The abundant wealth of indigenous toponyms in the current territory of La Libertad gives us an idea that the first settlers were of Mayagna-Caribbean origin who were later displaced by other Chontal peoples.
Land for gold mining
The last indigenous settlement was El Jobo. Its vestiges are located 1 km. to the west of the current city and was abandoned in 1730 due to dysentery (cholera), which decimated the native population without consideration.
At the end of the XNUMXth century, Spaniards and mestizos arrived to evangelize the native populations. Some historical sources point out that the discovery of gold-bearing sands in the Mico River caused an immigration of nationals and foreigners that motivated the creation of the population initially known as El Mineral.
Years later the town was called The Trinity for the three brothers named Conrado who came and stayed. The other version is that the first authorities were three honorable people who had the same name as Miguel and used a single official signature: La Trinidad.
According to the historian Jerónimo Pérez, 1838-1878, El Mineral was renamed La Libertad by a man named Tahúr Conrado who said to his friends persecuted by the police: "Let's go to El Mineral because there is freedom to play, drink and everything. ”. Shortly after the name of La Libertad was generalized.
At the dawn of national independence and constitutionality of the first president, permits are granted to denounce, explore and exploit mineral resources.
Artisanal mining
The arrival of Nicaraguan, French, German, Italian, English and later North American and Canadian immigrants gave rise to new technologies for mining exploitation, which contributed to fostering the socioeconomic development of La Libertad.
The "Diario de Nicaragua" No. 111 (old name of the Official Gazette) of Wednesday, March 13, 1895, p. 2, refers that Villa de La Libertad is elevated to the rank of city, according to the Presidential Decree of General José Santos Zelaya.
La Libertad is based on large mineral deposits, the most important of which is gold that has been extracted in incalculable quantities during the last 200 years.
Artistic expressions and manifestations
El traditional Top of Light It is celebrated from May 9 to 12. It is a colorful carnival that includes the participation of a group of traditional masked men who dance to the sound of chicheros and are accompanied by a giantess. The masked men are known as the “old men”.
lasso the bull This is a traditional game where all the children make a wheel representing the barrier, while another child personifies the bull with his hands on his head and his fingers raised to represent the horns. While he runs inside the wheel (the corral) another tries to "lasso" him.
The music par excellence is that of the philharmonics or chicheros and the popular dance is the dance of Los enmascarados, from La Libertad.
Craft trades. It corresponds to its rural vocation because of what we can find: ranchers, farmers, miners, güiriseros, jewelers, saddlers and small gold entrepreneurs.
Don Cipriano He is a small business owner who is currently almost 80 years old. At 18 he entered the world of mining and is still reluctant to leave the trade, but now he no longer does it as an employee of any transnational, but as a small miner.
Legends
The serpent and the Virgin of Light: the head is on El Chamarro hill and the tail is in the Santa María cemetery. The huge reptile is fastened with three hairs of the Virgin.
The goblins of the stone The Bull and the Virgin placed in a cave to appease them.
The mysterious girl who appears to the gold diggers. Precisely in the place that she disappears she is taken as the indicated one to find a rich vein.
The Legend of the Cows Virgin of the Moonz that were mistaken by private farmers.
El bolido is a story that tells of the appearance of an enormous luminosity in the sky in the absence of fireworks for the Virgen de la Luz.
Commander Daniel Ortega Saavedra
Local figures who have contributed to history and culture
Commander Daniel Ortega Saavedra, current President of the Republic and Secretary General of the FSLN.
Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo, first Cardinal of Central America, beloved son of La Libertad and Prócer de la Paz.
Rigoberto Cruz, "Pablo Ubeda", national hero and historical guerrilla of the FSLN.
Cornelio Silva Arguello, revolutionary, composer and poet. He participated in the execution plan for Anastasio Somoza García carried out by Rigoberto López Pérez in the city of León in 1956.
Enrique Boned Vallejos, progressive priest, educator of generations and beloved son of La Libertad.
Darwin Kaufman, economist, former mayor and researcher of local history and culture.
Other sites of historical and cultural interest
The Cross of Forgiveness viewpoint. The monument has many years of existence in La Libertad. It was first installed where the Plaza de Toros used to be, currently located in the Enrique Boned Municipal Park. Its structure was carved and varnished wood. The passage of time deteriorated the monument and in 1999 the municipal authorities, through the Catholic Church, decided to renew it this time with perlines.
Artisanal mining. It is one of the oldest sources of economic income in the municipality. In many tunnels and drags you can see the process of extraction and processing of the precious metal.
Old El Jackson tunnel. Used for gold mining in centuries past, this tunnel goes hundreds of meters underground.
El The Ball Cemetery it conserves tombs of famous and historical personages of the town. Some of them were made with marble and images of great artistic quality.
Crafts
Saddlery: Manufacture of cowboy boots, shoes, bags, leggings and packsaddles.
Jewelery in gold and silver: Design and elaboration of jewels of different styles and kilage.
Gallery
Tourist Offer Map