Culture
Gastronomy
Caracas has an important gastronomic and culinary culture, this due to the influence of migratory currents; For this reason, it is common to find culinary specialties from the various Venezuelan regions, together with that of many countries. There is a wide variety of French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Lebanese, Hindu, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mexican restaurants, among others. The area of La Candelaria It is well known for Spanish restaurants, since a large part of the Galician immigrants, Canaries and their descendants who arrived in Venezuela in the middle of the 20th century were concentrated in this area, thus contributing to the gastronomic wealth of the city. Among the main typical dishes are: the Creole pavilion (which is the national dish based on black beans, white rice, shredded meat and slices), empanadas, arepa, cachapa with Guayanés cheese, Halca, black roast Creole and chicken salad. Among the typical drinks we find chicha, guarapo de papelón with lemon, carato and tizana (fruit drink), the famous “Mantuan cuisine” should also be mentioned, which dates from colonial times and which left as a legacy some typical dishes, like the honeyed cake,
Music of Caracas
The beginnings of oil exploitation, at the beginning of the 20th century, gave rise to the exodus of peasants to the cities of greater importance, in this way Caracas becomes a center of confluence of the different musical manifestations of the country. Through the pianolas and gramophones come the melodies and rhythms of other latitudes, especially from Colombia, Cuba, Spain, the United States and Mexico. The conjunction of these elements generates a musical movement – the first of an urban nature – in which musical manifestations from the Venezuelan plains merge with others from the Andes and the coastal zone. The same happens with the instrumentation, in which the cuatro, the mandolin, the guitar, the violin and instruments taken from the military bands are used, such as the snare drum, the saxophone, the trumpet and the trombone.
The music made with the four and the last mentioned instruments is called “gunboat”, because the musicians who interpreted this style, announced their arrival at the festivities with a bamboo cannon. This musical manifestation is kept alive by groups such as Los Antaños del Estadium and Los Cañoneros. These groups currently maintain more their frequent presentations at parties and various social events than from the sale of their records, which are not easy to find in the Venezuelan record market. Even parallel to these groups, others have been born that cultivate similar musical genres, fused with Caribbean dance rhythms (bolero, Dominican merengue, salsa, among others) and modern.
Other manifestations already established at that time in Caracas were the Christmas bonuses and Christmas carols, as well as the serenade songs, of which the greatest exponent was the singer, musician and composer Andrés Cisneros. The most important Caracas groups are the Billo’s Caracas Boys and Los Melódicos Orchestras, among others.
Education
The only one in the world to win the “Best International Delegation” award at the Harvard Model of United Nations for three consecutive years. [30]
The first school in Caracas was created in 1591 by the teacher Luis Cárdenas Saavedra. Simón de Bazauri founded the second one three years later. The Santa Rosa Seminary, inaugurated in 1696, was the base of the Central University of Venezuela, in Caracas, erected by Felipe V in 1721 and officially inaugurated in 1725, with nine chairs: two in Latin, one in philosophy, three in theology, one of sacred canons, one of Institutes or laws and finally another of Music or Plain Singing. In 1763 the chair of medicine was created.
According to educationvv, Caracas is currently the headquarters of the most important Venezuelan educational institutions, such as the Central University of Venezuela, the Simón Bolívar University and the Andrés Bello Catholic University, with centers in several cities of the country. Likewise, the Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador stands out, one of the most important centers for teacher training in the country.
Higher education
- Central University of Venezuela (UCV)
- Simón Bolívar University (USB)
- Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB)
- Metropolitan University (UNIMET)
- José María Vargas University (UJMV)
- Santa Maria University (USM)
- National Polytechnic Experimental University of the National Armed Forces (UNEFA)
- Bolivarian University of Venezuela (UBV)
- New Sparta University
- Monteávila University
- Simón Rodríguez National Experimental University (UNESR)
- Alejandro de Humboldt University (UAH)
- Santa Rosa Catholic University (UCSR)
- Libertador Experimental Pedagogical University (IPC)
- Antonio José de Sucre Polytechnic Experimental University (UNEXPO)
- National Experimental Maritime University of the Caribbean
Media
Several media outlets in Caracas are the ones with the highest coverage in Venezuela.
Radio stations
From the capital they emit several stations of type AM and FM with local, national and international reach, the main radio channels are in Caracas such as the Unión Radio Circuit, Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Alba Ciudad 96.3 FM, AM and FM Center, Organización planet, Circuito Radial Triple F, Circuit Digital Kys, Radio Caracas Radio, Circuit Party, Circuit Young Adult, Radio Bearings, Circuit Rumbera Network and Circuito Nacional Belfort, among others. Some community stations operate on the FM band, which are short-range, cover only specific sectors of the city and are operated by community organizations. It should be noted that some stations from the Valles del Tuy, Altos Mirandinos and Guarenas – Guatire can be tuned in Caracas.
Printed media
The city is currently the headquarters of the main and largest newspapers of national circulation, among which are El Nacional, Últimas Noticias, El Universal, El Mundo, Primera Hora, El Diario de Caracas, Diario VEA, Diario 2001, Tal Cual, La Razón, Meridiano specialized in sports and also circulate several Newspapers in English, Italian and Portuguese such as La Voce d’Italia and The Daily Journal.
The history of the press in Venezuela begins in Caracas in 1806, the year which comes first to the Venezuelan coast the Imprenta hands of Francisco de Miranda. Later, Andrés Bello founded the country’s first newspaper, the Caracas Gazette. The official information of the Venezuelan State was established in 1868 with the creation of the Federal Gazette until 1869. Later, Antonio Guzmán Blanco would create the Official Gazette of Venezuela in 1872, which continues to this day. The press is consolidated in July 1890 with the creation of the newspaper La Religión, and in 1893 with the appearance of advertising in the newspaper El Pregonero.
