Mérida, Mountain city in Venezuelan Andes.
Mérida is a city in the Venezuelan state of Libertador, spreading across a broad terrace near the Chama River at an elevation of 1641 meters (5384 feet) in the Cordillera de Mérida range. The streets follow a grid of numbered Calles and Avenidas, with Plaza Bolívar serving as the central reference point for orientation.
Juan Rodríguez Suárez founded the settlement in 1558, though conflicts with local communities led to its relocation to the present site in 1560. The establishment of the University of Los Andes in 1785 transformed the place into an academic center.
University life shapes the daily rhythm as students fill the streets and cafés between campus buildings throughout the week. The city takes its name from the Spanish town of Mérida in Extremadura, linking both places through their shared colonial past.
The numbered street system simplifies orientation, with lower numbers located near Plaza Bolívar and higher ones marking more distant areas. The altitude affects the climate, so lightweight clothing for daytime and warmer layers for evenings work well.
A cable car runs 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) upward to Pico Espejo at 4765 meters (15633 feet), holding the record as the highest aerial lift on the planet. The elevation difference between the base and summit exceeds 3000 meters (9843 feet), crossing several climate zones along the way.
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