Coro and its Port facts for kids

Coro and its port, La Vela de Coro, are historic places in Venezuela. They are located in the northwestern Falcón state, right by the Caribbean Sea. Coro was founded way back in 1527. In 1993, UNESCO recognized Coro and its Port as a World Heritage Site. This was the very first World Heritage site for Venezuela!

History of Coro and its Port

Why Coro is a World Heritage Site

Coro and its Port became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993 for many good reasons. The old buildings in the city were made using special mud-building methods. These methods were used by local people for a long time. They include techniques like bahareque, adobe, and tapia (rammed earth).

Coro is one of the oldest colonial towns in Latin America. Many of its first buildings and streets are still there today. From 1528 to 1546, a powerful German family called the Welsers controlled Coro. Because of them, Coro's street design looks a lot like towns from the Middle Ages in Germany.

The buildings in Coro are unique in the Caribbean. They show a cool mix of local traditions with Spanish and Dutch building styles. This blend of styles can be seen in over 600 historic buildings in the area.

When Coro Was in Danger

In 2005, Coro and its Port were added to the list of World Heritage in Danger. This happened because of climate change and heavy rains. Two years of strong rain caused a lot of damage. The mud bricks used to build the houses are very old and special. But they can get easily damaged by water.

People also realized that the site needed protection from new buildings that didn't fit in. So, they suggested making the protected areas around the site bigger.

UNESCO gave advice on how to protect Coro from more rain damage. They suggested building a new drainage system in the city. They also wanted to manage the growing number of tourists visiting the site.

To help, the Institute of Cultural Heritage signed an agreement. They worked with the government of Falcón state and the mayors of the local towns. A company called Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) also joined in. This agreement was called the "Framework Agreement for Emergency Intervention in the area of Coro and its Port of La Vela." It set aside about US $30 million to help save and protect the heritage site.

In 2018, UNESCO got a report from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). The report said that Venezuela had made good progress. But more work was still needed to fix all the main problems affecting the site.

See also

In Spanish: Coro y su Puerto para niños