Armenia, Colombia
| Armenia | |||
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| "Miracle City" | |||
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 Location of the city and municipality of Armenia in the Quindio Department |
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 Armenia
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| Coordinates: 4°32′N 75°41′W / 4.53°N 75.68°WCoordinates: 4°32′N 75°41′W / 4.53°N 75.68°W | |||
| Region | Andes Region | ||
| Departamento | Quindío | ||
| Founded | 1889 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 140 km2 (50 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,551 m (5,089 ft) | ||
| Population (2012) | |||
| • Total | 292,008 | ||
| • Density | 2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Cuyabro(a) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern Time Zone (UTC-05) | ||
| Area code(s) | +57 (+6) | ||
| Website | Official website (Spanish) | ||
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Armenia is the capital of Quindio Department. It is one of the main centers of the national economy and of the Colombian coffee growing axis. Armenia is a medium-sized city located between Bogotá, Medellin and Cali, the three biggest cities in Colombia.
The city was founded on October 14, 1889 by Jesús María Ocampo, also known as "Tigrero" (translates to "tiger killer") due to his love of hunting jaguars, known locally as tigers. Ocampo came from Anaime, Tolima, looking for shelter in the mountains of Quindío since he was running away from General Gallo. He paid one hundred pesos in gold coins to Antonio Herrera for the land in which to build a fonda, or trade center, not only for himself but also for other colonists who came from Salento, Antioquia, Manizales and areas surrounding the Quindío River and La Vieja River. Ocampo then proceeded to sell land for settlement. To encourage settlement, Ocampo returned to Anaime to ask for the help of his friend Juan de la Cruz Cardona, and to marry thirteen-year-old Arsenia Cardona. Six months after its founding, in August 1890, Armenia had reached a population of 100 people, allowing it to gain legal recognition by the government. The city was initially called Villa Holguín, in honor of Carlos Holguín Mallarino, the then-current president of the country. It is believed the name was changed to Armenia after the country of the same name, in memory of the Armenian people murdered in the Turkish Ottoman Hamidian Massacres of 1894-97 in Western Armenia, and later the Armenian Genocide of 1915-23. It is also known by its nickname "Ciudad Milagro" (Miracle city).
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Wikipedia