Asunci�n is one of the oldest cities in South America and the longest continually inhabited area in the Rio de la Plata Basin; for this reason that it is known as "Mother of Cities". It was from here that the colonial expeditions departed to found other cities, including the second foundation of Buenos Aires and of other important cities such as Villarrica, Corrientes, Santa Fe and Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
The site of the city may have been first visited by Spanish conqueror Juan de Ayolas, on his way north, up theParaguay River, looking for a passage to the mines of Alto Per� (present-day Bolivia). Later, Juan de Salazar y Espinosa and Gonzalo de Mendoza, relative of Pedro de Mendoza, were sent in search of Ayolas, but were unable to find him. On his way up and then down the river, de Salazar stopped briefly at a bay in the left bank to resupply his ships. He found the natives friendly, and decided to found a fort there, in August, 1537. He named it Nuestra Se�ora Santa Mar�a de la Asunci�n.
In 1541, natives destroyed Buenos Aires, and the Spaniards fled to Asunci�n. Thus, the city became the center of a large Spanish colonial province comprising part of Brazil, present-day Paraguay and northeastern Argentina: the Giant Province of the Indies. In 1603 Asunci�n was the seat of the First Synod of Asunci�n, which set guidelines for the evangelization of the natives in their lingua franca, Guaran�.
In 1731, an uprising under Jos� de Antequera y Castro was one of the first rebellions pene against Spanishcolonial rule. The uprising failed, but it was the first sign of the independent spirit that was growing among thecriollos, mestizos and natives of Paraguay. The event influenced the independence of Paraguay, which then materialised in 1811. The secret reunions between the independence leaders to plan an ambush against the Spanish Governor in Paraguay Bernardo de Velasco were held at the home of Juana Mar�a de Lara, in downtown Asunci�n. On the
