It was founded February 28, 1788 on the banks of the Rio Apure, Apure River, by Don Fernando de Miyares Gonz�lez, the Governor and Capit�n General of Barinas Province, New Granada, with the assistance of Don Juan Antonio Rodr�guez and the Capuchine monk Fray Buenaventura de Benaocaz. On December 1, 1793 it was elevated to the status of a town (Villa).
In 1831 a private school for young men was opened by Juan Castellano; in 1844 classes for younger children were added; in 1875 the Federal High School (el Colegio Federal de Segunda Categor�a) was opened; and at the end of the 19th century the Federal School Leon XIII was opened.
In 1912 the Codazzi Federal School is founded, in 1914 the Cagigal School, in 1931 is created the Miranda School, first institute of High school in the city, that later transformed into the Grammar school Lazo Mart�, then in 1953 was created the Sacred Family School, in 1964 the School of Plastic Arts Juan Lovera.
The studies of Superior Education, begin in 1976 with the creation of the Apure Nucleus of the Sim�n Rodriguez University, continuing with the beginning of workings of the Experimental National University of the Western Plains, in 1977, and the Local Center of theNational Open University in 1978. At the present time works, in addition to the mentioned, extensions of the Libertador Pedagogical Experimental University, University of Carabobo, Bicentennial University of Aragua and the Jos� Mar�a Vargas University.
Also the city has been a cultural center of folkloric manifestations, being: Ignacio Figueredo, Carmelo Aracas, Ramon Garc�a, Urbino Ruiz, Marcelino Castillo, Felix Marchena, Omar Moreno, Manuel Luna, Eneas Perdomo, El Carrao de Palmarito, Francisco Montoya, Isabelita Aparicio, Pedro Gamarra and Crist�bal Jim�nez, among others, representatives of the most important musical manifestation of the region and the country, the Joropo, along with the harp, the cuatro and maracas, is part of the history of
