(''Virtue in the Water, Fidelity in the Heart'') , image_skyline = AGUASCALIENTES CITY.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: San Antonio de Padua Church, La Exedra (main square), Aguascalientes Opera House, Cerro del Muerto, Plaza Bosques Tower and the San Marcos Park. , image_flag = , image_seal = , image_shield = Escudo de Aguascalientes.svg , image_map = Aguascalientes, AG.svg , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Location of Aguascalientes within the state , image_map1 = Mexico map, MX-AGU.svg , mapsize1 = , map_caption1 = Location of the state of Aguascalientes , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Mexico , subdivision_type1 =

State State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

, subdivision_name1 = Aguascalientes , subdivision_type2 =

Municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

, subdivision_name2 = Aguascalientes , government_type = , leader_title =

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

, leader_name = Leonardo Montañez Castro , leader_title1 = , leader_name1 = , leader_title2 = , leader_name2 = , leader_title3 = , leader_name3 = , established_title = Founded , established_date = October 22, 1575 , established_title2 = Founded as , established_date2 = ''Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de las Aguas Calientes'' , established_title3 = , established_date3 = , founder = Juan de Montoro Rodríguez
Jerónimo de Orozco , area_magnitude = , area_total_km2 = 385 , area_total_sq_mi = , area_land_km2 = , area_land_sq_mi = , area_water_km2 = , area_water_sq_mi = , area_water_percent = , area_urban_km2 = , area_urban_sq_mi = , area_metro_km2 = , area_metro_sq_mi = , population_as_of = 2012 , population_note = , population_total = 934424 , population_density_km2 = auto , population_density_sq_mi = , population_metro = 1225432 , population_density_metro_km2 = auto , population_density_metro_sq_mi = , population_urban = , population_demonyms = hidrocálido, aguascalentense , timezone = CST , utc_offset = −6 , timezone_DST = CDT , utc_offset_DST = −5 , coordinates = , elevation_m = 1888 , elevation_ft = , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 20000-20999 , area_code = 449 , blank_name = Federal Routes , blank_info = Carretera federal 45

, website = http://www.ags.gob.mx , footnotes = Aguascalientes () is the capital of the Mexican state of Aguascalientes and its most populous city, as well as the head of the

Aguascalientes Municipality Aguascalientes is a municipality of the Mexican state of Aguascalientes. Its municipal seat is the city of Aguascalientes, which is also the state capital. As of 2010, its population was 797,010, most of whom lived in the city of Aguascalientes. ...

; with a population of 934,424 inhabitants in 2012 and 1,225,432 in the metro area. The metropolitan area also includes the municipalities of Jesús María and San Francisco de los Romo. It is located in North-Central Mexico, which roughly corresponds to the Bajío region (Lowlands) within the

central Mexican plateau The Central Mexican Plateau, also known as the Mexican Altiplano ( es, Altiplanicie Mexicana), is a large arid-to-semiarid plateau that occupies much of northern and central Mexico. Averaging above sea level, it extends from the United States b ...

. The city stands on a valley of steppe climate at 1880 meters above sea level, at . Originally a

Chichimeca Chichimeca () is the name that the Nahua peoples of Mexico generically applied to nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples who were established in present-day Bajio region of Mexico. Chichimeca carried the meaning as the Roman term "barbarian" that d ...

Indian territory, the city was founded on October 22, 1575, by Spanish families relocating from Lagos de Moreno under the name of (Village of Our Lady of the Assumption of the Hot Waters), in reference to the chosen patron saint and the many

thermal springs A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...

found close to the village, which still remain to this day. It would serve as an outpost in the Silver Route, while politically, it was part of the kingdom of

Nueva Galicia Nuevo Reino de Galicia (''New Kingdom of Galicia'', gl, Reino de Nova Galicia) or simply Nueva Galicia (''New Galicia'', ''Nova Galicia'') was an autonomous kingdom of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was named after Galicia in Spain. Nueva ...

. In 1835, President

Antonio López de Santa Anna Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. usually known as Santa Ann ...

made Aguascalientes the capital of a new territory in retaliation to the state of

Zacatecas , image_map = Zacatecas in Mexico (location map scheme).svg , map_caption = State of Zacatecas within Mexico , coordinates = , coor_pinpoint = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type ...

, eventually becoming capital of a new state in 1857. During the Porfiriato era, Aguascalientes was chosen to host the main workshops of the

Mexican Central Railway The Mexican Central Railway (''Ferrocarril Central Mexicano'') was one of the primary pre-nationalization railways of Mexico. Incorporated in Massachusetts in 1880, it opened the main line in March 1884, linking Mexico City to Ciudad Juárez, ac ...

company; bringing an industrial and cultural explosion. The city hosted the Revolutionary Convention of 1914, an important meeting of war generals during the Mexican Revolution. Formed on a tradition of farming, mining and railroad and textile industry; contemporary Aguascalientes has attracted foreign investment of automobile and electronics companies due to its peaceful business climate, strategic location and existing infrastructure. The city is home to Renault-Nissan's largest and most important manufacturing plants in Latin America and a shared facility by Nissan and Mercedes, which has given the city a significant Japanese immigrant community. Other companies with operations in the city include Jatco, Coca-Cola, Flextronics, Texas Instruments, Donaldson and Calsonic Kansei. The city of Aguascalientes is also known for the

San Marcos Fair The ''Feria Nacional de San Marcos'' (San Marcos Fair) is a national fair held in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes every year for three (or sometimes four) weeks. Most of the events related to the fair, however, occur in the city of Aguasc ...

, the largest fair celebrated in Mexico and one of the largest in Latin America.

History

The city of Aguascalientes was founded on October 22, 1575, by Juan de Montoro, his family and accompanying families. The village was originally conceived as a minor garrison and rest stop between the cities of

and Lagos de Moreno, with the end goal of protecting silver in its route to

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...

from the

. Although the founders did not envision it becoming a major city, it would eventually become the capital of a newly formed state when the territory separated from the adjacent state of Zacatecas in 1835. The historical center of Aguascalientes was born out of four distinct neighborhoods. The oldest of these is the , which is technically older than Aguascalientes proper. Founded in 1565 by the Andalusian Hernán González Berrocal, the neighborhood was originally named ''Triana'' after the neighborhood in Seville, Spain. The ' is home to the Baroque-style , a Catholic church built between 1773 and 1796. The ('Black Christ of the live oak'), is a widely venerated religious icon symbolic of this neighborhood. The colonial square and the José Guadalupe Posada Museum, adjacent to the church, are one of the main attractions in the city. The second neighborhood is the ', which has its roots in the early 17th century as an indigenous settlement on the outskirts of the then-village of Aguascalientes. Between 1628 and 1688, some communal land was allocated to the community, but the indigenous people still worked on Spanish-owned farms and produced goods to sell in Aguascalientes. Meanwhile, they organized the construction of a simple hospital and a chapel. This original chapel was replaced by the current completed on December 15, 1763; this church is the spiritual headquarters of the ''

Feria Nacional de San Marcos The ''Feria Nacional de San Marcos'' (San Marcos Fair) is a national fair held in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes every year for three (or sometimes four) weeks. Most of the events related to the fair, however, occur in the city of Aguascalie ...

''. The third neighborhood is the , which began its development as a string of shops and trading posts alongside the road leading from Aguascalientes to Jalpa and Zacatecas during the latter half of the 18th century. The neighborhood's iconic was built between 1767 and 1789; it is recognized for its

Spanish Baroque The arts of the Spanish Baroque include: *Spanish Baroque painting *Spanish Baroque architecture ** Spanish Baroque ephemeral architecture *Spanish Baroque literature **''Culteranismo'' **''Conceptismo'' * Spanish Baroque art ** Bodegón **Tenebri ...

façade and its dome lined with Talavera tiles. Especially after the founding of the ('Mexican Central Foundry'), the neighborhood developed quickly; by the early 20th century its roadside inns had mostly been converted into homes and its boundaries had blurred with those of the . The final neighborhood is the , which has its roots in a small chapel and a cemetery developed towards the end of the 18th century to deal with a number of disease epidemics that had struck the area. Gravediggers established homes near the cemetery, and others took advantage of the open land to establish orchards. Though the orchards began to disappear during the early 20th century, clues as to the neighborhood's roots still remain. First of all, the fact that property lines generally followed irrigation ditches can still be seen in the neighborhood's haphazard street grids today. Second, the neighborhood's working-class character is visible in its primarily single-story homes featuring simple façades. A fifth neighborhood, the , named after the town's central train station, is often grouped in with the city's original neighborhoods. However, this neighborhood is considerably more modern, with much of its development dating from the final decades of the 19th century or later. Therefore, despite its important role in the history of Aguascalientes, it is not strictly accurate to consider the ' one of the city's original historical neighborhoods.

Climate

Under the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

, Aguascalientes has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of sem ...

(Köppen BSh). Most of the precipitation is concentrated from June to September. {{Weather box , location = Aguascalientes (1951–2010, extremes 1947–2018) , single line = Yes , metric first = Yes , temperature colour= , Jan record high C = 29.5 , Feb record high C = 32.0 , Mar record high C = 34.0 , Apr record high C = 38.5 , May record high C = 39.5 , Jun record high C = 40.0 , Jul record high C = 36.0 , Aug record high C = 39.5 , Sep record high C = 36.0 , Oct record high C = 32.0 , Nov record high C = 31.0 , Dec record high C = 30.0 , year record high C = 40.0 , Jan high C = 22.3 , Feb high C = 24.0 , Mar high C = 26.5 , Apr high C = 29.0 , May high C = 30.7 , Jun high C = 29.5 , Jul high C = 27.3 , Aug high C = 27.2 , Sep high C = 26.3 , Oct high C = 25.7 , Nov high C = 24.6 , Dec high C = 22.5 , year high C = 26.3 , Jan mean C = 13.4 , Feb mean C = 14.9 , Mar mean C = 17.5 , Apr mean C = 20.3 , May mean C = 22.4 , Jun mean C = 22.5 , Jul mean C = 20.9 , Aug mean C = 20.8 , Sep mean C = 20.1 , Oct mean C = 18.5 , Nov mean C = 16.0 , Dec mean C = 13.9 , year mean C = 18.4 , Jan low C = 4.5 , Feb low C = 5.9 , Mar low C = 8.5 , Apr low C = 11.5 , May low C = 14.1 , Jun low C = 15.4 , Jul low C = 14.6 , Aug low C = 14.5 , Sep low C = 13.9 , Oct low C = 11.2 , Nov low C = 7.4 , Dec low C = 5.4 , year low C = 10.6 , Jan record low C = -6.0 , Feb record low C = -7.0 , Mar record low C = -1.0 , Apr record low C = 1.0 , May record low C = 4.5 , Jun record low C = 6.0 , Jul record low C = 6.5 , Aug record low C = 9.0 , Sep record low C = 5.0 , Oct record low C = 0.0 , Nov record low C = -5.5 , Dec record low C = -5.0 , year record low C = -7.0 , precipitation colour = green , Jan precipitation mm = 14.1 , Feb precipitation mm = 9.5 , Mar precipitation mm = 4.3 , Apr precipitation mm = 8.8 , May precipitation mm = 17.9 , Jun precipitation mm = 88.1 , Jul precipitation mm = 119.9 , Aug precipitation mm = 120.4 , Sep precipitation mm = 90.1 , Oct precipitation mm = 35.4 , Nov precipitation mm = 10.2 , Dec precipitation mm = 11.8 , year precipitation mm = 530.5 , Jan humidity = 50.7 , Feb humidity = 46.7 , Mar humidity = 39.1 , Apr humidity = 39.4 , May humidity = 42.4 , Jun humidity = 53.1 , Jul humidity = 60.1 , Aug humidity = 59.2 , Sep humidity = 60.6 , Oct humidity = 58.4 , Nov humidity = 53.2 , Dec humidity = 52.8 , year humidity = 51.3 , unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm , Jan precipitation days = 2.4 , Feb precipitation days = 1.5 , Mar precipitation days = 1.0 , Apr precipitation days = 1.6 , May precipitation days = 3.6 , Jun precipitation days = 9.7 , Jul precipitation days = 13.5 , Aug precipitation days = 13.2 , Sep precipitation days = 9.5 , Oct precipitation days = 4.9 , Nov precipitation days = 1.6 , Dec precipitation days = 2.2 , year precipitation days = 64.7 , Jan sun = 231.7 , Feb sun = 243.3 , Mar sun = 273.1 , Apr sun = 267.6 , May sun = 267.3 , Jun sun = 218.3 , Jul sun = 203.7 , Aug sun = 229.7 , Sep sun = 202.9 , Oct sun = 230.4 , Nov sun = 247.1 , Dec sun = 223.6 , year sun = 2838.7 , source 1 = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,{{{cite web , url = https://smn.conagua.gob.mx/tools/RESOURCES/Normales5110/NORMAL01030.TXT , title = Estado de Aguasalientes-Estacion: Aguascalientes , work = Normales Climatologicas 1951–2010 , publisher = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional , language = es , access-date = 10 November 2021{{cite web , url = https://smn.conagua.gob.mx/tools/RESOURCES/Max-Extr/00001/00001030.TXT , title = Extreme Temperatures and Precipitation for Aguascalientes (DGE) , publisher = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional , language = es , access-date = 10 November 2021

World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics. The WMO originated from the Intern ...

(relative humidity and sun 1981–2010) {{cite web , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211015224024/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-IV/Mexico/WMONORMALES_Mexico.xlsx , archive-date = 15 October 2021 , url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-IV/Mexico/WMONORMALES_Mexico.xlsx , title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010 , publisher = World Meteorological Organization , access-date = 10 November 2021 , source 2 = Colegio de Postgraduados{{cite web , url=http://www.cm.colpos.mx/meteoro/progde/norm/norm24/33003.htm , archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219030916/http://www.cm.colpos.mx/meteoro/progde/norm/norm24/33003.htm , url-status=dead , archive-date=February 19, 2013 , title=Normales climatológicas para Aguascalientes, AGS , publisher=Colegio de Postgraduados , language=es , access-date=January 5, 2013 , date=November 2011

Etymology

The name originates from the Spanish words {{Lang, es, aguas calientes, meaning 'hot waters', although a more accurate translation is 'hot springs', part of the original name of {{Lang, es, Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de las Aguas Calientes (Village of our Lady of Assumption of the Hot Springs). When the city was first settled by Juan de Montoro and twelve families, it was given this name for its abundance of hot springs. These thermal features are still in demand in the city's numerous spas and even exploited for domestic use. People from Aguascalientes (both the city and the state) are known by the whimsical demonym {{Lang, es, hidrocálidos or "hydrothermal" people.

Demographics

{{Historical populations , title = , type = Mexico , align = right , width = , state =Aguascalientes , shading = , percentages = , footnote ={{cite web, url=http://www.cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/ags/poblacion/default.aspx?tema=me&e=01, title=Número de habitantes, publisher=

INEGI The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI by its name in es, Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática) is an autonomous agency of the Mexican Government dedicated to coordinate the National System of Sta ...

(National Institute of Statistics and Geography), access-date=July 15, 2017, url-status=live, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702234544/http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/Ags/Poblacion/default.aspx?tema=ME&e=01, archive-date=July 2, 2017{{cite web , url=https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/ccpv/2020/tabulados/cpv2020_b_ags_01_poblacion.xlsx , language=es , access-date=January 27, 2021 , publisher=

, title=INEGI. Censo de Población y Vivienda 2020. Tabulados del Cuestionario Básico – Aguascalientes , trans-title=INEGI. 2020 Population and Housing Census. Basic Questionnaire Tabulations – Aguascalientes , format=Excel , date=2020 , url-status=live , archive-date=January 28, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128014937/https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/ccpv/2020/tabulados/cpv2020_b_ags_01_poblacion.xlsx , pages=1–4 , 2010, 797010 , 2015, 877190 , 2020, 948990 Aguascalientes Panoramica 2

As of 2010, the city of Aguascalientes proper had a population of 797,010. The two other municipalities considered parts of the Aguascalientes metropolitan area are Jesús María and San Francisco de los Romo; they had populations of 99,590 and 35,769, respectively. As such, the Aguascalientes metropolitan area had a total population of 932,369. According to the latest census by the

National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Data Processing The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI by its name in es, Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática) is an autonomous agency of the Mexican Government dedicated to coordinate the National System of Stat ...

(INEGI), Aguascalientes City was the 13th largest metropolitan area by population in the country. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Mexico.

Economy

According to the

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...

, Aguascalientes has one of the most business-friendly environments in Mexico and is one of the best places in the world to invest.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022 240 multinationals were installed during the last 30 years,{{As of?, date=October 2022 representing the United States, Japan, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Brazil among others. 70% of Japan's investment in Mexico is in Aguascalientes.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022 Softtek, the largest software development company in Mexico, has large operations in Aguascalientes.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022 Aguascalientes is home to two large Nissan manufacturing plants, including the most important outside of Japan. Among other models of cars, they manufacture the Sentra and the

Versa is a Japanese multinational information technology and electronics corporation, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. The company was known as the Nippon Electric Company, Limited, before rebranding in 1983 as NEC. It provides IT and network solut ...

. The Aguascalientes plants are responsible for the majority of Mexico's overall annual production of 850,000 Nissan automobiles. Due to their presence, the city has a significant Japanese population.

Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, that designs and manufactures semiconductors and various integrated circuits, which it sells to electronics designers and manufacturers globa ...

has one plant in Aguascalientes, which is dedicated to integrated circuitry (IC) manufacturing. Sensata Technologies has one plant in the city, making sensors and controls for automotive, HVAC and industrial use.

Flextronics Flex Ltd. (previously known as Flextronics International Ltd. or Flextronics) is an American Singaporean-domiciled multinational diversified manufacturing company. It is the third largest global electronics manufacturing services (EMS), origi ...

is another electronics manufacturer that has a plant located in Aguascalientes City. There are also several companies that work in the robotics industry, the most notable being

FANUC Robotics FANUC ( or ; often styled Fanuc) is a Japanese group of companies that provide automation products and services such as robotics and computer numerical control wireless systems. These companies are principally of Japan, Fanuc America Corporat ...

.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022

Transport

Cycling

Aguascalientes is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in Mexico.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022 The municipality is also developing a system of interconnected green bicycle routes, greenways, the aim being to facilitate fast, safe, and pleasant bicycle transport from one end of the city to the other.

Roads

Aguascalientes has a large network of roads connecting different municipalities of the city together and to other cities. Most of the city grew as a

planned city A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

, having been pioneers in

urban development Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of peop ...

regulation since 1936. The city is planned around three concentric highway loops.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022 The third beltway loop is expected to be fully operational in 2022. The first and second loop have overpasses and underpasses at major intersections to avoid traffic from stopping.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022

Airport

Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo International Airport serves the city, with four daily non-stop international flights from/to Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston and Chicago; as well as domestic flights.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022

Culture and recreation

Interior del Palacio de Gobierno del Estado de Aguascalientes

Aguascalientes houses the largest festival held in Mexico, the

, which takes place from the middle of April to the beginning of May. The celebration was held originally in the San Marcos church, neighborhood, and its magnificent neoclassical garden; since then, it has greatly expanded to cover a huge area of exposition spaces, bullrings, nightclubs, theaters, performance stages, theme parks, hotels, convention centers, and other attractions. It attracts almost 7 million visitors to Aguascalientes every year.{{Citation needed, date=September 2022 The old part of the city revolves around downtown and the four original neighborhoods from which the city expanded. The most notable building here is the Baroque Government Palace, dating from 1664 and constructed out of red volcanic stone; it is known for its one hundred arches. The prominent Baroque Cathedral, begun in 1575, is the oldest building in the city. The tall column in the center of the main square dates from colonial times; it held a statue of a Spain's viceroy, which was toppled when the country gained independence; the current sculpture on its summit commemorates Mexican independence.

Neighborhoods and tradition

The city of Aguascalientes is made up of four traditional neighborhoods, all of which grew up around the central Plaza de la Patria; Guadalupe, San Marcos, El Encino and La Estación. Guadalupe neighborhood, a traditional producer of pottery, centers around its local church. Located in the heart of Guadalupe, this religious sanctuary, the second most important in the city and dating back to the late 18th century, has a Baroque façade and a large dome covered in traditional ''talavera'' tiles. Inside it has many flower and angel motifs. The next is San Marcos, founded in 1604 and once home to natives of Tlaxcala state who fled persecution. Today, the area hosts the traditional San Marcos Fair in springtime. There is San Marcos Gardens, a charming green spot where paths and trees are abundant. The gardens are traditionally frequented by poets, artists and lovers on lazy afternoons. Directly in front of the gardens is the Baroque San Marcos Temple, its tiled dome glinting in the sun. Last but not least, the neighborhood of La Estación takes its name from the old railway station, inaugurated in 1911 and one of Aguascalientes' architectural and historical treasures. Aguascalientes historic downtown is home to several museums including the

Aguascalientes Museum The Aguascalientes City Museum (Spanish: ''Museo de Aguascalientes'') is located in the City of Aguascalientes, in the state of Aguascalientes Mexico, as the premier art museum in the city. Building It was built in 1903 by Refugio Reyes Rivas ...

({{Lang, es, Museo de Aguascalientes), the city's art museum, housed in a Classical-style building designed by the beloved self-trained architect Refugio Reyes; the Guadalupe Posada Museum ({{Lang, es, Museo Guadalupe Posada), located in the historic nationhood of Triana, exhibits the life and work of José Guadalupe Posada; and the State History Museum, which is housed in an elegant Art Nouveau mansion typical of the Porfirian period with and ornate patio and dining room with vegetable motifs in a Mediterranean style, with a French Academism façade, and interior columns and an arcade of pink stone characteristic of Porfirian Eclecticism. Other designs by Refugio Reyes include the Paris Hotel, the Francia Hotel, and his masterpiece, the Church of San Antonio. The Church of our Lady of Guadalupe possesses an extraordinarily exuberant Baroque facade designed by

José de Alcíbar José de Alcíbar, or Alzíbar (1725/30 - 1803, Mexico City) was a Mexican painter, of Basque origin; active from 1751 to 1801. Biography He may have been a student of José de Ibarra and is known to have worked in the studios of Miguel Cabrera. ...

, a renowned architect of the period considered to be one of the most famous artists in Mexico in the 1770s.{{citation needed, date=March 2019 The Camarin of the Immaculate in the church of San Diego is considered by historians to be the last Baroque building in the world; it links the Baroque and Neoclassical styles; it is the largest of the fewer than ten of these type of structures built in the whole continent. Aguascalientes is also home to some of the country's leading provincial theaters. Examples are the Morelos Theater, historically important for its role during the Mexican Revolution as a convention site; architecturally, the building is notable for its facade and interior, which houses a small museum. The Teatro Aguascalientes is the city's premier theatre and opera house. Teatro Morelos, AGS

In addition, in the modern section of the city, the

Museo Descubre Museo Descubre (Full name: "''Descubre, Museo Interactivo de Ciencia y Tecnología''" or "''Discover Interactive Museum of Science and Technology''") is a hands-on, interactive museum located in the city of Aguascalientes City, Aguascalientes, Me ...

astonishes as an interactive museum of science and technology. It also features an IMAX screen. The

Museum of Contemporary Art Museum of Contemporary Art (often abbreviated to MCA, MoCA or MOCA) may refer to: Africa * Museum of Contemporary Art (Tangier), Morocco, officially le Galerie d'Art Contemporain Mohamed Drissi Asia East Asia * Museum of Contemporary Art Shangha ...

is the city's art museum. The gothic structure of the Los Arquitos cultural center used to be one of the first bathhouses in the city, declared a historic monument in 1990. The Ojocaliente is also an original bathhouse still in use today, and fed with thermal springs. La Estacion Historic Area (The Old Train Station Complex) contains the Old Train Station and Railway Museum historic complex, which at some point in 1884 formed the largest rail hub and warehouses in all Latin America. The complex is adorned with dancing fountains, a railway plaza and original locomotives and monuments. It was in this complex that the first locomotive completely manufactured in Mexico was made. It symbolizes the progress of the city and its transformation from the rural to an emergent industrial economy. The rail factories supplied with railways and locomotives to whole of Mexico and Central America. The Train Station is also historic due to its unusual (for Mexico) English architectural style. The Alameda avenue, the railway hangars, the factory complexes, and its surrounding housing have been proposed to be placed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Media

Radio

Metroaguascalientes was one of the radio stations for the city of Aguascalientes.{{Cite episode , title= Noticias_locales_del_09_de_febrero_de_2007, url=https://archive.org/details/Noticias_locales_del_09_de_febrero_de_2007&autoplay=1&playset=1 , access-date= February 2, 2019, first=Jose Antonio , last= Zapato Cabral, station= METROAguascalientes , series= noticiero , date= February 9, 2007, language=es Television State-owned Radio y Televisión de Aguascalientes (RyTA) offers local programming as well as news shows.

Notable residents

José María Bocanegra José María Bocanegra (; 25 May 1787 – 23 July 1862) was a Mexican lawyer and statesman who was briefly interim president of Mexico on December, 1829 during a coup attempt against president Vicente Guerrero. He was appointed interim presid ...

, lawyer, interim

President of Mexico The president of Mexico ( es, link=no, Presidente de México), officially the president of the United Mexican States ( es, link=no, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos), is the head of state and head of government of Mexico. Under the Co ...

in December 1829, minister in the national government 1833–44 * Manuel M. Ponce, musician * José Guadalupe Posada, illustrator *

Saturnino Herrán Saturnino Herrán Guinchard (9 July 1887 – 8 October 1918) was a Mexican painter influential to Latin culture in the late 19th and early 20th century. Biography Born a mix of Indigenous Mexican and Swiss descent, Saturnino Herrán was rais ...

, painter *

Yadhira Carrillo Yadhira Carrillo Villalobos (born May 12, 1973) is a Mexican actress, model and beauty queen. Early career Yadhira Carrillo was chosen Nuestra Belleza Aguascalientes in 1994, the state qualifier for the national Nuestra Belleza México, to dete ...

telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include '' teleserye'' ...

actress and beauty pageant *

Ernesto Alonso Ernesto Alonso (February 28, 1917 – August 7, 2007) was a Mexican producer, director, cinematographer and actor. He was nicknamed "''El Señor Telenovela''" ("Mr. Soap Opera") because most of his work centered on telenovelas known around the w ...

director/actor *

Jaime Humberto Hermosillo Jaime Humberto Hermosillo Delgado (22 January 1942 – 13 January 2020) was a Mexican film director, often compared to Spain's Pedro Almodóvar. Born in Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, in central Mexico, Hermosillo's films often explore the hypoc ...

, film director *

José María Napoleón José María Napoleón Ruiz Narváez (born August 18, 1948) is a Mexican singer and composer. Life He arrived from Aguascalientes to Mexico City in 1966. He competed in the national Méxican OTI Festival, the National final to select the Mexi ...

, singer/composer *

Luis Gerardo Méndez Luis Gerardo Hernández Méndez (born 12 March 1982) is a Mexican actor and producer born in Aguascalientes City. Having previously mostly appeared in smaller films and on television, Méndez shot to fame with his starring role in the 2013 comed ...

, actor and producer * Violeta Retamoza, golfer *

Gabriela Palacio Gabriela Palacio Díaz de León (born March 28, 1989) is a Mexican singer, model and beauty pageant titleholder who obtained the 2010 Nuestra Belleza Internacional México title. A marketing student from Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Gabriel ...

, beauty pageant titleholder *

Karina González Laura Karina González Muñoz (born March 28, 1991) is a Mexican TV Host, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Nuestra Belleza México 2011. she represented Mexico at Miss Universe 2012 in Las Vegas and placed in the Top 10. Pageantry ...

, beauty pageant titleholder * William Yarbrough, Mexican-born American soccer player who played for Liga MX club León and the United States national team *

Wendolly Esparza Wendolly Esparza Delgadillo (born June 28, 1991)Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stre ...

2015.

Sports

Football

Club de Fútbol

Gallos Hidrocálidos de Aguascalientes Club de Fútbol Gallos Hidrocálidos de Aguascalientes was a football club from Aguascalientes, Mexico. History The club was founded in 1994, when Jose Carmelo Gonzalez, bought a second division franchise which he relocated to Aguascalientes wh ...

was a football club from Aguascalientes, Mexico. The club was founded in 1994, when Salvador López Monroy, a restaurant business owner from Los Angeles,{{cite web, publisher=Imagen , title=Desfalco a los Gallos , trans-title=Embezzlement in the Roosters , url=http://www.imagenzac.mx/1999/06/19/Aguascalientes5.htm , archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221052118/http://www.imagenzac.mx/1999/06/19/Aguascalientes5.htm , url-status=dead , archive-date=February 21, 2013 , language=es , date=June 19, 1999 bought a second division franchise which he relocated to Aguascalientes where there was no professional football club.{{cite web, publisher=Pagina 24 , author=García Esparza, Karla Lizbeth , title=Desmienten Regreso de los Gallos de Aguascalientes al Futbol Profesional , trans-title=Roosters of Aguascalientes denied a return to professional football , url=http://www.pagina24.com.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3170&catid=46&Itemid=93 , archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219044433/http://www.pagina24.com.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3170&catid=46&Itemid=93 , url-status=dead , archive-date=February 19, 2013 , language=es , date=July 31, 2012 The club played its last tournament in 2000–2001 when the Governor of Aguascalientes bought first division club Necaxa, with its national following, and relocated it from Mexico City. Gallos de Aguascalientes was then sold to Chivas, which changed its name to F.C. Tapatio de Guadalajara, affiliated to Chivas. The city is home to the soccer team

Club Necaxa Impulsora del Deportivo Necaxa S.A. de C.V. (); often simply known as Necaxa, is a Mexican professional football club in Liga MX based in the city of Aguascalientes. It plays in the Estadio Victoria. History Foundation (Light and Power Comp ...

, which plays in Mexican first division. The club left

and relocated to Aguascalientes following the 2003 opening of

Estadio Victoria Estadio Victoria is sports stadium in the Mexico, Mexican city of Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes. The stadium opened in 2003 and has a Seating capacity, capacity of 23,000 seats. Although the stadium is capable of multi-use, its main use is for ...

, which is now the club's home venue and one of the best stadiums in the country.

Basketball

Panteras de Aguascalientes Panteras de Aguascalientes (English: ''Aguascalientes Panthers'') is a Mexican professional basketball team that is based in Aguascalientes City, Mexico. They play in the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (LNBP). Their home arena is Gimnasi ...

its part of the Mexican basketball league National Professional Basketball League (LNBP). In 2003, the Panteras won the championship of the LNBP. The Panteras play their home games at the Gimnasio Hermanos Carreón.

Baseball

The baseball team

Rieleros de Aguascalientes The Rieleros de Aguascalientes (English: Aguascalientes Railroaders) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Aguascalientes, Mexico. History Baseball arrived in Aguascalientes in hand with the railroad at the beginning o ...

, returned to the Mexican League in 2012. The team previously won the championship in 1978.

Cycling

The

Aguascalientes Bicentenary Velodrome Aguascalientes (; ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Aguascalientes), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. At 22°N and with an average altitude of a ...

, designed by Peter Junek, hosted the 2010 Pan American Track Championships. At an Elevation of 1887m, the Velodrome is a frequent location for attempts at breaking the Cycling

Hour Record The hour record is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle from a stationary start. Cyclists attempt this record alone on the track without other competitors present. It is considered one of the most prestigious reco ...

In popular culture

* Aguascalientes was the hometown of Esperanza Ortega in the book ''

Esperanza Rising ''Esperanza Rising'' is a young adult historical fiction novel written by Mexican-American author Pam Muñoz Ryan and released by Scholastic Publishing on 27 March 2000. The novel focuses on Esperanza, the only daughter of wealthy Mexican paren ...

''. * The Festival de Calaveras, is a tribute made to the La Catrina created by José Guadalupe Posada, this colorful festival arises with the aim of rescuing and preserving the traditions of the

Día de Muertos The Day of the Dead ( es, Día de Muertos or ''Día de los Muertos'') is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely obser ...

* Mexican engraver, illustrator and caricaturist José Guadalupe Posada was born in the city of Aguascalientes * Mexican painter

was born in the city of Aguascalientes * In 2016, American comedian, actress, television host, and producer

Chelsea Handler Chelsea Joy Handler (born February 25, 1975) is an American comedian, actress, writer, television host, and producer. She hosted the late-night talk show ''Chelsea Lately'' on the E! network from 2007 to 2014 and released a documentary series, ...

visited Aguascalientes with a

piñata A piñata (, ) is a container, often made of papier-mâché, pottery, or cloth, that is decorated, filled with candy, and then broken as part of a celebration. Piñatas are commonly associated with Mexico. The idea of breaking a container fille ...

effigy of

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

for her

Netflix Original Netflix is an American global Internet streaming-on-demand media provider that has distributed a number of original streaming television shows, including original series, specials, miniseries, and documentaries and films. Netflix's original pro ...

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sh ...

References

{{Reflist

Bibliography

{{See also, Timeline of Aguascalientes City#Bibliography, l1=Bibliography of the history of Aguascalientes City

External links

{{commons category, Aguascalientes City {{wikivoyage, Aguascalientes {{Portal, Mexico
Municipal websiteFotos, Mensajes, y Mas de AguascalientesLink to tables of population data from Census of 2005
INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática {{Municipalities of Aguascalientes {{MexicoStateCapitals {{Authority control Capitals of states of Mexico Populated places in Aguascalientes Populated places established in 1575 1575 establishments in New Spain 1575 establishments in North America