Manizales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Manizales

From top to bottom and from left to right: Manizales from the Cerro de Oro, western side of the Manizales Cathedral and Sanz Building, Yellow Palace of the Government of Caldas, Herveo Tower, Nevado del Ruiz and Manizales Center.

Flag

Seal

Motto(s):

La ciudad de las puertas abiertas (The city of open doors)
Capital mundial del café (World capital of coffee)

Location of the city and municipality of Manizales in the Department of Caldas

Manizales

Location in Colombia

Country

Colombia

Region

Andean Region

Department

Caldas

Foundation

October 12, 1849

Area

• Municipality and city

571.84 km² (220.79 sq mi)

• Urban

37.43 km² (14.45 sq mi)

Elevation

2,160 m (7,090 ft)

Population

(2018)

• Municipality and city

434,403

• Density

759.658/km² (1,967.506/sq mi)

• Urban

405,234

• Urban density

10,826.4/km² (28,040/sq mi)

• Metro

552,155

Demonym(s)

Manizaleño/Manizalita

Time zone

UTC-05 (Eastern Time Zone)

Postal code

170001-17

Area code(s)

57 + 6

Website

Official website: http://www.manizales.gov.co/

Manizales (Spanish pronunciation: [maniˈzales]) is a lively city located in the heart of Colombia. It's the capital of the Caldas Department and sits close to the famous Nevado del Ruiz volcano.

This city is super important for Colombian coffee production. It's also a big center for learning, with many universities. People often call Manizales "The city of open doors" or "World capital of coffee."

History of Manizales

Manizales was started a long time ago, on October 12, 1849. A group of twenty brave people from Antioquia founded the city. They were known as "The Expedition of the 20" and came from nearby towns like Neira and Salamina.

Geography and Landscape

Manizales is the capital city of one of Colombia's smaller departments. The city has a very unique and hilly landscape. It sits on the Central Mountain Range, which is part of the long Andes mountains. This means Manizales has many steep slopes and ridges.

Even with its challenging hills, the land around Manizales is very fertile. This makes it perfect for growing coffee. The city is in the northern part of the "Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis" (Eje Cafetero). It's also close to the Nevado del Ruiz volcano, which is very tall at 5,321 meters (about 17,457 feet).

The city is located in the basin of the Chinchiná River. Because of its location, Manizales can sometimes face natural challenges like earthquakes, mudslides, and volcanic eruptions.

Climate in Manizales

Manizales has a special kind of weather called a subtropical highland climate. This means it feels like spring all year round! Even though it's in the tropics, it rarely gets very hot because it's so high up.

The city has two main seasons: wet and dry. Each season lasts about three months. The temperatures stay pretty much the same throughout the year. Manizales gets about 1500 millimeters (59 inches) of rain each year, with October being the wettest month.

Climate data for Manizales (La Nubia Airport), elevation 2,058 m (6,752 ft), (1981–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	27.0 (80.6)	28.5 (83.3)	27.0 (80.6)	27.4 (81.3)	32.0 (89.6)	26.0 (78.8)	26.2 (79.2)	28.0 (82.4)	26.4 (79.5)	26.0 (78.8)	27.0 (80.6)	27.4 (81.3)	32.0 (89.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	21.5 (70.7)	22.0 (71.6)	21.8 (71.2)	21.4 (70.5)	21.3 (70.3)	21.3 (70.3)	21.5 (70.7)	21.7 (71.1)	21.2 (70.2)	20.6 (69.1)	20.6 (69.1)	21.1 (70.0)	21.3 (70.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)	16.9 (62.4)	17.2 (63.0)	17.2 (63.0)	17.2 (63.0)	17.2 (63.0)	17.1 (62.8)	17.2 (63.0)	17.2 (63.0)	16.9 (62.4)	16.6 (61.9)	16.6 (61.9)	16.8 (62.2)	17.0 (62.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	11.8 (53.2)	12.1 (53.8)	12.5 (54.5)	12.8 (55.0)	12.8 (55.0)	12.8 (55.0)	12.5 (54.5)	12.6 (54.7)	12.5 (54.5)	12.4 (54.3)	12.3 (54.1)	12.2 (54.0)	12.4 (54.3)
Record low °C (°F)	6.0 (42.8)	7.0 (44.6)	8.2 (46.8)	6.3 (43.3)	8.2 (46.8)	8.6 (47.5)	7.4 (45.3)	7.0 (44.6)	8.6 (47.5)	1.3 (34.3)	7.0 (44.6)	7.6 (45.7)	1.3 (34.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	103.5 (4.07)	94.0 (3.70)	133.9 (5.27)	176.2 (6.94)	161.9 (6.37)	108.9 (4.29)	74.2 (2.92)	74.2 (2.92)	139.8 (5.50)	209.0 (8.23)	176.5 (6.95)	131.5 (5.18)	1,583.7 (62.35)
Average precipitation days	14	15	20	23	24	20	18	17	21	24	21	17	229
Average relative humidity (%)	83	81	83	84	84	84	81	81	84	86	86	84	83
Mean monthly sunshine hours	167.4	138.4	124.0	102.0	108.5	120.0	148.8	139.5	114.0	105.4	117.0	142.6	1,527.6
Mean daily sunshine hours	5.4	4.9	4.0	3.4	3.5	4.0	4.8	4.5	3.8	3.4	3.9	4.6	4.2
Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales

Manizales Economy and Jobs

The Nevado del Ruiz volcano seen from the city.

For a long time, the main part of Manizales' economy has been growing and making coffee. This led to many jobs and factories. These factories make things like drinks, shoes, chocolate, and even computer software. Many companies in the coffee business, like the Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers, are also here.

In the last part of the 1900s, many universities opened in Manizales. Now, it's known as one of the biggest university cities in Colombia! Students from all over the country come here to study.

The city's service industry is also growing fast. Call centers, where people help customers over the phone, are a big part of the economy now. Manizales has even won awards for being a great city for businesses. A study in 2010 said it was the easiest Colombian city to start a business in!

Street of Manizales near the major square.

City Transportation and Roads

Because Manizales is so hilly, it's easier to travel across the city (east-west) than up and down (north-south). The main roads run along the length of the city.

Major Roads in Manizales

Avenida Santander: This was the first main road and is still very important. It has four lanes and goes from downtown to the Battalion sector. Many famous places like the Founders Theatre and the University of Caldas are along this road.
Avenida Paralela: This is the city's second main road, also with four lanes. It runs next to Avenida Santander and passes by places like the San Estéban Cemetery and Palogrande Stadium.
Avenida Alberto Mendoza Hoyos
Avenida Kevin Ángel
Avenida Panamericana

Manizales Aerial Tramway

The Manizales Aerial Tramway is like a cable car system. It opened in 2009 and connects downtown Manizales to the main bus station. It's about 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) long. Each car can hold ten people, and the whole system can carry 2,100 people every hour!

It was so popular that they made it longer in 2013. Now, it also connects to the nearby town of Villamaria. The system was built by an Italian company. It has four stops: Downtown Manizales, La Fuente, Manizales Los Cambulos Bus Terminal, and Villamaria.

Air Travel in Manizales

Manizales has a local airport called La Nubia Airport. It's open from 6 AM to 6 PM. However, it often closes because of fog, which makes it hard to see. Also, tall buildings nearby make it difficult to make the airport bigger.

Because of these problems, a new, larger airport is being built outside the city. It's called the International Coffee Airport and will be in the town of Palestina, about 25 minutes from Manizales. This new airport will be able to handle bigger planes and is expected to be open 24/7.

Arts and Culture in Manizales

Manizales is a city full of culture and art! It hosts two very important events every year:

Manizales International Theater Festival: This is one of the biggest theater events in all of Latin America. It started in 1968.
Manizales Jazz Festival: This festival brings jazz musicians from all over the world to the city.

Manizales Fair

The Manizales Fair started in 1951 to celebrate the city's 100th birthday. It began with bullfights and a traditional Spanish parade. Over time, it grew to include many more fun activities.

The fair now features the International Coffee Beauty Pageant and bullfighting season as its main attractions. You can also enjoy horseback riding parades, craft fairs, concerts, sports, and shows by national and international musicians. It's a huge celebration in Colombia, much like the Barranquilla Carnival.

Coffee International Beauty Pageant

The Coffee International Beauty Pageant (or Reinado Internacional del Café in Spanish) is a beauty contest held every year during the Manizales Fair. It celebrates the region's famous coffee.

The contest first started in 1957 as the Continental Queen of Coffee. In 1972, it became the Miss International Queen of Coffee Pageant. This allowed women from coffee-producing countries all over the world to join. Manizales has been the home of this pageant since the very beginning.

Other Exciting Events

Annual Fair of Manizales (Feria de Manizales) [January]
Bullfighting Season of Manizales [January]
International Coffee Beauty Pageant [January]
Image Festival [April]
International Theater Festival [September/October]
Manizales Jazz Festival [September/October]
Manizales Grita Rock Fest [October]

Fun Places to Visit in Manizales

The Cathedral of Manizales, a neo-Gothic church.

Manizales has many interesting places to explore:

Gold Museum of the Banco de la Republica
Museum of Natural History at Universidad de Caldas
Museum of Art at Universidad de Caldas
Archaeological Museum at Universidad de Caldas
Botanical Garden at Universidad de Caldas
Natural Museum of Histories CC
Museum of Science and Games at Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Top Tourist Attractions

Cathedral of Manizales: This beautiful church is the third tallest in Latin America, standing at 113 meters (371 feet) tall.
Nevado del Ruiz Natural Park: Explore caves and see snow on this amazing volcano.
Manizales - Mariquita Cableway
Thoughts Recinct Park (El Recinto del Pensamiento)
Los Yarumos Ecological Park
Ruiz Hot Springs ("Thermal Waters")
Otoño Hot Springs ("Thermal Waters")
La Rochela Resort
Santagueda Resort
Simon Bolivar Square
Bosque Popular Park
(Francisco Jose de) Caldas Park
Manizales Country Club of Golf
Hacienda Venecia: Take a tour of a coffee plantation, stay overnight, and enjoy the swimming pool.

Sports in Manizales

Palogrande Stadium.

Manizales has great sports facilities, especially around the Palogrande Stadium.

Football (Soccer)

The city is home to a professional football team called Once Caldas. They play at Palogrande Stadium. Once Caldas famously won the important South American Copa Libertadores 2004 championship! They have also won the Colombian league four times.

Other Sports

Manizales has also had successful professional basketball teams, Caldas Bancafetero Aces and Wise Caldas, who won national championships. The city also has teams for futsal (indoor soccer).

Manizales has hosted many big sporting events, including:

The Fourth National Games in 1936
South American Football U-20 tournaments in 1987 and 2005
The Copa America 2001
Parts of the World Cup 2011 U-20

Education in Manizales

Manizales is a very important center for learning and culture in its region. It has more universities per person than any other city in Colombia! About 30,000 students attend the seven colleges and universities here.