Maturin

December 7, 1760, is the official date of the founding of Maturín (according to the Venezuelan Academy of History) by the Franciscan missionary Lucas de Zaragoza. However, the Jesuit priest Pablo Ojer found a document in the General Archive of the Indies which proves an earlier founding date for the city in 1722. This primitive town was called San Juan de la Tornera de Maturín and its founder was the Spanish governor Juan de la Tornera y Sota. San Juan de la Tornera de Maturín was a city for Spaniards, but it did not survive very long because of the lack of population and few economic resources. Initially, San Judas Tadeo de Maturín (Lucas de Zaragoza gave this name to Maturín) was a Spanish mission created for the conversion of the nearby native Chaima and Warao people. …

Maturin is located at 67 meters of altitude and 520 kilometres from the country's capital, Caracas. It is right next to the Guarapiche River and is a crossroad for roads towards the center, the Caribbean coast and the Orinoco River Maturín features a tropical savannah climate (Köppen climate classification: Aw).

Maturín is one of the most important cities in the east of the country as its strategic position serves as a bridge to the other states of the region. The city has grown during the last few years mainly because of the increase in the state's oil industry. However, Maturín has been hit hard by Venezuela's recent economic crisis.

San Simón Church: the oldest church in Maturín. It was built between 1884 and 1887 and is located in front of the Plaza Bolivar. Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: a Catholic church in Romanesque style. Its construction began in 1961 and was finished in 1981. It is located on Bolívar Avenue. It is considered one of the most modern cathedrals in Latin America. Parque de La Guaricha: a zoological park located on Raúl Leoni Avenue. Parque Menca de Leoni: a former zoological park. It lost its status when the Parque de La Guaricha was built. Located on Juncal Avenue. Parque Andrés Eloy Blanco: located on Raúl Leoni Avenue. Parque Padilla Ron: located in Las Cocuizas sector. Parque Rómulo Betancourt: located on Universidad Avenue, next to the Universidad de Oriente. Parque de los Guaritos: located in Los Guaritos sector. …

It is possible to travel there by land or by using José Tadeo Monagas International Airport.