Jesús María, Argentina

Jesús María is a city in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, located 49 km due north from the provincial capital Córdoba, on National Route 9, within the valley of the Sierras Chicas. It has about 27,000 inhabitants as per the 2001 census [INDEC].

Jesús María
City
Jesús María Location of Jesús María in Argentina
Coordinates: 30°59′S 64°6′W
Country	Argentina
Province	Córdoba
Department	Colón
• Luis Picat	(Mayor)
Elevation	530 m (1,740 ft)
Population  (2010 census)
• Total	31,602
Time zone	UTC-3 (ART)
CPA base	X5220
Dialing code	+54 3525

The origin of the city was a ranch (estancia) founded by missionaries of the Society of Jesus in 1618. A convent not far from the city, dating back to the 18th century, is preserved and hosts the National Jesuit Museum. The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba were named World Heritage Site in 2000.[1]

Jesús María is an agricultural center for the production of maize, lentils, broad beans, peas, chickpeas and saffron.

Annually since 1966, during ten days in January, the city hosts the Festival Nacional de la Doma y el Folclore (Horse Training and Folklore Festival), which gathers around 200,000 national and international attendants. The festival is held in the stadium known as La Doma located close to the downtown core of the city. Among street vendors and side shows, the festival features a celebration of old Gaucho culture.