Las Trincheras


Las Trincheras, also known as Las Trincheras de Aguas Calientes, is a locality near Valencia, Venezuela. It is noted for its hot springs.
The name Trincheras is said to derive from fortifications constructed in the colonial era.

History

Visit of Humboldt

The springs were visited by Alexander von Humboldt in 1800 during his expedition to the American tropics. Humboldt recorded the temperature as, and made Las Trincheras known to science on his return to Europe. There was no evidence of vulcanism in the area to explain what was heating the water. The work of François Arago on the geothermal gradient helped Humboldt to develop the idea that the springs obtained their heat from very deep groundwater circulation.

Battle of Las Trincheras

Las Trincheras is also noted for a battle which took place in October 1813 during the Venezuelan War of Independence. The Spanish commander Juan Domingo de Monteverde was wounded in the battle which was won by the Independentist forces.
The Spanish retreated to their base at Puerto Cabello.

Railway infrastructure

The commercial development of the springs was given a boost by the arrival of the Puerto Cabello and Valencia railway in the 1880s. A station was opened at Las Trincheras, but the railway closed in the 1950s as road transport became more important in Venezuela.
In the 21st century a new railway is being built connecting Puerto Cabello to. Among the tunnels on the line is the 7,702 m Bárbula Tunnel, between Las Trincheras and Naguanagua, which has been described as the longest in South America.