Alegría, Usulután

Alegría is a municipality in the Usulután department of El Salvador.

Overview

Located at approximately 1,200 meters above sea level, the municipality's cool climate lends itself to many thriving local plant nurseries, some of which specialize in tropical flowers such as birds of paradise, anthuriums, orchids, and varieties of bromelias. The town is famous for its volcanic lake, the Alegría Laguna, which is a national protected area managed by the NGO ADESCAM. There is a local myth that a siren or mermaid lives in the lake, and that she will lure men who swim there to their deaths. Rural villages belonging to the municipality include El Zapotillo.

Laguna Alegría

In the Sierra of Chinameca, one of the most important volcanoes is Tecapa, located at 26 kilometers away from Usulután, and 2 kilometers to the south of Alegria. Its peak, in the famous plain of Quemela, at 1,603 meters above sea level exhibits a big rocky crater, oval and guided from east to west in whose bottom, in eccentric position to the southeast and at 1,250 meters high, a small crater form lake of yellow-greenish waters exists, resting on mantels of sulfur. The highest part of the crater circumvallation to the northeast is the culminating point of the volcanic cone and the lowest is to the east and at 1,275 meters high. In that area a current of lava was spilled in prehistoric time.

Usulután

Usulután is the 5th largest city in El Salvador, and capital of the Usulután Department in the south-east of El Salvador.

As of 2006, it is estimated to have population of 71,636 people. Usulután rests in a rich agricultural valley and has very high and humid temperatures most of the year as it is located close to the Pacific Ocean. The city was badly damaged by the Salvadorian earthquakes of February 2001, in addition to Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

The main Catholic Church of the town is located in a park area next to the Town Hall (Alcaldia) and next to the Cine Centenario (a cinema) which are roughly located at the center of the town. Recently, Usulután has modernized considerably, having more influence from brand names such as Pollo Campero (a chicken restaurant), Biggest (a hamburger place similar to America's Burger King), and more eateries that were not available there in the past.

Sport

C.D. Luis Angel Firpo a soccer club near el naranjo

Notable births

Usulután (volcano)

Usulután is a stratovolcano in central El Salvador, rising above the coastal plain between the San Vicente and San Miguel volcanoes, and just east of Taburete volcano. The volcano is topped by a 1.3 kilometres (0.8 mi) wide summit crater which is breached to the east.

See also

References