Morelia

This article is about the city. For other meanings, see Morelia (disambiguation).

Aqueduct in Morelia

Morelia is the capital of the state of Michoacán in Mexico. The city is located at [19°42′00″N, 101°11′00″W] in the region of the Guayangareo valley, surrounded by the Punhuato and Quinceo hills. In 2003 the estimated population was 568,700 people.

The city's Historic Downtown Area is a UN designated World Heritage Site, and houses many beautiful colonial buildings and churches.

History

Morelia was founded May 18, 1541 by Antonio de Mendoza, as the city of Valladolid. Before the arrival of Columbus, the region was inhabited by a people known as the pirindas. In 1582, Valladolid replaced Pátzcuaro as the capital of Michoacán. During the colonial period a number of religious orders established themselves in the city, allowing it to take an important place in the history of art and culture in Mexico. Important architectural sites from the colonial period include the Catedral de Morelia, the Aqueduct, the Governor's Palace, the Palacio Clavijero, and numerous churches, convents, and houses. The Conservatorio de Música de las Rosas of Morelia was the first music conservatory in the Americas.

The city is the birthplace of José María Morelos (1765), after whom it was renamed in September 12th, 1828, and who along with Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla began the Mexican War of Independence from Spain in 1810. It was also the birthplace of Agustín de Iturbide (1783),the first Emperor of Mexico.

A Tour of Morelia

The Historic Downtown Area (Centro Historico de Morelia) encompasses approximately 150 city blocks at the city center, roughly corresponding to the urban area of the city at the end of the eighteenth century. The Centro Historico contains over 1,000 historical buildings and sites. One of the main attractions is the Catedral de Morelia, a cathedral built in the Baroque style. Also interesting is the Casa del Arte where you can find a large variety of high quality artisanal works. There are several other notable historical churches in town including the Templo de las Rosas annex to the Conservatorio de las Rosas, which are both examples of baroque architecture, and the Templo de San Diego (also known as Santuario de Guadalupe), built with an interpretation of the Rococo style using indigenous colors and techniques. The monumental aqueduct, built in colonial days to bring water into town, was functional through 1910. The inner city is built of reddish sandstone, lending the city a unique character among Mexico's many noteworthy colonial cities and giving origing to the name "Ciudad de las Canteras Rosas" that is sometimes used in reference to Morelia.

At the southern edge of the city is the Santa Maria mountain range, and is home to upscale residential districts, private sector schools and universities. The main university is the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, founded in 1551 under the name of Colegio de San Nicolás by Vasco de Quiroga, first bishop of Michoacán, and is one of the oldest universities in America, and one of the most important public universities of Mexico.

Due to its many universities, Morelia has a large student population and has become an increasingly popular destination for foreigners wishing to study Spanish language and Latin American culture.

External links

http://www.morelia.gob.mx (página del H. Ayuntamiento de la Ciudad)
http://www.supermorelia.com (página de promoción turística y comercial de Morelia)

World Heritage Sites in Mexico

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