Metapán

Metapán
Municipality

Iglesia de San Pedro
Metapán

Location in El Salvador

Coordinates: 14°19′53″N 89°26′34″W / 14.33139°N 89.44278°W / 14.33139; -89.44278Coordinates: 14°19′53″N 89°26′34″W / 14.33139°N 89.44278°W / 14.33139; -89.44278
Country El Salvador
Department Santa Ana
Elevation 1,540 ft (470 m)

Metapán is a municipality in the Santa Ana department of El Salvador.

Geography

The city of Metapán, next to the San Jose River, at 470 meters of height, is located at 46 kilometers to the north of Santa Ana city, joined together by a paved highway. The municipality extends beyond the city and into the country surrounding the city. The major Hydroelectric Power station at the Guajoyo river is located in Metapán.

Sites of interest

Metapán means in nahuatl “River of The Maguey” and is famous for possessing the best colonial church in El Salvador. The church has the following dimensions: 60 yards long by 14 wide, of entablature and tile, Doric and Tuscan order. Its construction began in 1736 and concluded on June 11, 1743, due to the zeal and compassionate efficiency of the priest Francisco Javier Estrada.

In the center of the round of the choir it is read: “this building of Metapán was finished in June of 1743”, with blue blurred letters. There is also an image of “El Señor Angue”, a beautiful sculpture of Crucified Christ that dates back to the 17th century.In recent years though there has been a large growth of Pentecostal Protestants, and continues growing.

Economy

Historically, Metapán is known for iron ore production. The city had up to three furnaces for smelting. As of 1850, the city was producing 150 tons of iron a year. British researcher John Baily described the iron as being of "high character...and is found to be superior to that generally imported for making axes and other heavy cutting instruments in common use."[1]

Sport

Metapán is home to football team A.D. Isidro Metapán. Isidro Metapán recently has emerged as one of the top clubs of El Salvador, having won a total of ten first division titles since joining the first division of Salvadoran fottball, the Salvadoran Primera Division.

References

  1. ↑ Baily, John (1850). Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. London: Trelawney Saunders. pp. 118–119.
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