History of Medellin

Brief history of Medellín summarized

From Colombia, let’s know the brief history of Medellin, as a summary.

Spanish discovery

The Aburrá Valley was discovered by the Spanish explorer Jerónimo Luis Tejelo in 1541, but the settlement of Medellín was founded later, on March 2, 1616, by the Spanish conquistador Don Francisco Herrera Campuzano under the name of San Lorenzo de Aburrá.

Early development began in the southern part of the city, now known as El Poblado. In 1675 the name was changed to Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Medellín. It was not until 1813 that the town obtained the name of city.

Thirteen years later it was proclaimed the capital of the department of Antioquia, after government officials decided to move from Santa Fe de Antioquia. Some time later, the name was shortened to the current version of just Medellin.

Historians believe that many of Medellín’s first settlers were Spanish Jews fleeing the Inquisition. They divided the land into small farms that they cultivated themselves. This contrasts sharply with the slavery-based plantation culture that dominated early Colombian settlement.

With their focus on self-sufficiency, these early settlers had little interest in commercial contact with the outside world and neighboring regions. They became known as hard workers with a fierce streak of independence.

These are traits that remain to this day and can be seen daily throughout this radiant city. The people of Antioquia are the heart and backbone of Colombia.

Medellin Industrial Revolution

The city’s growth began in the early 20th century with the arrival of the railway, and Medellin’s dominance increased as coffee production became more important and allowed the country to enter the world economy. The mine owners and coffee barons invested their profits in a nascent textile industry and their gamble paid off.

The industrialization of the district began at the end of the last century and continues today with the development of textiles, clothing, food products, tobacco, agricultural machinery, steel, chemicals, cement and furniture, among others. others.

This made the city the second industrial zone in the country and home to the leading textile industry in South America. In addition, it has excellent public services and the most efficient electricity generation in the country.

Hard times (rise of drug cartels)

In the 1980s, the city’s entrepreneurial spirit began to show a dark side. Rising from the ranks of the Medellín underworld, a paisa named Pablo Escobar would soon become the king of cocaine and forever change the face and reputation of a great city and its people.

Due to the new found demand for the drug in places like the US and Europe, an industry like no other emerged and with it fierce violence based on greed, corruption and dark spirit. Shootings were common, and the city’s murder rate was one of the highest in the world.

Reaching its peak in the early 1990s, the government was about to collapse, as was the economy. With the help of the United States Special Forces and tactical units, an effort was made to hunt down one of the world’s most notorious criminals.

Led by the Colombian government and local strategic private forces, Pablo Escobar was hunted down and killed in a hail of bullets on December 2, 1993. Pablo Escobar became so rich and powerful in the drug business; Forbes listed him as the seventh richest man in the world in 1989.

In fact, he is considered one of the coldest and most brutally cruel killers the drug industry has ever known. His tomb can be seen to this day and routinely attracts curious visitors and travellers. Click here to see photos.

Although Pablo Escobar’s name is well known in Medellín, many locals prefer not to speak openly about him. Deeply scarred by one man and his murderous rise to the top of the drug industry, Medellin is working hard to rebuild his spirit and his long history of independence.

In fact, the Medellin government launched a media campaign with the slogan “Medellín: Adelante y No Reversa”, to move forward without looking back. It is vitally important for this city to shed its past and begin to re-emerge into a wonderfully diverse and culturally rich city that each country knows and wishes to share with its future visitors and travelers.

Share the brief history of Medellín summarized.