Lagos de Moreno () 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 State of Jalisco,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. Lagos is located in the region of Los Altos de Jalisco, within the

macroregion A macroregion is a geopolitical subdivision that encompasses several traditionally or politically defined regions or countries. The meaning may vary, with the common denominator being cultural, economical, historical or social similarity within a ma ...

of the Bajío, one of the most highly developed areas in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

. Lagos de Moreno is occasionally known as the "Athens of Jalisco", owing to the numerous writers and poets who were born there. Lagos de Moreno was founded as Villa Santa Maria de los Lagos on March 31, 1563, by Don Hernando Martel, an

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The t ...

n conquistador. The town was the economic and cultural center of a region that eventually attracted many ranchers. By 1600 there were over 20,000 cattle in the region. Santa Maria continued growing both physically and culturally, and by the 1800s, the town was elevated to a city and renamed to Lagos de Moreno in honor of Pedro Moreno. Lagos de Moreno was the site of the signing of several important political documents, the two identically named but unrelated ''Convenios de Lagos''. The arts flourished in the city during the latter half of the 19th century, but this literary boom decreased somewhat after the Mexican Revolution, especially during the 1940s. Recently, Lagos de Moreno has become an important cultural and

tourist destination A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural ...

thanks to its rich history and architecture, some of which still stands from the

17th century The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 ( MDCI), to December 31, 1700 ( MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized by the Baroque cultural moveme ...

. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 153,818 inhabitants, making it the 6th largest city in the state of Jalisco. The estimate for the population in 2015 is 164,981 people. The city serves as the municipal seat of the municipality, which has an area of 2,648.22 km² (1,022.48 sq mi) and a population of 153,817 inhabitants, and includes many other outlying small communities, the largest of which are Paso de Cuarenta (San Miguel de Cuarenta) and Los Azulitos.

Etymology

The conquistador Hernando Martel gave Lagos de Moreno its original name, Villa de Santa Maria de los Lagos (Town of Saint Mary of the Lakes). The town's name was derived from Saint Mary, the townspeople's chosen patron saint, and the numerous lakes that used to be scattered across the valley. The town was renamed on April 9, 1829, as Lagos de Moreno in honor of Mexican independence hero Pedro Moreno, who was born in the city.

History

Pre-hispanic era

The origins of Lagos de Moreno date to its founding as Pechichitlán or Teziziatlan by Ahnuvic VII in about 1028 BCE. Then the city served as a capital for the Chichimecatlalli fiefdom. In the 12th century, semi-nomadic

Guachichil The Guachichil, Cuauchichil, or Quauhchichitl, are an Indigenous people of Mexico. Pre-contact, they occupied the most extensive territory of all the indigenous Chichimeca Nations tribes in pre-Columbian Central Mexico. The Guachichiles roamed t ...

es occupied the valley and dominated an extensive area stretching from present-day

San Juan de los Lagos San Juan de los Lagos (Spanish for " Saint John of the Lakes") is a city and municipality located in the northeast corner of the state of Jalisco, Mexico, in a region known as Los Altos. It is best known as the home of a small image of the Virgi ...

to southern Coahuila. Before the colonization of Mexico began, indigenous culture thrived in this area, with notable pre-Hispanic architecture being established at Rincón de Mesa, Sauceda, and El Maguey.

Colonial era

After the fall of the Aztec Empire, explorers set out to explore the western frontier in the Bajio Region. The Spanish expansion in

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 ...

was slowed down by several tribes in the vicinity, such as the semi-nomadic

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 ...

s and the Guachichiles. To the east of Pechititan, the

Guamare The Guamare people were an indigenous people of Mexico, who were established mostly in Guanajuato and at the border of Jalisco. They were part of the Chichimecas, a group of a nomadic hunter-gatherer culture and called themselves Children of the ...

s inhabited the Guanajuato area, and to the west, the

Zacateco The Zacatecos (or Zacatecas) is the name of an indigenous group, one of the peoples called Chichimecas by the Aztecs. They lived in most of what is now the state of Zacatecas and the northeastern part of Durango. They have many direct descendan ...

s lived. The Zacateco

caudillo A ''caudillo'' ( , ; osp, cabdillo, from Latin , diminutive of ''caput'' "head") is a type of personalist leader wielding military and political power. There is no precise definition of ''caudillo'', which is often used interchangeably with " ...

s (chiefs), Xiconaqui and Custique, along with the Chichimecas, struck down multiple Spanish invasions from 1550 to 1590 in the well-known

Chichimeca War The Chichimeca War (1550–90) was a military conflict between the Spanish Empire and the Chichimeca Confederation established in the territories today known as the Central Mexican Plateau, called by the Conquistadores La Gran Chichimeca. Th ...

. However,

encomenderos The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish labour system that rewarded conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. The labourers, in theory, were provided with benefits by the conquerors for whom they laboured, including military ...

gradually occupied the Bajio. The first Spaniard to build a hacienda in the ''Laguense'' valley was Don Diego de Ibarra. Even so, in 1551, a group of Chichimecas attacked his ranch (La Sauceda and San Antonio) and killed all his animals. The constant raids in the area made, for the time being, made settlement of the Lagos region impossible.

Founding of Lagos

After decades of constant combat and raids, the first Spanish authorities of the region were appointed; the priest of

Teocaltiche Teocaltiche ( nah, Teocaltillitzin "place near the temple") is a town and municipality in the central-western Mexican state of Jalisco. It is located in the northeastern highlands region of Jalisco, commonly referred to in Spanish as "Los Altos de ...

and the Mayor of Teocaltiche had the region stretching from Teocaltiche to the Lagos valley as their jurisdiction. Later, the Royal Audiencia of Nueva Galicia ordered the Mayor of Teocaltiche, Don Hernando Martel from

Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...

, to establish a town in the vicinity of Pechichitan. The new settlement was founded jointly with the first priest and vicar of the local parish, father Juan de Cuenca Virues, who also participated in the official founding of the Real Comanja mine in 1561. As such, on March 31, 1563, ''Villa de Santa María de los Lagos'' was founded by Martel, Cuenca, and Captain Don Pedro de Anda, along with 72 or 73 Spanish noble families and their servants and slaves. Development The residents of Santa Maria chose the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

as the namesake of their town and

Saint Sebastian Saint Sebastian (in Latin: ''Sebastianus''; Narbo, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire c. AD 255 – Rome, Italia, Roman Empire c. AD 288) was an early Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Diocle ...

as a minor patron saint. The settlement and its surroundings became quite appealing to ranchers; by 1600 around 20,000 head of cattle were active in the Lagos valley, facilitating the eventual creation of the charreria-style rodeo. The increasing population of the area contributed to the naming of the first ordinary Mayor of Santa Maria de los Lagos, the miner Pedro Marfil from Guanajuato. Marfil would be succeeded by Gonzalo Vazquez Baladez, the first and only clergyman to-date to serve as mayor of the town. The town continued to grow steadily in the 17th century, benefiting from the general prosperity of the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. In 1615, a new jail was inaugurated, and 1621 saw the construction of a third parish temple with a tower that would be completed by 1685. Religious buildings were created often during this period; the Convent of the Poor Capuchins of Saint Joseph was founded and the construction of the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Temple of Our Lady of the Rosary began during this time.

Mexican War of Independence

Santa Maria de los Lagos, like the rest of New Spain, underwent rapid political change in the early 1800s. The lawyer

Francisco Primo de Verdad y Ramos Francisco Primo de Verdad y Ramos (June 9, 1760, Ciénega del Rincón, New Spain – October 4, 1808, Mexico City, New Spain) was a Novohispanic lawyer and politician and a proponent of Mexican independence from Spain. He was imprisoned by th ...

spoke to Spanish authorities, advocating for Mexican independence. He died under mysterious circumstances in the dungeon of the Mexico City Trustee building. In the initial phase of the war, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla visited Santa Maria de los Lagos and provided religious services there, and recruited some families for the fight against the forces of the Spanish Viceroy.

Independence to present

In 1823, the ''Convenio de Lagos'' (Agreement of Lagos) was signed in Santa Maria by Nicolas Bravo,

Pedro Celestino Negrete Pedro Celestino Joseph Negrete y Falla (14 May 1777 – 11 April 1846) was a Spanish politician and military man who served as a member of the interim government of México after the abolition of the First Mexican Empire. He fought alongside ...

, and Luis Quintanar, establishing the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco. On March 27, 1824, Santa Maria was given the title of city. On April 9, 1829, the city was renamed as Lagos de Moreno in memory of insurgent General Pedro Moreno (1775-1817), a founding father of Mexico who led forces against Spanish authorities in the

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 ...

. In 1855, a second and similarly titled ''Convenio de Lagos'' (Agreement of Lagos) was signed in Lagos de Moreno, in which

Manuel Doblado Manuel Doblado Partida (12 June 1818 – 19 June 1865) was a Mexican prominent liberal politician and lawyer who served as congressman, Governor of Guanajuato, Minister of Foreign Affairs (1861) in the cabinet of President Juárez and fought ...

and Antonio de Haro y Tamariz recognized the

Plan of Ayutla A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal. ...

, thus joining the movement to topple conservative President Antonio López de Santa Ana. During the

Reform War The Reform War, or War of Reform ( es, Guerra de Reforma), also known as the Three Years' War ( es, Guerra de los Tres Años), was a civil war in Mexico lasting from January 11, 1858 to January 11, 1861, fought between liberals and conservativ ...

, Lagos de Moreno changed hands between liberal and conservative forces multiple times until an eventual liberal victory in 1861. During the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s, residents of Lagos de Moreno like Mariano Azuela and Francisco Guerrero Ramirez joined the fighting. In the subsequent

Cristero War The Cristero War ( es, Guerra Cristera), also known as the Cristero Rebellion or es, La Cristiada, label=none, italics=no , was a widespread struggle in central and western Mexico from 1 August 1926 to 21 June 1929 in response to the implementa ...

, the nearby Mesa Redonda was the site of a battle between federal troops and rebel forces. In 1963, Lagos de Moreno celebrated the 400th anniversary of its founding. In recent times, the city has received several important titles. It has been named an Area of Historical Monuments by the

National Institute of Anthropology and History National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

(INAH) in 1989, a

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

on the Camino Real "Tierra Adentro" by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

on August 1, 2010, and "

Pueblo Mágico In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...

" by SECTUR on November 16, 2012.

Geography

Climate

Lagos de Moreno has a

subtropical highland climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...

(

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 ...

''Cwb'') with mild temperatures year round. Temperatures are generally similar for any given month, but daily high and low fluctuations can be very sharp in the winter due in part to the city's altitude and its uneven surroundings. Winters are mild with an average maximum temperature of in January although nighttime temperatures are often cold, with an average minimum temperature of . Many days are sunny, averaging around 15-19 clear days per month and precipitation is low. Nighttime temperatures regularly fall below but extended periods of frost are rare. The Bajio's two main seasons are the wet season and the dry season. The wet season, which runs from June to October sees an increase in precipitation and humidity with July and August being the wettest months. The record high was on March 26, 1942 and the record low was on January 24, 1955. The table below shows detailed statistics on the climate of Lagos de Moreno.

Topography

Lagos de Moreno is situated 1,942 meters (6,371 feet) above mean sea level. Lagos is located in the region of Los Altos de Jalisco, within the

of the Bajío, one of the most highly developed areas in

. The city's vicinity is quite mountainous and hilly, with the nearby Mesa Redonda being a particularly notable formation.

Flora and fauna

The nearby Mesa Redonda is home to many unique species of flora. There, two species of

cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gree ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

only to Jalisco flourish, with one of these species only being endemic to the Mesa Redonda, particularly its very steep slopes, protecting it from predators. Many animals call the Lagos valley home, with fauna including hares, rabbits, deers, and boars. Residents of nearby ranches have commented on the presence of coyotes and snakes in rural areas. Areas like the Mesa Redonda have been utilized by locals to gather vegetables straight from nature, particularly prickly pear cacti.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 153,817 inhabitants, making it the 6th largest city in the state of Jalisco. The estimate for the population in 2015 is 164,981 people. Lagos de Moreno has a slightly higher female population compared to males with 79,345 females compared to 74,472 males, meaning that the female population is 6.14% higher than the male population.

Notable natives and residents

Athletics

* Luis Fernando Macías, professional cyclist, silver medalist at the 2009 Pan-American Road and Track Championship * Armando Reynoso Gutiérrez, baseball player for the

Mexico national team The Mexico national football team () represents Mexico in international football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation (). It competes as a member of CONCACAF. Mexico has qualified to seventeen World Cups and has qualified conse ...

, Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame member * Isaác Brizuela Muñoz, Mexican-American footballer for

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 ...

* Carmelo Reyes González, former professional wrestler

Culture

* Lola Álvarez Bravo, famed photographer, prominent figure of the post- Mexican Revolution artistic renaissance * Juan Pablo Villalobos, author and entrepreneur * José Rosas Moreno, 19th-century writer, fableist, and poet * Mariano Azuela González, 19th/20th-century literary critic, novelist, and essayist

Politics

* Pedro de Anda, Spanish conquistador and founder of Lagos de Moreno * Luis Alfonso de Alba Góngora, Mexican under-secretary for Latin America in the Secretary of Foreign Relations, former Mexican Representative to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

* Ramón Muñoz Gutiérrez, Senator of Jalisco in the Mexican Senate of the Republic *

Emilio González Márquez Emilio González Márquez (born 12 November 1960 in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco) is a Mexican politician affiliated with the National Action Party (PAN). He served as Governor of Jalisco. Political career González was an active member of the ...

, former

Governor of Jalisco The following is a list of governors of the Mexican state of Jalisco from 1821. The current Constitution indicates a term six years in length, which cannot be renewed under any circumstances. It also stipulates the qualifications for becoming g ...

* Pedro Moreno, general and father of the

, 18th-century lawyer and politician of colonial New Spain

Religion

* Juan Manuel Martín del Campo,

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...

and

exorcist In some religions, an exorcist (from the Greek „ἐξορκιστής“) is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or performs the ridding of demons or other supernatural beings who are alleged to have possessed a person, ...

, titled as

Venerable The Venerable (''venerabilis'' in Latin) is a style, a title, or an epithet which is used in some Western Christian churches, or it is a translation of similar terms for clerics in Eastern Orthodoxy and monastics in Buddhism. Christianity Cat ...

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

Government

Mayors and municipal presidents

Subjects and citizens who have served as mayors or municipal presidents of Lagos de Moreno

Gallery

File:BIBLIOTECA PUBLICA REGIONAL "MARIA SOINE DE HELGUERA" DE LAGOS DE MORENO,JALISCO. MEXICO..jpg, Maria Soine de Helguerra Regional Public Library File:OTRA VISTA DE LA PARROQUIA DE LA ASUNCION DE LA V. MARIA. EDIFICADA EN EL S. XVIII. LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO.jpg, Our Lady of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary Parochial Church File:Parroquia de la Luz (Ocaso).jpg, N. Sra. de la Luz Church at sunset File:PALACIO MUNICIPAL, INICIO DE CONSTRUCCION EN 1905 Y CONCLUIDO CON DOS PLANTAS EN LAS DECADAS DE LOS 40¨S SIGLO XX. LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO..jpg, The Municipal Palace of Lagos de Moreno File:Ex-Real Convento de San José de Gracia de Pobres Capuchinas Siglo XVIII Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco. México.jpg, San José de Gracia de Pobres Capuchinas Convent File:TEATRO "JOSE ROSAS MORENO" Estilo Neoclasico de Art Nouveau. Inaugurado 05 de mayo del 1907. LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO..jpg, José Rosas Moreno Theatre File:El Calvario - Lagos de Moreno.jpg, The Temple of Calvario File:La Mesa redonda desde la autopista 01.jpg, La Mesa Redonda File:TEMPLO DE LA MERCED. Construído del 1686-1756.LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO.jpg, La Merced Temple File:Templo de comanja paisaje.jpg, Comanja Temple File:ESCUELA DE ARTES Y OFICIOS "MIGUEL LEANDRO GUERRA" LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO. Edificio neoclasico remodelado en el siglo XIX para escuela de niños. del Liceo Padre Guerra y restaurado para.jpg, Miguel Leandro Guerra School of Arts and Trades File:FRENTE DE LA PARROQUIA DE NTRA. SRA. DE LA LUZ. ELEGANTE NEOCLASICO HERMOSO DESDE 1878. LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO..jpg, N. Sra. de la Luz Church File:Templo de San Felipe de Jesús lagos.JPG, San Felipe de Jesús Temple File:Vista desde Jardín Frente Parroquia de la Asunción de María.jpg, Asunción de María Park File:Templete (capilla) del Campo Santo De La Soledad (Panteón De La Soledad) Panteon Municipal de Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco. México. Inaugurado el 06 de Octubre de 1846 Fachada estilo grecoromano..jpg, Panteon de la Soledad File:TEMPLO DE SAN MIGUEL ARCANGEL, PASO DEL CUARENTA. LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO..jpg, San Miguel Church File:Fachada del Teatro José Rosas Moreno, Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco 04.jpg, Teatro José Rosas Moreno File:VISTA FRONTAL DE LA PARROQUIA DE NTRA. SRA. LA V. DEL REFUGIO.DESE 04 DE ABRIL DEL 1833-04 DE JULIO 1838. LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO. MEXICO.jpg, N. Sra. del Refugio Church

Transportation

The city used to be served by the

Francisco Primo de Verdad National Airport Francisco Primo de Verdad National Airport (sometimes abbreviated as Francisco P.V. y R. Airport) is a domestic airport serving Lagos de Moreno, in the Jalisco province of Mexico. The airport is named after Francisco Primo de Verdad y Ramos, a ...

. The nearest airport,

Del Bajio International Airport Del, or nabla, is an operator used in mathematics (particularly in vector calculus) as a vector differential operator, usually represented by the nabla symbol ∇. When applied to a function defined on a one-dimensional domain, it denotes t ...

( IATA: BJX) is located near

Silao, Guanajuato Silao is a municipality in the west-central part of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico. Its seat is the city of the same name. This municipality lies adjacent to the west side of the municipality of Guanajuato, the state capital. This municipality ...

, an hour's drive away.

References

Sources

Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005
INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
Jalisco
Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México

External links

Fotografias de Lagos de Moreno
www.alxkueyar.com
Laguenses en el exterior
www.laguenses.com
Ayuntamiento de Lagos de Moreno
Official website {{Authority control Municipalities of Jalisco Pueblos Mágicos Camino Real de Tierra Adentro