Villeta is a city of

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

in the

Central Department Central () is a department in Paraguay. The capital is Areguá. With 2,243,792 inhabitants, it is the most populated and the smallest of the 17 departments of Paraguay. Boundaries *North: the departments of Cordillera and Presidente Hayes *Wes ...

, on the banks of

Paraguay River The Paraguay River (Río Paraguay in Spanish, Rio Paraguai in Portuguese, Ysyry Paraguái in Guarani) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. It flows about from its headwaters in ...

. It is an important industrial center and port.

Toponymy

The city was founded on March 5, 1714, by Juan Gregorio Bazán de Pedraza, with the original name of San Felipe de Borbón del Valle del Bastán (Saint Philip of Bourbon of the Valley of Bastán), in homage to the King Felipe II. It was later renamed Villeta because of its resemblance to a great Villa.

Villeta's Port

The port is administered by the National Administration for Navigation and Ports (ANNP), and is specially equipped for the handling of heavy machinery. Many different kinds of merchandise are traded through this port. In Villeta, there's also the Caacupé-mí Port, one of the most important private

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

s in Paraguay. Characteristics: * Villeta port terminal: 35 kilometers south from

Asunción Asunción (, , , Guarani: Paraguay) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of ...

* Area: 13.5 hectares * Pier: 435 meters * Platform: 25 meters * Depth: minimum 10 feet, 365 days a year * Facilities: 6 hectares of beaches and paved roads * Covered warehouse: 0.3 hectares (100 X 30 meters) * Free zone: Bolivian governed, for merchandise in transit

Climate

The temperature in summer sometimes reaches 40 °C or higher. The minimum in winter is 0 °C. The average for the entire Central Department is 22 °C. The city is located in one of Paraguay's departments with the most rainfall during the months from January to April; and the least during the months from June to August.

Demography

The total population of the city is 36,228 inhabitants, 18,362 males and 17,866 females, according to the data from the General Directorate of Statistics, Polls and Census.

History

Villeta was founded in 1714 by the Governor Juan Gregorio Bazán de Pedraza. During the government of Dr. Francia, the city became an important conduit for communication with other countries, making the economic development of the district possible.

Economy

Until 1930 the city was famous because of activity at the port, mostly the export of oranges. Today the port is used for multiple purposes. Villeta's port on the banks of the

is the shipping point for most of Paraguay's exports. Nineteen large factories located in the area produce cement, iron rods, cotton, electric cables, and agricultural chemicals, and other activities. The cement and chemical plants are infamous for the environmental contamination they cause. The major processing plant for Paraguay's cement industry is located in Villeta.

Tourism

Located in the Gran Asunción Area, there are several historic buildings in the city of Villeta. The Church of the Virgin of the Rosary (Virgen del Rosario), built during the period of the

Paraguayan War The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadlies ...

also served as a Hospital, and is one such edifice. The architecture of the church is an example of the distinctive characteristics of 19th-century art in Paraguay, especially in the murals painted by Adán Kunos. Fishing can be enjoyed in Guyrati, Angostura and Itaipiru, near

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Notable people

Famous residents of Villeta include: *

Rubén Bareiro Saguier Rubén Bareiro Saguier (January 22, 1930 – March 25, 2014) was a Paraguayan writer, poet and diplomat. Early life Rubén Bareiro Saguier was born and grew up in Villeta, Paraguay. At the age of 11, he learned of the injustice of living in an ...

Susy Delgado Susy Delgado (born 20 December 1949) is a Paraguayan poet and writer in Spanish and Guarani. Life Delgado was born in San Lorenzo in Paraguay in 1949. After obtaining a degree in Sociology in Madrid, Delgado worked as a journalist. She won int ...

Isabel Arrúa Vallejos Isabel Arrúa Vallejo or Vallejos (1913/1914-2006) was a Paraguayan teacher, diplomat and feminist. She was Paraguay's first woman with diplomatic rank, as attaché of the Embassy of Paraguay to Brazil from 1945 to 1948. Life Isabel Arrua Vallejos ...

* Ricardo Medina * Ignacio Sanchez *

Josef Mengele , allegiance = , branch = Schutzstaffel , serviceyears = 1938–1945 , rank = ''Schutzstaffel, SS''-''Hauptsturmführer'' (Captain) , servicenumber = , battles = , unit = , awards = , command ...

(His house can be seen at "Mengele kue" just a few kilometres from the town on the main road.)

How to get to Villeta

Through the Southern Access Route. (Part of the Route 1). Villeta is 34 kilometers south of

. The Villeta– Alberdi– Pilar

Route Route or routes may refer to: * Route (gridiron football), a path run by a wide receiver * route (command), a program used to configure the routing table * Route, County Antrim, an area in Northern Ireland * ''The Route'', a 2013 Ugandan film * Ro ...

also connects the city to the south of the country.

Gallery

File:Villeta bienvenidos a la ciudad.jpg, The entrance to the city of Villeta, Paraguay File:Villeta INC.jpg, INC File:Villeta Iglesia9.jpg, Church of Villeta File:Villeta edificio antiguo2.jpg, Historic building of Villeta 1921 known locally as the haunted house File:Villeta canoa.jpg, Canoe in the Paraguay river, in Villeta File:Acceso Sur. Fotografía de Edu Maldonado – Junio de 2016.jpg, Southern Access Route, near Villeta, Paraguay.

References

* Geografía del Paraguay - Editorial Hispana Paraguay S.R.L.- 1a. Edición 1999 - Asunción Paraguay * Geografía Ilustrada del Paraguay - - Distribuidora Arami S.R.L. * La Magia de nuestra tierra. Fundación en Alianza. Asunción. 2007.

External links

Secretaria Nacional de Turismo
{{Authority control Populated places in the Central Department Populated places established in 1714 1714 establishments in the Spanish Empire