# Timeline of Caracas

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Caracas, Venezuela.

## Prior to 18th century

* 1567 – 25 July: Santiago de León de Caracas established by Spaniard Diego de Losada.
* 1577 – Town becomes capital of Venezuela Province, Spanish Empire.
* 1584 – St. George's Cathedral, Caracas built.
* 1591 – Caracas coat of arms [es] granted.
* 1593 – Iglesia de San Francisco (church) built.
* 1595 – Town captured by English troops led by George Somers and Amyas Preston
* 1638 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Caracas founded.
* 1641 – 11 June: Earthquake.
* 1674 – Caracas Cathedral built.
* 1679 – Town "pillaged by the French."
* 1700 – Population: 6,000.

## 18th century

* 1721 – University of Caracas founded.
* 1749 – 20 April: Economic demonstration led by Juan Francisco de León [es].
* 1763 – Measles outbreaks begin.
* 1765 – Population: 12,500.
* 1770 – Population: 20,000.
* 1777
** City becomes capital of Captaincy General of Venezuela.
** Santa Rosalia parish established.
* 1779 – City divided into eight administrative wards (barrios).
* 1781 – Church of the Holy Trinity (Caracas) [es] built.
* 1782 – Theatre built.
* 1787 – Real Audiencia of Caracas installed.
* 1793 – Consulado (merchant guild) established.

## 19th century

* 1802 – Population: 24,000–42,000.
* 1808 – Gazeta de Caracas newspaper begins publication.
* 1810 – Revolt from Spanish control.
* 1811
** City becomes capital of First Republic of Venezuela.
** Divina Pastora parish established.
* 1812 – 26 March: Earthquake.
* 1813
** August: City taken by forces of Bolivar.
** City becomes capital of Second Republic of Venezuela.
* 1814 – July: 1814 Caracas Exodus.
* 1818 – Academy of music founded.
* 1820 – City becomes capital of Venezuela Department of Gran Colombia.
* 1821 – 29 June: Bolívar takes city.
* 1835 – Academia de Dibujo y Pintura (art academy) founded (approximate date).
* 1861 – Colegio de Ingenieros de Venezuela [es] established.
* 1870 – 27 April: April Revolution (Venezuela).
* 1874
** National Pantheon of Venezuela established.
** Bolívar statue erected in Bolívar Square.
* 1881
** Teatro Municipal de Caracas opens.
** City becomes part of the Distrito Federal de Venezuela [es].
** Population: 55,638.
* 1882 – Horse-drawn streetcar begins operating.
* 1883
** La Guaira-Caracas railway begins operating.
** Basilica of Santa Capilla (church) built.
** Academia Venezolana Correspondiente de la Real Española established.
* 1887 – Academia de Musica y Declamacion (music school) and Academia de Bellas Artes (art school) active.
* 1889 – Academia Nacional de la Historia de Venezuela inaugurated.
* 1891 – Population: 72,429.
* 1894 – Valencia-Caracas railway begins operating.
* 1895 – Electricidad de Caracas in business.
* 1897 – Miraflores Palace built.

## 20th century

* 1900 – Earthquake
* 1904 - Population: 90,000.(estimate).
* 1905 – National Theatre opens.
* 1908 – Electric streetcar begins operating.
* 1909 – El Universal newspaper in publication.
* 1918 – Spanish flu reaches Caracas
* 1922 – Population: 92,212.
* 1928 – Generation of 1928 anti-Gómez protest.
* 1929 – Cine El Dorado (cinema) opens in San Agustín Parish
* 1931
** Caracas Athenaeum founded.
** Teatro Principal (Caracas) [es] opens.
* 1937 – Municipal Commission of Town Planning established.
* 1941 – Population: 269,030 city; 380,099 federal district.
* 1945
** Simón Bolívar International Airport, Altamira Square, and Jardin Botanico de Caracas [es]. inaugurated.
** Caracas Journal newspaper begins publication.
* 1947 – Caracas Stock Exchange established.
* 1950
** British School established.
** Population: 495,064 city; 693,896 urban agglomeration.
* 1951 – Estadio Olímpico opens.
* 1952
** Aerial Tramway begins operating.
** Estadio Universitario opens.
* 1953
** Radio Caracas Televisión begins broadcasting.
** Cine Radio City (cinema) opens.
* 1954 – Centro Simón Bolívar Towers built
* 1958 – El Mundo newspaper begins publication.
* 1959 – La Rinconada Hippodrome opens in Coche Parish
* 1960 – University City built.
* 1961 – Population: 786,710 city; 1,362,189 federal district.
* 1963 – December: Christmas display of illuminated Cruz del Ávila [es] begins.
* 1966 – CorpBanca Tower built.
* 1967
** 29 July: 1967 Caracas earthquake.
** Simón Bolívar University and Caracas Football Club established.
** Central Bank of Venezuela Building constructed.
* 1971 – Population: 1,662,627 city; 2,175,400 urban agglomeration (approximate).
* 1973 – Previsora Tower and Bet-El Synagogue built.
* 1974
** Poliedro de Caracas (arena) opens.
** Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas opens.
* 1975
** 28 October: 1975 Copa América football tournament held.
** Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar (youth orchestra) headquartered in city.
* 1977 – Parque Zoológico Caricuao opens.
* 1978 – National Theatre Festival begins (approximate date).
* 1979 – El Diario de Caracas newspaper begins publication.
* 1982 – Children's Museum of Caracas established.
* 1983
** Caracas Metro begins operating.
** Teresa Carreño Theatre and Brígido Iriarte Stadium open.
** Plaza Caracas [es] and Parque Central Complex built.
** August: 1983 Pan American Games held.
* 1984 – Mercantil Tower and Provincial Tower built.
* 1987 – Parque Cristal built.
* 1989
** February: Protests.
** National Library of Venezuela building opens.
* 1990
** Tower of David construction begins.
** Population: 1,824,892 city; 2,784,042 urban agglomeration.
* 1993 – Mosque of Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim built.
* 1995 – Polar Tower II built.
* 1998 – Centro San Ignacio (commercial building) opens.
* 1999
** Capital District (Venezuela) established.
** Movilnet Tower, and Centro Sambil (shopping mall) built.
* 2000
** Metropolitan District of Caracas created, with jurisdiction over Baruta, Chacao, El Hatillo, Libertador, and Sucre.
** Alfredo Peña becomes mayor.
** Mormon temple dedicated.

## 21st century

* 2002 – 11 April: Demonstration.
* 2004
** Juan Barreto becomes mayor.
** Estrella Roja Football Club formed.
** 17 October: Fire in Parque Central Complex.
* 2005 – Venezuela International Book Fair begins.
* 2006
** January: World Social Forum held.
** Libertador Simón Bolívar Terminal opens.
* 2007
** May: RCTV closure demonstration.
** Squatters occupy Centro Financiero Confinanzas.
* 2008
** Antonio Ledezma becomes mayor.
** Real Esppor football club formed.
* 2010 – Metrocable (gondola) begins operating.
* 2011 – Population: 2,104,423.
* 2012 – 20 August: Yare prison riot.
* 2014 – February: 2014–2018 Venezuelan protests begin.
* 2015 - Population: 2,082,130.
* 2017 - July: Strike in protest against president Maduro.
* 2019 - January: Venezuelan Presidential crisis begins, leading to the 2019 Venezuelan protests