Cuautla (, meaning "where the eagles roam"), officially La heroica e histórica Cuautla, Morelos (''The Heroic and Historic Cuautla, Morelos'') or H. H. Cuautla, Morelos, is a city and

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 ...

in the

Mexican state The states of Mexico are first-level administrative territorial entities of the country of Mexico, which is officially named Mexico, United Mexican States. There are 32 federal entities in Mexico (31 states and the capital, Mexico City, as a sepa ...

Morelos Morelos (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Morelos ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 36 municipalities and its capital city is Cuer ...

, about 104 kilometers south of

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

. In the 2010 census the city population was 154,358. The municipality covers . Cuautla is the third most populous city in the state, after

Cuernavaca Cuernavaca (; nci-IPA, Cuauhnāhuac, kʷawˈnaːwak "near the woods", ) is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. The city is located around a 90-minute drive south of Mexico City using the Federal Highway 95D. The na ...

and

Jiutepec Jiutepec is a city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos. The name ''Jiutepec'' comes from the Nahuatl name ''Xiutepetl'', which means "the precious stones hill". The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrou ...

. The city was founded on April 4, 1829. The 2020 population figures were 187,118 inhabitants for the municipality and 157,336 inhabitants for the city of Cuatula. The Cuautla Metropolitan Area, the second largest in

, comprises the municipalities of Cuautla, Yautepec, Ayala,

Yecapixtla Yecapixtla ( nah, Yecapixtlān ) is a town and municipality located in the northeast of the state of Morelos in central Mexico. Yecapixtla means, ''Land of men and women with sharp noses''. The town is home to one of the monastery complexes associa ...

Atlatlahucan Atlatlahucan (from the Nahuatl word ) is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. The name means ''Place of red or brown water'', and today the water is stored in a type of cistern called a ''jagüey''. To the north is the State of Mexico, south ...

, and

Tlayacapan Tlayacapan () is the name of a town and a municipality located in the northeast part of Morelos state in central Mexico. It is located 60 km east from the state capital of Cuernavaca and about 1.5 hours south of Mexico City. It is a rural are ...

. It covers , which represents 21.26% of the state's total area. The metropolitan population (2010) is 434,187.

History

Prehispanic history

The

Olmec The Olmecs () were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization. Following a progressive development in Soconusco, they occupied the tropical lowlands of the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. It has been speculated that t ...

group who lived in

Chalcatzingo Chalcatzingo is a Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Valley of Morelos (municipality of Jantetelco) dating from the Formative Period of Mesoamerican chronology. The site is well known for its extensive array of Olmec-style monumental art an ...

(southeast of Cuautla) founded settlements in Cuautla, Tepalcingo, Jonacatepec (Las Pilas), Olintepec, Atlihuayan, Huaxtepec, Gualupita de Cuernavaca, Tlayacapan, etc. (Piña Chan y Plancarte). Five years after the conquest of ''Cuahunahuác'' (Cuernavaca) in (1379 CE),

Moctezuma Ilhuicamina Moctezuma I (–1469), also known as Moteuczomatzin Ilhuicamina (), Huehuemoteuczoma or Montezuma I ( nci, Motēuczōma Ilhuicamīna , nci, Huēhuemotēuczōma ), was the second Aztec emperor and fifth king of Tenochtitlan. During his reign, the ...

conquered Huaxtepec (

Oaxtepec Oaxtepec is a town within the municipality of Yautepec and the Cuautla metropolitan area in the eastern part of the Mexican state of Morelos. Its main industry is tourism, mostly aimed at the inhabitants of nearby Mexico City, and the town poss ...

), Yautepec, Tlayacapan and other towns of Morelos and Guerrero. With Huaxtepec, which was the prehispanic and colonial capital of the peoples of the ''Plan de Amilpas'', its 25-human settlements including ''Cuauhtlán'', had to pay a tribute of 400 cotton blankets, 400 two-color valances, 400 bedspreads, 800 thin cotton blankets, 400 pairs of shorts (''patees''), 200 women's shirts, and 1,200 veils (''mantillas'') every 80 days. In addition, they were required to contribute labor.

Spanish conquest and colonial period

The ''Plan de Amilpas'' including Cuautla was conquered by Captain

Gonzalo de Sandoval Gonzalo de Sandoval (1497, Medellín, Spain – late in 1528, Palos de la Frontera, Spain) was a Spanish conquistador in New Spain (Mexico)Diaz, B., 1963, The Conquest of New Spain, London: Penguin Books, and briefly co-governor of the colo ...

on March 14, 1521. In 1543

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...

was organized into four provinces: Michoacán, México, Coatzacoalcos, and Las Mixtecas; the present territory of Morelos was part of the Mexico province. The church and monastery of

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

were built between 1560 and 1580. The church is relatively small and austere, although there is a beautiful cupola on the south side. The

façade A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a Loanword, loan word from the French language, French (), which means 'frontage' or 'face'. In architecture, the façade of a building is often t ...

of the church is made of pink

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...

with well-defined bases, columns, and

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

s. The small, two-level belltower is square and simple. The monetary is high and formal; it may have been built after the church. The church is unique in that it faces the east, there is no real

atrium Atrium may refer to: Anatomy * Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart * Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods * Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain * Pulmona ...

, and there are neither '' capillas posas'' nor an open chapel. Construction of the church of

Santo Domingo , total_type = Total , population_density_km2 = auto , timezone = AST (UTC −4) , area_code_type = Area codes , area_code = 809, 829, 849 , postal_code_type = Postal codes , postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional) , websi ...

also began in the middle of the 16th century, but there is little information on it. After the conquest, Indigenous lands were confiscated, mostly for sugar cane plantations and mills (''trapiches''). Despite Indigenous protests, Viceroy Gaspar de Zúñiga ruled in favor of the colonists on July 5, 1603. In 1646 the province of México became the ''

Real Audiencia A ''Real Audiencia'' (), or simply an ''Audiencia'' ( ca, Reial Audiència, Audiència Reial, or Audiència), was an appellate court in Spain and its empire. The name of the institution literally translates as Royal Audience. The additional des ...

;'' Cuautla became an ''alcaldia'' (mayoralty) belonging to the

Intendencia An intendant (; pt, intendente ; es, intendente ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The intendancy system was a centralizing administrative system developed in France. In ...

of Puebla.

Independence & 19th century

After a number of successful battles, General

José María Morelos José María Teclo Morelos Pérez y Pavón () (30 September 1765 – 22 December 1815) was a Mexican Catholic priest, statesman and military leader who led the Mexican War of Independence movement, assuming its leadership after the execution of ...

arrived in Cuautla in December 1811. On February 19, 1812, Spanish General

Félix María Calleja Felix may refer to: * Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name Places * Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen * Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, ...

began the 72-day

Siege of Cuautla The siege of Cuautla was a battle of the War of Mexican Independence that occurred from 19 February through 2 May 1812 at Cuautla, Morelos. The Spanish royalist forces loyal to the Spanish, commanded by Félix María Calleja, besieged th ...

. Morelos was accompanied by Leonardo Bravo,

Mariano Matamoros Mariano Matamoros y Guridi (August 14, 1770 – February 3, 1814) was a Mexican Roman Catholic priest and revolutionary rebel soldier of the Mexican War of Independence, who fought for independence against Spain in the early 19th century. B ...

, Hermenegildo Galeana,

Nicolás Bravo Nicolás Bravo (10 September 1786 – 22 April 1854) was a Mexican soldier and politician who first distinguished himself during the Mexican War of Independence. He was Mexico's first vice-president though while holding this office Bravo ...

, and Manuel de Ordiera. 12-year-old Narciso Mendoza, known as the ''Niño Artillero'' (Child Gunner) is remembered for stopping an advance of royalist troops by setting off a cannon. Morelos and his army were able to break out on May 2, 1812. Cuautla was designated a ''Heroic City'' (''Heroica Ciudad de Morelos'') on April 4, 1829, while Felipe B. Montero was ''Presidente Municipal'' (mayor). An 1865 photograph shows the construction of the second floor of the ''Palacio Municipal'' (city hall) in 1865. The building was burned during the Revolution. The railroad station was opened on June 18, 1881, next to the ''Convento de San Diego''.

Tourist train ''Tourist Train'' (Italian: ''Treno popolare'') is a 1933 Italian comedy film directed by Raffaello Matarazzo and starring Marcello Spada, Lina Gennari and Carlo Petrangeli. The film portrays the comic adventures of a group of summertime traveller ...

s continue to operate along the line.

Revolution & 20th century

As a young man,

Emiliano Zapata Emiliano Zapata Salazar (; August 8, 1879 – April 10, 1919) was a Mexican revolutionary. He was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920, the main leader of the people's revolution in the Mexican state of Morelos, and the ins ...

was concerned about land seizures in Anenecuilco, his hometown. In May 1911 he answered

Francisco I. Madero Francisco Ignacio Madero González (; 30 October 1873 – 22 February 1913) was a Mexican businessman, revolutionary, writer and statesman, who became the 37th president of Mexico from 1911 until he was deposed in a coup d'etat in February 1 ...

's call to arms against President

Porfirio Díaz José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori ( or ; ; 15 September 1830 – 2 July 1915), known as Porfirio Díaz, was a Mexican general and politician who served seven terms as President of Mexico, a total of 31 years, from 28 November 1876 to 6 Decem ...

. After minor battles in Chietla, Izúcar,

Metepec Metepec () is a municipality in the State of Mexico in Mexico and is located directly to the east of the state capital, Toluca, at an altitude of above sea level. The center of Mexico City lies some 50 km further to the east. The city of ...

Atlixco, Yautepec, and Jonacatepec, he arrived at Cuautla on May 11, 1911. With 4,000 or 5,000 troops he surrounded the city, and the week-long Battle of Cuautla (1911) began. The battle was a major turning point in the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...

, as Porfirio Díaz said the battle convinced him to sign the

Treaty of Ciudad Juárez The Treaty of Ciudad Juárez was a peace treaty signed between the President of Mexico, Porfirio Díaz, and the revolutionary Francisco Madero on May 21, 1911. The treaty put an end to the fighting between forces supporting Madero and those of ...

and resign. Nearly seven years later, in April

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

, Colonel Jesus Guajardo assassinated Zapata, apparently under orders of President

Venustiano Carranza José Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (; 29 December 1859 – 21 May 1920) was a Mexican wealthy land owner and politician who was Governor of Coahuila when the constitutionally elected president Francisco I. Madero was overthrown in a February ...

in Hacienda Chinameca, Ayala. His body was placed on a mule and left on the street before he was brought to Cuautla for burial. The city hall was burned during the Battle of Cuautla in 1911; the bell ''Nuestra Señora de Dolores'' was transferred from the Church of Guadalupita on February 19, 2017 when the city hall was restored. Parroquia de Cuautla

21st century

Six people, including an 11-year-old child, were killed in the September 17, 2017 Puebla earthquake. Jesus Corona Damian of ''Juntos Haremos Historia'' (Together we will make history coalition) was elected Presidente Municipal (mayor) in the election of July 1, 2018.

Tetelcingo Tetelcingo is a town in Cuautla, Morelos, Mexico. Located about 6 kilometers north of the city of Cuautla, Tetelcingo and the neighborhoods Colonia Cuauhtémoc and Colonia Lázaro Cárdenas are practically swallowed up in the urban area. Tetelcingo ...

was scheduled to become an autonomous municipality on January 1, 2019, but Cuautla authorities objected. As of May 4, 2020, there were 505 infections and 59 deaths in the state of Morelos and 62 confirmed infections from the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

in Cuautla. Schools and many businesses were closed from mid March until June 1. On June 2, Cuautla reported 224 confirmed cases and 34 deaths from the virus; the reopening of the state was pushed back until at least June 13. Cuautla reported an increase of 137 new cases from January 12 to 14, 2021, making 1,602 cases in all, second highest in the state. On March 8 Cuautla became the third municipality in Morelos to vaccinate senior citizens (60+). Irving Eduardo Solano Vera ("El Profe"), said to be the leader of the

Jalisco New Generation Cartel The Jalisco New Generation Cartel ( es, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación) or CJNG, formerly known as ''Los Mata Zetas'', is a semi-militarized Mexican criminal group based in Jalisco which is headed by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes ("El Me ...

(CJNG), was arrested in Colonia Santa Rosa on February 18, 2021.

Notable people

;Siege of Cuautla * Leonardo Bravo (1764-1812) was in charge of the 2nd sector (Santiago) of the city. Bravo broke out of the city on March 10, 1812, but was later captured and executed. His brothers Miguel and Victor, and his son, Nicolas also fought. *

(1776–1854), president of Mexico three times between 1839 and 1846. * Félix María Calleja del Rey y de la Gándara (1753-1828): Royalist general during the siege. * Hermenegildo Galeana (1762-1814): Galeana was in charge of the 1st sector (San Diego) of the city during the siege. * Mariano Matamoros y Guridi (1770-1814) was in charge of the 3rd sector (Buenavista). * Narciso Mendoza (1800-1888): Born in Cuautla, Mendoza belonged to the children's company ''Compañía de Emulantes'' (Company of Emulators) organized by

Juan Nepomuceno Almonte Juan Nepomuceno Almonte Ramírez (May 15, 1803 – March 21, 1869) was a Mexican soldier, commander, minister of war, congressman, diplomat, and presidential candidate. He was the natural son of José María Morelos, a leading commander during ...

. Mendoza stopped a royalist offensive by firing a cannon and is known as ''El Niño Artillero'' (The Gunner Boy). * José María Teclo Morelos Pérez y Pavón (1765-1815): Hero of the Siege of Cuautla (February 19 – May 2, 1812); the state is named for him. ;Other *

José Agustín José Agustín Ramírez Gómez (born 19 August 1944) is a Mexican novelist, short story writer, essayist and screenwriter. He is considered as one of the most influential and prolific Mexican writers of the second half of the 20th century. Career ...

(b. 1944) is a Mexican writer who lives in Cuautla. *

Ismael Hernández Ismael Alfredo Hernández Deras (born Victoria de Durango, February 20, 1964) is a Mexican politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) who served as Governor of the State of Durango from September 15, 2004 to Sept ...

(b. 1990 in Cuautla) is a Mexican modern pentathlete. He won a bronze medal at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

. *Felipe B. Montero, president when Cuautla was granted the title ″Heroic City″ in 1829 and chronicler of the siege * Jair Pereira Rodríguez (b. 1986 in Cuautla) is a Mexican football defender who plays for Liga MX

C.D. Guadalajara Club Deportivo Guadalajara (); often simply known as Guadalajara () and their nickname ''Chivas'' (), is a Mexican professional football club based in Zapopan, Jalisco. Guadalajara is one of the ten founding members of the Mexican First Divi ...

Municipal presidents

*Teofanes Jiménez, 1911–1912; Cuautla celebrated the 100th anniversary of the siege. *Cruz Vázquez, 1913-1913 *Teofanes Jiménez, 1913 *Sixto Ceballos, 1913 *Angel Díaz, 1913 *Sixto Ceballos, 1913-1914 *Everardo Espinosa, 1914-1915 *Julián Sosa, 1915 *Everardo Espinosa, 1915 *Pascual Carrillo, 1915 *Jesús Hernández, 1915 *Nicolás Morales, 1915 *Carlos Escobar, 1915-1916 *Agustín Palacios, 1916 *Agustín Amado Espindola, 1916 *Francisco J. Reygados, 1916 *Francisco Tenorio, 1916 *Salvador Romero, 1917 *Nestor Mendoza, 1917 *Julián Sosa, 1917-1918 *Lanciano Tamayo, 1918 *Felipe León, 1918 *Longino Tamayo, 1918 *Jesús Franco, 1918 *Felipe J. León, 1918–1919; Zapata's corpse publicly displayed *Pedro Nervaez, 1919-1922 *Joaquín Alanis, 1922 *Antonio Pliego, 1923-1924 *Felipe Amaro, 1924 *Pedro Nervaez, 1924-1925 *Pedro Albear, 1925 *Nemecio Torres, 1925 *Antonio Pliego, 1925-1926 *Manuel Abundez, 1926-1927 *Manuel Contreras, 1927 *Felipe Contreras, 1927-1928 *Antonio Pliego Quintero, 1928 *J. Refugio Bustamante, 1929 *Abelardo Flores, 1930 *Antonio Pliego Quintero, 1931-1932 *Francisco Hernández, 1932 *Manuel Abundez, 1933-1934 *Gil R. Montero, 1934 *J. Isabel Bustamante, 1935-1936 *Nicolás Zapata, 1937 *Antonio Pliego Quintero, 1938 *Alejandro Perdomo, 1939-1940 *Eulalio B. Morales, 1940 *Alejandro Perdomo, 1940 *Benjamin C. López, 1941-1942 *Mauro Belaunzarán Tapia, 1942-1944 *Torcuato B. Gutiérrez C., 1945 *Higinio Peña, 1945-1946 *Fausto González Hernández, 1947–1948; ''Casa de Morelos'' museum opens *Othón Menchaca, 1949-1950 *Antonio Pliego Noyola, 1950 *Manuel Llera Plascencia, 1951–1952; Narciso Mendoza Theater opens *Amado Torres Guerrero, 1953-1954 *Leobardo Alanís, 1954 *J. Guadalupe Reynoso, 1955–1957; foundation of "Regional Fine Arts Institute" *Antonio Nava Zavala, 1958-1960 *Fernando Estrada Sánchez, 1961-1963 *Rodolfo Abúndez Fandiño, 1964-1967 *Antonio Pliego Noyola, 1968–1971; "Fine Arts Institute" moved to ex-convent Santo Domingo *Angel Torres Escalante, 1971–1973;

narrow-gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...

Nacionales de Mexico ends service on October 11, 1973 *Ignacio Guerra Tejeda, 1973-1976 *Raymundo Llera Peña, 1976–1979; historical bell ''Nuestra Señora de Dolores'' transferred to city hall *Rodolfo Abundez Fandiño, 1979 *Alfonso Cerqueda Martínez, 1981-1985 *Luis Miguel Andreu Acosta, 1985 *Martín Garduño Amaga, 1985-1987 *Martín Crisóforo Martínez Nájera, 1987-1988 *José Guadalupe Vique Marín, 1988 *Adolfo Avila Piñarrieta, 1988-1991 *Javier Malpica Marines, 1991–1993; creation of Ecological Protection Zone ''Los Sabinos, Santa Rosa y San Cristóbal'' *Tadeo Espinosa Díaz, 1993-1997 ( PRI); environmental education begins in schools *Francisco Rodríguez Montero, 1997-2000 ( PRD) *Neftalí Tajonar Zalazar, 2000-2003 (PRI) *Arturo Damian Cruz Mendoza, 2003-2006 (PRD) *Sergio Rodrigo Valdespin Pérez, 2006-2009 ( PAN) *Luis Felipe Xavier Guemes Ríos, 2009-2012 (PRI); Cuautla receives recognition as ″Historical capital of Morelos″ *Jesús González Otero, 2013-2015 (PRD- PT- MC) *Raul Tadeo Nava, 2016-2018 (PAN) *Jesús Corona Damián, 2019–present ( Together we will make history)

Culture

Celebrations and holidays

*January 1:

New Year's Day New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...

(official holiday) * January 6: Día de Reyes * February 5: Día de la Constitución (Monday before the 5th; official holiday) * February 19: Anniversary of the start of 1812 Siege of Cuautla * March 8: Día Internacional de la Mujer *March 21: Anniversary of the birth of

Benito Juarez Benito may refer to: Places * Benito, Kentucky, United States * Benito, Manitoba, Canada * Benito River, a river in Equatorial Guinea Other uses * Benito (name) * ''Benito'' (1993), an Italian film See also * '' Benito Cereno'', a novella by ...

(Monday before the 21st; official holiday) * Fair of the second Friday of

Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...

, considered the second in importance of the state (variable date). *

Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...

(Semana Santa, variable dates) * April 10: commemoration of the death of

(state holiday) *April 30:

Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honor of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Sin ...

*May 1:

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

(official holiday) * May 2: Anniversary of the end of 1812

* May 5:

Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo ( in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoz ...

(national holiday) *May 10:

Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the ...

*July 25: Feast of

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...

* August 8: Anniversary of the birth of the General

Salazar and feast of St. Dominic de Guzmán * September 16: Mexican Independence Day

Cry of Dolores The Cry of Dolores ( es, Grito de Dolores, links=no, region=MX) occurred in Dolores, Mexico, on 16 September 1810, when Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his church bell and gave the call to arms that triggered the Mexican War ...

(official holiday) * September 30: Anniversary of the birth of the General

José María Morelos y Pavón José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacu ...

. There is a parade. * November 2:

Day of the Dead 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 ...

* November 20: Anniversary of the Cry of Revolution (Monday before the 20th; official holiday) *December 25:

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

(official holiday)

Leather, crafts, & textiles

* Cuautla is distinguished by its ''huarachería'' (leather sandals). * Tetelcingo is known for the elaboration of wire birdcages, bread boxes, and lace napkins. Women in Tetelcingo wear traditional Indigenous dress, consisting of a navy blue

huipil ''Huipil'' (Nahuatl: '' huīpīlli'' ; Ch'orti': ''b’ujk''; Chuj: ''nip'') is the most common traditional garment worn by indigenous women from central Mexico to Central America. It is a loose-fitting tunic, generally made from two or three re ...

(skirt) and a ''chincuete'' that is girded at the waist with a belt loom weaved by them. There are several workshops that are dedicated to saddlery, the manufacture of huaraches, belts, saddles, and all the necessary equipment for riding.

Food

Rich stews with green or red ''

guacamole Guacamole (; (informally shortened to ''guac'' in the United States since the 1980s) is an avocado-based dip, spread, or salad first developed in Mexico. In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine, it has become part of international cuisi ...

'', the green mole of ''pipián'' with

tamale A tamale, in Spanish tamal, is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamale ...

s, and cecina. Also ''

huitlacoche Corn smut is a plant disease caused by the pathogenic fungus ''Ustilago maydis'' that causes smut on maize and teosinte. The fungus forms galls on all above-ground parts of corn species. It is edible, and is known in Mexico as the delicacy ''h ...

'', ''

molote A molote is a filled, corn-based pastry usually served as an appetizer or snack in Mexican cuisine. It consists of a dough made from corn masa, sometimes blended with mashed potatoes, that is filled with various ingredients, then fried in lard or ...

s'', a squash flower soup (''

sopa de flor de calabaza Squash blossoms (called courgette flowers in Great Britain) are the edible flowers of ''Cucurbita'' species, particularly ''Cucurbita pepo'', the species that produces zucchini (courgette), marrow, spaghetti squash, and many other types of squa ...

''), or a mushroom cream soup, or sopa Azteca. Also available is Pollo Morelense, chicken with

peanut sauce Peanut sauce, satay sauce (saté sauce), ''bumbu kacang'', ''sambal kacang'', or ''pecel '' is an Indonesian sauce made from ground roasted or fried peanuts, widely used in Indonesian cuisine and many other dishes throughout the world. Peanut ...

, flower pancakes, and broken beans ('' frijoles quebrados'').

Art

''Motivos sobre el agua'', (Motifs on water) is a fresco painted by

Olga Costa Olga Costa (August 28, 1913 – June 28, 1993) was a painter and cultural promoter who immigrated to Mexico from Germany when she was twelve. She began to study art at the Academy of San Carlos but left after only three months to help support her ...

and

José Chávez Morado José Chávez Morado (4 January 1909 – 1 December 2002) was a Mexican artist who was associated with the Mexican muralism movement of the 20th century. His generation followed that of Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqu ...

, hidden inside the Agua Hedionda Spa. There is a group of plump mermaids playing musical instruments at the bottom of the sea. One carries the zither, another the cello, and one a type of shell or tambourine. They are surrounded by fish, shells, corals, and starfish. It was made in 1952.

Dance

''Las Tetelcingas'' is a traditiona
dance
dance from the indigenous town of

. Typical dress: the authentic suit is that of ''Tetelcinga'', which consists of a

(tunic) and a tangle of thick dark blue cloth, tied at the waist with wide folds by means of a blue and red sash, a blue skirt, sandals, with a headband made of flowers. The women's hair is worn long, either loose or braided. Eliseo Aragón said that half a century ago some women used to color their hair blue, red, or green, in the Olmec style. It is also said that drinking cups were used on the head as an ornament. The men's costume consists of white cotton pants tied with a red sash, a long-sleeved cotton shirt, a straw ''sombrero'' (hat), a bandana, and sandals; however, there are photographs in which the natives of Tetelcingo wear a kind of ''jorongo'' (sleeveless poncho) and short leather pants.

Economy

Among the most important activities in Cuautla you will find: *Agriculture (corn, beans) *Livestock (beef, pork) *Nursery (production of ornamental plants and fruit trees) *Aquaculture (production of aquatic species such as mojarras, prawns, and catfish) *Agroindustry (sugar cane) *General Commerce (financial, administrative and real estate services, premises such as stationery, grocery, food, beverages, etc.) *Services (hotel, restaurant, professional, technical, and personal) *Tourism (natural areas, lodging, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, water parks, spas, and springs.) *Construction. *Manufacturing. The Cuautla Industrial Park, located in

Ayala Ayala may refer to: Places * Ciudad Ayala, Morelos, Mexico * Ayala Alabang, a barangay in Muntinlupa, Philippines * Ayala Avenue, a major thoroughfare in the Makati Central Business District, Philippines * Ayala, Magalang, a barrio in Magalang ...

, covers and is the second largest in Morelos. Most of the companies are related to the automotive industry. The largest employers are ''Saint-Gobainl'', (glass), ''Sekurit'' (windshields), and ''Temic'' (industrial parts).

Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...

is a

Sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

Transportation

;Highways *

Mexican Federal Highway 160 Federal Highway 160 (''Carretera Federal 160'') is a Federal Highway of Mexico. The highway travels from Cuernavaca, Morelos in the west to Izúcar de Matamoros Izúcar de Matamoros is a city in Izúcar de Matamoros Municipality located in the ...

west to

Cocoyoc Cocoyoc is a city in the north-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at 18°53′N 99°04′W. The city lies within the municipality of Yautepec. Cocoyoc reported 10,178 inhabitants in the 2020 census and is the third-large ...

- Yautepec-

-Cuernavaca; east to

Jantetelco Jantetelco, officially Jantetelco de Matamoros, is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. . The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The municipality reported 17,238 inhabitants in the year 2015 ce ...

- Izucar de Matamoros * Mexican Federal Highway 160D (toll) is an eastern spur of

Mexican Federal Highway 95D Federal Highway 95D is a toll highway connecting Mexico City to Acapulco, Guerrero. Highway 95D is among the most important toll roads in the country, serving as a backbone for traffic out of Mexico City toward Morelos and tourist destinations in ...

(toll) from ''La Pera'' to Cuautla. *

Mexican Federal Highway 115D MFederal Highway 115D is a toll highway primarily located in the State of Mexico. It serves as a bypass of the cities of Amecameca and Nepantla in the State of Mexico for traffic traveling Mexican Federal Highway 115. The road is operated by Cami ...

(toll) north to

Nepantla Nepantla is a concept used in Chicano and Latino anthropology, social commentary, criticism, literature and art. It represents a concept of "in-between-ness." Nepantla is a Nahuatl word which means "in the middle of it" or "middle." It may refer s ...

Amecameca Amecameca is a municipality located in the eastern panhandle of Mexico State between Mexico City and the Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl volcanos of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It is located on federal highway 115 which leads to Cuautla, ...

; south to

Ciudad Ayala Ciudad Ayala is a city in the east-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at , at a mean height of above sea level. The city is named for Coronel Francisco Ayala (1760-1812) who fought with José María Morelos during the 1812 Si ...

- Zacatepec-

Mexican Federal Highway 115 Federal Highway 115 (''Carretera Federal 115'') is a Federal Highway of Mexico. The highway travels from Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico in the north to Izúcar de Matamoros, Puebla in the south. Federal Highway 115 is co-signed with Mexican Federa ...

north to

- Tepetlixpa-

-Mexico City-

Ixtapaluca Ixtapaluca is a city and a municipality in the eastern part of the State of Mexico in Mexico. It lies between the Federal District and the western border of the state of Puebla. The name Ixtapaluca means "Where the salt gets wet". As of 2006, I ...

; east to Izucar de Matamoros (co-signed with #160) ;Public transportation Local buses or ''combis'' serve Cuautla and nearby municipalities. Taxis and

ride sharing Carpooling (also car-sharing, ride-sharing and lift-sharing) is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car, and prevents the need for others to have to drive to a location themselves. By having more people usi ...

are available. Cuautla has several bus terminals for long-distance travel: *Estrella Roja (TER) (Cuernavaca, Mexico City, Airport, Puebla) *Pullman de Morelos (Mexico City, Airport, destinations in most parts state of Morelos) *Omnibus Cristóbal Colón (OCC) Company based in Cuautla, with service to Taxqueña and Central Norte bus terminals in Mexico City,

Oaxaca City Oaxaca de Juárez (), also Oaxaca City or simply Oaxaca (Valley Zapotec languages, Zapotec: ''Ndua''), is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Administrative divisions of Mexico, Mexican state Oaxaca. It is the municipal seat for the surr ...

, and

Veracruz (city) Veracruz (), known officially as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located along the coast in the central pa ...

. *Oro (mostly points east: state of Puebla, plus Cuernavaca and eastern Morelos, parts of

Oaxaca Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of Mexico. It is ...

Tlaxcala City Tlaxcala, officially Tlaxcala de Xicohténcatl (), is the capital city of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala and seat of the municipality of the same name. The city did not exist during the pre-Hispanic period but was laid out by the Spanish as a center ...

, and

Guerrero Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...

) ;Trains There is no regularly scheduled train service. A tourist train, a remnant of the

Interoceanic Railway of Mexico The Interoceanic Railway of Mexico (''Ferrocarril Interoceánico de México'') was one of the primary pre- nationalization railways of Mexico. Incorporated in Great Britain in 1888 to complete an unfinished project and compete with the Mexican Rai ...

, runs occasionally. ;Air Cuautla does not have an airport; flights are available at Cuernavaca Airport, Mexico City International Airport, and

Puebla International Airport Puebla International Airport, officially Hermanos Serdán International Airport is an international airport located in the municipalities of Tlaltenango, Huejotzingo and Juan C. Bonilla near Puebla, Puebla, Mexico. It handles national and i ...

Communities

* ''Cuautla'' is the municipal seat. It is located at an altitude of and has a population of 157,336. Its

Sister Cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

are

Renton, Washington Renton is a city in King County, Washington, and an inner-ring suburb of Seattle. Situated southeast of downtown Seattle, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington, at the mouth of the Cedar River. As of the 2020 census, the ...

, and

. * ''

'' is a

Nahuas The Nahuas () are a group of the indigenous people of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They comprise the largest indigenous group in Mexico and second largest in El Salvador. The Mexica (Aztecs) were of Nahua ethnicity, a ...

community located north of Cuautla. The population is 23,209. *''Tierra Larga'' has 2,589 inhabitants. * ''Ex-Hacienda el Hospital'' is located at an altitude of and has a population of 2,388. * ''Narciso Mendoza'' is located at an altitude of and has a population of 1,988. ''Ampliación Narciso Mendoza'' has 1,180. * ''Peña Flores (Palo Verde)'' is located at an altitude of and has a population of 4,448. * ''Puxtla'' is located at an altitude of and has a population of 1,901. *''19 de Febrero de 1812'' has 1,149 inhabitants, ''3 de Mayo'' has 1,078, and ''Calderón'' has 1,050. *Other communities have fewer than 1,000 inhabitants.

Education

As of 2014–2015, there are 24 daycare centers with 508 children, 110 preschools with 533 teachers and 7,545 pupils, 101 elementary schools (grades 1–6) with 1,225 teachers and 22,754 pupils, and 42 middle schools (grades 7–9) with 641 teachers and 11,354 pupils

Geography

Location

Cuautla is located in the eastern Morelos, with the geographic coordinates 18°49'N and 99°01'E and an altitude of above sea level. Cuautla borders the municipalities of

, Yautepec, and

Distance from other parts of Mexico

- via ''La Pera'' (45 minuties driving time), via ''Cuauhnahuac'' (48 minutes driving time) *

- *

Puebla Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...

– (1 hour, 35 minutes driving time)

Size

Cuautla covers roughly , which is about 3% of the overall size of Morelos. :es:Cuautla de Morelos

Attractions

The area is a tourist-friendly region with abundant hot springs and health spas/resorts. It features many archeological sites such as

and Indigenous communities such as the

Tepoztlán Tepoztlán () is a town in the central Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley. The town serves as the seat of government for the municipality of the same name. The town had a population of 14,130 inhabit ...

and

among others. Villasor Hotel

Springs, spas, & water parks

* Agua Hedionda ( es, Stinky Water), classified as one of the important water springs of the world due to its chemical composition, is located in Cuautla. These waters have a characteristic smell reminiscent of rotten eggs because of their

sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...

content. The water is , there is a spring, two swimming pools, and a water slide. The mural ''Motivos sobre el agua'' is located in the spa. which was used by ''Olmecas, Teotihuacanos, Chalcas, Tlahuicas'', and ''Aztecas'
Agua Hedionda website
*''Balneario Los Limones'' has a spring, swimming pools, wading pool, playground, water slide, picnic area with grills, camping area, fronton court, and a basketball court. *''Ejidal spa Cups'' is located in Las Tazas, Cuautlixco. *''El Almeal'' is a water park in Cuautla. It has a spring, swimming pools, wading pool, athletic fields, and camping area. *''Spa The Plot'' is a water park in Cuautla at Cuautla-Izucar highway, KM2. *''Quinta Manantial'' is a water park with a spring in Cuautla. *''Balneario Agua Linda'' is a public swimming pool. *''Erandi Spa'' is a health spa in Cuautla.

Museums

*The ''Morelos House / Museum'' contains artifacts and descriptions about

Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...

from Spain (1812-1821). It honors José María Morelos, whose rebel troops managed to hold off Royalist troops for 72 days, as well as honoring Emiliano Zapata. *The Morelos Museum adjoins the old narrow-gauge railroad which was used to haul sugar cane to the local mills. The Tren Escénico is a

narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...

tourist railroad A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...

offering train rides pulled by an historic steam locomotive once used by the former

. The narrow-gauge was retired in 1973. *The tomb of the famous Mexican revolutionary hero

is also located in this city, and every year several festivities are held around the anniversary of his death. *The ''Teatro Narciso Mendoza'' is named for the legendary ''Niño Artillero''. This building was inaugurated on January 6, 1952. Today it is a cultural center. There is a long mural that tells the history of Cuautla, created by the painter Arturo Estrada, but censored by the religious authority of that time, and covered with white paint. Popocatepetl cuautla

Architecture

The vast majority of buildings in Cuautla are made of brick or cinder blocks, framed by

reinforced concrete Reinforced concrete (RC), also called reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and ferroconcrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having hig ...

posts which in turn support reinforced concrete beams, reinforced concrete

floor A floor is the bottom surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many layered surfaces made with modern technology. Floors may be stone, wood, bamboo, metal or any other material that can support the expected load ...

s and

roof A roof ( : roofs or rooves) is the top covering of a building, including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights, providing protection against rain, snow, sunlight, extremes of temper ...

s. Also, many homes in this city, are made with only cinder blocks, cement, and a tin roof. Many of these homes also lack electricity and running water. Nearly all homes have a "tinaco", which is a large plastic

water tank A water tank is a container for storing water. Water tanks are used to provide storage of water for use in many applications, drinking water, irrigation agriculture, fire suppression, agricultural farming, both for plants and livestock, chemi ...

on the roof as well as a concrete ''

cistern A cistern (Middle English ', from Latin ', from ', "box", from Greek ', "basket") is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by t ...

a'' below ground. Both are refilled regularly at the same time by the city. When necessary the water is

pump A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic energy. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method they u ...

ed from the ''cisterna'' to the ''Tinaco''. These water tanks let water out into

pipes Pipe(s), PIPE(S) or piping may refer to: Objects * Pipe (fluid conveyance), a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules ** Piping, the use of pipes in industry * Smoking pipe ** Tobacco pipe * Half-pipe and quarter pipe, semi-circula ...

which have

valve A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...

s that are opened as needed to wash clothes and dishes or to bathe or flush the toilet. A single valve is located at the ''tinaco''to be closed if necessary.

Climate

The city is quite warm year-round. In the winter, there is a slight decrease in both the daytime and nighttime temperatures, and because of Cuautla's relative proximity south of the

Tropic of Cancer The Tropic of Cancer, which is also referred to as the Northern Tropic, is the most northerly circle of latitude on Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward ...

and its altitude (about above sea level), the nighttime temperatures year-round usually average about . On the other hand, because Cuautla is somewhat close to the

Equator The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can als ...

, temperatures year-round tend to reach into the mid-80s to lower 90s°F (upper 20s°C to the lower 30s°C) even during the winter, and in spring on many days the daytime temperatures may reach well into the upper 90s°F (lower 30s°C).

Religion

The dominant religion in Cuautla is Roman Catholicism. There are 22 registered churches in the municipal area.

References

External links

Ayuntamiento Constitucional de Cuautla (Constitutional Council of Cuautla)
Official website
2005 Census population data statistics
INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática (National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Information)
Morelos
Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México (Encyclopedia of Mexican Municipalities) {{Authority control Municipalities of Morelos People from Morelos Populated places in Morelos