| La Esperanza Housing & Development Casas de La Esperanza |
- Francisco Hernández de
Córdoba built the city beside
the Great Lake of Nicaragua,
the Lake of Cocibolca, in
1524, and gave it the name of
is about thirty miles South of the capital,
Managua. Granada, and another colonial city,
León, became two of the most notable commercial
and cultural centers of Central America. In the 17th
century and in spite of several attacks by pirates
that arrived from the Caribbean Sea through the
San Juan River, Granada became the most
important city of Nicaragua. During the 19th
century it had to survive the independence war
and the war with Mexico. The American
adventurer William Walter seized the city and
made himself President of Nicaragua in 1855.
When he had to abandon the city some time later,
he burned to the ground the most significant
buildings while proclaming: "here was Granada".
There are still today black walls in many places.
Today's Granada, with more than 100,000
residents, is a very beautiful city, with
its Parque Central full of color, its
numerous churches and houses of colonial
style, with broad roofs.
Through the Lake it is possible to visit
the small Islands, the Isletas, the
Island of Zapatera, with its well-known
statues and archaeological sites, the big
volcanic Island of Ometepe. A little
further away are the islands of
Solentiname, where the famous poet,
Ernesto Cardenal established his
Christian community.
residents, is a very beautiful city, with
its Parque Central full of color, its
numerous churches and houses of colonial
style, with broad roofs.
Through the Lake it is possible to visit
the small Islands, the Isletas, the
Island of Zapatera, with its well-known
statues and archaeological sites, the big
volcanic Island of Ometepe. A little
further away are the islands of
Solentiname, where the famous poet,
Ernesto Cardenal established his
Christian community.
| Parque Central |
| Granada is a beautiful city for tourists, but like all cities of Nicaragua it is a very poor city. There are a lot of "street children" selling candies or asking for money. Carita Feliz, a NGO, gives meals for more than 500 children almost every day. There are persons that sleep in the middle of the street. Jobs are scarce, and people suffer. It is a harsh life. |
La Esperanza Housing & Development Casas de la Esperanza (EH&D) is a non denominational, non political NGO, tax exempt: 501 (c) (3). It develops housing and provides technical education to families who are currently squatters, living on the outskirts of Granada, Nicaragua |
| ← To La Prusia and to the Laguna de Apoyo |
| Calle La Calzada |
| Granada's Cathedral |
| GRANADA, NICARAGUA |
| La Esperanza Housing & Development EH&D, April 2008 |
| The outskirts of Granada are full of squatters. Poverty attains there the highest degree. One of these marginal quarters is La Prusia. This is the place where we are working. |
Ceramic and words from Granada, Spain in Granada, Nicaragua |
| THE FESTIVALS |
| "Give him some alms, woman. There is nothing in the world more sad than being blind and spending your life in Granada" |
U.N. Millennium Development Goals, Goal 7, Target 9: "Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources " |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| THE MARKET |
| WILLIAM'S COACH |