Las Trincheras facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Las Trincheras
The spa at Las Trincheras
Las Trincheras Location in Venezuela
Country	Venezuela
State	Carabobo
Municipality	Naguanagua Municipality
Time zone	UTC−4 (VST)

Las Trincheras, also known as Las Trincheras de Aguas Calientes, is a small town in Venezuela. It is located near the city of Valencia. This place is famous for its amazing hot springs. These springs feed into a river called the Aguas Calientes River.

The name "Trincheras" means "trenches" in Spanish. People say it got this name because of old forts built there long ago. These forts were used during the colonial era.

History of Las Trincheras

Humboldt's Visit to the Springs

A famous explorer named Alexander von Humboldt visited these hot springs in 1800. He was on a big trip to the American tropics. Local people already knew about the springs. Humboldt saw that sick people were taking steam baths there. They believed the hot water helped them feel better.

When he went back to Europe, Humboldt told scientists about Las Trincheras. He wrote down that the water was super hot, about 90.3 degrees Celsius. There were no volcanoes nearby to explain why the water was so hot. Later, another scientist, François Arago, studied how temperature changes deep underground. This helped Humboldt understand that the springs got their heat from water flowing very deep in the Earth.

The Battle of Las Trincheras

Las Trincheras is also known for an important battle. This battle happened in October 1813. It was during the Venezuelan War of Independence. The Spanish commander, Juan Domingo de Monteverde, was hurt in this fight. The forces fighting for independence won the battle. After their defeat, the Spanish soldiers went back to their base at Puerto Cabello.

Trains and the Hot Springs

The hot springs became a popular place for people to visit and relax. This happened especially after a railway arrived in the 1880s. The Puerto Cabello and Valencia Railway opened a station right in Las Trincheras. This made it much easier for people to travel there. However, the railway stopped running in the 1950s. This was because roads and cars became more common in Venezuela.

Today, a new railway is being built in the 21st century. It will connect Puerto Cabello to La Encrucijada. This new line includes a very long tunnel. It's called the Bárbula Tunnel. It is 7,702 meters long and goes between Las Trincheras and Naguanagua. Some people say it is the longest tunnel in South America!

See also

In Spanish: Las Trincheras para niños