Santiago de Querétaro is the capital city of the state of Querétaro, Mexico. It was founded in 1531.

General information

• Official Name: Santiago de Querétaro
• Conventional Name: Querétaro

• Location: 200 km, (125 miles) north from Mexico City, DF.
• Altitude: 2000 meters, 1.25miles
• Rivers in the City:

Photo of the Queretaro River

Querétaro river, Juriquilla river and Pueblito river

• Extension, in km²:

759.9km² or 293.4 square miles (Santiago de Querétaro)
1530km² or 590.7 square miles (Santiago de Querétaro and metropolitan area)

• Population:

841,386 inhabitants (Santiago de Querétaro). 1,016,481 inhabitants (Santiago de Querétaro and metropolitan area)

The city of Santiago de Querétaro is conformed by the municipalities of Querétaro (841,386), Corregidora (74,558), El Marqués (71,397) and Huimilpan (29,140).

Economy:

Automotive Industry, servicies, tourism and manufacture

GDP per Capita: $13.780,00 (USD)

GDP: $13.103.190.000,00 (USD)

Local Festivites:

• Fiestas de Santiago de Querétaro (aniversary of the foundation of the city) 23 to 30 July.
• Fiesta de la Virgen del Pueblito (festivity of Our Lady of El Pueblito)
• Jolgorio (cultural fair)
• Feria de Navidad de Querétaro (Christmas Fair) 1 to 15 December

History

According to tradition, Querétaro was founded on 25 July, 1531. On this date Spanish Conquistador Hernán Pérez Bocanegra y Córdoba arrived with Otomí Indian Conín, the chief Jilotepec, to found the town of Querétaro. He is said to have won without resorting to arms after seeing a vision of the Cross and Saint Santiago, after whom the city was named.

The city's Convent of the Cross has a stone cross from the early Spanish era.

In 1656 the city was named "The Noble & Loyal City of Santiago of Queretaro", by Viceroy the Duke of Alburquerque; the title was confirmed in 1712 by King Philip V of Spain.

In 1726 an aqueduct was constructed which furnished the city's water until 1970.

On 13 September 1810 Epigmenio González was taken prisoner after starting an insurrection against the oppressive Corregidor Don Miguel Domínguez and his wife Doña Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez and conspiring against the Viceregal government. This is considered part of the birth of the Mexican independence movement.

In 1847 Querétaro was made capital of the Republic during the United States of America invasion in the Mexican-American War.

On 30 May, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed here. Antonio López de Santa Anna ceeded to the United States of America the Mexican states of California and Nuevo México (today the US States of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico). (Later in 1854 Santa Anna sold Mesilla territory (the south of Arizona and the remainder of New Mexico) to the USA in the treaty with James Gadsden.)

In 1867 the city was the last capital of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. The Liberal Republicans defeated the Imperial Conservative forces here, and on 19 June Maximilian was shot here on the Hill of Bells ("Cerro de las Campanas") together with his Generals Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía.

Santiago de Querétaro was named capital of the Republic for the third time on 5 February, 1917, as the Proclamation of the Political Constitution of the United States of Mexico was established by President Venustiano Carranza at the Congressional Congress in the city's Teatro de la República.

In 1997, after some 70 years of Partido Revolucionario Institucional domination, the city and state government passed to the control of the Partido Acción Nacional.

Monuments and Places of Interest

• Mansion of "La Corregidora" (Government palace)
• Government Palace of the City
• Aqueduct
• Historic Center Gardens
• Museum of the City
• State Regional Museum
• Art Museum
• Theater "El Corral de Comedias"
• Theater "Cómicos de la Lengua"
• Cineteatro (cinema and theater) "Rosario Solano"
• Church of Santa Clara
• Church of Santa Rosa de Viterbo
• Mansion of Ecala

Important Events

National Constitution: the mexican constitution was written and signed also in the "Teatro de la República".

Mexico-USA War: the peace treaty of the war was signed in the city

Gastronomy

Enchiladas Queretanas: tacos made with corn tortillas, red and "ranchero" sauce and onion, with fried chicken, fried potatoes and carrots, covered with "asadero" cheese.

City Coat of Arms

See also: Querétaro

External links

• Directory of the Sate of Queretaro (in Spanish)
• Government of the City
• Activites and events of the city
• Activities and events of the city
• Cultural Activites in the city
• Social portal of the city
• Querétaro Social Club
• Information of the city
• News of the city
• Local TV Station
• Local Diary
• State Council for Culture and Arts
• Commerce portal of the city
• Free email service
• Autonomous Public University of the State
• Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Campus Querétaro
• Universidad Contemporanea
• Instituto Tecnológico de Querétaro
• Universidad Cuauhtémoc de Querétaro
• Universidad Tecnológica de Querétaro