City and Municipality of Juticalpa
Juticalpa is the capital of the Department of Olancho in Honduras.
It is one of the most important cities in Honduras. The city was founded in the year 1530 and received its name on June 16, 1835, although it had previously been registered as San Juan de Juticalpa.
In 2001, it was recorded that the city of Juticalpa had a population of 126,724 people with a density of 32.33 per square kilometer.
History
Juticalpa was founded in the year 1530 and was granted city status on June 16, 1835. Previously, in the year 1791, it was already recorded as San Juan de Juticalpa.
In 1865, it became the capital of the Olancho department after several armed uprisings occurred in the department against the authorities of the former capital, Manto, and the central government of Honduras. In official records, Juticalpa is listed as the official capital of the department from August 12, 1865. Over the years, Juticalpa has preserved its colonial heritage, which contrasts with some modern structures in the city.
Geography
Juticalpa currently has a population of 349,230 inhabitants, with an urban population of 30% and a much larger rural population of 70%. Its villages, hamlets, and distant neighborhoods contribute to its larger rural population.
Historical Monuments
The Municipal Town Hall, the Cathedral, the Casa de la Cultura, and the «Rosa Luisa H. de Ochoa» School, among others, are monuments that serve as faithful reminders of the history of Juticalpa and the Olancho department.
Toponymy
The name of the city comes from the Nahuatl language and means «Land of Snails.» The Spanish originally called it Jutiapa.
Economy
The main economic activities in Juticalpa are agriculture, including the cultivation of cereals, fruits, vegetables, and legumes (such as beans, corn, rice, bananas, tomatoes, plantains, onions, potatoes, citrus fruits, cucumbers, and squash).
Livestock farming occupies a significant part of Juticalpa’s territory, with ranches for cattle, pigs, horses, and poultry farms.
Education
Juticalpa has several primary schools, both public and private. At the secondary level, it has various institutes, including the Departmental Institute La Fraternidad, which has been serving the Juticalpa population for over 100 years. Currently, it also has several universities, including the Universidad Católica de Honduras UNICAH-Campus Santa Clara, the regional center of UNAH Curno, UPN Universidad Pedagógica Nacional located where the ENMO used to be, and UMH Universidad Metropolitana de Honduras.
Gastronomy
Tapado Olanchano, Cazuela, Albóndigas, Corn Rice, Mondongo Soup, Horchata, etc.
Geographical Location
The territorial extension of the municipality of Juticalpa is 2,649.8 km², and it is located in the northern part of the Guayape Valley, bathed by the Juticalpa River.
Tourism
This city has a very good hotel infrastructure, excellent restaurants, and nightclubs. Some tourist attractions include:
- The Talgua Caves located in the neighboring municipality of Catacamas
- El Boquerón
- El Cerro del Mogote
- The Guayape River
Economic Activities
Its main economic activities are agriculture, livestock farming, and commerce.
Sports
The city has a football team called Juticalpa F.C., which was officially founded on August 14, 2004. The team participates in the Honduran National League and plays its home games at the Juan Ramón Brevé Vargas Stadium, which has a capacity of 24,000 spectators. The stadium was inaugurated in July 2015.
