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Itauguá

Itauguá () is a city located in the northeastern part of the Central Department of Paraguay, situated 30 km from Asunción, the country's capital. It is recognized nationally and internationally for the ñandutí, a form of traditional lacemaking, for which it is known as the "city of ñandutí".

Founded in 1728 by Martín de Barúa, the city also stands out for its architectural heritage, its folkloric music, and its natural surroundings, in addition to hosting important institutions such as the Hospital Nacional, the Centro Educativo Itauguá (youth detention center), and the Museo San Rafael. Through Departmental Ordinance No. 12/04, it was officially declared the "capital of ñandutí and cradle of departmental craftsmanship".

It is part of the metropolitan area known as Gran Asunción. It borders the Ypacaraí Lake and the district of Areguá to the north; Itá and Pirayú to the south; Ypacaraí to the east; and Capiatá and Julián Augusto Saldívar to the west.

Etymology

There is no consensus regarding the origin of the patronymic name "Itauguá", although it is acknowledged that it derives from the Guaraní language. Three authors have proposed hypotheses on the matter, presented here according to their year of publication:

  • González (1960) suggests the term (: stone; : black; : suffix indicating belonging), interpreted as "place of the black stones". Pedrozo later challenged this explanation, noting the absence of basaltic rocks in the region.
  • Pedrozo (1994) proposes (: an old stream in the area; : belonging), interpreted as "inhabitant of the Itay stream". In this interpretation, the Guaraní vowel y would have shifted to u due to Spanish euphony.
  • Caballero (2015) maintains that the original name was (: stone; : belonging), meaning "place of the stones". He bases this interpretation on reports by cartographer and explorer Félix de Azara, who visited the settlement around 1790. According to Azara, the site was initially called (: stone; : hole). Azara later recorded the name as , with an initial y and without the vowel u, which over time evolved into Itauguá. The name was written with y until the 1950s, when it shifted to the use of i.

Demography

Itauguá has 89,449 inhabitants, from which 44,997 are males and 44,451 females, according to the General Office of Statistics, Polls and Census.

Tourism

Among the touristic attractions are the hills Patiño and Cerrito, the Virgen del Rosario Church, the San Rafael Museum, and the colonial houses built during the time of the former dictator Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia.

Climate

The climate is pretty fresh. The warm weather predominates with high temperatures during the spring and the summer.

Economy

Itauguá is characterized especially by the manufacture and sale of textiles of Ñandutí. This product is exported to many foreign countries. The tourists always show great interest in the ñandutí, considering it as an everlasting product which easily conquers international markets.

Neighborhoods and Companies

Here are some of its companies:

  • Aldama Cañada
  • Potrero
  • Virgen de Guadalupe
  • Guayaibity
  • San Antonio
  • Zeballos
  • Itaugua-Guazu
  • Mbocayaty
  • Cañada
  • Patiño

References

Sources

  • Reportaje al País. Tomo 1. Edición 2001. Asunción Paraguay.
  • Geografía Ilustrada del Paraguay - - Distribuidora Arami S.R.L.
  • La Magia de nuestra tierra. Fundación en Alianza. Asunción. 2007.

External links