HISTORY OF MENDOZA

Mendoza was founded in 1561 by Don Pedro del Castillo and the city carries the name of then Governor of Chile, Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza. At the beginning the base of the local economy rested on very basic viticulture for local consumption with surpluses being sent to Buenos Aires and Tucuman in casks on horseback. There was also silver coming out of mines from Uspallata. In 1776, Mendoza, a pueblo of 8,000 people, ceased to depend on Santiago, Chile and came under the jurisdiction of Cordoba.

During the period of the struggle for independence, Mendoza played a central, strategic role under the governance of Colonel San Martin. He set up base in El Plumerillo just outside the village where he organized the Ejercito de los Andes Army. After independence, Mendoza became a province in 1820. The city was flattened by an earthquake in 1861 and was reconstructed in 1863 inspired by European urbanism.

The telegraph was established in 1870 between Mendoza and Santiago, Chile, and in 1885 the first train arrived from Buenos Aires bringing along modernity. Around these times, many Spanish and Italian immigrants started settling in the region. These immigrants were to become the caste which would develop viticulture and the olive industry here and laid the foundation for the present greatness.

After modern viticulture was developed, the oil industry also became very important for the local economy.


RELIGION

The official religion is Roman Catholicism and it is represented locally by many churches led by the Loreto Cathedral (Lavalle and Federico Moreno Streets). As in the whole of Argentina though, there is absolute freedom of cult.