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Guadalajara (/ ˌ ɡ w ɑː d əl ə ˈ h ɑːr ə / GWAH-də-lə-HAR-ə; [5] Spanish: [ɡwaðalaˈxaɾa] ⓘ) is a city in western Mexico and the capital of the state of Jalisco.According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 8th most populous city in Mexico, while the Guadalajara metropolitan area has a population of 5,268,642 people, [6] [7] making ...
- Overview
- History
- The contemporary city
Guadalajara, city, capital of Jalisco estado (state), west-central Mexico. It lies roughly in the centre of the state, in the Atemajac Valley near the Río Grande de Santiago, at an elevation of about 5,100 feet (1,550 metres). Its climate is dry and mild except for the rainy season, which extends from July to mid-September. Pop. (2010) 1,495,182; m...
From its founding by the Spanish in 1531 until the 1540s, the city was relocated several times because of resistance from Indians, thousands of whom were captured by Guadalajara-based slave hunters during the early colonial period. The city was made the seat of a bishopric in 1549. It remained prominent throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, and in 1810 it was occupied briefly by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, who initiated the independence movement and decreed the abolition of slavery in Mexico. Guadalajara has produced several Mexican political and cultural leaders, including the 19th-century Liberal politician Valentín Gómez Farías; Mariano Azuela, a prominent novelist of the Mexican Revolution (1910–20); and the political leader and writer Agustín Yáñez.
Guadalajara experienced substantial growth after the 1930s, and by the 1970s it was Mexico’s second largest city. Modern residential suburbs, linked by highways and wide boulevards, have attracted members of the upper and middle classes from the older parts of the city. Meanwhile, other neighbourhoods have persisted as impoverished suburbs or inner-city districts.
The cathedral, completed in 1618, is richly decorated. Many other churches dating from the colonial period are interspersed with modern industrial and commercial buildings. Cultural institutions of note include the Degollado Theatre, which is one of the largest and most ornate in Latin America; the State Museum of Jalisco (1918); and the Cabañas Hospice, a former 19th-century orphanage (now a museum) that was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. Guadalajara was the home of the painter José Clemente Orozco (1883–1949), and various buildings around the city, including the Cabañas Hospice, house many of his finest frescoes. The governor’s palace, begun in 1743, is one of the finest examples of Spanish architecture in Mexico.
Guadalajara’s economy is traditionally based on its services as a political capital and as a commercial entrepôt for the surrounding agricultural region, which is devoted primarily to corn (maize), beans, and livestock. Since 1940 the city has also been a major manufacturer of textiles, electronics, chemicals, building materials, tobacco products, soft drinks, and other products. Handicrafts are also important. The city is home to the University of Guadalajara (1925), one of the largest institutions of higher education in Mexico, and the Autonomous University of Guadalajara (1935). The military schools of aviation (1915), air force specialists (1934), supply and maintenance (1942), and signals (1920) are in suburban Zapopan.
Guadalajara is served by an international airport. It is linked by railroad and highway with several cities, including the main western routes between Mexico City to the east-southeast and the southwestern United States border (at Nogales, Arizona) to the northwest. Lake Chapala, some 30 miles (50 km) south of the city, is Mexico’s most extensive lake, but it has been shrinking as its source waters have been increasingly diverted.
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Apr 5, 2024 · Yet, when it comes to measuring by population and size, the answer to whether Guadalajara is the second-largest city in Mexico requires a deeper dive into the statistics and definitions used to rank cities. Historically, Mexico City stands undisputed as the largest metropolis, a sprawling urban area rich in history, politics, and culture.
The city briefly became Mexico's government seat during the 1856 Reform War and French troops occupied the city during the 1864 French Intervention. The 19th century, when the city grew to become Mexico's second largest, was a time of rapid growth. Guadalajara became a significant rail link between the United States and the Pacific Coast, and ...
Aug 29, 2023 · The capital of Jalisco was the second-largest metropolitan region in Mexico for a long time but the population of Monterrey surpassed the population of Guadalajara in 2020. People often say that Guadalajara is the second most important city in Mexico because it used to be the second-largest city but also because of its contributions to Mexican culture and the national identity.
Sep 21, 2024 · Remarkably, the second-largest city in Mexico is one of these places. Guadalajara's metro area might have more than 5.5 million inhabitants, but it remains overlooked by many tourists, particularly when compared to Mexico City. This western jewel is a tourist-friendly gem with an almost perfect climate year-round, surrounded by pine forests and ...
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May 5, 2023 · 2. Guadalajara is Mexico’s Second Largest City. With a population of over 5 million people, Guadalajara is the second-largest city in Mexico, surpassed only by Mexico City. This sprawling city is a melting pot of cultures, blending traditional Mexican architecture with modern skyscrapers and innovative urban design.
