EL VALLE DEL ESPIRITU SANTO
In the village of “El Valle del Espiritu Santo” is located the “Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora del Valle”, the protector Saint of the Oriental Venezuela and of the Venezuelan Navy. The festivities related with the “Virgen of El Valle” are celebrated during the second week of September and Christians from all over the country converge to Margarita to enjoy the event.

JUAN GRIEGO
The cleric Fray Nicolas de Igualada initiated the construction of Juan Griego in 1846. The architectonical style is gothic and dedicated to the cult of “San Juan Evangilista”.

LA ASUNCION
One of the most important religious buildings of the Island is the “Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Asunción, built in 1571. There is venerated the “Virgen of La Asunción”. The cathedral is a historical monument of the town.

LOS ROBLES
Built in 1736 is dedicated to the “Virgen of La Pilarica”, hose golden image, according to the legend, was donated by the Spanish Queen Juana “LA LOCA”.

PAMPATAR
The Church of “El Cristo del Buen Viaje” gets its name from the image of “El Milagroso de los Pescadores”. The construction of this church was completed in 1748 under the leadership of the military chief “Don Antonio de la Espada”. In this church is kept the painting “ANIMAS” done by the artist “Juan Pedro López”, grand father of “Don Andrés Bello”.

SANTA ANA
Its construction started in 1749, under the mandate of the governor “José Longart y Gabian”. Holds the honorific distinction of being the place where Simón Bolívar was appointed as the Chief Superior of the Republic in 1816, when the third Republic was born.

PORLAMAR
The construction of the cathedral of Porlamar started in 1853 and the works continued until 1955, year when Crisanto Mata Cova, bishop of the Diocese of Cumana, blessed the Stone Cross, the Dome and the Altar of the cathedral. There is plasticized the cult of “San Nicolas de Bari”, protector of the city of Porlamar. This cathedral is the most important of the Island.

PARAGUACHI
Don Simón Bolívar himself served as counsel in the process of the construction of Paraguachi, which started in 1598. In the old tower two plates of porcelain are incrusted by el “Marquez de Mainteson”. There is San José the subject of the cult.

HISTORIA DE LA ISLA DE COCHE
The Island of Coche was called “Cochén” by autochthones “Guaiquiries”. It was inhabitated by the Spanish since 1528. They exploited its rich salt mines and oyster beds. During the war of independence, on April 24th 1815, the Spanish admiral war ship, “ San Pedro de Alcara” armed with 70 cannons and leading an armada of 18 war ships and 42 transports of a force of 1000 men under the command of Lieutenant General Pablo Morillo sent to crush the rebellion in Nueva Granada and Venezuela, was set to fire in front of the Island. It sank on the second day between the Islands of Coche and Cubagua, where it still lies on the bottom of the sea. From the sunken ship only the two anchors have been salvaged and are kept in the Museum Cadiz of La Asunción. With the ship were also lost human lives, horses, arms and the treasure of the Virgen del Valle, confiscated by the Morillo in order to finance the cost of the expedition.

HISTORIA DE LA ISLA CUBAGUA
The Island of Cubagua is situated south-west of Margarita and west of the Island of Coche, with an area covering about 17 km2: Together with Coche and Margarita, it conform the State of “Nueva Esparta”. Cuabagua is the first settlement in the New World, known as “Nueva Cadiz”.

CASTLES  and FORTS:

CASTILLO DE SANTA ROSA
Strategically situated in La Asunción, Capital of Nueva Esparta, the castle dominates the valley of Santa Lucia. Its construction was started in 1677 and finished in 1683 under the leadeship of the field master Juan fermin. It was declared national monument in 1965.

FORTIN DE LA GALERA
Located in the bay of the same mane, it was erected in 1811 by the “Junta Provencial de Margarita” and baptized with the name of “La Libertad”.

FORTIN ESPAÑA
Is situated on a mount outside the village of “Santa Ana del Norte”. It role was to protect the stretch of way between Juan Griego and La Asunción.

CASTILLO DE SAN CARLOS DE BORROMEO
It protects the Bay of Pampatar and is the most important of the Island. Captain Carlos Navarro was in charge of the construction between 1664 and 1684.

FORTIN SANTIAGO DE LA CARANTA
It is located on the other end of the Bahia de Pampatar. Only ruins are left of this fort constructed between 1586 and 1595. It was destroyed by an assault by Dutch pirates in 1626.