Maracay, city, capital of Aragua estado (state), northern Venezuela. It is situated in the central highlands, 1,500 feet (460 metres) above sea level and 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Caracas. The settlement was named for Araguas Indian cacique (chief) Maracay and has roots in the mid-16th century, although 1701 is generally acknowledged to be the founding date of the city. Successful cultivation of indigo from the 1740s made the village into an important agricultural and commercial centre; other crops that came to be important to the local economy include corn (maize), sugarcane, and cotton. The rich lands in the area were prizes of war for 19th- and 20th-century political leaders.
Maracay rose to fame when the dictator Juan Vicente Gómez was determined to make the city the cultural and social centre of the country (it became known as “the Garden City”). During his long reign (1908–35), Gómez initiated the construction of a number of projects, including airports, an opera house, and a bullring (an exact replica of the Sevilla bullring), the last of which set the stage for Maracay to be known as the “cradle of great bullfighters.”
In addition to being a commercial centre for the agricultural and pastoral hinterland, Maracay has become a major industrial centre and one of Venezuela’s largest cities. Textiles, sugar, paper, rayon, rubber, foodstuffs, and cement are the principal manufactures. Maracay lies on the Pan-American Highway and has excellent transport facilities. Pop. (2001) 391,833; (2011) 401,294.