SAN MIGUEL DE TUCUMN

city, capital of Tucumn provincia, northwestern Argentina. It lies along the Sal River, at the foot of the scenic Sierra del Aconquija. It was originally founded in 1565 by the Spanish colonial governor Diego de Villarroel at Ibatn on the Tejar River (now Pueblo Viejo on the Pueblo Viejo River, a tributary of the Sal). After several floods, one disastrous, in 1850, the capital was moved to its present location some 60 miles (96 km) northeast, upstream on the Sal and away from its banks. The city occupied a key position on the route from Crdoba to the Spanish silver mines in Bolivia and conducted a thriving wagon and harness trade; it was also a centre of a livestock industry that supplied draft animals for the mines of Peru. In 1776, with the creation of the viceroyalty of La Plata, control of Tucumn passed from Peru to Buenos Aires. On Sept. 24, 1812, General Manuel Belgrano's forces decisively defeated Spanish royalist troops just north of the city. On July 9, 1816, a convention of delegates from the United Provinces of the Ro de la Plata met at San Miguel de Tucumn and signed the declaration of independence from Spain. The arrival of railways (1876) and the introduction of sugarcane cultivation in the early 19th century stimulated the city's commercial growth. Sugar has remained the economic mainstay, but, in an effort to diversify the economy, the government of President Juan Carlos Ongana (196670) closed several of the sugar mills and constructed new industries. The city is known as the garden of the republic because of its mild climate and rich flora, and tourism has become an important source of income. Notable landmarks include the house of Bishop Colombres (who introduced sugarcane to the area), the colonial cathedral, the Casa de Gobierno (Government House, site of the independence convention), and various museums. The National University of Tucumn was established in 1914. Pop. (1991 prelim.) mun., 473,014.