#history Founded in 1558, Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida is currently a beautiful city surrounded by imposing mountains, with a colonial center of singular beauty, colorful parks of great greenery and most importantly, its friendly, hospitable and friendly people, who live up to its name. The city center is surrounded by colonial buildings, of which the Archbishop's Palace, the Government Palace, the headquarters of the Universidad de los Andes and the Cathedral stand out, definitely one of the most beautiful in Venezuela. Mérida is a student city, with one of the most traditional universities in the country and the second in seniority. The Universidad de los Andes, better known as the ULA, has been the alma mater of famous people both in the region and in national life.

The city has a variety of beautiful squares, among which stand out, Plaza Bolivar, which has the oldest bust of the Liberator in the country, and Beethoven Square, in honor of the great German composer.