Chihuahua, Chihuahua
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- Chihuahua is the name of both a state in Mexico and that state's capital city. This article is about the City of Chihuahua. For the state of Chihuahua, see state of Chihuahua. For other meanings of Chihuahua, see Chihuahua (disambiguation).
 Coat of arms of the City of Chihuahua | |
| Motto: Valentía, Lealtad, Hospitalidad ("Bravery, Loyalty, Hospitality") | |
| Foundation date | October 12, 1709 |
| Population | 718,551 (2006) |
| Population Metro Area | 856,116 (2006) |
| Altitude | 1415 meters |
| Coordinates | |
| UTC | -7 hours(Pacific) |
| Telephone code number | 614 |
| Sources: [INEGI], [Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México],) [link] | |
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 718,551. The predominant activity is light industry, in the form of maquiladoras.
History
Some say that the name derives from the Nahuatl Xicuahua, meaning "dry, sandy place". However, others prefer the local indigenous Raramuri meaning of "chihuahua": 'steal/rob a lot'.[link] The name itself is older than the Spanish conquest of Mexico, however. The city was founded on October 12, 1709 by Antonio Deza y Ulloa, a Spanish explorer, as San Felipe el Real de Chihuahua(the name was shortened in the 19th Century). The location was chosen because it is the intersection of the rivers Chuviscar and Sacramento. It is also the midpoint between the Río Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande) and the then-important mining city of Hidalgo del Parral.Just as in other parts of northern Mexico, Roman Catholic missionaries were an important influence during the colonial era, and the city became a meeting point for missionaries heading to and from the 'sierra', a mountainous region in western Chihuahua State, in which some natives have yet to be converted to Christianity.
During the War of Independence, the city saw little action. However, it was in Chihuahua where Miguel Hidalgo, considered the Father of the Country, was held prisoner and executed in 1811 at the Government Palace by the Spaniards.
During the French invasion, Benito Juárez briefly made the city his seat of government, while fleeing from the enemy to regroup his government-in-exile in the north of the country.
The city was more involved during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917), for it became at times an operations base for the División del Norte, the army led by Pancho Villa. Many sites and memories remain of the revolutionary era; the most important of these is the Pancho Villa Museum at his former home near downtown Chihuahua. La Casa Villa(which could very well fit into a 'western' movie scene), was turned into a museum by his widow, Sra. Luz Corral de Villa, and is now managed by the Mexican government.
During the 20th century, the city grew in population and learned to take advantage of its proximity with the U.S. border. Until the establishment of foreign manufacturing plants in the 1970s, the city was solely a trade post for cattle and agricultural products such as apples and lumber. In the 1990's the city grew dramatically economically, becoming the third wealthiest municipality in all of Mexico, after Benito Juarez Delegation in the Federal District (Mexico City), and San Pedro Garza García in Nuevo Leon State.
In 2002, Mayor Jorge Barousse Moreno from the Institutional Revolutionary Party(PRI), died and was succeeded by Alejandro Cano Ricaud. During Cano's administration, the city experienced dramatic growth in the security sector when the Police Department was certified by the ISO and surveillance aircraft bought.
Between 2002 and 2005, the city experimented with the introduction of many new commercial innovations, like the first large mall in the city, Plaza del Sol, and the rise of the commercial Zone of the Sun, all along the Périferico de la Juventud, one of the main thoroughfares of the city.
In 2004 Juan Blanco Zaldivar, of the National Action Party(PAN), won the presidency of the municipality for the term 2004-2007. In 2005, the first International Festival of Chihuahua was celebrated during the month of October.
System of barrios
The City of Chihuahua is subdivided into Barrios that are smaller areas similar to neighborhoods in the United States and Canada. The primary function of the barrios range in function between residential, commercial, industrial, and educational.
Geography
Chihuahua is crossed east-and-west by Teofilo Borunda Avenue, built during the administration of the governor for which it is named, and follows the natural flow of the Chuviscar River; it is crossed in the west by the Periferico de la Juventud, a major limited-access highway running north-and-south. Other important streets include: Homero Avenue, Universidad Avenue, Tecnólogico Avenue, Circuito Universitario, Ortiz Mena Blvd, Vallarta, and Fuentes Mares Blvd. By the west of the city there's the Reliz Valley, surrounded by the Chihuahua Prey and the Chuviscar Prey.The geography of the city is dominated by three main hills: Cerro Grande, Cerro del Coronel and Santa Rosa, the last of which is fully covered by the city; these three hills appear in the Coat of Arms. The Cerro Grande has a monumental cross that is lighted each Christmas.
To the east, one finds the Sierra Nombre de Dios across the Sacramento River from the city, where is found the Chihuahua-Nombre de Dios Caverns, a beautiful natural display of minerals and underground formations. To the far east, and south, there's the airport and the highway to the city of Aldama.
Transportation
Chihuahua is served by Roberto Fierro Villalobos International Airport (IATA Airport Code: CUU). It is also the starting point for the Chihuahua–Pacific Railroad, and is also served by the FNM, the National Mexican Railroad. Urban transportation is provided by a network of buses, widely regarded as inefficient. There is also a central depot for buses in the south side of the city. The system of avenues and main streets in the city is being constantly revamped, with the construction of important new roads and bridges to handle the ever-increasing traffic.Contemporary life in Chihuahua
The city's most important feature is its collection of industrial zones, in which foreign companies have manufacturing facilities, called maquiladoras, which employ thousands of people. This light industry also requires professionals, both for manufacturing and for management; this training is provided by the UACh Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (Autonomous University of Chihuahua State) and by two technological institutes (ITCH). A number of private colleges also exist, among them the ITESM, which is greatly preferred by the middle and upper classes, and considered among the best universities in Latin America.The city's commercial sector has also been boosted by the growth of the middle-class. The wages paid by industries to management and high-level technical employees provide a cash flow unlike that of most Mexican cities.
The nightlife is very lively, especially in the city centre, where some of the large, pre-revolutionary estate houses have been turned into nightclubs and dance halls, many featuring the best of Chihuahua's live bands.
Most U.S. franchise restaurants and fast-food establishments will be found in Chihuahua, mostly on the Periferico de la Juventud, north of downtown on Vallarta Avenue, or on Libertad Street Pedestrian Way in the city centre, and are very much patronised by the city's youth and young professionals.
Tourism
The city of Chihuahua offers many places of interest for the tourist, including the baroque Metropolitan Cathedral, seat of the Archdiocese(and the resting place of St Pedro de Jesus Maldonado, a Cristero martyr of the 1930's), dating from the 18th century, the Government Palace from the early 19th century, and the City Hall from the turn of the 20th century, on the Plaza de Armas across from the Cathedral.
The city offers the service of a touristic "trolley el tarahumara" that is a kind of special bus that goes around all the main museums and monuments in the downtown, including parks like the "Central Park: El Palomar", a large park that has a collection of sculptures, including one depicting three doves(palomas, hence the park's name) and a monumental flagpole, flying one of the largest flags in the Republic, as well as a statue of one of Chihuahua's favourite sons, the late actor Anthony Quinn, in his famous role as 'Zorba the Greek', as well as many others that were built during the administration of President Ernesto Zedillo(1994-2000). The city is renowned for her classical and modern sculpture, as seen on any main boulevard or avenue. Included are works by Espino, Baltazar, Ponzanelli and Sebastian.
Particularly noteworthy are the murals in the Government Palace and the Paraninfo, or University Auditorium, both depicting the history of the State of Chihuahua, and both fronting upon the Plaza Hidalgo in the city centre, and catter-cornered from the Plaza Mayor(listed below). Also of note is the Quinta Gameros, one of the largest estate houses in pre-revolutionary Chihuahua City, now the state museum for the decorative arts, and the Federal Palace on Venustiano Carranza Street, north of the Government Palace, which contains the cell in which Miguel Hidalgo spent his final days, and is a national shrine.
The Feria(Fair) of Santa Rita, the Chihuahua state fair, known throughout the Republic, is held during the last two weeks of May and features internationally known recording artists in concert. The fair has been held annually for decades. In addition, the University Symphony performs at the Paraninfo weekly during the summer months, and features international guest artists in classical and pops concerts.
The Chihuahua Dorados, the local baseball team in the Mexican League(AAA), plays in a new stadium in the southside of the city during the summer months.
The "Plaza Mayor" is a very important square in the downtown that displays fountains, green spaces and a collection of monuments showing local heroes. The main monument in the Plaza Mayor is the "Ángel de la Libertad" that was built in 2003 representing the freedom of all Mexicans, especially Chihuahua's people. It was inaugurated during the Independence Day festivities on September 15th of that same year. The monument has a laser light at the tip of the sword, and is also capable of rotating 360° over it's base, allowing the laser to illuminate the skies of the city.
External links
- [Chihuahua hotels] online hotel reservations, city guide, info about, city map, activities.
- [Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua]
- [Municipality of Chihuahua page]
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