblo" (village) by the Act of Ley Nº 11.969. Until then, it had been the head of the judicial section of "Bellaco". On 17 November 1964 its status was further elevated to "Villa" (town) by the Act of Ley Nº 13.299.

Military Dictatorship (1973-84)

During the Uruguayan military dictatorship (1973–84) the Russian inhabitants were persecuted, as the military saw each one as a possible

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a ...

sympathizer. Many residents stopped speaking Russian, and most Russian books were destroyed. The cultural centre Máximo Gorki—where music, dance and other cultural activities were held—was closed, and traditional dance costumes were burnt. In 1984, the town became known throughout Uruguay for the execution of Vladimir Roslik, a Russian-Uruguayan medical doctor who was tortured and later killed by the Uruguayan military. For some he is a hero and a symbol of internal struggle in Uruguay.

Return of Democracy

With the restoration of democracy by 1989, the cultural centre Máximo Gorki has again been revived as a focal point for cultural activities in the town. It is home of the traditional dance group Kalinka, who have won many prizes in Uruguayan dance competitions. Today the inhabitants of San Javier are proud to have maintained many of their traditions, including food, dances, embroidery and music. They celebrate a festival on 27 July, the date of foundation, with a feast of traditional food, music and dancing. Over the years, Russian marriages have been memorable events with three days of festivities that include dancing, singing, and traditional meals.

Centennial

In July 2013, celebrations were held remembering the arrival of the first Russian settlers.

Population

In 2011, San Javier had a population of 1,781, of which 98% were of Russian descent. Source: ''Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay''

Esteros de Farrapos National Park

The town is one of two access points for the new Esteros de Farrapos National Park and Islands of the Uruguay River, which is recognised under the

Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on W ...

as a Wetland of International Significance. Esteros de Farrapos which is 17,496 Ha, includes 24 islands. It one of the last known refuge for the

puma Puma or PUMA may refer to: Animals * ''Puma'' (genus), a genus in the family Felidae ** Puma (species) or cougar, a large cat Businesses and organisations * Puma (brand), a multinational shoe and sportswear company * Puma Energy, a mid- and d ...

in Uruguay, and the only protected area where

maned wolf The maned wolf (''Chrysocyon brachyurus'') is a large canine of South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, and is almost extinct in Uruguay. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is neither a fox nor a wo ...

have been recorded. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded in the park, 30 mammals, 14 reptiles, 8 amphibians and many butterflies. Tourism is not yet well developed in the park, however there is limited accommodation in San Javier, and a well-equipped camping area at nearby Puerto Viejo ('Old Port'). Activities including fishing, boating, horse riding and birdwatching. Boats are available for hire, as well as experienced nature guides.

Bibliography

References

External links

Ramsar NominationArticle from ''El Pais'' newspaperwww.sanjavier.unlugar.com Oscar Sergio Malarov Urivskywww.museodelosinmigrantes.blogspot.com Museum of Russian immigrant pioneers in San Javier (Leonardo Martinez)INE map of San Javier
{{Authority control Populated places in the Río Negro Department Populated places established in 1913 Russian immigration to Uruguay 1913 establishments in Uruguay