Urban profile of the municipality of Santa Lucía-Francisco Morazán-Honduras: physical and sociohistorical analysis, year 2024

Abstract

The urban image of cities is influenced by a combination of natural and cultural elements that define their visual identity. In order to define the physical elements of the urban-sociocultural profile that contribute to the value of the urban image and express the local identity of the municipality of Santa Lucía in Francisco Morazan department (FM-HN), a mixed methodology (qualitative and quantitative) has been chosen. The research design, based on the observation and description of territorial variables, is supported by the information provided by the interviewees and contrasted with the bibliographic review of other Latin American municipalities. The work begins with a very brief presentation of the main features of the city and then addresses the development of image and urban registration forms, identifying housing characteristics and identity aspects of urban heritage. The municipality of Santa Lucía (FM-HN) still retains identity features of European colonial works, however, what stands out most physically is its natural attraction, followed by its cultural attraction. The historical, social, and architectural characteristics of Santa Lucía are analytically described, establishing a useful precedent for future research of other municipalities in the Honduran territory.