La Rioja ( Spanish pronunciation: [la ˈrjoxa], locally [la ˈʂjoxa]), founded as the City of All Saints of New Rioja (Spanish: Ciudad de Todos los Santos de Nueva Rioja), is the capital city of the eponymous La Rioja Province, located in the Argentine Northwest at the foot of the Sierra de Velasco. Founded in 1591 by Spanish conquistador Juan Ramírez de Velasco under the original name Todos los Santos de Nueva Rioja, the settlement was named after his home region in Spain. Situated 600 meters above sea level, the city had a population of 178,872 inhabitants as of the 2010 census.
The city experiences a semi-arid climate characterized by hot summers, where temperatures frequently exceed 45 °C (113 °F), and mild winters, with rainfall occurring almost exclusively during the summer months. As the provincial cultural and economic hub, La Rioja features notable historical sights such as the 17th-century Museo Folklórico, which showcases local traditions like chaya music and the Tinkunaco festival, and the 23,000-capacity Estadio Carlos Augusto Mercado Luna. The city's regional transportation network is anchored by the Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport, which provides commercial airline connectivity to the rest of Argentina.
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History
It was founded in 1591 by Spanish conquistador, Juan Ramírez de Velasco.The city and its eponymous province are named after La Rioja, a region in Spain after Velasco came to named the city after his home town and called it Todos los Santos de Nueva Rioja and was shortened to be only La Rioja.
Geography
Location
It was located in the northeast of Argentina, specifically 600 meters above sea level, at the foot of the Sierra de Velasco. It was also the capital city of La Rioja Province, Argentina with 178,872 inhabitants in 2010.
Climate
La Rioja has a semi-arid climate (BSh, according to the Köppen climate classification), with average temperatures of 5 °C (41 °F) to 19 °C (66 °F) in winter and 21 °C (70 °F) to 35 °C (95 °F) in summer, but with maximum temperatures of more than 45 °C (113 °F). The average annual rainfall is 411.4 mm (16 in), falling almost exclusively during the summer when moist tropical air from the northeast enters the region. The highest recorded temperature was 46.4 °C (115.5 °F) on 28 December 1971 while the lowest recorded temperature was −7.2 °C (19.0 °F) on 5 August 1966.
Sights
The Museo Folklórico is set in a 17th-century building, and its displays include local chaya music and the Tinkunaco festival. The 23,000-capacity Estadio Carlos Augusto Mercado Luna is located in La Rioja.
Transportation
The city is served by Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport, with the only airline operating is Aerolíneas Argentinas.