Caacupé

Caacupé, town, central Paraguay. The name Caacupé originated from the Guaraní word caaguycupé, meaning “the other side of the mountain.” Founded in 1770, the town nestles in a valley of the Altos Mountains. Although oranges, tobacco, and sugarcane grown in the hinterland are processed in the town, Caacupé is best known as a pilgrimage centre. On December 8, Paraguayans celebrate the festival of the Blue Virgin of the Miracles, whose shrine stands on Caacupé’s central plaza. The National Agronomic Institute, created in 1943, operates a large experimental farm in Caacupé to research crops. The town also manufactures tiles. Caacupé can be reached by paved highway from Asunción. Pop. (2002) urban area, 19,131.