This large, beautiful square is loved by both parents and children alike as a place to enjoy safe and sound outdoor games. You will also find it is a favorite spot for musicians, artists and poets, thanks to its beautiful gardens and pleasant walkways. Within the great inner circle there is a fountain and monument. These are dedicated to the five women who courageously took part in Bolivar's "Remarkable Campaign", which took him and his adherents up and across the Andes in 1813. Admission is free.
This modern building, covering 16,000 square metres, was designed by the architect Ivan Castellano and opened in 1994. The construction is based on exposed concrete, with a large central space rising up within, and walkways that wind up around the sides, linking the different levels and exhibition areas. There are various auditoriums that are used for theatrical, musical and cinema presentations, as well as other cultural events such as seminars, talks and conferences. There is also a library dedicated to the arts worth visiting, and a catering service for events is also available. Credit card acceptance varies by event. Call for information on upcoming events.
One of the greatest tourist attraction in Merida and Venezuela, this is the longest (12.5 kilometres) and highest (reaching 4765 meters above sea level) cable car in the world. This extraordinary achievement of engineering was constructed between 1957 and 1960. Its 90-minute trip starts at the Barinitas Station (at 1625 meters of altitude)finally arriving at the Pico Espejo Station, 4765 meters above sea level. Every station along the way has a restaurant and observatory. Each car has a capacity for 36 people.
If you head towards the Plaza Bolívar coming north up Avenida 4, the first building to your right is the Palacio Arzobispal or Archbishop's Palace. This Renaissance-style construction was started in 1933 and concluded in 1951. You can appreciate its stunning outside facade as well as its gorgeous interior layout. Here within the seat of the Archbishop of Mérida, you will find corridors, stairs and halls full of valuable artistic works, including the Portrait Gallery of Mérida's Bishops, a collection of paintings by Cardinal José Humberto Quintero.
Unfortunately, this popular park is somewhat difficult to find if you are a visitor to the city and unfamiliar with its environs. So, if you come up the Avenida Universidad, look for the entrance to the Santa María Norte Estate, and then ask directions to the park: otherwise, you are more than likely to get lost. Once inside, you will discover an extensive 7,000 square-metre plaza, adorned with the bust of the German composer, a beautiful flower clock and the Beethoven Clock. The Flower Clock is definitely worth a photo, and the trees with their cooling shade and surrounding gardens certainly offer somewhere to relax and meditate. As for the Beethoven Clock, it is a magnificent attraction in itself.
A visit to the Beethoven Clock should be a must on any tourist's itinerary. Although the whole Park is a tribute to the German composer, this clock in particular attracts a multitude of visitors. It resembles a small Bavarian-style construction, with an external sphere and bells that chime every quarter and half hour. But everybody waits for the hour to change, when a different melody created by the composer is played on a 16-bell carillon.