HISTORY OF GUADALAJARA

• FOUNDATION

Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality.
The city's economy is based on industry, especially information technology with a large number of international firms having manufacturing facilities in the Guadalajara Metro Area. Other, more traditional industries, such as shoes, textiles and food processing are also important contributing factors.
The city was established in three other places before where it is now. The first settlement in 1532 was in Mesa del Cerro, now known as Nochistlán, Zacatecas. This site was settled by Cristóbal de Oñate as commissioned by Nuño de Guzmán. The purpose of the city was to secure the recent conquests made and to provide defense against still-hostile natives. This site did not last long due to the lack of water, so in 1533, it was moved to a location near Tonalá. Four years later, Guzmán ordered that the village be moved to Tlacotán.
The historic downtown of Guadalajara is the oldest section of the city, where it was founded and where the oldest buildings are located. It centers on Paseo Morelos/Paseo Hospicio from the Plaza de Armas, where the seats of ecclesiastical and secular power are, east toward the Plaza de Mariachis and the Hospicio Cabañas.
The Metropolitan Cathedral began construction in 1558 and was consecrated in 1616. Its two towers were built in the 19th century after an earthquake destroyed the originals. They are considered one of the city's symbols. The architecture is a mix of Gothic, Baroque, Moorish and Neoclassical. The interior has three naves and eleven side altars, covered by a roof supported by thirty Doric columns.


ADDED TOWNS:
Santiago de Tequila is a town and municipality located in the state of Jalisco about 60 km from the city of Guadalajara. Tequila is best known as being the birthplace of the drink that bears its name, “tequila,” which is made from the blue agave plant, native to this area. The heart of the plant contains sugars and had been used by native peoples here to make a fermented drink. HERE ARE SOME OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS CLOSE TO GUADALAJARA:

Aguascalientes	172.4 km / 107.1 miles
Leon	178.9 km / 111.2 miles
Tepic	186.7 km / 116 miles
Uruapan	192.9 km / 119.9 miles
Irapuato	205.7 km / 127.8 miles
Morelia	254.9 km / 158.4 miles
Celaya	262.7 km / 163.3 miles
San Luis Potosi	293.7 km / 182.5 miles
Queretaro	306.9 km / 190.7 miles
Durango	397.3 km / 246.9 miles
Toluca	414.3 km / 257.5 miles
Nicolas Romero	435.4 km / 270.5 miles
Cuautitlan Izcalli	441.1 km / 274.1 miles
Naucalpan	447.3 km / 277.9 miles
Tlalnepantla	447.4 km / 278 miles
Lopez Mateos	455.1 km / 282.8 miles
Coacalco	456.5 km / 283.6 miles
Mexico	459.4 km / 285.4 miles
Ecatepec	462 km / 287.1 miles
Pachuca	481.7 km / 299.3 miles
Torreon	541.9 km / 336.7 miles
LANDMARKS: As one of the largest and most influential cities in the whole of Mexico, Guadalajara boasts a myriad of striking modern landmarks and notable local monuments. Built in 1995 and around 92 metres / 302 feet high, the mirrored Torre Chapultepec is amongst the tallest high-rise buildings in Guadalajara, with similar skyline landmarks including the Fiesta Americana, the Hilton Guadalajara and also the Templo de la Luz del Mundo, an elaborately designed church. The Basilica de Zapopan is a historic structure dating back to the early part of the 18th century. With classical Spanish-inspired architecture and superb vaulted ceilings, the basilica is at its most popular in the middle of October each year, when its hosts the Romeria de la Virgen de Zapopan celebrations. Large crowds of thousands gather to join in the religious festivities and parade honouring the Virgin of Zapopan, Guadalajara's patron saint. One of Guadalajara's most remarkable landmarks, Guadalajara Cathedral is often referred to as the city's Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana). The cathedral dominates the area and boasts two striking towers (more than 60 metres / 197 feet high) and a large central dome, all of which are illuminated at night, taking on a completely new appearance. Built in the middle of the 16th century, the cathedral has been renovated several times and remains in excellent order. Inside, the cavernous interior is quite breathtaking and the dome is an important centrepiece. The enormous pipe organ is also of interest and amongst the biggest of its kind in the whole of Mexico.   DECADES & OLD PICTURES: Guadalajara in the 50´s was like this:

In the 60´s:

In the 70´s:

In the 80´s:

 

And finally in the 90´s:

CURRENT LIFE & POLITICS:

 

Like other municipalities in Mexico, Guadalajara is governed by a municipal president, who exercises executive power for three consecutive years, this office is currently occupied by Jorge Aristóteles Sandoval Díaz candidate for the PRI. The legislature has the cabildo, formed by the form chosen by the candidate for mayor, made up of aldermen, who are not elected by the people by direct or indirect voting, but the return happens automatically if the mayor wins.
The municipality is divided into five electoral districts for the purpose of election of representatives of the city in the federal legislature. These districts are the VIII, IX, XI, XIII and XIV of the state of Jalisco.

Municipality and the metropolitan area

 

Guadalajara Metropolitan Area

The city of Guadalajara and the municipality of Guadalajara are essentially co extensive with over 99% of the municipality living within the city limits, and nearly all of the municipality urbanized. Urbanization centered on the city spreads out over seven other municipalities; of Zapopan, Tlaquepaque, Tonalá, Tlajomulco de Zuñiga, El Salto, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos and Juanacatlán. These areas form the "Guadalajara Metropolitan Area" (Zona Metropolitana de Guadalajara in Spanish), which is the most populous in the state of Jalisco and the second most populous in the country after the Mexico City Metropolitan area.This metropolitan area had a population of 4,298,715 in 2008.

 

EVENTS & FAMOUS DATES:

January Events in Mexico

New Year's Day - January 1st.
Dia de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) - January 6th.

February Events in Mexico

Dia de la Candelaria - February 2nd.
Dia de la Constitucion - February 5th.

March Events in Mexico

Benito Juarez' Birthday - March 21.
Holy Week - The whole week from Ash Wednesday through to the week after Easter Sunday is the busiest time at all of Mexico's key attractions.

May Events in Mexico

Dial del Trabajo (Labour Day) - May 1st. A National Holiday. Businesses and Offices close, nationwide.
Cinco de Mayo - May 5th.

September Events in Mexico

Dia de la Independencia (Independence Day) - September 16th

October Events in Mexico

Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day) - October 12th.

November Events in Mexico

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - November 1st and 2nd.
Dia de la Revolucion (Day of the Revolution) - November 20th.

December Events in Mexico

Dia de la Asuncion de la Virgen Guadalupe (Assumption Day) 20th - 22nd of August -
Posadas de Navidad - Nine days leading up to Christmas Day.
New Year's Eve - Dec 31st.

THERE ARE SOME TYPES OF ENTRETAINMENT TO GO WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS SUCH A "GLORIETA CHAPALITA" WHICH IS A ROUNDABOUT THAT ON SUNDAYS THERE ARE LOTS OF PAINTINGS FOR YOU TO BUY AND SEE THE BEAUTIFUL ART OF MEXICAN PEOPLE. THERE ALSO ARE PEOPLE SEALING PUPPIES, ICE-CREAM, CORN, AND MANY OTHER CRAFTS. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THESE PICTURES:

 

 

 

 

THERE ARE OTHER TYPE OF ENTRATAINMENT ALSO, LIKE THE CYCLO VIA THAT IS ON SUNDAY MORNING UNTIL 2PM SOME STREETS ARE CLOSED AND YOU CAN GO WITH YOUR BIKE, YOUR DOG, SKATING OR WHATEVER. THERE IS ALSO ON SATURDAYS AFTER 7PM IN CHAPULTEPEC, IT´S LIKE A MALECON FULL OF CRAFTS AND THINGS TO BUY AND PEOPLE DANCING IS REAL FUN.

BEING A TAPATIO FOR ME IS VERY AFORTUNATED I AM GLAD AND PROUD OF MY TOWN, IT IS ACCTUALY ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES IN MEXICO. I LOVE OUR FOOD, PEOPLE ARE VERY KING AND WORM, WE LIKE PARTIES AND BEING WITH OTHERS.
I EXPERIENCED LIVING IN VANCOUVER CANADA FOR 2 YEARS, WHLE I WAS THERE, I WONT LIE, I REALLY MISSED MEXICO AND MI FAMILY, MOSTLY THE FOOD :) AND I KNEW IT WAS TOTALY DIFFERENT, HERE AND THERE. PEOPLE THAT KNEW ME SAID THAT MEXICANS ARE SO WORM AND NICE, MOST OF CANADIENS LOVED MEXICO AND I DID TOO. I RELIZED HOW MUCH I LIKE LIVING HERE EVENTHOUGH CANADA IS BEAUTIFUL, YOUR COUNTRY IS YOUR CONTRY AND WE JUST GOT TO LOVE IT.