MEXICO | Saturday, 9 February 2008 | Views [164]
Guadalajara
The second largest city of Mexico with a population of over 4 million inhabitants (2005), it is the capital city of the state Jalisco. It looks down from 1 600 metres 540km North West of Mexico City.
Founded in 1531 by a Spanish explorer commissioned by the conquistador Nuno de Guzman, it is named after the Spanish town of Guadalajara where he was born. It originates from an Arabic which could mean “valley of stones” or “valley of the fortress”; considering certain details of architecture and chosen figures for statues (cf. photos Palacio de Gobierno and Minerva), I would tend to think the term “fortress” is closest. It gained its title of capital of Nueva Galicia after the Mexican War of Independence in 1821.
The metropolitan area of Guadalajara comprises the municipality of Guadalajara (with the historical centre) and other smaller and more traditional “pueblos” such as Zapopan, Tlaquepaque or Tonala.
Tags: Culture
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