Iquitos is a city in the Amazon jungle
Indeed, the fact that Iquitos, located in the wilds of the Amazon’s most begin to understand not only when you look at a map of this area of the Amazon jungle, and when you really will have the opportunity to get to Iquitos itself. After all, to get to the city, located at the north of Peru, is only possible on the plane of one of the local airlines or the Amazon on a small river boat.
According to historical documents, the city of Iquitos was founded in 1757 even as a small missionary settlement of the Jesuit Order, and was called San Pablo. And its quite rapid development of the city was in the middle of the XIX century, when virtually the entire South American continent began the so-called «rubber boom», as for the growth of «rubber tree» Hevea climate in these regions it is the most favorable. And it was during this period begins the social and economic prosperity of Iquitos.
Most owners of plantations and processing plants for the production of natural rubber began to build on the city grows magnificent mansions, Catholic churches and other buildings, which today is decorated with modern Iquitos. However, this situation has changed considerably, when in the middle of the XIX century American chemist Charles Goodyear accidentally synthesized completely synthetic rubber, which later became known all rubber. In view of this growing and processing the juice of rubber trees fell into decay, and the local industry is focused on oil refining, as well as the production of beer and rum.
However, despite these circumstances, in Iquitos has that look ordinary travelers, as the tourism industry in Iquitos is also developing. Thus, in particular in the area of Padre Cocha Village, in a suburb of Iquitos, is an exotic farm breeding butterflies that flutter in incredible quantities are for a small garden full of the most incredible colors and located around a small lake with a waterfall flowing into it. Besides its famous market Iquitos, located almost in the center of the city, as well as virtually present Aboriginal village of the Amazon.