CARACAS, Venezuela, city and capital of the United States of Venezuela, was founded in 1567 by Diego de Lazada, who called the city Santiago de Leon. But in popular usage a more distinctive name was adopted— that of the Ca racas tribe of Indians, formerly inhabiting the valley in which the city is built. It was twice destroyed — in 1595, when it was sacked by the English, under Preston, and in 1766, when the French put it to sack and pillage. But it con tinued to grow, and played an important part in the war of independence against Spain, the honor of having been the first colony in South America that succeeded in throwing off the yoke of Spain. Caracas was the birthplace of Sim6n Bolivar. The great earthquake of 1812 killed 12,000 persons and laid half the city in ruins. The last serious shock occurred in 1900. Its altitude being about 3,000 feet above sea-level the climate is generally mild and agreeable, tie temperature seldom rising above 82° F. (with 84.2 as a maximum), or falling below 65° F. (with a minimum of 482). Toward the end of 'Decem ber the temperature is lowest, and it is highest from June to September. Mean temperature, 662° F., lat. 10° 32' N., long. 67° 4' 45" W.
The streets cross each other at right angles, running due east and west, or north and south, and the principal thoroughfares are paved with stone, and have sidewalks of cement. The capi tol building occupies an entire square, an area of more than two acres. It includes the halls in which both chambers of the national Congress hold their sessions. The rooms of the High Federal Court and the Departments of Public Instruction and the Interior are in the galleries on the east and west sides of the capitol. La Casa Amarillo (the Yellow House), official resi dence of the President of the republic, is situ ated west of the Plaza Bolivar. On the north side of the same square is the main post-office. Near-by are the archbishop's palace, the cathe dral and the municipal palace. Opposite the southern facade of the capitol are the university buildings (Gothic architecture, with interior gardens) ; the old temple of San Francisco and the Exposition Palace, the western wing of which contains the Bolivar Museum, the head quarters of the Academy of History, and the corresponding branch of the Spanish Royal Academy. The national library and museum
are housed by the university. Other character istic buildings are: The National Pantheon, the Masonic Temple, the three markets, the National Benevolent Institute, the Arsenal, the Institute of Arts and Trades and the Municipal Theatre. Besides the Plaza Bolivar, the prin cipal public squares are the Washington, Pan theon and Fifth of July (Independence Day). The cathedral, dating from 1614, the Basilica de Santa Ana, and the Santa Capilla, are note worthy among the churches of the city. Inter esting relics of the heroes of the struggle for liberty, Miranda, Bolivar and Plez, are shown in the National Museum. There are several promenades (called *Iron Bridge? •Paradise Avenue° and *Independence') and among the places of amusement are a Plaza de Toros, baseball grounds and a bicycle park. An im portant institution supported by the govern ment is the Vargas Hospital. The Linares Hospital for children is maintained by private contributions. Leading clubs are the Union, German, Italian and Agricultural. Caracas does little manufacturing but is the centre of the export trade of the district, which produces cacao, coffee, tobacco, etc. Street railways are controlled by the Caracas and Bolivar com panies. The city has cheap telephone service, furnished by two companies, and is lighted by gas and electricity. All telegraph lines through out the republic are owned by the government. Four lines of railway start at Caracas, three of which are designed to place the capital in com munication with the interior, while the most important runs to Port La Guayra. Pop. in cluding the six suburban parishes making up the Federal district is about 90,000.