Xalapa-Enríquez, commonly
Xalapa or
Jalapa is the capital city of the
MexicanThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
stateThe United Mexican States is a federation made up of thirty-one "free and sovereign states". These states constitute one federated State or Union. The federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over the Federal District, a territory which does not belong to any state but to all, as well as...
of
VeracruzVeracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is one of the 31 states that constitute the United Mexican States. Veracruz is borderd by Tamaulipas to the north, the Gulf to the east, Tabasco to the southeast, Oaxaca and Chiapas to the south and Puebla, Hidalgo, and San Luis Potosi to the west...
and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the year 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the
municipalityMunicipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico...
of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of 413,136. The municipality has an area of 118.45 km². Xalapa lies near the geographic center of the state and is the second-largest city in the state after the city of
VeracruzThe city of Veracruz is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The metropolitan area is Mexico's 2nd largest on the Gulf coast and an important east coast port...
.
The full name of the city is Xalapa-Enríquez, named in honor of 19th-century
GovernorAccording to the Political Constitution of the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, the Executive Power is invested in one individual, called "Constitutional Governor of the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave"...
Juan de la Luz EnríquezGeneral Juan de la Luz Enríquez Lara was a Mexican politician. He served as Governor of Veracruz from 1884 to 1892....
. Its name is pronounced in
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
and in
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
. The city's nickname "La ciudad de las flores" (The City of Flowers), was bestowed by
Alexander von Humboldtwas a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher, and linguist, Wilhelm von Humboldt...
, who visited the town on 10 February 1804.
Etymology
Xalapa comes from the Nahuatl roots
xal-li "sand" and
a-pan "water place", which approximately means "spring in the sand." It is classically pronounced in Nahuatl, though the final is often omitted; the sound (like English
sh) was written
x in the 16th century, but does not occur in modern Spanish, and its counterpart is the or sound, normally written
j. The spelling
Xalapa (like the word
México) reflects the archaic pronunciation.
- Jalapeño peppers take their name for Xalapa (also spelled Jalapa)
- The flower Mirabilis jalapa
Mirabilis jalapa is the most commonly grown ornamental species of Mirabilis, and is available in a range of colours. Mirabilis in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa is a town in Mexico...
takes its name for Xalapa (Jalapa)
- The drug jalap
Jalap is a cathartic drug consisting of the tuberous roots of Ipomoea purga, a convolvulaceous plant growing on the eastern declivities of the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico at an elevation of 5000 to 8000 ft...
is named for Xalapa
History
The
TotonacThe Totonac people resided in the eastern coastal and mountainous regions of Mexico at the time of the Spanish arrival in 1519. Today they reside in the states of Veracruz, Puebla, and Hidalgo. They are one of the possible builders of the Pre-Columbian city of El Tajín, and further maintained...
as were the first people to establish themselves around the "Macuiltepetl" - a 'five-peaked' hill, which today is a park. During the 14th century, four cultures settled in the territory today known as Xalapa. Each of them built a small village: Xalitic (in the sand) was founded by the Totonacas; Techacapan (river of waste) was founded by the Chichimecas; in the northeast Tecuanapan (river of the beasts) was founded by the
ToltecThe word Toltec refers to populations and polities that inhabited pre-Columbian central Mexico. The word has been used in different ways in Mesoamerican studies by different scholars to refer to the ancestors mentioned in the mythical/historical narratives of the Aztecs...
as and Tlalnecapan was founded by the Teochichimecas.
Eventually around 1313, the four villages grew and joined forming one big village which was given the name Xallapan.Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, fifth
AztecThe Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the Late post-Classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Often the term...
Emperor, invaded the territory during the second half of the 15th century; therefore all the land became part of the Aztec Empire until the arrival of the
SpanishSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
conquistadorConquistador is the term widely used to refer to the Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th through the 17th centuries following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
es.
In 1519
Hernán CortésHernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the King of Castile, in the early 16th century...
passed through Xalapa enroute to
Tenochtitlan--Please DO NOT change the spelling of "Tenochtitlan" to "Tenochtitlán"There are some towns in Mexico which are spelled "Tenochtitlán", like San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, in which case the accent is used. However, the Aztec capital is not spelled that way in either Spanish --Please DO NOT change the...
.
1555 saw the final construction of the
FranciscanThe term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic religious orders, also known as the Orders of Friars Minor, that follow a body of regulations known as "The rule of St. Francis", or a member of one of these orders. As well as Roman Catholic there are also small Old Catholic and...
conventA convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
which is the second most important event in that time in Nueva España.
When the Spanish arrived, Xalapa was barely populated. It rose after the conquest but the opening of the Mexico-Orizaba-Veracruz route reduced the importance of Xalapa as a transport hub, resulting in the population stagnating during the 17th century. However, from 1720 Xalapa became increasingly important, due to trade with numerous retailers of the New Spain arriving to sell products and to buy products arriving from the peninsula. At this time numerous resident Spanish families in the near towns settled in Xalapa, so that by 1760 the population had increased to over 1,000 inhabitants,
mestizoMestizo is a Spanish and Portuguese term that was used in the Spanish Empire and Portuguese Empire to refer to Latin people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in the Americas....
and Spanish. The growth of Xalapa in population, culture, commerce and importance, increased dramatically in the 18th century, with the result that, in response to a request from local inhabitants Carlos IV of Spain elevated the status of Xalapa to a town on 18 December 1791.
In 1772, the construction of
Xalapa CathedralXalapa Cathedral or in full, Catedral Metropolitana de la Immaculada Concepción de Xalapa is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, in eastern Mexico...
began, and on 18 May 1784, José María Alfaro lifted the first air
balloonA balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a type of gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were sometimes made of dried animal bladders...
in the Americas, in Xalapa. Due to the abundance of flowers growing in the region,
Alexander von Humboldtwas a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher, and linguist, Wilhelm von Humboldt...
, who visited the town on the 10 February 1804, christened the town as the “City of the Flowers”.
Since the beginning of the 19th century, Xalapa was the scene of some important historical events, a town which relished in the movement of Mexican independence from the Spanish. Ideas greatly flowed in the town, and Xalapa was represented by many who put forward these ideas to those in
Mexico CityMexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country, and the most populous city, with about 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008...
in government meetings. On 20 May 1821, shortly before completing Mexican Independence on 27th of September of the same year, Xalapa was attacked by the forces of Don
Antonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, was a Mexican political leader who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government, first fighting against the independence from Spain, and then supporting...
, who, along with Don Joaquin Log, they forced Spanish captain Juan Horbregoso to submit the town. Nevertheless independence was completed just months later in more amicable circumstances, although the emperor
Agustín de IturbideAgustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Aramburu was a Mexican Army General who built a successful political and military coalition that was able to march into Mexico City on 27 September 1821; decisively ending the Mexican War of Independence...
was not warmly received in Xalapa due to past differences.
On 9 May 1824, by decree of the President of the Republic Don
Guadalupe VictoriaGuadalupe Victoria, born José Miguel Ramón Adaucto Fernández y Félix , was a Mexican revolutionary soldier who fought for independence against Spain in the War of Independence and later became the first president of Mexico.Victoria was born in 1786 in Tamazula de Victoria, Durango, son of Manuel...
, the First Legislature of the State of Veracruz was established in Xalapa. That same year, Xalapa was declared state capital,
In the 1820s Xalapa and the surrounding area was subject to a revolt when
Vicente GuerreroVicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña was one of the leading revolutionary generals of the Mexican War of Independence, who fought against Spain for independence in the early 19th century, and served briefly as President of Mexico...
replaced General
Anastasio BustamanteAnastasio Bustamante y Oseguera was president of Mexico three times, from 1830 to 1832, from 1837 to 1839 and from 1839 to 1841. He was a Conservative. He first came to power by leading a coup against president Vicente Guerrero...
. Veracruz was attacked by
Isidro BarradasIsidro Barradas was a Spanish general sent to Mexico in 1829, eight years after Mexican independence, to try to reconquer the country for the Spanish Crown.-The background:...
, who was attempting to reconquer parts of Mexico, and over 3,000 were deployed to defend the cities of
VeracruzThe city of Veracruz is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The metropolitan area is Mexico's 2nd largest on the Gulf coast and an important east coast port...
,
CordovaCordova may refer to Córdoba, Spain, called "Cordova" in English. The following are directly or indirectly derived from the Spanish one:*Andrés Córdova , president of Ecuador*Cordova, Alabama, USA*Cordova, Alaska, USA*Cordova, Cebu, Philippines...
and
OrizabaOrizaba is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is located 20 km west of its sister city Córdoba, and is adjacent to Río Blanco and Ixtaczoquitlán, on Federal Highways 180 and 190. The city had a 2005 census population of 117,273 and is almost coextensive with its small...
for military purposes. Anastacio Bustamante, betraying the confidence given to him, revolted against the legitimate government with a new plan of Xalapa, signed on the 4 December of 1829. Nevertheless, the revolt was subdued.
On 29 November 1830 by decree, Xalapa was elevated to the class of city. On 1843, Don Antonio María de Rivera founded the National School of Xalapa, which is today a preparatory school.
During the American invasion, in 1847 General Don
Antonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, was a Mexican political leader who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government, first fighting against the independence from Spain, and then supporting...
attempted to defeat the opposing forces at a site near Xalapa in the
Battle of Cerro GordoThe Battle of Cerro Gordo or Sierra Gordo in the Mexican-American War saw Winfield Scott's US troops flank and drive Santa Anna's larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position.-Prelude:...
with an army of more than 12,000 soldiers. Mexican troops suffered many casualties, killing around 1,000 and seriously injuring 3,000 and on 18 April 1847, a bloody defeat resulted in the invaders occupying the city the following day.
Patriotism against the invaders prevailed, and Xalapeños such as Ambrosio Alcalde and Antonio García fought bravely in the defense of the city of Veracruz, but were taken prisoner by the enemy. Released, after promising not to again take arms against the North American invaders, they rejoined the fight against them only to be recaptured this time near
TeoceloTeocelo is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz, located to 20 km from Jalapa-Enríquez on Federal Highway 180. It is bordered by: Ixhuacán, Xico, and Coatepec. The coffee of Teocelo is one of the better coffees produced in Mexico...
. They were subsequently taken to Xalapa to be sentenced to death and executed on the 24 November 1847. Today these two men are remembered as martyrs for preferring to die than see the enemy take their country. A monument, taking the form of an obelisk marks the event between San Jose Church and Alcalde Market, named after Ambrosio Alcalde. The North Americans were eventually driven out. Xalapa was once again attacked in November of 1862 during the French invasion, when they temporarily took control of the state capital.
On 27 November 1867 the corpse of the emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, who had been executed in Queretaro, arrived at Xalapa, being deposited firstly in the neighborhood of San Jose and attended to by the priest José María y Daza, before being transferred to Veracruz the following day and then shipped back to
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
to be buried. In 1885 General Juan de la Luz Enríquez, increased the power of Xalaba by moving some legislative authority from Orizaba to Xalaba, in accordance with the decree issued in June 1884 by the provisional Governor Jose Manuel Jauregui. General Enríquez, in coordination with the Swiss teacher Enrique C. Rébsamen, then founded the Normal School in Xalapa, the first school of this type in the entire country in 1886.
Enríquez died in 1892, but the construction of the building of the Preparatory School and the later inauguration of other schools during the 1890s gave cultural reputation to Xalapa, and led to it becoming known as the “Athens of Veracruz”.
During the regime of Enríquez, the building of the old convent of San Francisco was demolished and replaced with the Parque Juárez. In June 1890 the first locomotive for the Xalapa-Coatepec-Teocelo railroad arrived in the city. The interoceanic railroad was completed in Veracruz in 1901. The public lighting system was introduced in 1904 and in 1906 a clock was installed in the centre of the city on Enríquez Street on premises which presently houses the agency of the National Lottery. On 18th May 1911,
Francisco I. MaderoFrancisco Ignacio Madero González was a politician, writer and revolutionary who served as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. As a respectable upper-class politician he supplied a center around which opposition to the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz could coalesce...
visited Xalapa and on June 21st of the same year a minor conflict occurred between federal forces and revolutionaries.
On 3rd of January 1920, a strong
earthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph...
affected the city, destroying several buildings. Years later in December 1923, Xalapa fell into the power of the huertístas, commanded by Guadalupe Sánchez.
In 1940 the water building and agricultural house were constructed, which today is occupied by the Agrarian League of Communities and Union Farmers of the State. On 11th of September 1944 the Universidad de Veracruzana was established, and Dr. Manuel Suárez became the first director. On 4th of September 1978 by means of decree number 325, the Local Legislature approved that the official name of the city Xalapa Enríquez should have to be written with a “X” rather than a "J".
Geography
Xalapa is situated in eastern-central Mexico, approximately 55 miles (90 km) northwest of Veracruz city. and roughly 350 kilometres from
Mexico CityMexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country, and the most populous city, with about 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008...
.
The municipality of Xalapa has an area of 118.45 square kilometres which comprises 0.16% of Veracruz state. It borders to the north with Banderilla, Jilotepec and
NaolincoNaolinco is a city in Veracruz, Mexico. It is named after Guadalupe Victoria, also known as Naolinco de Victoria. It is on Federal Highways 190 and 180. It has borders with Xalapa, Acatlán, Tepetlán, and Coacoatzintla.Naolinco is known for its leather-crafts....
, to the east with
ActopanTwo cities in Mexico share the name Actopan:* Actopan, Hidalgo, city and municipality of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico* Actopan , municipality in Veracruz, Mexico...
and
Zapata- People :* Cardinal Antonio Zapata, Lieutenant-General of Naples, 1664-1668* Argiro Zapata , Colombian road cyclist* Emiliano Zapata, Mexican revolutionary or his brother Eufemio Zapata...
, to the south with
CoatepecThe municipality of Coatepec is found in the central region of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Its north latitude is 19° 27', west longitude is 96° 58', altitude of 1200.00 m, and surface of 255.81 km². It represents the 0.338% of the current state. The municipal seat and largest community of the...
and the west with Tlalnelhuacoyan.
The city of Xalapa is located beneath the volcanic peaks of the
Sierra Madre OrientalThe Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico, spanning 1000 km from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Hidalgo to northern Puebla, where it joins with the east-west running Eje Volcánico Transversal of central...
, at an elevation that oscillates from 1400 metres to 1700 metres above sea level, and is surrounded in lush tropical vegetation. This mountainous area of Mexico is volcanic, and in the area surrounding the city are places such as the Naolinco volcanic field. Located north of the city, it consists of a broad area of scattered
quaternaryThe Quaternary period is the youngest of three periods of the Cenozoic era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows after the Neogene period, spanning 2.588 +/- 0.005 million years ago to the present...
pyroclastic cones and associated basaltic lava flows.
Situated east, about 50 km (31 miles) away along
Mexican Federal Highway 140Mexican Federal Highway 140 is a Federal Highway of Mexico....
is the Cofre de Perote National Park. The park covers an area of 117 km² (28,899 acres), and consists of mainly forested mountains and hills. Its highest point of
Cerro de MacuiltépetlCerro de Macuiltépetl is a mountain of eastern Mexico with an elevation of 1522 metres above sea level. It is located in the Cofre de Perote mountainous area of the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz....
rises 1522 metres above sea level. Other hills of prominence include the Cerro de Acalotépetl and the Cerro Colorado.
From Xalapa you can also see the
Pico de OrizabaThe Pico de Orizaba, or Citlaltépetl , is a stratovolcano, the highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest in North America. It rises 5,636 meters above sea level in the eastern end of the Eje Volcánico Transversal mountain range, on the border between the states of Veracruz and Puebla...
, the highest peak in Mexico (5,366m or 18,490 feet). It is also the third highest peak in North America.
Hydrographically, there are numerous streams and springs which are in the area around the city. These include the rivers:
Sedeño RiverSedeño River is a river of eastern Mexico. It flows through the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz....
,
Carneros RiverCarneros River is a river of eastern Mexico. It flows through the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz....
,
Sordo RiverSordo River is a river of eastern Mexico. It flows through the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz....
,
Santiago RiverSantiago River is a river of eastern Mexico. It flows through the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz.-References:...
,
Zapotillo RiverZapotillo River is a river of eastern Mexico. It flows through the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz....
,
Castillo RiverCastillo River is a river of eastern Mexico. It flows through the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz....
and the
Coapexpan RiverCoapexpan River is a river of eastern Mexico. It flows through the municipality of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz....
, 3 artificial lakes and the springs Chiltoyac, Ánimas, Xalitic, Techacapanand Tlalmecapan.
JalcomulcoJalcomulco is a Municipality in Veracruz, Mexico. It is located in central zone of the State of Veracruz, about 28.5 km from state capital Xalapa. It has a surface of 58.40 km2...
is located 39 km (24 mi) southeast of Xalapa which has numerous natural features, such as the mouth of the Pescados River.
Cascada de TexoloCascada de Texolo is a waterfall of eastern Mexico. It is located 3 kilomteres from the town of Xico, in the state of Veracruz, approximately 19 kilometres from Xalapa city....
(Texolo Waterfall) is located 19 km (12 mi) southwest of Xalapa, in the town of
XicoXico could be referring to either of two cities in Mexico:* Xico, México * Xico, Veracruz It may also refer to Portuguese footballer Francisco Ferreira....
. It is an 80 meter (264 ft) waterfall that drops into a lush canyon, home to numerous animal species.
Climate
The climate in Xalapa is semi-humid, but the city is relatively cool being located in the mountains over 1400 metres above sea level. The climate can be variable, having a maximum temperature of 37.3°C and a minimum ranging from 0°C to 10 °C, but on average the temperature does not fluctuate greatly all year round with an average annual temperature of 18°C. The warmer season in Xalapa tends to fall between March and reaching a peak in May when the average high reaches 28 °C and low of 17°C. The cooler season is late December, January and February with an average low of 11°C and an average high of 22°C.
The average annual
precipitationIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that is deposited on the Earth's surface. The main forms of precipitation include rain, snow, ice pellets, and graupel...
is 1509.1 mm. During the cooler winter months rainfall is at a minimum, with Xalapa receiving only 42 millimetes in January and 38 millimetres in February on average. Snow however is common in winter outside the city at Perote and
VerVer or VER may refer to:* Voluntary Export Restraints, in international trade*VER, the IATA airport code for General Heriberto Jara International Airport*Volk's Electric Railway*Voluntary Emissions Reduction*Verified Emmisions Reduction...
, the former located around 35 minutes from Xalapa. Very early morning in Xalapa often has a mist, giving it a characteristic mountain atmosphere. The greatest rainfall occurs during the summer months particularly in June when on average rainfall reaches 328 millimetres and remaining relatively high until mid September.
Economy
Xalapa is often called the “Flower Garden of Mexico” and flowers play an important role in the economy. Xalapa is one of the most important places for
CoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of "coffee cherries" that grow on trees in over 70 countries. It has been said that green coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind crude oil. Due to its...
production in Mexico due to its ideal climate, and coffee beans are grown on both smallholdings and large estates in the surrounding mountains. The
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it most commonly appears in the forms of smoking, chewing, snuffing, or...
industry also forms a part of the local economy with the process of producing cigarettes, and the growing of tropical fruits. Processed foods and beverages are also produced in Xalapa.
The municipality has a total surface of 5,261,400 hectares, of which 3,457,363 hectares are seeded for agricultural production. The main agricultural products in the municipality of Xalapa are
maizeMaize , is a herbaceous plant domesticated in Mesoamerica and subsequently spread throughout the American continents...
, sugar cane,
orangeAn orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus ×sinensis and its fruit. The orange is a hybrid of ancient cultivated origin, possibly between pomelo and tangerine...
green chili and coffee. Approximately an area of 4,500 hectares is dedicated to cattle ranching, inclusing the rearing of
pigPigs are a genus of even-toed ungulates within the family Suidae. The name hog most commonly refers to the domestic pig in everyday parlance, but technically encompasses several distinct species, including the wild boar...
s,
horseThe horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s and
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
. Bird-raising and avicultural farms have certain importance in Xalapa. Warehouses and factories for making of footwear, clothes, books are also present in Xalapa. In the municipality as of 2005 it had 75 hotels, 223 restaurants and 25 travel agencies.
Xalapa is a thriving center for commerce and many multinational companies have branches in the city. These include
Wal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large, discount department stores. It is the world's largest public corporation by revenue, according to the 2008 Fortune Global 500. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969, and...
, Superama,
Sam's ClubSam's Club is an American chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs. Founded in 1983, it is owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and is named after Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. As of 2008, the Sam's Club chain operates in 48 of the 50 U.S. States, and serves more than 47 million U.S....
,
The Home DepotThe Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,193 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China...
,
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Sears,
CostcoCostco Wholesale Corporation , simply known as Costco, is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the world based on sales volume. It is the fifth largest general retailer in the United States. - Location :...
, Sanborns,
Comercial MexicanaComercial Mexicana is a Mexican hypermarket group, which features stores similar to those owned by Carrefour in France or Wal-Mart in the United States...
,
C&AC&A is an international chain of clothing stores, with its head office in Brussels and Düsseldorf. It has branches in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain,...
, Fabricas de Francia,
CoppelCoppel or Coppell may refer to:* Alfred Coppel , American author* Jérôme Coppel , French road racing cyclist* Steve Coppell , English football manager* Coppell High School* Coppell, TexasAlso see Koppel....
,
GarciaGarcía or Garcia is a Spanish surname, refering to:People with García as the full name:*Kings of Pamplona/Navarre**Garc%C3%ADa %C3%8D%C3%B1iguez of Pamplona, king of Pamplona 851/2-882...
, Milano,
Burger KingBurger King , often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The first restaurant was opened in Miami, Florida in 1954 by James McLamore and David Edgerton, and has since used several...
,
McDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. At one time it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been surpassed by multi-brand operator Yum! and sandwich chain Subway.In addition to its...
,
Domino's pizzaDomino's Pizza, Inc. is an international fast food pizza delivery corporation headquartered just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Tom Monaghan. There are currently about 8,500 corporate and franchised stores in 55 countries, including all 50 US states...
,
Pizza HutPizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise based in Addison, Texas , offering different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread...
,
SubwaySubway is a fast food franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches, salads and personal pizzas. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with approximately 31,835 restaurants in 91 countries as of September 2009...
, Kentucky Fried Chicken,
Office DepotOffice Depot is a supplier of office products and services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, mailing and shipping...
, Office Max,
OxxoThis page is for the Mexican convenience store chain. For the kitchen gadget manufacturer or the British boullion maker, see OxoOXXO is a chain of convenience stores from Mexico, with over 5,500 stores across Latin America, it is the largest chain of this kind of store in the country...
, Block Buster,
Hugo BossHugo Ferdinand Boss , known simply as Hugo Boss, was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss AG.-Famous designs:In the third quarter of 1932, the all-black SS uniform was designed by SS-Oberführer Prof. Karl Diebitsch and Walter Heck...
,
Pull and BearPull and Bear is a Spanish chain of fashion stores introduced in 1991 by Inditex Group. It first operated in Portugal in 1992, and then the next countries to open up branches were Greece and Malta....
, and
Carl's Jr.Carl's Jr., colloquially referred to as "CJ's", is an American fast-food restaurant chain, located mostly in the Western United States and West Coast regions. It is also in the process of expanding into Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Russia and China. It was founded in 1941 by Carl N. Karcher, and is...
, etc.
Xalapa also has a number of
cinemaA movie theater, movie theatre, picture theatre, film theater or cinema is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
s, some of them of substantial size like the Cinepolis Museum (10 screens), Cinepolis the Americas (16 screens), and other cinemas such as Cinepolis Crystal.
There are several malls in Xalapa: Plaza Crystal, Plaza Museo, Plaza Animas (L.A. Fashion), Plaza Américas, Plaza los Arcos (to open in 2010).
Many people in Xalapa are employed by the government, since it is the state capital. Xalapa is also the head one of the five regional sections of the Tribunal Electoral (a level below the Supreme Court). This area encompasses 7 states:
CampecheThe State of Campeche is a state in the south-east region of the Mexican Republic. It is bordered by the Mexican states of Yucatán to the north east, Quintana Roo to the east, and Tabasco to the south west...
,
ChiapasChiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico, located towards the southeast of the country. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west. To the east Chiapas borders Guatemala, and to the south the Pacific Ocean.Chiapas has an area of...
,
OaxacaThe Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located in the southern part of the country, west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec...
,
Quintana RooQuintana Roo is a state of Mexico, on the eastern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. It borders the States of Yucatán and Campeche to the north and west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the nation of Belize to the south...
,
TabascoTabasco is a state in Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Veracruz to the west, Chiapas to the south, and Campeche to the north-east. To the east Tabasco borders with the Petén department of Guatemala, and to the north with the Bay of Campeche...
,
VeracruzVeracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is one of the 31 states that constitute the United Mexican States. Veracruz is borderd by Tamaulipas to the north, the Gulf to the east, Tabasco to the southeast, Oaxaca and Chiapas to the south and Puebla, Hidalgo, and San Luis Potosi to the west...
and
YucatánYucatán is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located on the north of the Yucatán Peninsula. The Yucatan peninsula includes three states: Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo; all three modern states were formerly part of the larger historic state of Yucatán in the 19th century. The state capital of...
. The other regional seats are
Mexico CityMexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country, and the most populous city, with about 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008...
,
TolucaToluca, formally: Toluca de Lerdo is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the western...
,
MonterreyMonterrey Monterrey Monterrey (also known as "Sultana del Norte" (Sultan of the North), is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León
It has the third largest metropolitan area in Mexico, after Mexico City and Guadalajara. In 2005, the city...
and
GuadalajaraGuadalajara may refer to the following places:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico*Club Deportivo Guadalajara, a Mexican football club*Guadalajara , a province in Castile-La Mancha...
.
Employment structure
Employment structure in Xalapa in 2005:
| Industry sector | Typical professions | % of population |
|---|
| Primary Industry |
Farming, cattle ranching, huntingHunting is the practice of pursuing living animals for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishingFishing is the activity of catching fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
|
4.21 |
| Secondary Industry |
PetroleumPetroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid found in rock formations in the Earth consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights, plus other organic compounds.The term "petroleum" was first used in the treatise De Natura Fossilium, published in...
MiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually from an ore body, vein or seam. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock salt and potash...
, extraction and natural gasNatural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane. It is found associated with fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills...
, manufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to make things for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
, industryAn industry is the manufacturing of a good or service within a category. Although industry is a broad term for any kind of economic production, in economics and urban planning industry is a synonym for the secondary sector, which is a type of economic activity involved in the manufacturing of raw...
, electricityElectricity is a general term that encompasses a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge...
, waterWater is an ubiquitous chemical substance that is composed of hydrogen and oxygen and is essential for all known forms of life.In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam. Water covers 71%...
and constructionIn the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of multitasking...
|
19% |
| Tertiary Industry |
CommerceCommerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer. It comprises the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information, or money between two or more entities...
, transportTransport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one location to another. Transport is performed by modes, such as air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline and space...
and communications, financialFINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...
, socialThe term Social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
and administrative services |
70% |
| Unspecified |
- |
2.9% |
Culture
Although the referencing term for Xalapa, "The City of Flowers", was coined by
Alexander von Humboldtwas a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher, and linguist, Wilhelm von Humboldt...
in 1804, flowers, or reference to it is firmly embedded in its earlier colonial history. In folklore, the Spaniards believed that Xalapa was the birthplace and home of the "Florecita", which literally means little flower. She was according to local folklore the most beautiful woman in the world and some inhabitants continue to adhere to this belief.
Xalapa is known as the "Athens of Veracruz" because of the strong cultural influence of its three major universities,
Universidad VeracruzanaUniversidad Veracruzana a public autonomous university located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Established in 1944, the university is one of the most important in the south-east region of México and has a good projection in all México...
(the main public university in the State of Veracruz),
Universidad de XalapaThe Universidad de Xalapa is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.The institution was founded in 1992 by Carlos Garcia Hernandez as a response to the demand from youngsters with not much career options in the area...
and
Universidad Anáhuac de XalapaThe Anahuac Universities Network is an organization of universities around Mexico. It includes the Universidad Anáhuac del Norte, Universidad Anáhuac del Sur, Tampico, Oaxaca, Querétaro, Puebla, Xalapa, Cancún, Universidad del Mayab in Mérida, and some others around the world, in the United...
, which is largely a reason why General Enriquez, whose policies did much to enchance the educational system in Xalapa, is so honored in the city.
Culturally, a wide variety of events and venues are present in Xalapa like its theatres, museums, and street art. Many musicians and dancers frequently perform in the center in the nights, especially on special occasions and events of celebration or commemoration, notably the
fandangoFandango is a lively folk and flamenco couple-dance usually in triple metre, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping . Fandango can both be sung and danced. The sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has an instrumental introduction followed by "variaciones"...
.
Art has a keen following in Xalapa, and notably the gallery of
Pinacoteca Diego RiveraPinacoteca Diego Rivera is an art gallery in the city of Xalapa, in Veracruz state, of eastern Mexico. Located near the City Hall and Parque Juárez in the downtown area of the city, it has the widest collection of Diego Rivera's paintings in all of Mexico...
. located near the City Hall and
Parque JuárezParque Benito Juárez is a public park in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The park is located in central Xalapa among the four oldest neighborhoods of the city with a terrace-like appearance. The southern side of the park looks over the valley below, offering scenic...
in the downtown area of the city, has the widest collection of
Diego RiveraDiego Rivera was born Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez in Guanajuato, Gto. He was a world-famous Mexican painter, an active Communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo, 1929–1939 and 1940–1954...
's paintings in all of Mexico.
Holidays
San José Day, Santiago Apostle Day, Immaculate Heart of Jesus Day, Conception of Maria Day, and Expo-Fair International are all celebrated in the city. An important religious holiday is on the 8 December, on the Virgin of Divine Conception Day, patron of the city. On 24 October San Rafael Guizar and Valencia are celebrated, with thousands of people from all over Mexico visiting their tomb that is in a chapel within the cathedral. The cathedral remains open all night and day during this event.
Cuisine
Xalapa is the home place of the famous
JalapeñoThe jalapeño is a medium- to large-sized chili pepper which is prized for its warm, burning sensation when eaten. Ripe, the jalapeño can be 2–3½ inches long and is commonly sold when still green. It is a cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum originating in Mexico...
peppers,. as well as products made with
maizeMaize , is a herbaceous plant domesticated in Mesoamerica and subsequently spread throughout the American continents...
: gorditas, tostadas,
pastiesPasties are adhesive coverings applied to cover a person's nipples. They vary in size, but are usually not much larger than the areola. Pasties are usually applied with a special tape or glue fixative, often gum arabic...
, enfrijoladas, and
chickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other bird...
are common foods. The desserts that are consumed in the region are typically sweet such as cake and
coconutThe Coconut Palm is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only species in the genus Cocos, and is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 m long, pinnae 60–90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly leaving the trunk smooth. The term coconut refers to the seed of the...
candies.
Music
Xalapa is home to numerous
classical musicClassical music is the mainstream music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times...
orchestraAn orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. The term orchestra derives from the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s and bands. The Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa is the most prominent, formed on August 21, 1929. Other orchestras include the Orquesta municipal de Xalapa, Banda Sinfónica del Estado, Orquesta de Música Popular de la UV, Orquesta de salsa de la UV, Orquesta de Guitarras de Xalapa, Tlen Huicani and Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil del Estado, which is the youth symphony orchestra for Veracruz state.
Notable city landmarks
- The Xalapa Cathedral
Xalapa Cathedral or in full, Catedral Metropolitana de la Immaculada Concepción de Xalapa is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, in eastern Mexico...
is a mix of BaroqueBaroque is an artistic style prevalent from the late 16th century to the early 18th century. The popularity and success of the Baroque style was encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church, which had decided at the time of the Council of Trent that the arts should communicate religious themes in...
and Neogothic design built in 1773. It has a clock tower, the clock coming from EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
- Callejón Diamante
Callejón Diamante is an important central street in the city of Xalapa in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.At night the street is often crowded with a Bohemian atmosphere and features a number of cafes and shops catering for the arts...
(lit. Diamond Alley) is one of the more crowded streets at night because of its Bohemian atmosphere with cafes and an artists' colony. Callejón Jesús te Ampare is a cobblestoneCobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
street next to the Church of San José .
- Patio Muñoz
Patio Muñoz is a neighborhood of the city of Xalapa in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The neighborhood is known for its lively performances featuring musicians and dancers and other forms of artistic display. Fandango performances are a common sight in Patio Muñoz.-External links:*...
is a neighborhood built in the 19th century, with most of the original buildings intact. Here are held workshops in Veracruz-style painting, dance and music.
- Parque Juárez
Parque Benito Juárez is a public park in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The park is located in central Xalapa among the four oldest neighborhoods of the city with a terrace-like appearance. The southern side of the park looks over the valley below, offering scenic...
is a park in central Xalapa with a terrace-like appearance. The southern side of the park looks over the valley below, offering scenic views of the Sierra Madre OrientalThe Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico, spanning 1000 km from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Hidalgo to northern Puebla, where it joins with the east-west running Eje Volcánico Transversal of central...
mountains in the distance. Parque Juárez was the location of the Monastery of San Francisco. It is located among the four oldest neighborhoods of the city. Its central garden features enormous monkey puzzle trees, art gallerys, an agora, workshops, an auditorium and a café.
- The Jardín de Esculturas
Jardín de Esculturas is a museum in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico. It is a sculptural garden, exhibiting works by nationally and internationally-recognized artists....
(Sculpture Garden) is a museum dedicated to sculpture, exhibiting works by nationally and internationally-recognized artists.
- The Museo Interactivo de Xalapa
The Museo Interactivo de Xalapa is a modern interactive museum in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The museum features a planetarium with an IMAX screen, showing educational documentaries....
(Interactive Museum of Xalapa) features a planetarium with an IMAXIMAX is a motion picture film format and projection standard created by Canada's IMAX Corporation. The traditional version of IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
screen, showing educational documentaries.
- In the Paseo de los Lagos, there used to be an ancient dam. Today it has footpaths surrounded by leafy trees, circling three lakes and a fresh-water spring.
- The Parque de los Tecajetes
Parque de los Tecajetes is a park in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico. Formed on a natural depression, underneath the ground is a fresh-water spring that feeds the aqueducts, artificial pools and canals that are a characteristic of the park....
is in a natural depression or ravine of the same name in the center of the city. Underneath is a fresh-water spring that feeds the aqueducts, artificial pools and canals of the park.
- The Museo de Antropología de Xalapa
The Museo de Antropología de Xalapa is an anthropological museum in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The museum houses the largest collection of artifacts from Mexican Gulf Coast cultures such as the Olmec, the Huastec and the Totonac with more than 25,000 pieces...
houses the largest collection of artifacts from Mexican Gulf CoastThe Gulf Coast of Mexico stretches along the Gulf of Mexico from the border with the United states at Matamoros all the way to the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula at Cancún. It includes the coastal regions along the Bay of Campeche. Major cities include Veracruz, Tampico, and Coatzacoalcos....
cultures such as the OlmecThe Olmec were an ancient Pre-Columbian civilization living in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in what are roughly the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco....
, the Huastec and the TotonacThe Totonac people resided in the eastern coastal and mountainous regions of Mexico at the time of the Spanish arrival in 1519. Today they reside in the states of Veracruz, Puebla, and Hidalgo. They are one of the possible builders of the Pre-Columbian city of El Tajín, and further maintained...
with more than 25,000 pieces. The most notable pieces in the museum are the giant Olmec heads and the smaller Totonac ones. Some of the pieces in the museum date back to the Early Pre-Classic Period from 1300 BC -900 BC.
- Nearby is the Hacienda del Lencero
The Hacienda del Lencero is a colonial building in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The house, which takes its name from Juan Lencero, a soldier of Hernán Cortés, was the property of Antonio López de Santa Anna in the 19th century. Today, it is a museum which displays...
Its first owner was Juan Lencero, a soldier of Hernán CortésHernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the King of Castile, in the early 16th century...
. In 1842 it was purchased by Antonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, was a Mexican political leader who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government, first fighting against the independence from Spain, and then supporting...
for 45,000 pesos. Today, it is a museum which displays furniture and personal belongings dating from the 19th century. It also has a chapel, spacious gardens and a lake surrounding the property which include a sculpture by Gabriela MistralGabriela Mistral was the pseudonym of Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga, a Chilean poet, educator, diplomat, and feminist who was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1945...
who spent time there while in exile.
- The Jardín Botánico Clavijero (Clavijero Botanical Garden) has an important collection of regional plants with sections dedicated to Mexican ornamental flowers, reconstructed mountain environments in Xalapa, ferns and the most extensive variety of pines in Mexico.
Parks and gardens
- Jardín Botánico de Xalapa
- Parque "Benito Juárez"
- Parque Miguel Hidalgo "Los Berros"
- Parque Ecológico "Cerro del Macuiltépetl"
- Paseo de Los Lagos
- Parque Ecológico "El Haya"
- Parque "Natura"
- Jardines de la Universidad Veracruzana
- Parque "Tejar Garnica"
- Jardín de las Esculturas
- Parque Ecológico de Los Tecajetes
- Parque María Enriqueta
- Parque Revolución
- Parque Bicentenario
Museums
-
- Museo de Antropología de Xalapa
The Museo de Antropología de Xalapa is an anthropological museum in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The museum houses the largest collection of artifacts from Mexican Gulf Coast cultures such as the Olmec, the Huastec and the Totonac with more than 25,000 pieces...
- Museo Casa de Xalapa
- Museo Interactivo de Xalapa
The Museo Interactivo de Xalapa is a modern interactive museum in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The museum features a planetarium with an IMAX screen, showing educational documentaries....
- Museo del Transporte. Carr.
- Hacienda del Lencero
The Hacienda del Lencero is a colonial building in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.The house, which takes its name from Juan Lencero, a soldier of Hernán Cortés, was the property of Antonio López de Santa Anna in the 19th century. Today, it is a museum which displays...
- Museo del Bombero.
- Museo de la fauna.
Galleries
- Casa de las Artesanías
- Galería "Ramón Alba de la Canal"
- Agora de la Ciudad
- Pinacoteca Diego Rivera
Pinacoteca Diego Rivera is an art gallery in the city of Xalapa, in Veracruz state, of eastern Mexico. Located near the City Hall and Parque Juárez in the downtown area of the city, it has the widest collection of Diego Rivera's paintings in all of Mexico...
- Galería de Arte Contemporáneo
- Galería del Centro Recreativo Xalapeño
- Galeria Marie Louise Ferrari
- Jardín de Esculturas
Jardín de Esculturas is a museum in the city of Xalapa, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico. It is a sculptural garden, exhibiting works by nationally and internationally-recognized artists....
Theatres and auditoriums
- Teatro del Estado
- Sala de Conciertos de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa (to open in 2010)
- Teatro J. J. Herrera
- Teatro La Caja
- Auditorio de la Escuela
Education
In Xalapa, the basic education is distributed by 195 establishments of pre-school, 196 primary schools and 97
secondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling, known as secondary education, takes place. It follows on from elementary or primary education....
s. In addition it has 86 institutions which offer
baccalaureateA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for four years, but can range from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, as well as a technical and professional training center (CONALEP). In addition it has several institutions of further education. Of the most important is the
Universidad VeracruzanaUniversidad Veracruzana a public autonomous university located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Established in 1944, the university is one of the most important in the south-east region of México and has a good projection in all México...
which is also the most important in the state of Veracruz and attracts students not only from across Mexico but intertationally. Established in 1944, the current director of the university is Dr. Patricia Arceo Briseño, a graduate of the
University of DelawareThe University of Delaware is the largest university in Delaware. The main campus is in Newark, with satellite campuses in Dover, Wilmington, Lewes and Georgetown. It is medium-sized – approximately 16,000 undergraduate and 3,500 graduate students...
. Furthermore, it is associated with the North American Mobility Project, a transnational academic program that links it to
Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgia Southern University is a public co-educational regional university located in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. It is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia. Georgia Southern is also classified as a Doctoral and...
in the United States and
Wilfrid Laurier UniversityWilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, and Kitchener, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Universities
- Universidad Anáhuac
The Anahuac Universities Network is an organization of universities around Mexico. It includes the Universidad Anáhuac del Norte, Universidad Anáhuac del Sur, Tampico, Oaxaca, Querétaro, Puebla, Xalapa, Cancún, Universidad del Mayab in Mérida, and some others around the world, in the United...
- Universidad Atenas Veracruzana
- Universidad de América Latina
The Universidad de América Latina is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico....
- Benemérita Escuela Normal Veracruzana "Enrique C. Rébsamen"
- Universidad Cálmecac
- Instituto Culinario de Xalapa
- Centro de Estudios Superiores Hispano-Anglo-Francés
- Universidad CLAES
- El Colegio de Veracruz
The El Colegio de Veracruz is a college in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico....
- Escuela Libre de Ciencias Políticas y Administración Pública de Ote Ac
- Escuela de Diseño de Modas Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
- Universidad Eurohispanoamericana
The Universidad Eurohispanoamericana is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico....
- Universidad Gestalt
- Universidad Hernán Cortes
- Instituto de Estudios Superiores Morelos
The Instituto de Estudios Superiores Morelos is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico....
- Universidad Metropolitana Xalapa
The Universidad Metropolitana Xalapa is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico....
- Instituto Superior de Música del Estado de Veracruz
- Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Xalapa
The Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Xalapa is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico....
- Tecnológico de Xalapa
- Universidad Paccioli Xalapa
- Universidad Pedagógica Veracruzana
- Universidad Valladolid
The Universidad Valladolid is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico....
- Universidad Veracruzana
Universidad Veracruzana a public autonomous university located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Established in 1944, the university is one of the most important in the south-east region of México and has a good projection in all México...
- Universidad de Xalapa
The Universidad de Xalapa is a university in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.The institution was founded in 1992 by Carlos Garcia Hernandez as a response to the demand from youngsters with not much career options in the area...
Sport
Xalapa is home to the Halcones UV Xalapa, a very successful professional basketball team. They play in the LNBP
- The team was created in 2003 and got 3rd place in the LNBP
- In 2004 they were champions of the south division, and got second overall in the LNBP
- In 2005 they were champions of the south division and champions of the LNBP
- In 2006 they were champions of the south division, and got second in the LNBP. They also placed second in the Copa Independencia LNBP
- In 2007 - 2008 they were champions of the south division and champions of the LNBP
- In 2008 - 2009 they were champions of the south division and champions of the LNBP. They also placed second in the FIBA de las Americas.
Xalapa also has many sporting facilities. As of 2005, the city has 25 football pitches, 95
volleyball Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules...
fields, 95
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
courts, 36
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
fields, and 29 multiple use fields. The city has 12 gymnasiums, 7 parks, and the former
Heriberto Jara Corona StadiumThe Heriberto Jara Corona Stadium is a stadium in the Mexican city of Xalapa, Veracruz....
. Sportspeople of note hailing from Xalapa include
Armando FernándezArmando Fernández García is a Mexican former sport wrestler from Xalapa, Veracruz, in eastern Mexico. Nicknamed "La Jarocha" he competed in Olympic wrestling in the 1990s appearing in Wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's Greco-Roman 57 kg and Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Men's...
, an Olympic wrestler,
Eulalio Ríos AlemánEulalio Ríos Alemán was a Mexican swimmer.He was born to a poor family in a village near Xalapa, Veracruz, and from a young age trained to swim against the current of a brook that passed near his house, in Hueyapan de Ocampo, to the south of Catemaco on the way to Coatzacoalcos...
, a swimmer, and the athlete
Luis HernándezLuis Hernández is a retired long-distance runner from Mexico. He claimed the gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games in the Men's 10,000,000,000 metres , and represented his native country the following year at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal, Canada.-References:*
...
The city has a central
bus stationA bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the sidewalk, where buses can stop...
(CAXA) which is a nodal point for many bus companies operating in the area, including AU, Ado, Ado-GL, OCC, Auto-Tour and Buses Sierra-Texcoco. Various autobus companies are based in Xalapa including
Servicio Urbano de XalapaServicio Urbano de Xalapa is a bus company operating in the city of Xalapa, Mexico....
(SUX);
Auto-Transportes BanderillaAuto-Transportes Banderilla is a bus company operating in the city of Xalapa, Mexico....
(ATB); the yellow and green sets of
InterbusInterbus is a bus company operating in the city of Xalapa, Mexico. The company operates two lines of buses in the city, the Green Line and the Yellow Line....
,
Auto-Transportes Miradores Del MarAuto-Transportes Miradores Del Mar is a bus company operating in the city of Xalapa, Mexico....
; and
Transportes Rápidos de VeracruzTransportes Rápidos de Veracruz is a bus company operating in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz. It operates in the city of Xalapa and connects cities together in the state....
(TRV) amongst many others. There is also a bus service which exclusively takes passengers back and forth from Xalapa to
CoatepecThe municipality of Coatepec is found in the central region of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Its north latitude is 19° 27', west longitude is 96° 58', altitude of 1200.00 m, and surface of 255.81 km². It represents the 0.338% of the current state. The municipal seat and largest community of the...
. These buses operate all over the city, with a cost per person ranging from 6,00 to 8,00 Mexican pesos, although discount is offered to the elderly and students who often pay 4,00 Mexican pesos within the urban area. There are over 100 bus routes in the city.
The taxis that operate in Xalapa are easily recognisable by their white and red paintwork. The most abundant taxis are of the Nissan Tsuru model, and typically taxi drivers do not charge based on
taximeterA taximeter is a mechanical or electronic device installed in taxicabs and auto rickshaws that calculates passenger fares based on a combination of distance travelled and waiting time...
.
The city of Xalapa is served by a small airport,
El Lencero AirportEl Lencero Airport is an airport located at Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. It handles national air traffic for the city of Xalapa. The airport is capable to handle up to 100,000 passengers per year. The only airline at the airport Aeromar, operates a total of 26-28 weekly flights in and out the...
, located 15 minutes by road from the city. The airlines that arrive at the city include
AeromarAeromar is an airline based in Mexico City, Mexico. It operates scheduled domestic services and codeshares with Mexicana international and domestic services to the USA. Its main base is Mexico City International Airport....
,
AeroméxicoAerovías de México, S.A. de C.V., operating as AeroMéxico, is an airline in Mexico based in Mexico City, Mexico. AeroMéxico is considered as the most punctual airline in the world. It operates scheduled domestic services and international services to Asia, Canada, Europe, Central America, South...
and Mexicana.
Healthcare
The demand for medical services by the population of the municipality, is taken care of by publicly and privately owned institutions. The medical units in Xalapa provide external advisory services, general and specialized hospitalization that are equipped with laboratories for clinical medical analyses including
X-rayX-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 10 to 0.01 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays...
s, obstetrical,
gynaecologicalGynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women". Almost all modern gynaecologists are also obstetricians...
and paediatric equipment.
The public institutions of the health sector that provide services are:
- Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social IMSS
IMSS may refer to:* Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Florence, Italy* Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico* Information Management Systems & Services, a technical service department for an organization...
,
- Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado ISSSTE,
- Centro de Especialidades Médicas CEM
Prince Cem was a pretender to the Ottoman throne in the 15th century. He was a son of Mehmed II the Conqueror and younger brother of Sultan Bayezid II.-Succession of Mehmed II:...
,
- Petróleos Mexicanos PEMEX
Petróleos Mexicanos [Mexican Petroleums] is Mexico's state-owned petroleum company. It is the 10th largest oil company in the world in terms of revenue and ranks 42nd on the list of Fortune 500 companies....
,
- Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional SDN
S-D-N can stand for:* S4C Digital Networks* SAP Developer Network* San Diego News* Sandane Airport, Anda* Scottish Daily News* Sexually dimorphic nucleus* Sitecore Developers Network* Specially Designated Nationals* Student Doctor Network* Sudan...
- Secretaría de Salud y Asistencia SSA
-Commercial/ government enterprises:* SSA Global Technologies* SSA Graphics* Social Security Administration-Computing and data analysis:* Serial Storage Architecture* Singular Spectrum Analysis...
,
- Centro de Rehabilitación y Educación Especial de Veracruz CREEVER,
- Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia DIF
Meanings of DIF include:* Data Interchange Format* Data and Information Fusion* Data Integrity Field, Data corruption error handling field in disk storage technology.* Deposit Insurance Fund, the insurance fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation...
.
In the private sector the municipality counts on important medical establishments such as :
- Sanatorio San Francisco,
- Clínica del American Hospital,
- Clínica de especialidades Las Palmas,
- Vital Clínica Hospital,
- Cruz Roja Mexicana,
- Centro Médico de Xalapa,
- Clínica Millenium
- Hospital Ángeles which is considered the most modern chain of hospitals in Mexico (to open in fall 2009).
Media
Newspaper
Notable newspapers produced or circulated in Xalapa include
Diario de Xalapa,
Diario AZ,
Diario el Portal de Xalapa,
Diario la Opinión,
Periodico Marcha,
Periodico Al Calor Politico,
Periodico Agronomica,
Milenio and the
Lider.
Radio
The city is served by numerous
radio stationRadio broadcasting is an audio broadcasting service, broadcast through the air as radio waves from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast common programming, either in syndication or simulcast or both...
s including:
FM:
- 90.5 Radio de la Universidad Veracruzana
- 91.7 Satélite (Grupo Acir)
- 95.5 Sensación FM (Oliva Radio)
- 96.9 Digital (AvanRadio)
- 97.7 La Máquina (AvanRadio)
- 98.5 Los 40 Principales (AvanRadio, Televisa)
- 107.7 Radio Más (Radio-Televisión de Veracruz)
AM:
- 550 La Romántica (AvanRadio)
- 610 Conexión (AvanRadio)
- 1040 Radio Favorita (AvanRadio)
- 1130 Capital 1130 AM(Grupo Radio Capital)
- 1210 Centro (Oliva Radio)
- 1460 ABC Xalapa Radio (Grupo ABC)
- 1550 Radio Universidad Veracruzana
Television
Television channels include:
- Canal 4 - Radio-Televisión de Veracruz (state operated)
- Canal 5 - Telever (Televisa del Golfo)
- Canal 7 - Repetidora Nacional de Canal de las Estrellas XEWTV (Televisa)
- Canal 11,13 - Repetidora Nacional Azteca 7 y Azteca 13 (TV Azteca)
- Canal 9 - Repetidora de XHGC Canal 5 Nacional (Televisa)
- Canal 22 - Repetidora de Galavisión Nacional (Televisa)
Cable services include:
- Megacable (TV-Cable)
- Sky (TV-Satelital)
- Super Cable (TV-Cable)
- UltraVisión (TV-Cable)
Notable people from Xalapa
Politicians
- Francisco Xavier Echeverría
- Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada
Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada y Corral was a jurist and Liberal president of Mexico.-Background:He was born in Jalapa, Veracruz, into a Criollo family...
- Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, was a Mexican political leader who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government, first fighting against the independence from Spain, and then supporting...
- José Joaquín de Herrera
José Joaquín de Herrera was a moderate Mexican politician who served as president of Mexico three times , as well as a general in the Mexican Army during the Mexican-American War....
- Francisco Primo de Verdad y Ramos
- Marco Antonio Muñoz Turnbull
Writers
- Sergio Armin Vásquez Muñoz
- Carlos Manuel Cruz Meza
- Jorge Lobillo
- José María Roa Bárcena
- Juan Díaz Covarrubias
- Julio Zarate
Educators
- Enrique C. Rébsamen
- Sinforosa Amador
Sinforosa Amador Noriega was born at the Real Presidio de San Francisco on July 18, 1788 and was baptized at "Misión de Nuestro Seráfico Padre San Francisco", later nown as Mission Dolores....
(1788-1841)
- Soledad Ramos Enríquez
- Guillermo Fernández de la Garza
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[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
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Torreón,
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
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,
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External links
Ayuntamiento de Xalapa Official website
VisitXalapa–Nonprofit Photo Blog
VisitXalapa–Newest city guide web site for visitors
XalapaTips Free maps and information about the city
La Universidad Veracruzana Xalapamio.Com Hoteles, raffting, mapas y rutas de Xalapa y Veracruz