![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish. (June 2023) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Ilobasco | |
---|---|
Municipality | |
Parroquial Church San Miguel Arcángel | |
Coordinates: 13°51′N 88°51′W / 13.850°N 88.850°W | |
Country | ![]() |
Department | Cabañas Department |
Government | |
• Alcalde | José María Dimas Castellanos Hernández |
Area | |
• Total | 96.41 sq mi (249.69 km2) |
Elevation | 2,460 ft (750 m) |
Population (2007) | |
• Total | 61,510 |
• Density | 640/sq mi (246/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-6 |
Ilobasco is a municipality in the Cabañas department of El Salvador. It is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of the capital, San Salvador. The Pipil people later conquered the territory at the end of the 15th century. It was organized as a town in 1600, with the name of San Miguel de Xilobasco or Ilobasco, when the first church was built in its center.
At the same time, the settlement of families of Hispanic origin in the town caused growth, becoming a parish around 1770, until January 18, 1871, when it was granted the city category after the Independence process.
Ilobasco has a valuable architectural heritage, which has endured over time, as well as its crafts, being one of the major local tourist attraction in El Salvador.
Ilobasco is known locally and internationally for its clay (other materials also used) craftsmanship or pottery.[1] The clay is extracted and prepared locally. The clay work includes the "miniatures", which are small representations of daily scenes as lived by Salvadorans, no bigger than 2 inches tall. One version of the miniatures are the "surprises", which are basically a scene covered with another piece of clay shaped and painted in the form of a fruit, an egg, a house or other things. The cover can be removed and then the scene can be seen.