TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS
San Cristóbal, from its beginnings, has had a very inter-cultural history with its fair share of conflicts of interest between European colonists and the native indigenous groups.
The early Spanish settlers of Villa Real opted for an urban plan with a center inhabited with purely Spanish citizens. Surrounding neighborhoods were delegated to regional indigenous groups, each culturally and productively unique. This design gave each neighborhood or “barrio” its characteristic variety of handicrafts productions as well as specialized labor and industry, distinctions which still exist to the present day. |
Every neighborhood was also organized around a main plaza and temple, each dedicated to different patron saints, giving cause to well celebrated festivals every year.
Some of the original and oldest neighborhoods of the city are:
Some of the original and oldest neighborhoods of the city are:
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Translation made from the article published by Gabriela Leonor Torres Freyermuth, on the Digital magazine " Discurso visual" Digital review of July-Octobre 2013.
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