San Sebastián Bernal (in Otomi language “Ma’hando”), better known as Bernal (from Basque “Vernal” (“place of stones or boulders”)

Likewise, in the Otomi language: Ma’hando, in Chichimeca: De’hendo, has the same meaning: “In the middle of two”.

The current town of Bernal, was founded in 1647 by Lieutenant Alonso Cabrera, who moved, along with the first settlers of the town, the population of Cadereyta to build a population to protect the inhabitants of the area from the constant attacks of incursions Pames and Chichimecas, during much of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Bernal was considered the southern boundary of the Gran Chichimeca, vast area formed by the north of the today states of Queretaro and Guanajuato and much of San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas, where ethnic groups Chichimecas, Pames and Jonaces, fought against the colonizers.

The choice of the place of the foundation was given to consider it safe and elevated, from where you could monitor the area, the first building was the barracks in which the soldiers were housed, later began to arrive more inhabitants who were building other buildings. The barracks was replaced by a more elaborate prison, and then the government building known today as the Casas Reales was built. Soon Bernal began to consolidate as a population and most of the buildings and colonial houses visible today were built, being one of the richest towns architecturally of the state.

In the year of 1725, it was given the rank of congregation with the name of San Sebastián Bernal, and the present church of three naves dedicated to San Sebastián, patron of the town since its foundation, whose celebration every January 20, is built. one of the main celebrations of the town at the moment.

Bernal had during the nineteenth century the status of municipal seat of the municipality of the same name, however, by 1921 the municipality was abolished and was incorporated to the Cadereyta de Montes, until April 8, 1941 in which by decree No. 55 of the Congress of Querétaro was constituted the municipality of Jalpan de Serra in which it was incorporated for a short time, nowadays it is part of the municipality of Ezequiel Montes.

An excellent way to enjoy Bernal is to walk its beautiful streets, visiting the first houses built during the seventeenth century. The Tourist Office offers two tours; the first one tells the history of the town and the geology of the rock; the second, narrates the foundation of Bernal and the procession of las Animas. The circuit of historical monuments is well known, such as the Castle of the XVII Century that has a large clock of German origin, placed to receive the arrival of the XIX century. Another very important construction is the Capilla de las Ánimas, built in the 18th century in honor of the souls in purgatory.

El Castillo

This viceregal-type property, built in the seventeenth century, is one of the most important in the political history of Bernal. In its front tower there is a beautiful clock of German origin, which was placed to commemorate the beginning of the 20th century.

Currently, this building houses the offices of the Municipal Delegation. Capilla de las Ánimas This chapel, also known as the Animitas, dates from the 18th century and was built in honor of all the souls of purgatory. Its attractive design is due to the small dimensions of its atrium and altar. It has an open-air theater and a park where visitors can take, in addition to a rest, magnificent photographs. Chapel of the Holy Cross The chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross, to which the Berlan people venerate with great devotion, was built between the 18th and 19th centuries.

The tradition marks that the pilgrims must reach the atrium on their knees under the sun, as payment of a heavenly debt. Temple of San Sebastián Mártir Its construction began in 1700 and ended in 1725. It does not have a defined style; However, in the bell tower you can see the hand of the indigenous artist. In addition, several stained glass windows worthy of admiration were recently placed.

Peña de Bernal is an obligatory point of reference for climbers from all over the world. Peña de Bernal (“Bernal’s Boulder or Bernal Peak”) is a 433 m (1,421 ft) tall monolith, one of the tallest in the world. Peña de Bernal is located in San Sebastián Bernal, a small town in the Mexican state of Querétaro.

The porphyrytic monolith was thought to have been formed 65 million years ago, during the Jurassic period. A recent chemical analysis by researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico has determined that it is considerably younger, likely formed about 8.7 million years ago.

Even though time passes by, it does not seem to affect its inhabitants, who actually live longer and who spend their days under the shelter of the third largest monolith in the world, which was formed 65 million years ago by the depleted force of volcanic lava.

This rock holds many mysteries. It is evident that it appears to be a highly attractive magnet, which must be seen at least once in a lifetime.

Many people perform a pilgrimage to the small chapel located at the highest point accessible through hiking.

De igual forma, destacan los típicos dulces de leche y la fruta cristalizada. Deléitate con los platillos preparados en cazuelas de barro y fogones rústicos, las deliciosas enchiladas serranas con cecina, los nopales santos o la barbacoa de borrego tapada con pencas de maguey.

Lo típico de Bernal son sus tradicionales gorditas de maíz quebrado, la típica nieve de guamishi caseras, que desde hace años se es conocida y a quien la prepara desde hace más de 50 años el Sr. Crecente Camacho Campos.

Y los ya típicos chicharones con cueritos que llevan una rica salsa casera herencia de doña Carmela Salinas.

Spring Equinox Festivity held from March 19 to 21 at the peña, where thousands of visitors gather to take charge of the energy emanating from the colossal monolith. In addition, an artistic and cultural program tending to stage pre-Hispanic rituals is presented.

Feast of the Holy Cross This feast takes place from May 1st to 5th; the villagers climb to the top of the rock, where they place a cross, which lasts all year. Likewise, a marathon and a contest of artisan masks are held; the winners are exhibited in the Mask Museum. Bernal’s main fair is dedicated to the patron saint of this town San Sebastián Mártir where it is celebrated with some processions and musical events from January 11 to 20.

La economía de Bernal se basa en la producción artesanal y en el turismo. Una de las expresiones de las manos bernalenses son los artículos de lana elaborados rústicamente en telares de más de 100 años, como rebozos, tapetes, cojines, chamarras y cobertores.

Bernal is located 0:45 min by road from state capital Santiago de Querétaro.

It is located in Ezequiel Montes municipality, a few minutes from Colón and Cadereyta.

Buses from Mexico City run to San Juan del Rio (2:00 hours) each 1 hour daily.
From San Juan del Rio is around 0:55 min in taxi.

Buses from Mexico City run to Tequisquiapan (3:00 hours) each 1 hour daily.
From Tequisquiapan is around 0:32 min in taxi.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Its name comes from the identification of the site with its main structure, a pyramidal basement 30 meters high.

Throughout the 16-18 centuries the site received several names. It is very likely that the Otomi and Chichimeca inhabitants of the Queretaro Valley towards the end of the 16th century, have called the site San Francisco Anbanica (which means “high temple” in Otomí).

Towards the end of the 18th century, it was named “El Cerrito de Cascajo”. On the other hand, in some photographs of the early 18th century (located in the INAH photo library), bear the name “El Cerrito Pelón” as a legend.

In the assignment of his name, it will also be necessary to consider the landslides on the faces of the pyramidal basement, which left exposed its core of earth and stone, on which the vegetation grew, giving it for many years the natural appearance of a hill.

Currently receives the popular name of the Pyramid of the Pueblito.

Since 300 BCE, The Chupicuaro culture settled in the region, followed by the Teotihuacan and Toltec, and then the Chichimeca and Otomi, immediately prior to the Spaniard’s arrival at the valley of Queretaro.

Towards 400 CE, the Altépetl, the ceremonial center, and its pre-Hispanic urban zone became the political and religious capital of several peripheric settlements.

El Cerrito had a long history as a regional political and religious center and was a contemporary of Teotihuacan and Tula.

As a regional capital, it had a series of urban religious and residential complexes in Cerro Gordo, Balvanera, La Magdalena, Santa Barbara, La Negreta, and the banks of the River El Pueblito.

El Cerrito functioned as a regional political and religious center of regional importance from 400 to 1500 CE. Its apogee occurred in the postclassical period, from 450 to 850 CE, during the Toltec cultural influence of the center.

Over time, El Cerrito became a sacred space or sanctuary. The buildings and altars around the pyramid are expressions of religious activities around the worship of a female deity, probably the old mother or mother of the gods.

During the Spaniard’s arrival, it was populated by Chichimecas, a sedentary and semi-nomadic culture, with the addition of Otomi and Purépecha.

Apogee

The most intense occupation period is associated with the Toltec culture in the early postclassical (900-1200 CE).

El Cerrito is one of the most important sites of the Toltec world, a Tollan or site where the power of the great lords and warriors region was legitimized. It is possible that through these rituals it maintained the Toltec cosmogony.

During that period, it went from being a local ceremonial center to a regional shrine.

Ceramic pieces found (vases, figurines, and malacates) provide evidence of trade networks with remote regions, as far as Tajumulco in Guatemala, the Huasteca Mexico, and Los Altos de Jalisco to the north.

Fall

Around 1,200 CE, the Toltec groups left the Valley with the consequential decline of ceremonial center functions. During the late postclassical various ethnic groups continued to live in the Valley, and used partially site for their ceremonies, essentially the pyramid.

El Cerrito would not regain the splendor reached with the Toltecs, but its recognition as a sacred space open to prehispanic deities continued well into the 17TH century.

According to Franciscan records (1632), Chichimeca, Otomi, and Purépecha natives continued to make offerings at the altar. The religious order, placed an image of Mary at the site, to transform the prehispanic cult held onsite for over 1000 years.

El Cerrito archaeological site, also known as the “El Pueblito pyramid”, is a magnificent example of the influence that the Toltec culture reached in the area.

El Cerrito Toltec monumental architecture integrated two architectural types of constructions, the sunken patios and palaces or rooms with columns.

Constructive stages

Per recent excavations, the pyramid has three different constructive stages:

1. First Stage. At the ceremonial center and pyramid, engraved stones were found, forming a vertical wall, with an 80 metros per side basement, it is dated in the epiclassical.
2. Second Stage. It is part of the ceremonial center, with limestone walls forming panels and slopes, probably with bas-relief sculptures and battlements, during the early postclassical.
3. Third Stage. It has large sloped walls made with basalt stone, covered with stucco, altar altar-type structures, embedded in walls, during the late postclassical and 16th centuries.

Structures

Used stone plates for construction, with decoration engravings on walls, altars, and sidewalks.

The motifs include representations of historical and mythical characters, war markers, calendar glyphs, symbols, and numerous attributes of terrestrial, aquatic, and astral of the Quetzalcoatl deity.

The material used includes bas-relief engraved slabs, for finishing they were painted with mineral pigments of colors blue, red, yellow, white, and black.

Large pyramid

It is a large elongated platform, partially destroyed and cut in the middle by the access road.

As part of the main structure, Chac Mool sculptures, atlantes, or column walls were found. The Platform is 130 meters long and 30 meters wide, the height is not known, from its deterioration.

Was built on a leveled platform 118 m per side. On this platform the pyramid was built, it is 30 meters high.

It consists of thirteen small bodies slope-staggered, for construction basalt stone and red sandstone were used, and the structure was stuccoed and painted in red and ochre colors. Each of its facades had large stairways delimited by “alfardas” (intermediate side walls).

Palace

Between the Sculpture Plaza and La Danza, as the palace was built, where small altars were found, with abundant offerings associated; clay braziers almost a meter in height. This Palace, in addition to dividing the site, provided privacy in the squares, necessary for ritual functions. The façade towards each of the squares was formed by a portico, this is a roofed area supported by wooden columns decorated with stone and stucco painted in red and blue crowning.

Quadrangular Plaza

It is enclosed by a stone wall that reaches up to six meters in height, the South side is 290 meters long and the west side is 225 meters long.

Plaza La Danza

Located northeast of the platform is built by a system of stone boxes, the west facade of the square is sloped and is covered with stuccoed basalt stones and red paint.

Sculptures Plaza

It is of the sunken patio type. Is located at the southeast corner of the pyramid basement, the best preserved, it is 72 meters long by 60 wide, altars were built at the ends eastern and western ends, with a sloped wall. At this place two offerings were found, consisting of skulls and smokers, it is referred to as the skulls altar or Tzompantli.

Sculptures

All El Cerrito and ceremonial center structures, contained sculpture fragments, indicating their importance and of the sculpted architectural elements, part of the construction and decoration of the site.

The sculptures have traces of having been painted in colors red, yellow, and blue, sometimes covered with stucco.

The facades and cornices of the building and the walls of the structures were decorated.

Battlements have been found in the form of snails and crossed arrows with floral motifs and chalchihuites drums, all forming friezes and frames.

Ceramic

Ceramics found include shapes and decoration of pots, boxes, and jugs. Most articles are for ceremonial rituals, such as smokers, braziers, ollas, Tlaloc, pipes vases, Mazapa figurines, and clay malacates.

The archaeological zone of El Cerrito is located 7 kilometers southwest of the historic center of the city of Querétaro, accessed by the constituent Boulevard (before the free road to Celaya), turning right at the Tejeda bridge, continuing along the street Hidalgo turning right is the front door.

Entrance

Monday is closed.
Open from Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 to 14:30.
Saturday and Sunday are from 9:00 to 16:30.

Recommendations

To visit the area you need light clothes preferably a shirt or long-sleeved shirt, a hat or cap and tennis or soft shoes, the weather is mild.

Services

The services that this area has are: 2 guides that give the visit, there are interpretive trails, internal signage, containers, parking for 20 vehicles, a rest area, an interpretation room, and sanitary service.

The town of Jalpan is the municipal seat, located 180 km from San Juan del Río on Federal Highway 120. This road then connects it to Xilitla in San Luis Potosí. It is also connected to Río Verde in SLP via interstate highway 69. Although officially classified as a city since 1904, the current population is only just under 9,000 people (2005). The main economic activities within the town proper are commerce, livestock production and agriculture.

The town is centered on its main square and one of the five Franciscan missions to be named a World Heritage Site in 2003. The main square or garden of the town is located in front of the mission church. It is filled with trees, which are often filled with noisy birds. It is an important gathering place, especially on Sundays when vendors sell snacks and toys for children. In the early morning, taxis to share with other riders gather at the main square, with their drivers shouting various locations. On weekends, there are artistic presentations. Across Independencia Street is the Museum of the Sierra Gorda. The building was originally known as the Jalpan Fort, constructed in the 16th century by Juan Ramos de Lora and is one of the oldest in Jalpan. The site served as a military fort for centuries and then as a regional jail for about fifty years. In 1991, it became the museum. It contains seven halls that relate the evolution of the Sierra Gorda region from the pre historic period to the early 20th century. The collection includes old maps of the area, pre Hispanic artifacts, fossils, displays about the Spanish conquest and evangelization, with emphasis on the five Franciscan missions and Junípero Serra, artifacts from the Mexican Revolution and a room dedicated to the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Gorda.

Another building that faces the main square is the former Melchor Ocampo School, which was the first in the municipality. Today, it is the home of the municipal cultural center, which hosts exhibitions, and a number of government offices. The municipal post office is located on a side of the mission church, on a building that was part of the mission complex. During the Reform War, this building held General Mariano Escobedo prisoner.

There is a crafts center called the Casa de las artesanías. It exhibits and sells various crafts from Jalpan and surrounding municipalities such as those made of palm fronds, ceramics, pine needles and wood. It also includes food items such as fruit preserves, guava candies, fruit liquors, honey and regionally produced coffee.

Near the town are the ruins of the former Hacienda del Rayo.

One dish of the area is cecina serrana, which is dried beef marinated in sour orange and salt. Another is a “zacahuilt,” which is an extremely large tamale made with corn, various chili peppers and pork or chicken. It is wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked all night in an oven. River shrimp called acamayas are another specialty and are prepared in various forms. Revoltillo are eggs cooked on a comal with a sauce made from “coyol” which is similar to tomatoes. Atole is flavored with sunflower seeds, small guavas or piloncillo.

There is a small community of Huastecos in Valle Verde, which has ties to a similar community of Mapatz, just over the border in San Luis Potosí. Most of the Querétaro Sierra Gorda’s population is Pame, concentrated in the municipality, especially in the community of Las Nuevas Flores, near Tancoyol, but also in San Juan de los Durán, El Pocito, Las Flores, San Antonio Tancolyol and El Rincón. The total number of Pame in Querétaro is small, at about 200 people, but it has been growing along with Pame communities in nearby San Luis Potosí. However, the Pames of Querétaro are more integrated with the general culture than their counterparts in San Luis Potosí. Only one Querétaro community maintains most of the old traditions, which is Las Nuevas Flores, with primary economic activities including agriculture, the raising of rabbits, goats and sheep and the production of crafts made from palm fronds. Many Pames have migrated out of the area into various parts of Mexico and some to the United States. Despite their small numbers, the group is considered to be important to the cultural identity of the municipality.

The municipality has been experiencing population loss since the middle of the 20th century, with many migrating out to the United States in search of better paying work. From 2000 to 2005, the population has gone from 22,839 to 22,025. Those who still remain in the municipal seat have moved from agriculture to industry or commerce. The only community which has had significant population growth, doubling over the last thirty years, mostly due to the main highway and work related to the Jalpan Dam.

The municipality has two of the five Franciscan missions accredited to Junípero Serra during his evangelization of the Sierra Gorda. These missions were declared a World Heritage Site in 2003. One is located in the town of Jalpan proper and the other is located in the community of Tancoyol. The mission in Jalpan was constructed between 1751 and 1758 and dedicated to Saint James the Greater, as defender of the faith. It was the first of five missions built to evangelize the area. The main portal is dominated by various forms of plants most local to the region. European elements include images of saints and the Franciscan coat of arms. Native elements include a double headed eagle with a snake as well as an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The facade is elaborately done in stucco and stone work, with ochre of the pilasters contrasting with the yellow of many of the decorative details. Much of the detail is vegetative, along with small angels and eagles. On the lowest level of the facade, there are figures of Saint Dominic and Francis of Assisi. There is also a small coat of arms with five wounds and the coat of arms of the Franciscan order. Inside the door, there are the images of Saints Peter and Paul. There is also a double-headed Mexican eagle devouring a serpent. On the upper left, there is an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the upper left, the Our Lady of the Pillar. These are the virgin images of Mexico and Spain respectively. This statue is said to have been taken by a general at the end of the 19th century. It was replaced by a more modern clock. Inside, the cupola of the Jalpan mission contains scenes of the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The Tancoyol mission is dedicated to Our Lady of Light. It is thought to have been built by Friar Juan Ramos de Lora, who resided in the community between 1760 and 1767. The facade is marked by a rhomboid window surrounded by a representation of the cord Franciscans use to tie their habits. The basic theme of the facade is mercy, represented by interventions by the Virgin Mary and various saints. The iconography of this portal is the most elaborate of the five missions. European elements include images of saints such as Peter and Paul and the Franciscan coat of arms. The image of Our Lady of Light has disappeared from the facade, leaving only curtain-like decoration supported by angels and images of Joachem and Saint Anne, along with Saints Peter and Paul. Saint Roch appears to counter plagues. There is also a representation of the stigmata of Francis of Assisi. The main cross at the top represents redemption with the crosses of Calatrava and Jerusalem on either side. Indigenous elements are found in the church’s interior, with an image of a jaguar and a person with Olmec features.

The feast of the Santo Niño de la Mezclita is the most important in the municipality. This is an image of a child Jesus named after the Mezclita community. The image was brought to the community in 1890 by Antonio Velazques from Guanajuato and to it many miracles have been attributed. When it was donated, it was received by Father Roman Herrera, who began the annual festival in the Ayutla community. However, disputes over custody of the image forced the local bishop to take the image and give it to Jalpan later on. The festival attracts between 20,000 and 25,000 people from the various communities of the Sierra Gorda. Other religious events include an annual Passion Play during Holy Week, Day of the Holy Cross on May 3, Feast of James the Greater on 25 July and Day of the Dead. For the last event, there is a monumental altar to the dead erected on a small plaza in the town of Jalpan.

There are several important secular events as well. The Feria Regional Serrana takes place each year in April and includes various artistic, cultural and sports events, including a fishing tournament. The Convivio de la Amistad takes place on May 1 on the banks of the Jalpan River in an area known as the Playita (Little Beach). The event is a very large potluck where families share food they brought. This usually begins after May 1 Labor Day events. Earth Day (Fiesta de la Tierra) takes place in June, sponsored by the Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda. This event is principally for children to promote the importance of conservation efforts.

Huapango is the dominant traditional musical form, with two variations: huapango arribeño and huapango huasteco (son huasteco). The first is in process of disappearing because of migration of many rural residents and the urbanization of others. Huapango huasteco remains popular, especially in recent years with the emergence of youth trios dedicated to the music. It is most often played during traditional events such as religious feasts, Independence Day and the Christmas holidays.

Many have become dependent on remittances sent from the United States from relatives. Many who work in the US return at the end of the year for the Christmas holidays. These people are called “norteños” (northerners) and are celebrated on 28 December called “El Día del Paisano” (Day of the Countryman). The festival has a number of events including the coronation of the Paisano queen, a mass, a pickup truck parade decorated with symbols of the US and the Sierra Gorda area and a charreada event called El Jalpense. At night there is a dance with live music. The event attracts about 5,000 people per year and covered by television. Originally, the event was purely for Jalpan, but it has grown to include participants from surrounding municipalities. In 2010, over one hundred pick up trucks participated in the annual parade for Día del Paisano. Their owners raffled off 1,850 US dollars in cash. During the parade, the visiting “paisanos” show off their pickup trucks bought in the U.S. competing for the best and most luxurious.

The most important natural resource of the area is the forests, with commercial species such as pines and oaks. About 15,441 hectares of the total municipal territory of 329,020 is used for agriculture and 9,872 are used for forestry. Just under 29% of the working population is dedicated to agriculture, livestock and forestry. Only 650 hectares of agricultural fields are irrigated, with the rest worked only during the rainy season. The Tancoyol area has the most important agricultural production with beans, corn, chickpeas, cardamom, tomatoes, chili peppers and watermelon. Livestock production is most important near the municipal seat, with cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and horses, along with domestic fowl. Another product form Rincon de Tancoyol is honey which considered some of the best produced in Mexico. It is commercialized under the name of “Miel Xi’Oi Teneek” and much is exported to Europe. Coffee is grown on certain mountainsides in the municipality and has a distinctive aroma.

About 17% to industry, mining and construction. Industry is mostly limited to handcrafts and food products in small family owned workshops. Ceramics are primarily produced in Soledad de Guadalupe by a cooperative of women. Their products include cups, plates, vases, glasses for tequila, jars for salsa, sugar and more. The pieces are molded by hand, fired than painted by hand as well. ( In Las Nuevas Flores, various Pame families make various crafts with palm frongs such as fruit baskets, flower vases, fans and more. These products are sold in outlets in Tancoyol and Jalpan as well as in the Museum of the Sierra Gorda. Leather items are mostly produced by the El Gavilán workshop in el Rincón de Tancoyol decorated with silver thread, stamped by other means. Articles include knife sheaths, carriers for cell phones, key chains, wallets, belts and more. The El Exilio Ranch is in the Acatitlan del Río community and makes a liquor and a sweet pate called ate from guava fruit. The fruit is grown locally and the products are made by the family that owns the ranch. A number of families in Tilaco produce coffee liquor and traditional pastries and cakes. A large percentage of women are officially classified as homemakers.

Commerce is the growing sector of the economy, with 193 registered businesses, five tianguis and two public markets. About 43% are employed in commerce and services, including tourism. Tourism has become the most important economic alternative for the municipality. The municipality received around 70,000 visitors in 2009, making it an important tourist attraction for the state. The number of visitors is expected to have increased for 2010 and continue to increase for 2011 for the Sierra Gorda given the interest in ecotourism. While the municipality attracts visitors from all age groups, the focus is on younger visitors, as these are more likely to be interested in ecotourism. The main ecotourist attractions include waterfalls, rivers and the Jalpan Dam. Most visitors come from Mexico City and the state of Querétaro. Jalpan de Serra became a Pueblo Mágico in 2010 for its “traditions, warmth, humility, historical valued and human quality.” The Secretary of Tourism for Mexico, Gloria Guevara Manzo, indicated that the municipality has great potential not only for its natural attractions, but for its cultural ones as well. The naming means that the community is eligible for federal assistance to improve the town’s infrastructure, especially the burying of electric and other cables.

The Tancama archeological zone is located in the community of the same name, thirteen km from Jalpan. It is a site belonging to the Huasteca culture and dates from between 200 and 900 CE.

The community of Acatitlán del Río is six km from Jalpan de Serra and contains the “La Casita Ecológica” (The Little Ecological House). This is a cabin next to an arroyo among gardens and mango orchards. The area is best for observing butterflies, hiking and mountain biking. The cabin accommodates up to four people.

Valle Verde’s environment is one of the best conserved parts of the municipality. The main crafts producer in the community is the Soledad de Guadalupe ceramics cooperative. There is also the ecological water park called the Ojo de Agua de San Juan de los Durán and the Cueva del Agua. These areas have cabins, camping, ecological education, bicycles and horses for rent and a pool filled with water from a local spring.

The large numbers of people who send money to the area and bring money with them during the Christmas holidays has “dollarized” the local economy. This currency is accepted in a number of businesses. It is estimated that about 18.2 million dollars each year comes into the area from the U.S.

The name comes from Nahuatl and means “place over sand.” In 1976, the appendix “de Serra” was added to honor missionary Junípero Serra. The coat of arms for the city contains symbols of its history from its founding as a Franciscan mission in 1744 by Captain José de Escandón. There are four elements: “idolatry” represented by the goddess Cachúm in stone, the conquest and evangelism represented by a sword and crossed arms, the mixing of the two races represented by a double headed eagle eating a snake and the fourth represents the Jalpan and Tancoyol missions.

The first settlements in the area were founded between 1700 and 1000 C in the small valleys of the Sierra Gorda by people linked to Olmec areas. Afterwards, groups from the Teotihuacan, Toltec, Huasteca and Totonac cultures would settle in various parts as well. Jalpan is in the center of the Sierra Gorda, a region situated between the sedentary agricultural and mining cultures and the hunter-gatherer cultures to the north. The strongest cultural influences in the area during the Pre Classic period were Olmec, Teotihuacan and Huasteca, with major settlements to the south of the Jalpan area. Huasteca influence since that time has been strongest in the very north of Querétaro, where Jalpan is, although relatively few of the ethnicity have lived in the area. This is because of trade routes, especially along the Pánuco and Moctezuma Rivers. In the 1st millennium, Nahua tribes invaded the area, with artifacts such as “El adolecente Jalpanse” dated to between 600 and 1000 CE. However, many of these artifacts still show significant Huasteca influence.

By the late Post classic, the climate had dried to the point that much agriculture was no longer possible and many migrated out of the region. At the beginning of the 13th century, groups from the north, mostly Chichimecas: Pames, Jonaz and Ximpeces moved in en masse into the Sierra Gorda area, practicing hunting and gathering to sustain themselves. The Pames and Ximpeces also adapted gradually to village life and lived peacefully with neighboring cultures. Others, such as the Jonaz, never modified their warrior and hunter culture. They used the canyons and rough terrain of the area to launch attacks against more sedentary peoples nearby.

Around 1400, the Purépecha made incursions into the Sierra Gorda area after dominating the south of Querétaro somewhat, but never took control of the north. Tribes from the Sierra Gorda and north pushed the Purépecha south and west into the south of Guanajuato and to the Lerma River area. The Aztecs had better luck, nominally turning the Jalpan area into a tributary state under Moctezuma Ilhuicamina .

In 1527, Nuño de Guzmán conquered the Oxtipa dominion, to which Jalpan belonged. However, the Spanish did not take possession, due to the fierce opposition encountered, especially from the Chichimeca Jonaz. From then to the mid-18th century, there were various attempts to evangelize the Sierra Gorda area, including Jalpan by the Augustinians and Franciscans, but with little to no success. At the same time, there were military excursions, including the establishments of forts at Jalpan and in other places.

Pressure on the colonial government to take control of the area intensified as the need for secure links to Zacatecas and other mining areas as well as a buffer zone against the new French colony of Louisiana . José de Escandón was sent to pacify the area in 1740, which culminated in the defeat of the Jonaz at the Battle of Media Luna in 1749. This military action allowed for the permanent establishment of mission in the heart of the Sierra Gorda. In 1744, friar Pedro Pérez de Mezquía founded the Jalpan mission. It would be the first of five major missions of the area. The mission’s founding was bolstered by the locating of 54 indigenous families to the area from the city of Querétaro. In 1750, Junípero Serra arrived to the Jalpan mission and worked with Francisco Palou to convert and teach new economic strategies to the indigenous peoples. Serra would be credited with the successful evangelization of the Sierra Gorda.

The mission is Mexican Baroque with significant indigenous influence. It was constructed over a span of seven years and functioned as a hospital, dining hall and training center as well as a mission. The mission allowed the early development of economic activities such as agriculture, livestock and mining to groups other than the Pames, especially in a location called El Saucillo. The conquest of the Sierra Gorda would be the start of the domination of what is now the north of Mexico and into what is now the southwest United States, as the colonial government saw the importance of the region for economic development as well as a military buffer zone against the French and English.

During the Mexican War of Independence, an insurgent group under Captain Elosúa formed, which was defeated by the royalist army in 1819, burning houses and storage facilities in the town, leaving it in ruins.

In 1880, the first highway leading to the area was built connecting Jalpan to the state capital. This spurred economic development. In 1904, the governor of Querétaro, Francisco González de Cosío officially named Jalpan a city as it has telephone, telegraph and some electrical services as well as a sugar cane mill.

In 1910, a group called Club Aquiles Serdán was formed under Policarpo Olvera. Others, such as Coronel De la Peña, Conrado Hernandez and Malo Juvera fought against the Victoriano Huerta regime in 1913. There were also various military actions headed by Lucio Olvera between 1914 and 1924.

In the early 1930s, there was a political struggle between Rómulo Vega from Jalpan and General Porfirio Rubio de Agua Zarca for dominance in the region.

Between 1962 and 1970, a paved highway connecting Jalpan and the city of Querétaro was built. In addition a number of secondary roads, bridges, more electrical infrastructure and water services were constructed.

Between 1980 and 1985, the Jalpan mission, along with the four others underwent restoration. This work and more would eventually lead to the mission churches being declared a World Heritage Site in 2003, at a ceremony at the mission in Jalpan by local, state and UNESCO officials.

In 2003, the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro inaugurated the Jalpan Campus. The Universidad Tecnológica de San Juan del Río opened a campus the same year.The city gained a second tier professional soccer team in 2004.

Since the mid-20th century, the municipality has been losing population due to lack of economic opportunities. So many have left the Sierra Gorda to work in the U.S. that schools have closed for the lack of students. This loss of students has been most noticeable at the primary school level.

The municipality has rolling hills, mountain ranges and flatlands. Most of the rolling hills cross the territory from south to north, paralleling the Querétaro-San Luis Potosí highway. Most plains are located in the north, and are of sedimentary soil with some protrusions of volcanic rock. Altitude varies from 1,900 to 2,460 meters above sea level with the highest elevations at mountains called El Buey, Pie de Gallo, El Patol, El Nabo, and El Paisano.

The city proper is on a plain at 1,900 meters. There is only one river, the Querétaro River, which carved the La Cañada.

There are numerous streams, many of them seasonal, and fresh water springs near the mountain areas.

The climate is temperate and semi-dry in which the summers can be hot, with high up to 36C in May and June. Freezing temperatures are possible in the winter. Most of the precipitation falls from June to August.

In most areas, various species of cacti can be seen such as the organ pipe and nopals, as well as the yucca. Trees adapted to dry climates include mesquite, willows and cypress, near streams and rivers.

Animal life mostly consists of small mammals, deer, predatory birds and reptiles. In some areas, monarch butterflies can be seen as well.

The Otomi, the Tarasco, the Chichimeca and the Spanish lived together peacefully in the town with similar standards of living, a rare occurrence at a time when the Indigenous and Hispanic were usually separated by a large income gap and at odds with one another in other parts of the nation. This peace and similarity of social integration is largely attributed to the fact that the local Indigenous ethnicities and Spanish reached peace early after contact and both functioned concurrently with the Indigenous retaining their own economic and social systems while the Criollos operated in a separate but integrated society within the city.

In the Otomi language, it is referred to as “Maxei” or “Ndamaxei”, which means ball game and the grand ball game respectively. In the Purépecha language it is referred to as “Créttaro”, meaning place of crags, referring to the rocky hills of La Cañada. In the Mendocino Codex the town is called Tlaschco or Tlaxco, from the Nahuatl for ball game.

However, Querétaro most likely comes from k’eri ireta rho, meaning “place of the great people”, especially since during Aztec times about 15,000 people lived here. Querétaro has an Aztec glyph to represent it as it was a tributary province.

In 1655, it received a coat of arms from the Spanish Crown. The word Querétaro was voted by 33,000 participants as “the most beautiful word in the Spanish language”, before being approved by the Instituto Cervantes.

In Pre-Columbian terminology, Querétaro literally means “the island of the blue salamanders.”

Nevertheless, other scholars suggest that it can mean “place of the reptiles” or “place of the giant rocks.” In addition, Gael García Bernal was one of the major promoters and figures of the festivals planned to celebrate Querétaro’s award.

Pre-Foundation

The area was settled around A.D. 200 by Mesoamerican groups moving north, and archeological sites here show Teotihuacan influences. From the Classic Period, there were two population centers in this area called Toluquilla and Ranas. The mountain now known as El Cerrito was a ceremonial center, but was later abandoned for unknown reasons. In the later pre-Hispanic period, the area was populated by the Otomi, who had become sedentary urban dwellers with sophisticated politics by the time of the Aztec Empire, who referred to them as the Tlacetilli Otomi or “Otomi Nation/State” . This area was under control of the Otomi dominion of Xilotepeque in the 1440s, which in turn was subject to the Aztec Empire of Mexihco-Tenochtitlan. Under the reign of Ahuizotl in the late 15th century, the Aztecs administered the area directly, considering it a bulwark against the Chichimeca lands to the north. The Otomi were the most populous ethnicity in Xilotepec although there were other groups, primarily Chichimeca as well. These two groups are still found here today. During the pre-Hispanic and colonial times, the Otomi were organized into familial clan like groups with defined territories, living in stone, wood or adobe dwellings. They were sedentary farmers, who fought, but unlike the Aztecs, did not make warfare a large part of their culture.

Foundation

The foundation of the Spanish city of Santiago de Querétaro is pegged to 25 July 1531 when Spaniard Hernán Pérez Bocanegra y Córdoba arrived with the allied Otomi leader Conín (later named Fernando de Tapia) who was the administrative head of the Otomi peoples living in Aztec controlled territory. On this date, the Spanish and their Nahuan allies were battling the local insurgent Otomi and Chichimecas at a hill now known as Sangremal and which was called Ynlotepeque and considered sacred in pre-Hispanic times. Chronicles of this event, such as that written by Friar Isidro Félix de Espinoza, state that the Chichimeca were at the point of winning when a total eclipse of the sun occurred. This supposedly scared the Chichimeca and the Spanish claimed to have seen an image of Saint James (the patron saint of Spain) riding a white horse carrying a rose-colored cross. This event caused the Chichimeca to surrender. This event is why the city is called Santiago (Saint James) de Querétaro, with James as patron saint. A stone cross imitating the one the Spanish supposedly saw was erected on the hill, which later was accompanied by a church and monastery. Spanish dominion, however, grew gradually, and was definitively not won through just a single battle. In the 1520s, the Otomis and many Chichimecas of what is now southern Querétaro and northern Mexico State allied with Hernán Cortés under the control of the lord of Xilotepeque, who still maintained a certain amount of control of the old dominion. The first Spanish arrived between 1526 and 1529, headed by Hernán Pérez de Bocanegra. Bocanegra at first tried non-violent means of subduing the area and founding a Spanish city. However, the initial attempts to establish the city of Querétaro were repelled by the locals, forcing Bocanegra south and establishing the cities of Huimilpan and Acámbaro. Bocanegra continued negotiating with the lord of Xilotepeque, Conín. The lord’s cooperation was gained, for which he was eventually credited for bringing an end to the Spanish-Chichime/Otomi conflict and was made the Spanish governor of the area. However, most of Querétaro’s early colonial history was marked by skirmishes between the remaining Chichimeca insurgency and the Spanish authorities, with one of the first being over the establishment of encomiendas. Conín separated the indigenous and Spanish residents of the new city, with the indigenous on and around Sangremal hill and the Spanish around where the current historic center is. The Spanish part of the city was laid out by D. Juan Sanchez de Alaniz, and the indigenous section was laid out in the traditional Otomi manner. The first city council convened in 1535, and the settlement was named a Pueblo de Indios (Indian Village) in 1537, ending the encomiendas. During this time, the Franciscans arrived for missionary work, who were later joined by the Jesuits, the Augustinians and other who built monasteries such as the Monastery of San Francisco, Lima and the Monastery of Santa Cruz.

Peak of colonial era

The settlement was declared a town in 1606 and by 1655, only Spaniards were living in the city proper. In 1656, it was decreed as the “Muy Noble y Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Querétaro” (Very Noble and Loyal City of Santiago de Querétaro). This honor was solicited by Viceroy Luís de Velasco, in recognition of Querétaro’s growth, agricultural production, industry and educational institutions. By the 18th century, it was informally known as the “Pearl of the Bajío” and “The Third City of the Viceroyalty”. By the 17th century, the Franciscans had been joined by the Dieguinos, who built the monastery of San Antonio, the Jesuits, who built the Colleges of San Ignacio and San Francisco Javier as well as the Dominicans, the Carmelites and the Royal Convent of Santa Clara de Asís, which was one of the largest and most opulent in New Spain. Querétaro was also the site for the training of many of missionaries that went north as far as Texas and California. Most of these were educated at the Colegio de Propagación de la Fe (College for the Propagation of the Faith), which was established at the monastery of Santa Cruz in 1683. Some of its graduates even went as far as South America. Few of the buildings from the 16th century have remained intact, due to the violence during the city’s initial development, which reached its peak in the 17th century. As a result, most of the city’s oldest structures are of Baroque style.

Independence and capital status

Querétaro is considered to be one of the “cradles” of Mexican Independence and much of the credit is given to Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. She was the wife of the city’s mayor, called a corregidor, at the beginning of the 19th century. She used her prominent position to gather intelligence for the nascent insurgency. Literary circles called tertulias were a popular pastime for the upper Creole classes, as they also served as a relatively safe place to discuss politics. One such occurred regularly at the house of José María Sánchez, with the name of the Asociación de Apatistas, which became a group dedicated to independence and winning supporters to the cause. Members included licenciados Lorenzo de la Parra, Juan Nepomuceno Mier y Altamirano, Manuel Ramírez de Arellano y Mario Lazo de la Vega José María Sánchez, Fray José Lozano, Antonio Tellez, don Emeterio y Epigmenio González, José Ignacio de Villaseñor Cervantes y Aldama, Dr. Manuel Marciano Iturriaga, Pedro Antonio de Septién Montero y Austri, Luis Mendoza, Juan José García Rebollo, Francisco Lojero, Ignacio Gutiérrez, Mariano Hidalgo, Mariano Lozada, José María Buenrostro, Manuel Delgado, Francisco Araujo, Felipe Coria, Francisco Lanzagorta, Ignacio Villaseñor and José María Sotelo. The group was visited on occasion by Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, Miguel Domínguez and Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. This associación was important for the early organisation of those seeking independence for Mexico. However the most famous of the tertulias was hosted by Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez herself at what is now the Palace of the Corregidora. Originally, they were open to both creoles and Spanish-born but after an altercation between Ignacio Allende and the Spaniard Crisóstomo López y Valdez, only creoles attended. The tertulias of Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez culminated in the Conspiracy of 1810, which was discovered before they had planned to act.

On 13 September 1810, Epigmenio Gonzalez was arrested for having stockpiled weapons for an insurgency and the next day Mayor Miguel Domínguez and his wife Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez were arrested for their roles in the Conspiracy of 1810. With the conspiracy discovered, she still managed to get a warning to Miguel Hidalgo. He eluded capture and rushed to Dolores, where he gave his famous grito (the cry for independence). For her actions, La Corregidora was imprisoned several times between 1810 and 1817. She died impoverished and forgotten, but was later remembered when she became the first woman to appear on a Mexican coin. Once the armed battle began, the city was taken by the royalist army and was the last major city to be taken by the insurgents.

After the end of the war, the Santiago de Querétaro became the capital of the state of Querétaro in 1823, with the first state congress convening at the Auditorium of the Instituto de Bellas Artes de la Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro in the city. The state’s first constitution was promulgated in the city in 1825, with the city as head of one of the state’s six districts. From 1869 to 1879, the districts were subdivided into municipalities, which the city of Querétaro as seat of both the municipality of Querétaro and the district of Querétaro. In the 20th century, the original municipality of Querétaro divided into three: Querétaro, El Marqués and Corregidora. The district system as a political entity was abolished after the Mexican Revolution, with the municipality as the base of local government. The first municipal president was Alfonso Camacho who took office in 1917. In 1847, it was declared the capital of Mexico when U.S. forces invaded the country. One year later, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in this city, ceding almost half of Mexico’s territory and ending the war. In 1854, another treaty signed here led to the Gadsden Purchase. In 1867, Maximilian I of Mexico was defeated at the Battle of the Cerro de las Campanas, where the liberals took him prisoner along with Generals Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía. In May 1867, the emperor was sentenced to death along with Mejía and Miramón in the Cerro de las Campanas. No major battles were fought here during the Mexican Revolution but various of the factions passed through here given the state’s location between the northern states and Mexico City.

20th century

In 1916, the city was again named the capital of the country due to the Tampico Affair. In 1917, the Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (Political Constitution of the United Mexican States) is promulgated by the Constitutional Congress and president Venustiano Carranza. This constitution still remains the law of the land.

The most prominent feature of the city is its enormous aqueduct, consisting of seventy four arches, each twenty meters wide with a total extension of 1,280 meters and an average height of twenty three meters. It was built by the Marquis Juan Antonio de Urrutia y Arana between 1726 and 1738 at the request of the nuns of the Santa Clara Convent to bring water to the residents of the city from La Cañada. Most of the rest of Querétaro’s notable sites are located in the historic center, which is pedestrian-friendly and filled with colonial architecture. The local government maintains this area well, with cleaning crews to keep the streets clean and regulating vendors so that they do not block streets and sidewalks. In the evening, the area fills with people strolling the plazas and walkways and frequenting the area’s restaurants, cafes and food stands. One way to see this part of town is the Noche de Leyendas (Night of Legends), which is a hybrid between interactive theater and a recounting of history. A group of actors guide visitors through the streets of the city narrating stories about what has happened in these places. This event begins at the main plaza, the Plaza de Armas in the center of the city with a reenactment of the legend of Carambada. Then the show wanders the street all the while telling tales related to bandits, loves and myths. These tales demand audience participation providing lines and provoking debate.

In the center of downtown is the Church of San Francisco, finished at the beginning of the 18th century and from then on the most important in town, serving as the cathedral until the 20th century. It and the attached cloister is all that is left of a large complex that included several chapels and an orchard that extended for blocks to the east and south. On the facade, there is a depicting of Saint James fighting the Moors, cutting the head off of one. The main altar is Neoclassic, and replaced what reputedly was a masterpiece of Baroque design. This has happened frequently in the city; those Baroque altars not plundered over the course of Mexican history were replaced by newer designs. Older Baroque side altarpieces are still here, and are covered in gold leaf. Other notable pieces here include a large Baroque music stand and the seating of the choir section both done by architect Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras of Celaya in the 18th century. There are also sculptures done by Mariano Montenegro and Mariano Arce. The church’s cloister is now the Museo Regional (Regional Museum). Built between 1660 and 1698,(elcima) the monastery it houses was the first in the city, built by Franciscans to evangelize the native populations here. The architecture is representative of Franciscan style, with simple lines and decoration. The museum exhibits artifacts from the pre-Hispanic, colonial and post-Independence eras of this region’s history. The Plaza de la Constitución and Jardin Zenea plaza (named after liberal governor Benito Zenea) were part of the atrium of the church and monastery. This area is crowded every night and all day on Sunday, when the municipal band plays dance music from the 1940s to the 1960s.

The Plaza de Independencia or Plaza de Armas is the oldest part of the city, and is filled with Indian laurel trees, surrounded by outdoor restaurants and colonial mansions. Streets here are made of cobblestone and have names such as La Calle de Bimbo and the Callejón del Ciego. In the middle of this plaza is a fountain that honors Juan Antonio de Urrutia y Arana, who built that large aqueduct to bring water to the city. Around the plaza is the Galeria Libertad (Libertad Gallery) and the Casa de Ecala (Ecala House), which is a baronial mansion from the 18th century with large balconies and wrought ironwork. However, the best-known structure on this plaza is the Palacio de la Corregiadora.

The Palacio de la Corregidora was originally called the Casas Reales y Cárceles (Royal Houses and Jails). Today it houses the government of the state of Querétaro. Its name comes from its most famous occupant, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, who was the wife of the mayor or corregidor of the city. Ortiz de Domínguez is a heroine of the Mexican War of Independence and the Conspiracy of 1810 that led to the start of the War which occurred here. Her final resting place is the Mausoleum of the Corregidora.

The Church and ex-monastery of San Felipe Neri was built between 1786 and 1805. It was opened and blessed by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, who also officiated the first Mass. In 1921, this church was declared the Cathedral of Querétaro by Pope Benedict XV. The church is constructed of tezontle and has altarpieces of cantera stone. The facade shows the transition between Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, and is considered to be the last Baroque facade in the city. Inside the nave is sober, austere and completely Neoclassical. The old monastery complex now houses the Ministry of Urban Development and Public Works. It is more commonly referred to as the Palace of Conín. The Church and ex-convent of Santa Rosa de Viterbo is attributed to Alarife Ignacio Maraiano de las Casas and financed by José Velasquez de Lorea, finished in 1752. The church has twin entrances, which was common with convent churches. The two arches are decorated with mocking faces put there by Casas to those who did not think he could manage the building of the institution. The outside is flanked by scroll-shaped flying buttresses, which only serve as decoration and are unique to Querétaro. The tower has a unique shape and is topped with a pyramid-shaped crest. There is an inner doorway decorated in Churrigueresque style and an image of Saint Rose. Inside, the most outstanding feature is the pulpit inlaid with ivory, nacre, turtle shell and silver, and its altarpieces are gold covered in Querétaro Baroque style. The entrance to the sacristy contains paintings of José Velazquez de Lore and Sor Ana María de San Francisco y Neve. The convent complex was later amplified by Juan Caballero y Osio. The nuns began to dedicate themselves to primary education and by 1727 it became the Royal College of Santa Rosa. The convent was closed in 1861 due to the Reform Laws and was subsequently used as a hospital for about 100 years. Today the convent portion is home to the Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Artes Graficas Mexico-Italiano. The church and monastery of La Santa Cruz is located on Sangremal Hill, where the appearance of Saint James is said to have occurred at the founding of the city and the cross commemorating the event is kept. Both the church and the monastery are Franciscan, and in one of the few monasteries to be in operation in Mexico. This was also the site of the Colegio de la Propagación de la Fe, the first missionary school established in the Americas. From here, missionaries such as Junípero Serra set out on foot, as required by the Order, to establish missions as far away as Texas and California. During the early War of Independence, Miguel Domínguez, Querétaro’s mayor and part of the 1810 Conspiracy was imprisoned here. The church has been completely restored and its main attraction is the pink stone cross that was placed on this hill in the 16th century. Its altarpieces are also of pink stone and are a mix of Baroque and Neoclassical. Tours are available here and feature how the aqueduct brought water here to cisterns, from which the residents of the city would fill their buckets. There is also a thorn tree said to have grown from the walking stick of Friar Antonio Margil de Jesús, and is considered miraculous as the thorns grow in the shape of a cross.

The Museo de Arte (Museum of Art) is located in the former monastery of San Agustin. The building is considered one of the major Baroque works of art in Mexico, built in the 18th century and is attributed to Ignacio Mariano de la Casa It has a facade of cantera stone in which an image of a crucified Christ is surrounded by grapevines. The niches around the main portal contain images of Saint Joseph, Our Lady of Sorrows, Saint Monica and others. Its cupola contains life-sized images of angels, but its bell tower was never finished. The monastery was occupied by Augustine friars starting in 1743 and is considered to be one of the finest Baroque monasteries in the Americas. Its fame as such comes from the decoration of the arches and columns that surround the inner courtyard. On the ground floor, there are faces with fierce expressions, while those on the upper floor have more serene expressions. Surrounding both sets of faces are chains linking the images. The museum contains one of the most important collections of colonial-era art and is organized by painting style. Some European works are here but the focus is on the painters of New Spain, including some of the most famous. The museum also sponsors temporary exhibits, theatrical works, as well as literary, photography and musical events.

The Museo de la Ciudad (City Museum) is located in the former Royal Convent of Santa Clara. In the 18th century, sisters of the Capuchin order moved from Mexico City to Querétaro to occupy this complex, which was built by the city for them. This was done to show the city’s economic strength as well as secure its social position in New Spain. After the Reform Laws, this building had a number of uses, as a prison with Maximilian I as its most famous prisoner, a military barracks and offices. Today it is home to a cultural center. In 1997, the Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City), which belongs to the Instituto Queretano de la Cultura y las Artes (Querétaro Institute of Culture and the Arts) was moved to this building, and is mostly dedicated to contemporary art. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum sponsors temporary exhibitions of drawings, photographs, sculptures, etc. as well as recitals in dance, music and other arts. The museum has exchange programs with Sweden and has established the Children’s Library of the Museum of the City. Its goal is to interest children in the arts through books, workshops and other activities. The Church of Santa Clara maintains its religious function. Inside are six Baroque altarpieces and a choir loft, all of which are covered in gold leaf. On the altarpieces sculptures and paintings of saints appear, as well as the faces of angels among the thickly textured ornamentation covering the altarpieces. The Teatro de la Republica (Theatre of the Republic) was built between 1845 and 1852 an originally called Teatro Iturbide. In 1867, the court martial of Maximiliano I and his generals, Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía sentenced the three to death. The Constitution of 1917 was promulgated here. In 1922, the governor of Querétaro state changed the name to its current one in honor of the 1917 event. The theatre is primarily used for acts and ceremonies on the state, national and international levels, such as the swearing in of the state’s governor.(elclma) The city still contains a number of mansions from the colonial era, most of which have been converted into a number of uses. One of these is the La Casa de la Zacatecana (The Zacatecana House) on Independencia 51, which has been restored as a museum to show what many of these mansions were like. Associated with this house as well as others are stories about love, murder and retribution. Another of these houses is the La Casa de la Marquesa (Marquesa House), which was an opulent residence that now serves as a hotel. The courtyard is in the Mudéjar or Spanish Moorish style, with Moorish arches and pattered walls. This area serves as the hotel’s lobby.

Nature reserves in the municipality include the Peña Colorado, Tángano, Parque Ecologicao Joya-La Barreta and the El Cimatario National Park.

Near the city is the Sierra Gorda de Querétaro, part of the Sierra Madre Oriental, was declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. This protected area is very rugged terrain, filled with canyons, steep mountains, waterfalls and deep abysses with a total expansion of 24,803 hectares. The area contains 360 species of birds, 130 species of mammals, 71 of reptiles and twenty-three of amphibians. It also contains about thirty percent of the country’s butterfly species including the endangered Humboldt, the Jaguar the Oso Negro and the Guacamaya. Plant species include 1,710 different species including endangered species and is considered to be one of the best-preserved forested areas in Mexico.

The Missionary Route of Friar Junípero Serra passes through here as caves such as the Sótano del Barro are located here. The territory contains deposits of gold, silver, manganese, tin, mercury, lead, zinc, opal, quartz, cantera stone (for building) among other minerals.

The Festival of Santiago de Querétaro is an annual arts and cultural event that takes place in the city for eight days during Holy Week. It is sponsored by the city of Querétaro along with CONACULTA and the Secretary of Tourism for the state of Querétaro. Each year the event has a theme, which was being “Arte in Todos los Sentidos” (Art in All Senses) in 2009.The events are held in various locations, such as City Museum, the Guerrero Garden, the Zenea Garden and the Rosalio Solano Theatre as well as the various plazas around the city center. The festival is held during Holy Week holiday to attract Mexican and international visitors to the city. The event starts with an inaugural parade through the streets of the historic center, starting from Corregidora Street to Constituyentes, Angela Peralta, Juárez, Madera nd Guerrero streets. The parade ends at the site where public officials open the event. Over the eight days, both Mexican and international artists perform and exhibit their work. Events include music, painting, dance, photography, literature, special workshops and a children’s pavilion. One final day, there is a culinary event were visitors can sample regional cuisine from restaurants of the city. The 2009 event has 110 events and with an expected attendance of about 3,150,000 people in total, far exceeding the 260,000 who attended in 2008. The 2009 event had concerts featuring traditional Mexican music, rock and jazz. Some of the international artists came from Italy, Argentina, and Brazil. Featured Mexican artists included Pindekuechua, a traditional music group from Morelia, Grupo Esparza from Guanajuato and Jazzcorps from Toluca.

The municipality of Querétaro is divided into seven boroughs, called delegaciones:

• Centro Histórico: it includes downtown and nearby areas, it is surrounded by the city’s main thoroughfares (Blvd. Bernardo Quintana, 5 de Febrero Ave. and the Mexico City–Querétaro Highway). Most of the city’s monuments are located here, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site designated areas, and the Cerro de las Campanas where Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg was executed. The northwestern corner is home to industrial establishments, mainly food related (Gerber, Nestlé, Pilgrim’s Pride). (pop. 230,000; area 18 km²)
• Santa Rosa Jáuregui: it consists mainly of rural areas, where the production of eggs, poultry and livestock are important. However, the borough includes larger towns such as Santa Rosa Jáuregui and Juriquilla. It is home to the largest water reservoir in the municipality, the Presa de Santa Catarina. A relatively new state of the art industrial park has been built here (Samsung). (pop. 76,000)
• Felix Osores Sotomayor: most of the recent growth in the city has taken place here, the population growth rate estimated at 6%. The largest industrial area of Querétaro is located here, where lots of multinational companies have operations (Michelin, Philips). The beautiful neighborhood of Jurica is comprised in this borough. (pop. 145,000; area 40 km²)
• Epigmenio González: a mostly residential zone on hilly terrain. The former airport will become the third campus of the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro. (pop. 125,000; area 68 km²)
• Josefa Vergara y Hernández: on the slopes of the Cerro del Cimatario, its easternmost area is known as Centro Sur, where the Stadium, Bus Station and City Hall are located. (pop. 200,000; area 33 km²)
• Felipe Carrillo Puerto: the western part consists mainly of rural areas, where the town of Tlacote is located, famous for its allegedly miraculous water springs. The eastern area is urban and integrated with the rest of the city, with industrial zones (Kellogg’s) and military facilities
• Cayetano Rubio: residential area, it includes the town of Hercules, a village-like area, nestled between steep slopes along the riverway of the Río Querétaro

The mayor of each borough, called delegado, is appointed by the mayor of the city, although there have been attempts to make these posts popularly elected.

Querétaro is the crossroads of Mexico. Federal Highway 57, which runs from Mexico City to Piedras Negras, Coahuila|Piedras Negras, crosses Querétaro. Federal Highway 45 leaves Querétaro westbound, towards Guanajuato. The part of Federal Highway 57 that crosses the city is called Blvd. Bernardo Quintana, and this is the main road of the city, stretching from its southernmost part near City Hall, to the new industrial areas northwest of downtown. Federal Highway 45 crosses the city, south of downtown. Cinco de Febrero Ave joins them in a north-south route. The three of them form a sort of ring road around downtown. The railway line that connects Mexico City with western Mexico bisects the city. The Libramiento Sur-Poniente is a new ring road under construction, though parts of it already exist. When completed, it will join Bernardo Quintana on its southeastern part, go around the city in its southwestern and western parts, and reach the northern suburb of Santa Rosa Jauregui. Currently, there is work in progress that aims to extend Bernardo Quintana on its northwestern end to this ring road. Another freeway, named after missionary Junípero Serra who founded the Missions of the Sierra Gorda, this road creates another ring road. It goes from northeast Querétaro around the old airport, reaches the northern suburb of Juriquilla and goes southwards down to the Libramiento Sur-Poniente. Querétaro’s public transportation consists of private owned bus companies that pick up and drop off over a specific route. These cover 123 authorized routes all neighborhoods of the city. There are also conventional taxis. The Querétaro International Airport began operations in 2004, replacing the old Ing. Fernando Espinoza Gutiérrez International Airport in the city. The airport handles passengers and freight of both transport and private airplanes. Plans to convert the old airport into an international one began in 1999, after studies indicated the need for such. Construction of infrastructure began in 2002. The old Fernando Espinoza Gutierrez Airport had been in operation since 1955, and was expanded in 1986. The city also has a large inter-city bus terminal.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

The city was founded on the Feast of Saint John the Baptist June 24, 1531 by Fernado de Tapia, an Otomí chieftain that converted to Catholicism and dropped his Native name Conín.

San Juan was one of the first Spanish settlements outside the Valley of Mexico and thus marked the beginning of the colonisation of Northern and Western Mexico, including the city of Querétaro which was founded one month later.

The settlement became important since it was an obliged stop en route to the rich mining regions of Guanajuato, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí.

Puente de la Historia (“Bridge of History”) is the stone bridge construction started on the 9th of February 1710 by the Mexican architect Pedro de Arrieta.

The bridge was completed on the 23rd of January 1711 and soon became the most transited bridge in Mexico as it was the main connection between Mexico City and the northern states.

The bridge has a greater historical importance as it was the main way to get to Mexico City for all of those who fought during the Mexican Independence and Mexican Revolution.

• January 17: Feast of San Antonio (Blessing of the Animals)
• February 2: Day of the Candelaria (Blessing of the Seeds)
• March 1: Jesusito de la Portería
• March 3: Feast of the Holy Cross
• Around June 24: City Fair, Feast of Patron Saint Saint John the Baptist and Anniversary of the City’s Foundation
• November 22: Feast of Santa Cecilia
• December 11: Procession of the Farolitos

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

SNational Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

The town of Tequisquiapan in southwestern Querétaro is a tourist town, which mostly caters to weekend visitors from Mexico City and the city of Querétaro. These visitors come to see the parish church, walk the cobblestone streets filled with traditional houses, and visit recreational attractions such as the area’s 18-hole golf course and spas/water parks (called “balenarios”) such as El Oasis, Thermas del Rey, Fidel Velásquez and La Vega.

The town is centered on the main square, named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and the Santa María de la Asunción Temple. Hidalgo Square is a large open, paved area, facing which is the town’s parish church and a series of arches. On the east side of the plaza, there is a kiosk made of gray sandstone and metal, which often has bands playing live music such as jazz and rock and roll. Along one entire side, there are sandstone arches behind which are a number of business such as galleries, cafés and shops selling sweets, silver, furniture and crafts. It also contains some of the town’s better restaurants such as Capricho’s, which offers French-Mexican fusion cooking. Another side of the square is taken up by the parish church of Santa María. This church was established in the 16th century, but the current construction is from the 19th century. It is in Neoclassical style with simple lines and made of pink sandstone. The clock in the tower dates from 1897.

Around the main square, much of the construction remains traditional with cobblestone streets and buildings that relatively simple and rustic. This is because this town was dominated by the indigenous for the first three hundred years of its existence. Many of the buildings are two stories tall painted in bright colors such as yellow and green and with balconies. They also have wrought iron fixtures with wooden sills and frames on their doors and windows. Flowerpots are a common sight as well. The narrowness of the roads means that vehicular traffic is commonly jammed, especially on weekends. Efforts at modernization have destroyed many of the town’s old trees; however, most of the original junipers along the river remain. Away from the historic center, many of the newer sections of town consist of subdivisions of weekends homes more recently built. However, these mostly follow the architectural styles of the older structures.

The town is home to a number of important legends. As it is a tourist town there is a trolley-replica bus to take visitors around the various landmarks. These landmarks include places where Tequisquiapan’s legends are set and on weekends and holidays, actors in period costumes re-enact these stories.

Another attraction of the town is shopping, especially for handcrafts and folk art. The two most traditional crafts of the area are baskets and furniture made from wood, wicker, rattan and other materials. However, crafts from many parts of Mexico are available for sale as well. The main markets, which are the municipal market and the handcrafts markets are located on Ezequiel Montes Street near Salvador Carrizal. In addition to these markets there are a number of street vendors who sell from stalls or by walking around the streets. One common type of merchandise, especially in the main square are sweet breads, dried fruit, fruits in syrup and other sweets. One unique sweet of the town is crystallized nopal cactus. Otomi women can be seen in the main plaza and other locations selling their crafts. Most of these vendors are from the neighboring municipality of Amealco. These crafts generally consist of embroidered napkins and other textiles, rag dolls, ceramics and baskets.

The most important park in the municipality is La Pila, which is located just north of the main town square. It contains fresh water springs and large areas of trees and grass for picnicking and other activities. The park was the site of an old water mill. Its namesake, a reservoir to store water built in 1567, can still be seen. It is said that there was an indigenous temazcal at the La Pila site. Before it became a park, it was the site of a commercial water park for children. Today, it is an area filled with Montezuma cypress and ash trees and is the site of the annual Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino. Other parks include El Portón, La Recámara and El Salitrillo.

The Callejón del Piojo (lit. Louse Alley) is a historic street in the town which was recently renovated to promote fine arts and handcrafts as well as to serve as a venue for cultural and recreational events.

The Centro Cultural or Cultural Center hosts expositions of painting and crafts as well as concerts and workshops. It also has an extensive library.

In the early 20th century, Mexican president Venustiano Carranza passed through Tequisquiapan on his way to the city of Querétaro. He issued a decree announcing that the town was the “geographical center of the country.” However, today that distinction is widely considered to be in Zacatecas. However, there is a monument in the town at Centenario and 5 de Mayo Streets to commemorate the decree.

The two oldest neighborhoods of the town are the Barrio de la Magdalena and San Juan, where many of the chapels built for the indigenous population of the colonial era were built. The main chapel of the Barrio de la Magdalena has a large mesquite tree in its atrium where it is said that the mass celebrated to found the town occurred. This founding is re-enacted here each year in June.

The town contains a bullring which hosts bullfights as well as exhibitions of flamenco dance and concerts. There is a Bullfight Fair in March.

The old Bernal railroad station is located on Avenida Juarez. It was built when the rail line was constructed through the municipality. Today, it served as a viewpoint to see much of the city. It also conserves a locomotive from the beginning of the 20th century.

The Casa de Caballo is located near the river and offers horseback riding in the Barrio de la Magdalena.

Intercity bus service operates out of the town’s main terminal, which is served by Flecha azul, Transportes Tequis; Flecha Blanca; Flecha Amarilla; Autotransportes Queretanos and Enlaces Terrestres Nacionales. Two rail lines pass through here connecting Mexico City with Guadalajara and Nuevo Laredo.

The town has a number of festivals and traditions which are especially important or unique to it. The festival of the Holy Cross on May 3 is particularly important in the San Juan neighborhood with the dance of Moors and Christians as the highlight. Preparations for this event begin months in advance.

The feast day for the patroness of the town, Our Lady of the Assumption, occurs on August 15. This day is observed by all in the municipality, many of which come to the parish church in the center of town for the festivities. These festivities include traditional dances, which last from early and through the day. This is also a popular day for confirmations, first communions and other similar ceremonies. The day ends with a large frame called a castillo (castle ) filled with fireworks which is set alight.

For Holy Week, the town holds an annual Passion Play. This event begins in the main square in front of the Santa María de la Asunción Temple and passes through the streets of the town to a site called Monte Calvario, named after the place where Jesus was crucified. Here the crucifixion of Christ is re-enacted. Afterwards, an image of the deceased Jesus is carried from the area in a glass coffin. On Holy Saturday, images of Judas are burned along with those of devils and other unliked figures .

The founding of the town is celebrated each year in the Barrio de la Magdalena neighborhood on June 24, where the founding mass took place. This commemoration includes a re-enactment of the founding with actors in 16th century clothing.

The annual pilgrimage to the chapel on the Cerro Grande occurs on September 13. This procession climbs the hill where the chapel is located the day before and spends the night there. The following day, after mass, there is picnicking and spending the day in the countryside. It is not known how or when this tradition started, but it attracts not only those from Tequisquiapan, but those from Santa Rosa Xajay, El Cerrito, Bordo Blanco and San Nicolás.

The feast of Isidore the Laborer on May 15 is important in the town which is centered on a procession from the Santa María de la Asunción church to the El Llano chapel. The purpose of the feast is to ask for good crops for that growing season. The El Llano chapel is located in the agricultural center of the area.

The feast of Mary Magdalene, patroness of the Barrio de la Magdalena is celebrated on September 8. The feast of the Apostle John, patron of the San Juan neighborhood, takes place on December 27. One Christmas tradition in the town is to have a parade through the town on Christmas Eve. This parade features floats with Biblical scenes.

One local tradition is the creation of “cruces de animas” (crosses of encouragement) which can be seen on family altars or in family shrines. These crosses represent loved ones who have died and can be very elaborate although most are simple. These are most common in the former Indian neighborhoods of San Juan and Barrio de la Magdalena where they can be seen in the local chapels.

The Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino began in the 1980s as a means to promote the region’s wine and cheese production. The fair promotes the 1,200,000 million bottles of wine and 400,000 kilograms of cheese the state produces each year. Most of the activity occurs at the La Pila Park, in the town center, but there are also cultural events, conferences, contests, charreadas, concerts and more associated with it. The main tent contains wine and cheese producers from the local area as well as the rest of Mexico and international companies. The event crowns a festival queen, who is crowned by the municipal president.

The fair is sponsored with money from the municipality, the state of Querétaro and the federal Secretary of Tourism. Artists who have played at the event include de Paco Rentería, Sonora Dinamita, Playa Limbo, Titanes de Durango, Grupo Mediterráneo, Guitarras de América, Carlos Eduardo Rico, Jorge Falcón, Sandoval, Pambo and singer María José .

The 2011, the fair resulted in 100 percent hotel occupancy and an economic impact of forty million pesos for the town. However, the fair has had problems with the uncontrolled sale of alcoholic beverages and large number of young people simply getting drunk. This has led to incidents of fighting and other illegal behavior. There have also been cases of alcohol intoxication requiring medical attention.

As municipal seat, the town of Tequisquiapan is the local governing authority for about two hundred other communities, which together cover a territory of 343.6 km. However, over 77% of the population is concentrated in five communities, with about 51% in the town of Tequisquiapan alone. The other major population centers are San Nicolás, La Fuente, Fuentezuelas and El Tejocote. The main economic activity of San Nicolás is the production of cinderblock, followed by agriculture. La Fuente’s main economic activity is agriculture with chili peppers, corn, tomatoes and beans as principle crops. La Trinidad is the center of opal mining in the municipality, but it also cultivates corn and beans.

The town and municipality are located in the far southeast of the state of Querétaro, just north of the small industrial city of San Juan del Río, and within one hour driving distance from the city of Querétaro and two hours from Mexico City. This is one reason why it is a popular place to visit on weekends and many second homes have been constructed here. The municipality borders the municipalities of Colón, Ezequiel Montes, San Juan del Río and Pedro Escobedo with the state of Hidalgo to the east. The municipal government consists of a municipal president and thirteen officials called “regidors” to represent the various communities of the municipality.

Almost all residences in the municipality are occupied by their owners, with an average of 4.9 occupants per household. Basic municipal services such as running water, garbage and other services are available to 90% or more of the population with the exception of street lighting, which is available to only 60%. Residential construction has changed significantly since the mid 20th century with the introduction of concrete and cinderblock, which is now used in almost all new construction. This is common in Mexico but there is a local variation on roofing which is a vault with a ridgeline in two styles. Constructions dating from before the 1950s are now considered to be “rustic.” These are mostly found in the historic center of Tequisquiapan and a number of the oldest communities in the municipality. New constructions tend to imitate this style.

The main highway for the municipal is Federal Highway 120, which connects it south to San Juan del Río and north to the Sierra Gorda region of Querétaro into Xilitla in San Luis Potosí. Other important roads include State Highway 200 which connects it with Galeras, Huichapan and the city of Querétaro, and State Highway 126, connecting it to Tecozautla. Almost all of the municipality’s roads are paved with only 2.3% left as dirt or paved with stone. There are also roads that connect the eighteen communities of the municipalities as well as to the state of Hidalgo.

La Trinidad has an archeological site. The site was excavated in 2009 and 2010 and dates from 750 to 900 CE., around the time of the fall of Teotihuacan. It has been proposed to make it an ecotourism site called Dö Mëkuni. In addition to conserving the areas flora and fauna, it proposes to offer activities such as rappelling, zip-lines, rock climbing, fishing and more, along with a museum dedicated to the archeological site.

The municipality sponsors the annual Rally de Tequisquiapan, which is affiliated with the PAC auto championships. The rally begins in the town and winds its way along the highways of Querétaro in the mountain areas of the state.

The name comes from Nahuatl and means “place of tequesquite (potassium nitrate)” a type of natural salt used to flavor food since pre Hispanic times. The municipality’s seal was adopted in 1989 at a contest held in conjunction with the annual Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino. This seal contains elements related to the area such as the sun, grapes, the Tequisquiapan River and the parish church of Santa María de la Asunción.

The presence of humans in the modern state of Querétaro is estimated at between 1500 and 2500 BCE, with the oldest human remains found at a cave in the San Nicolás community. This site gives no indication that these early humans had either agriculture or pottery. Much later human remains in the same cave indicate the presence of both and perhaps influence from the Las Ranas site to the north. This would put the area within the sphere of influence of this culture, which was Huastec and part of the early Pre Classic period.

By the Post Classic period, the area was dominated by the Otomi people in the east near the Hidalgo border and by the Chichimeca in the rest. The main Chichimeca settlements were just south and west of the modern municipal seat, where fresh water springs were most abundant and the land was the most fertile. Around this same time, the area had a reputation for its fresh water and thermal springs for medicinal purposes. The area did not have any major cities during the pre Hispanic period but a number of important trade routes ran through it. By the time the Spanish arrived, most of the area was allied with the Otomi at Xilotepec, itself a tributary of the Aztec Empire. The Otomi outnumbered the Chichimecas but both lived in the area peacefully. The area around Tequisquiapan was taken over by the Spanish relatively peacefully, but the Chichimecas did resist. This resistance remained sporadic until the last battle of the Chichimecas in Querétaro against the Spanish called the Battle of Media Luna which occurred to the north in the Sierra Gorda.

The official founding date for the city is 1551 by indigenous cacique Nicolás de San Luis Montañez, who was allied with the Spanish. The settlement received its royal seal founded as Santa María de la Asuncón y de las Aguas Calientes. The foundation grouped local Chichimecas and Otomí onto the site and the foundation was celebrated with a Mass. With the pacification of southern Querétaro, lands in the area were redistributed among the Spanish and the evangelized Otomi, leading to three hundred years of intense agricultural development. However, much of this came at the expense of most of the indigenous population. By 1656, it had been definitively named Tequisquiapan.

Despite the exploitation, the population of the town and municipal area remained mostly indigenous. For this reason, the town has kept much of its rustic architecture.

In the decades before the Mexican War of Independence, Tequisquiapan experienced a number of small rebellions on area haciendas, by indigenous people whose socioeconomic status was still serf-like. However, during Independence and other major conflicts of the 19th century, there were no major battles in the area and little information as to how this area was affected. It was officially declared a town in 1861, with the name of Villa de Mateos Tequisquiapan.

During the Mexican Revolution, army loyal to Villa, Carranza and Obregón passed through but no battles were fought in the municipality. However, these armies did sack area haciendas and other locations, mostly for supplies. The Centenario Dam was inaugurated in 1910. Venustiano Carranza visited the thermal springs of the area before heading to the city of Querétaro to sign the 1917 Constitution. This Mexican president also declared the town as the “geographic center of the country.” There is a monument in the town to this effect; however, today the geographic center is considered to be in Zacatecas .

Shortly after the end of the Revolution, there was political instability in the state and Tequisquiapan was designated as the provisional capital in 1920.

Although its first municipal status was gained in 1861, but its current municipal organization was not formalized until 1939.

The growing of grapes in the municipality begin in the early 1960s, with the planting of 120,000 vines for wine grapes in the community of San José Buenavista by the Sofimar enterprise, affiliated with Martelli in France. Initial varieties were ugni blanc (used for brandy), cabernet sauvignon and Grenache, for reds, whites and rosés.

The latter 20th century saw significant population growth, as the town transformed from a small traditional farming village to a popular weekend getaway. This growth has also been spurred by the growth of the nearby industrial city of San Juan del Río . Since 1950, the population of the municipality has grown from 10,877 to 54,929 in 2005. However, the indigenous population has severely decline, from an indigenous majority in the 19th century to only 120 people speaking an indigenous language in the entity as of 2005.

In 2007, the PRD municipal president Noé Zárraga, was shot twice by unknown persons.

The territory is located in the Mexican Plateau on the southeast side of the Sierra Gorda. The land is relatively flat with rolling hills and small valleys which are mostly farmland. The terrain contains both volcanic and sedimentary rock due to its geological history. The elevations in the area are small with mostly porous rock. In some areas there are quartz and opal deposits. In other areas, there are deposits of rhyolite and pearlite. The highest elevations in the east and are formed by volcanic basalt. This rock varies in color between black and red.

The San Juan/Tequisquiapan River crosses the municipality in the south on which are the Centenario Dam, near the town of Tequisquiapan and the Paso de Tablas Dam near the border with Hidalgo. The latter has an inactive hydroelectric plant. There are subsurface currents of water which feed a number of freshwater springs on either side of the San Juan River. Near the river a number of fruit and nut trees are grown such as walnuts, peaches, pomegranate, avocado, apricots, limes, guavas and fig. There is also vineyards which have not yet reached peak potential.

The main dam for the municipality is the El Centenario Dam, located just south of the town of Tequisquiapan. Although its reservoir is important for water storage, it has had serious problems with pollution from industrial waste. The first major disaster occurred in 1999, when over 2,000 wild ducks died from the contaminated water. A more recent spill, traced to a textile plant in San Juan del Río killed more than 6,000 fish in 2005. This incident also caused health concerns for those living near the water. The area around the dam is subject to flooding during the rainy season, which at times has affected the hotels and restaurants which are nearby. The flooding and contamination problems have had a negative effect on tourism in general.

The climate is temperate with two well-defined seasons each year. Most rain falls between June and October, with the dry season extending from November to April. Annual precipitation is 511.8mm. Summers are hot and winters are moderately cold leading to an average annual temperature of 17.5C. The coldest months are October to February, and freezes are not uncommon, occurring an average of 18 days per year. Dominant winds flow from the northeast to the southwest.

Natural vegetation is suited for temperate and relatively dry climates. In the higher elevations, there are forests of low and medium height. In the hotter, dryer lowlands vegetation such as pirul (Schinus molle), mesquite, palo bobo (Tessaria integrifolia), various types of cactus and arid land scrub.

Population growth since the Conquest, and especially in the 20th century has had a negative impact on wildlife in the municipality and other parts of Querétaro. A number of species have already disappeared, such as the jaguarondi and the puma with others in danger of extinction. Species such as deer, coyotes, owls, eagles and foxes have diminished in part due to the contamination of the waters of the Centenario Dam. The most common species of the area are the rabbit, skunk, squirrel, opossum, doves, other species of birds, rattlesnakes and coral snakes.

Tequisquiapan is the second most important tourist destination in the state of Querétaro. The major tourist attractions for the town and municipality include the food, the hot springs, the crafts and the climate. It has had a reputation as a place to visit for its thermal and fresh water springs since the pre Hispanic era. However, many of these springs have dried up due to the pumping of groundwater, requiring spas and hotels to pump the spring and thermal water from below ground as well.

Today, other attractions of the town include its climate, the layout of its streets, the traditional facades of its houses and the variety of handcrafts and folk art available in its markets. Spas and water parks include Balneario La Vega, Parque Acuático El Oasis, Parque Acuático Termas del Rey, Fantasía Acuática and Balneario San Joaquín. Some of the water parks feature thermal springs and other have water slides and other rides for children.

The town is part of the Ruta de Vino (Wine Route), a tourist route dedicated to the state’s wine and cheese production as well as the Peña de Bernal.

Hotels range from the inexpensive to five star accommodations. The town contains twenty nine hotels with a total of 792 rooms. Restaurants have increased in number and size as tourism grows, offering national and international cuisine. However, economical eateries including those in the Santa Cecilia tianguis market are still readily available.

The cuisine of the area maintains is pre Hispanic base of corn, nopal cactus and chili peppers. Typical dishes in the municipality include barbacoa made from goat, menudo, a type of blood pudding, mole Querétaro style, rice with the viscera of chicken or turkey, quesadillas with squash flowers or huitlacoche, carnitas, tamales and gorditas. Bread is an important staple as well, where bakeries such as La Charamusca sometimes have lines of people waiting to buy sweet bread and cookies. Beverages include atole, pulque and aguardiente (a liquor made from sugar cane from the Sierra Gorda region). Although there is wine production here, it is generally not consumed by the local populace.

There are hot air balloon flights for tourists, conducted by the Club Aerostático Nacional. Balloon rides are offered only in the mornings due to wind speed.

Despite its long history of being a place to visit for its hot springs and proximity to Mexico City, hotel occupancy is only around twenty to twenty five percent during the year. One reason for this is that many of the visitors stay for only a day or weekend. Most visitors to the municipality are from Mexico City and the city of Querétaro, as these are within easy driving distance of the town for weekend visits. The municipality tried to gain a line of credit with the government finance agency Banobras in order to improve the area’s tourism infrastructure.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700