Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid) is a city and
municipal seat
A municipal seat or ''cabecera municipal'' is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a municipality or civil parish with other villes or towns subordinated. The term is used in Brazil, Colombia,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 ...
of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of
Michoacán
Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...
in central Mexico.
The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital and largest city of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the
Purépecha
The Purépecha (endonym pua, P'urhepecha ) are a group of indigenous people centered in the northwestern region of Michoacán, Mexico, mainly in the area of the cities of Cherán and Pátzcuaro.
They are also known by the pejorative "Tarascan ...
and the
Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the valley during this time. The
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
took control of the area in the 1520s. The Spanish under
Viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
Antonio de Mendoza
Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco (, ; 1495 – 21 July 1552) was a Spanish colonial administrator who was the first Viceroy of New Spain, serving from 14 November 1535 to 25 November 1550, and the third Viceroy of Peru, from 23 September 1551, ...
founded a settlement here in 1541 with the name of Valladolid, which became rival to the nearby city of
Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro () is a city and municipality located in the state of Michoacán. The town was founded sometime in the 1320s, at first becoming the capital of the Purépecha Empire and later its ceremonial center. After the Spanish took over, Vasco de ...
for dominance in Michoacán. In 1580, this rivalry ended in Valladolid's favor and it became the capital of the viceregal province. After 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 ...
, the city was renamed Morelia in honor of
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 ...
, who hailed from the city. In 1991, the city was declared a UNESCO
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 ...
for its well-preserved historical buildings and layout of the historic center. It is tradition to name people born on September 30 after the city.
The city population in 2020 was 743,275 inhabitants. The municipality had 849,053 inhabitants, and the Metropolitan Area, composed of Morelia, Tarímbaro, and Charo municipalities, had 988,704 inhabitants, according to the XIV Census.
History
![Calle del centro de morelia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Calle_del_centro_de_morelia.jpg)
Human settlements in the
Guayangareo Valley in which Morelia is located have been dated back as far as the 7th century. Artifacts found here have shown
Teotihuacán
Teotihuacan (Spanish: ''Teotihuacán'') (; ) is an ancient Mesoamerican city located in a sub-valley of the Valley of Mexico, which is located in the State of Mexico, northeast of modern-day Mexico City. Teotihuacan is known today as the ...
culture influence on early cultures in this area. In the 12th century, the
Purépecha
The Purépecha (endonym pua, P'urhepecha ) are a group of indigenous people centered in the northwestern region of Michoacán, Mexico, mainly in the area of the cities of Cherán and Pátzcuaro.
They are also known by the pejorative "Tarascan ...
arrived in the valley. They dominated it politically for the rest of the pre-Hispanic period but did not build any major settlements here. Between the 12th and the 15th centuries, Matlatzincas moved into the area with permission of the Purépechas, who were based around nearby Pátzcuaro Lake. The main Matlatzinca settlement was where Júarez Plaza in the city is today.
The Spanish pushed into the Guayangareo Valley between 1525 and 1526, headed by Gonzalo Gómez. In the 1530s, the area was evangelized by
Franciscans
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
such as Juan de San Miguel and Antonio de Lisboa.
What would become the city of Morelia was founded by Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza and a number of
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 ...
in 1541, who first named it Nueva Ciudad de Michoacán (New City of Michoacán). The newly founded settlement grew quickly, prompting
Vasco de Quiroga
Vasco de Quiroga (1470/78 – 14 March 1565) was the first bishop of Michoacán, Mexico, and one of the judges (''oidores'') in the second Real Audiencia of Mexico – the high court that governed New Spain – from January 10, 1531, to April 16, ...
to go to Spain and procure for rival settlement Pátzcuaro the title of city and a seal, to prevent “new city” from becoming the capital of Michoacán. The action also required that the new settlement change its name to Guayangareo.
In 1545, Guayangareo gained city status from Charles V with the name of "Valladolid," after
the hometown of Antonio de Mendoza.
This was part of a power struggle between Antonio de Mendoza and Vasco de Quiroga over the province of Michoacán. During Quiroga's lifetime, he managed to keep political and ecclesiastical power in Pátzcuaro despite the viceroy's and encomenderos’ objections. Quiroga died in 1565, however, and by 1580, both political and
religious authority (
Episcopal see
An episcopal see is, in a practical use of the phrase, the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, mak ...
) had been transferred to the city of Valladolid, moving the College of San Nicolás, which Vasco founded and laying the groundwork for establishing a new cathedral for the province.
The 17th century saw growth for Valladolid, with the construction of the cathedral and aqueduct. The cathedral was begun in 1640 (finished in 1744) and the aqueduct in 1657.
Both of these structures would later be worked on in the 18th century by Master Architect of Valladolid,
Diego Durán
Diego Durán (c. 1537 – 1588) was a Dominican friar best known for his authorship of one of the earliest Western books on the history and culture of the Aztecs, ''The History of the Indies of New Spain'', a book that was much criticised in hi ...
. During the 17th century, many of the city's large churches and monasteries were established, such as the monasteries of San Francisco, San Agustin, El Carmen, and La Merced as well as the convents of Las Rosas, Las Monjas and Capuchinas. Churches include La Compañía, San Juan, and La Cruz, but the most important structure built during this time period was the cathedral. The location of this cathedral defined the composition and development of the city from then on.
At the end of the viceregal period, Valladolid was a small city with about 20,000 inhabitants. It was also an educational center with four important schools such as the College of San Nicolás. These schools would turn out scholars such as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and
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 ...
, who were sympathetic to the new republican ideas coming out of
post-revolution France and the United States.
Demonstrations against Spanish rule had been occurring in the town in 1809, culminating in the Conspiracy of 1809. This plot was discovered, with the main conspirators were arrested and sent to other parts of New Spain, which helped to spread republican ideas.
One year later, after forming his army in
Guanajuato
Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...
state,
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Don (honorific), Don Miguel Gregorio Antonio Ignacio Hidalgo y Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte Villaseñor (8 May 1753 – 30 July 1811), more commonly known as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla or Miguel Hidalgo (), was a Catholic priest, leader ...
arrived and took over the city, proclaiming the end of slavery in Mexico. The city was taken back by royalist forces soon after. Morelos came here to try and dislodge the royalists but was defeated by
Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín de Iturbide (; 27 September 178319 July 1824), full name Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu and also known as Agustín of Mexico, was a Mexican army general and politician. During the Mexican War of Independence, he built a ...
. Another prominent figure in the war,
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 ...
was shot by firing squad on the city's main square in 1814. The city remained in royalist's hands until 1821, Iturbide, who had switched sides, and
Vicente Guerrero
Vicente Ramón Guerrero (; baptized August 10, 1782 – February 14, 1831) was one of the leading revolutionary generals of the Mexican War of Independence. He fought against Spain for independence in the early 19th century, and later served as ...
entered the city with the
Trigarante Army.
In 1828, the newly created state of Michoacán changed the name of the city from Valladolid to Morelia, in honor of
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 ...
. This is the official name it retains today, although its Purépecha name remains Uaianarhio and has had nicknames such as City of Pink (Cantera) Stone, the City of Open Doors, The Rose of the Winds, The Garden of
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 ...
and religiously as Morelia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The city became a municipality in 1831.
The later 19th century is marked by struggles between liberal and conservatives forces in Mexico. During the
Revolution of Ayutla
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
, the city was taken by rebel forces under Epitacio Huerta and General García Pueblita, but was taken back in 1855 by forces under
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 ...
. Rebels attacked Santa Anna's troops again a year later.
French troops imposing imperial rule entered the city in 1863, with the republican forces moving the capital of Michoacán to
Uruapan
Uruapan is the second largest city in the Mexico, Mexican state of Michoacán. It is located at the western edge of the Tarascan Plateau, Purépecha highlands, just to the east of the Tierra Caliente (Mexico), Tierra Caliente region. Since the colo ...
while conservative families in Morelia pledged support for emperor
Maximilian I, who then visited the city. In 1867, the city is taken by republican general Nicolás de Régules and the capital of Michoacán returned to Morelia.
In 1869, during a rebellion against
Benito Juárez
Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Liberalism in Mexico, Mexican liberal politician and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. As a Zapotec peoples, Zapo ...
’s government, General Epitacio Huerta attacked government positions in the city but were beaten back by forces under
Mariano Escobedo
Mariano Antonio Guadalupe Escobedo de la Peña (16 January 1826 – 22 May 1902) was a Mexican Army general and Governor of Nuevo León.
Early life
Mariano Escobedo was born in San Pablo de los Labradores (which is today known as Galeana), ...
.
![Filling water jars at a fountain in Morelia, Mexico (1906)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Filling_water_jars_at_a_fountain_in_Morelia%2C_Mexico_%281906%29.jpg)
The first factories were opened in the city between 1868 and 1870, along with the first
telegraph
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...
line. The railroad followed in 1883, as well as streetcars.
In 1910, celebrations are held for the centennial of Independence but tensions are high in the city due to the shortage of grain and the continuation of President
Porfirio Diaz Porfirio is a given name in Spanish, derived from the Greek Porphyry (''porphyrios'' "purple-clad").
It can refer to:
* Porfirio Salinas – Mexican-American artist
* Porfirio Armando Betancourt – Honduran football player
* Porfirio Barba-Jac ...
in power. One year later, revolutionaries loyal to
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 ...
are welcomed into the city.
In 1914, the capital was moved from Morelia to the city of
Tacámbaro
Tacámbaro is a municipality located in the central region of the Mexican state of Michoacán. Its largest city and municipal seat is Heroica Tacámbaro de Codallos.
The city is located at . In the 2020 census, the city's population was 81,105. ...
. The city was then taken by forces under General Sánchez in the same year, and by forces loyal to
Francisco Villa
Francisco "Pancho" Villa (, Orozco rebelled in March 1912, both for Madero's continuing failure to enact land reform and because he felt insufficiently rewarded for his role in bringing the new president to power. At the request of Madero's c ...
in 1915.
In 1920, the Palace of the State Government was briefly taken over by farmworkers and others from all over the state. Isaac Arriaga is assassinated here in 1921. The city is attacked again by rebels calling themselves “Delahuertistas” in 1924. The fight mostly occurs in the main plaza with the city defended by General Lopez, Garcia, and Avila Camacho.
During the 1960s the street vendors were removed from the historic center of the city, and palm trees that lined the Avenida Madero, the main east-west road, were cut down. In 1966, there was a student revolt at the state university which was put down by the army.
The 1970s and 1980s are marked by construction including the Periferico bypass ring around the city.
During the 1980s, damage due to geographic faults, exacerbated by falling water tables from groundwater pumping is noticed. This problem is similar to problems faced by other cities on the
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt ( es, Eje Volcánico Transversal), also known as the Transvolcanic Belt and locally as the (''Snowy Mountain Range''), is an active volcanic belt that covers central-southern Mexico. Several of its highest peaks h ...
such as
Querétaro
Querétaro (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro, links=no; Otomi language, Otomi: ''Hyodi Ndämxei''), is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. I ...
and
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 1991, the city was declared a
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 ...
World Heritage Site due to its well-preserved architecture. In 2001, street vendors were moved again from the historic center to make the area more tourist-friendly. Traffic was rerouted from here as well with the construction of new bypasses. In 2006 and 2007, many of the plazas and gardens in the historic center were remodeled.
In 2008, eight people
were killed in a
grenade
A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...
attack.
In 2009, the Morelia metropolitan area was tentatively established as consisting of the municipalities of
Zinapécuaro
Zinapécuaro is a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán, located northeast of the state capital Morelia.
Geography
The municipality of Zinapécuaro is located in northeast Michoacán on the border with Guanajuato. In Michoacán it borde ...
,
Álvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón Salido (; 17 February 1880 – 17 July 1928) better known as Álvaro Obregón was a Sonoran-born general in the Mexican Revolution. A pragmatic centrist, natural soldier, and able politician, he became the 46th President of Me ...
,
Charo
María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, professionally known by her stage name Charo, is a Spanish-American actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco guitarist.
Charo began playing guitar at the age of nine and trained under the famed A ...
, Tarímbaro and Morelia. This initial determination was made by the Secretary of Urbanism and Environment, with further refinements to be made as the municipal presidents of these entities meets to discuss limits, strategies and further actions.
One of these actions has been to establish a formal commission to administer the area.
Geography
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 ...
, Morelia 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 ( ...
(abbreviated ''Cwb'' on climate maps), with warm-to-hot days and cool nights year round due to its high elevation. Most precipitation falls during the summer
monsoon season from June to September. Average monthly temperatures are between , with maximum temperatures of in the summer of 1998 and the lowest temperature of in January 1985.
Population
The city of Morelia is the most populous city in the state of
Michoacán
Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...
and the third most important in the
Bajío
El Bajío (the ''lowland'') is a cultural and geographical region within the central Mexican plateau which roughly spans from north-west of the Mexico City metropolitan area to the main silver mines in the northern-central part of the country. Thi ...
Region, just behind
León de Los Aldama and
Querétaro City
Santiago de Querétaro (; Otomi: Dähnini Maxei), known simply as Querétaro City ( es, Ciudad de Querétaro), is the capital and largest city of the state of Querétaro, located in central Mexico. It is part of the macroregion of Bajío. It is n ...
.
In the most recent census carried out by
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 Stat ...
in 2020 the city registered a population of 743,275 inhabitants, an increase of almost 145,000 inhabitants over the previous census carried out in 2010 when it had a population of 597,511.
Government
Notable sites
![MoreliaSignCathedral](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/MoreliaSignCathedral.jpg)
Almost all of Morelia's notable sites lie in its historic center, due to its history. This historic center is roughly equivalent to the original layout of the city when it was founded in 1541, and most of this layout has survived intact to the present day. Anticipating growth, this original layout had very wide streets and plazas for the time, with streets systematically arranged to allow for elongation. The streets are systematically laid out, but not rigidly squared, with most having gentle curves designed into them. Most of the grandest structures were completed during the 18th century, including the facade and bell towers of the cathedral, the Colegio Seminario (today the State Government Palace), La Alhóndiga (today part of the Palace of Justice) and numerous private mansions. During the same time period, infrastructure such as the city's aqueduct and various plaza fountains were constructed. The Mexican federal government lists 1,113 buildings built from the 16th to the 20th centuries as having historical value. The buildings encompass the various architectural styles that have been fashionable in Mexico, but nearly all are built of pink Cantera stone, which gives the city a unified appearance. Several measures were taken in the 20th century to preserve this part of the city. In 1956, the city enacted regulations to preserve the historic center's colonial buildings. In 1990, President
Carlos Salinas de Gortari
Carlos Salinas de Gortari CYC DMN (; born 3 April 1948) is a Mexican economist and politician who served as 60th president of Mexico from 1988 to 1994. Affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), earlier in his career he wor ...
issued a decree making the historic center of Morelia a national historic monument. In 1991, the same area was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO,
which covers 200 of the area's historic buildings.
![Catedral of morelia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Catedral_of_morelia.JPG)
The heart of the historic center is the cathedral and its surrounding plazas: the Plaza de Armas, also known as the Plaza de los Mártires, the Juárez Plaza and the Melchor Ocampo Plaza. The largest plaza is the Plaza de Armas, which has been remodeled several times since it was designed in the 16th century. It has been renamed several times as well, from “de la Constitución,” “de la República” to the current official name of “de los Mártires” but popularly it retains the name of “Plaza de Armas.”
The alternate name, Plaza de los Mártires (Plaza of the Martyrs) is in honor of people like Mariano Matamoros, Guadalupe el Salto and others who were executed here during the Mexican War of Independence and later in 1830 during political unrest.
The plaza is surrounded by portals,
and colonial era buildings such as the Banca Promex, the Virrey de Mendoza Hotel, the Juan de Dios Gomez House and the old town hall, also called the Michelena House.
Until the late 19th century, a monument to Morelos had been here, but this was removed along with the fountain and replaced by a
kiosk
Historically, a kiosk () was a small garden pavilion open on some or all sides common in Iran, Persia, the Indian subcontinent, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward. Today, several examples of this type of kiosk still exist ...
that was brought from London and remains to this day. The last remodeling of the plaza occurred in the mid-20th century under the direction of architect and painter
Juan O'Gorman
Juan O'Gorman (July 6, 1905 – January 17, 1982) was a Mexican painter and architect.
Early life and family
Juan O'Gorman was born on 6 July 1905 in Coyoacán, then a village to the south of Mexico City and now a borough of the Federal Distri ...
. The
Melchor Ocampo
Melchor Ocampo (5 January 1814 – 3 June 1861) was a Mexican lawyer, scientist, and politician. A mestizo and a radical liberal, he was fiercely anticlerical, perhaps an atheist, and his early writings against the Catholic Church in Mexico gain ...
Plaza was originally named “Plaza de la Paz.” In the late 19th century, this plaza was remodeled and a monument to Ocampo sculpted by
Primitivo Miranda was placed here. Another statue by Miranda, this one of Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon was placed in the small plaza on the west side of the cathedral and named the Morelos Plaza.
The first church on the Cathedral site was built in 1577, which was a modest structure of adobe and wood. Many years later, this structure would be almost completely destroyed by a fire.
Originally, the Cathedral of Michoacán was in Pátzcuaro in a church that now is the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud. When cathedral status was moved from there to Valladolid in 1580, the city became the civil, religious, and cultural capital of the territory.
In 1660, Bishop Marcos Ramírez del Prado, placed the first stone of the new cathedral, which was designed by Vicenzo Barocco. Of the major churches of the early colonial period, only this and the
Mexico City Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven ( es, Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de la Bienaventurada Virgen María a los cielos) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mex ...
do not face west, as was customary. The Cathedral of Michoacán is also unique in that it is dedicated to the
Transfiguration of Jesus
In the New Testament, the Transfiguration of Jesus is an event where Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels (, , ) describe it, and the Second Epistle of Peter also refers to it ().
In these a ...
, rather than some form of 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 o ...
. The cathedral was consecrated in 1705, even though it was not yet finished. The facade as a relief of the Transfiguration of Christ and the east
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
is dedicated to the sheepherders and
Wise Men of the
Nativity.
Built of pink Cantera stone, the cathedral's two towers still dominate the skyline of the city,
and are the second tallest Baroque towers in Mexico.
![DecoratedPlazanexttoCathedralMorelia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/DecoratedPlazanexttoCathedralMorelia.jpg)
The cathedral's official name is Cathedral of the Divine Savior of Morelia. Since it was built over the 17th and 18th centuries, elements of
Neoclassical, Herreresque, and
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the early 17th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means t ...
can be seen in the building.
The facade of the cathedral is mostly decorated in
pilaster
In classical architecture
Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes even more specifically, from the ...
s rather than columns and relieves rather than sculptures. There are more than two hundred pilasters but no columns, the only church built this way during the colonial period.
Inside, there are a number of elements that stand out. The
baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for baptism.
Aspersion and affusion fonts
The fonts of many Christian denominations are for baptisms using a non-immersive method, such as aspersion (sprinkling) or affusion (pouring). ...
was made of silver in the 19th century and was used to baptize Mexico's first emperor, Agustín de Iturbide. A monstrance made of pure silver adorns the main altar and is unique in that it can be disassembled and reassembled. Also on the altar is a 16th-century cornstalk paste image of the Señor de la Sacristía (Lord of the
Sacristy
A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.
The sacristy is usually located ...
), whose gold crown was a gift from
Philip II of Spain
Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...
. A newer addition is the organ from Germany, which has 4,600 pipes and is one of the largest in Latin America. On Saturdays at 8:45 pm the cathedral sponsors a sound-and-light show.
In front of the cathedral is the old Seminario Tridentino de San Pedro, one of the educational institutions of the colonial city. Today it is the Palace of the State Government. It was constructed by Thomás de Huerta in the late 18th century. The school had graduates such as José María Morelos and Melchor Ocampo. The facade is mostly original, with only the
seal of Mexico having been added in the mid-19th century, when this building was converted for use as the seat of the Michoacán state government. Inside are three courtyards with the walls of the first courtyard covered in murals done by
Alfredo Zalce
Alfredo Zalce Torres (12 January 1908 – 19 January 2003) was a Mexican artist and contemporary of Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros and other better-known muralists. He worked principally as a painter, sculptor, and engraver, also taught, and ...
in the 1960s.
![Templo de san francisco en morelia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Templo_de_san_francisco_en_morelia.JPG)
Traslado de las Monjas in the museum of the Casa de la Cultura is also the home of the Instituto Michoacano de Cultura (Michoacan Institute of Culture) and the State Secretary of Culture. It is in the former monastery of Nuestra Señora del Carmen Descalzo, which was established in 1593. The church building was probably finished in 1619, the date inscribed on the south portal, but monastery construction continued into the 17th century. In the 19th century, the
Reform Laws
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 ...
expropriated the
cloister
A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...
s and living quarters but left the church to its religious function, which continues to this day. After expropriation, the monastery area was first used as the home of the Primer Cuerpo de Caballería del Estado (First Cavalry Corps of the State). Over time the church fell into disrepair but was restored in the 1940s. The rest of the complex was restored and converted to its present function starting in 1977.
The Orquidario of Morelia is an
orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
museum which houses approximately 3,400 species of the flower. The botanical garden consists of three greenhouses with some outside space. The museum is managed by
SEMARNAT
The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (in Spanish: ''Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, SEMARNAT'') is Mexico's environment ministry. Its head, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, is a member ...
as part of a program to preserve wild species. The botanical garden has a surface area of over and was founded in 1980.
The Museo Regional Michoacano (Regional Museum of Michoacán) was founded in 1886 and its design was heavily influenced by French ideas of museum design of the time. It is housed in a building that belonged to Emperor Maximilian I, and is of ornate Baroque design. Most of the exhibits are about the history of the region with rooms dedicated to pre-Hispanic artifacts and colonial art. One noted piece is the painting called “Traslado de las Monjas” which is considered to be the finest work produced in Michoacán during the colonial period. Other important works include the original volume of the Voyage de Humboldt et Bonpland, edited in Paris in 1807 and the murals done by Alfredo Zalce,
Federico Cantú Federico (; ) is a given name and surname. It is a form of Frederick, most commonly found in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.
People with the given name Federico
Artists
* Federico Ágreda, Venezuelan composer and DJ.
* Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, ...
and
Grace Greenwood. There are also interactive exhibits on the origins of the earth and life. The museum also has conference rooms, a library, and a reading room.
The Museo del Estado (The State Museum) is dedicated to the state's past and present. It was opened in 1986 and divided into three sections – archeology, history and ethnology of the state. There is also an exhibit of the old Mier Pharmacy with its equipment from 1868. The museum is a mansion dating from the 18th century.
The Museo de Arte Colonial (Museum of Colonial Art) holds a collection of documents, old books, religious ornaments and maps from the colonial period. The museum's main attraction is its collection of more than 100 figures of Christ done in cornstalk paste. These figures were created by indigenous artists, starting under the direction of Vasco de Quiroga, between the 16th and 19th centuries. There are also paintings done by
Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Since his debut in 2003 he has been a two-t ...
and
José Padilla from the 18th century. The museum is in an old Baroque residence from the 18th century. Prior to the building's use as a museum, it was the site of the first official government press in the state, founded in 1821.
The Casa Museum
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 ...
y Pavón (
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 ...
y Pavón House Museum) contains a collection of items from the colonial and early independence periods of Mexico's history, including articles that belonged to Morelos himself. Morelos bought the house in 1802, but did not live there much, especially in the years just before and during the Mexican War of Independence because of his involvement with the movement. In 1933, the house was declared a national monument and in 1939 became the property of
INAH to be converted into this museum. Later, the building underwent another round of restoration work and was re-inaugurated in 1991. The lower level is mostly dedicated to Morelos with the rooms on the upper level dedicated to the war in general. The museum is also the archive of the Bishopric of Michoacán and contains documents from the 16th to the 20th centuries.
![Museo de Sitio y Archivo Histórico Casa de Morelos Morelia 4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Museo_de_Sitio_y_Archivo_Hist%C3%B3rico_Casa_de_Morelos_Morelia_4.jpg)
The Casa Natal de Morelos (Morelos’ Birthplace) is the house where José María Morelos y Pavón was born in 1765. The building is a large mansion with a Neoclassic facade and a Baroque interior. In 1888, the original building was destroyed to build a farmhouse. This is the building that has been restored and turned into a museum in 1964, for the coming bicentennial of Morelos’ birth. The museum contains documents and belongings of Morelos including ones he signed, money he had coined, paintings and a large library.
The Museo de la Máscara (Mask Museum) presents two different mask collections, totaling more than 165 examples from cultures in twenty Mexican states. It is located in the Casa de Artesanias de Morelia (Handcraft House of Morelia).
The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Alfredo Zalce (Alfredo Zalce Museum of Contemporary Art) mostly contains works done by Alfredo Zalce and
Efraín Vargas, both renowned Michoacán painters. It also holds temporary exhibits by Mexican and international artists.
The
Plaza Monumental de Morelia
Plaza Monumental de Morelia (Monumental Plaza of Morelia in English), is a multi-purpose complex in Morelia, in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. The complex can seat up to 15,000 people, it can also accommodate concerts, sports venue and bullrid ...
was established in 1951, which was destined exclusively for
bullfights
Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations.
There are several variations, including some forms wh ...
. Nowadays, the ring also hosts concerts,
lucha libre
Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...
, and weddings.
The was first documented in 1549. It was used to transport fresh water to the required destination so that the inhabitants of the city could access it. The water system was made of used wood from canoes in the area to create the base structure during its construction. As years passed with the use of the aqueduct constantly changing, there was an incident that occurred in 1784. The incident was that part of the Morelia aqueduct foundation collapsed, leaving hundreds without access to the water. On October 21, 1785, a document detailed the reconstruction of the aqueduct, and a man named Fray Antonio de San Miguel volunteered to make a plan for the reconstruction of the structure. With Fray Antonio's plans, they completely reconstructed the arches and added fixtures to repair the previous damage. As the repairs were completed the aqueduct remained in use until it stopped functioning in 1910; it remains standing to this day. The whole Aqueduct structure consisted of 253 arches (some of which have collapsed over the years), at a height of .
In front of the Aqueduct is the ''
Fuente de las Tarascas'', one of the most popular fountains in the city. The current version was installed in 1984.
Notable people
*
Junior Félix Madrigal (born 1982), Mexican footballer
*
José Manuel Ponce
José Manuel Ponce (born in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico) is a Mexican race car driver who participates in extreme rock crawling, desert rock racing, and rally racing. He is part Purépecha people, Purépecha. Ponce currently owns and is the mai ...
, Mexican race car driver
Festivals
The Festival Internacional de Música de Morelia is an annual event that was begun in 1988 by Bernal Jiménez, who had the dream of making Morelia the “
Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the ...
of Americas”. The festival consists of more than forty concerts with over 500 artists participating. It has become the largest music festival in Morelia, with private and government sponsors, esp. CONACULTA.
Concerts include those by chamber orchestras, choirs, ensambles, trios and soloists such as pianist Joanna MacGregor and the Britten Symphony. Each year, a different country is the “special guest,” which in 2009 was the United Kingdom.
[ ] In that year, some of the participants included the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brodsky Quartet, La Britten Symphony Orchestra, the Coro Nova Schola Gregoriana Di Verona of Italy, and violinist Tanya Anisimova from Russia. Participants from Mexico included the National Symphonic Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería and flautist Horacio Franco.
The International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia (ISOFOM) started in 2017 and has attracted thousands of audience members to its opera galas and concerts. Students come from all over the world to study with the renowned faculty and experience the life in Morelia for three weeks each June. In 2019, the festival presents its first full-length opera ''Falstaff'' by Verdi, in the beautiful Teatro Ocampo, as well as a Gala evening in the Palacio Clavijero. The mission of ISOFOM is to bring young up-and-coming performers of opera to the Michoacan audiences and share with them that special art form in landmark locations all across Morelia, at an affordable price.
![Ganadores](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Ganadores.jpg)
The
Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia was begun in 2003, and is mostly dedicated to
Mexican cinema
Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal ...
, showcasing up-and-coming directors and productions. The majority of activities take place in the Cinépolis Morelia Centro, but also includes other theaters, auditoriums and public plazas.
Morelia is the site of the annual Zapata Vive Morelia Festival, which celebrates the life of Emiliano Zapata with cultural and political activities. The purpose of the event is to promote exhibitions by artistic, cultural and social organizations from the state of Michoacán and other parts of the country. Events are spread out over several days and include ones such as concerts, round tables and information sessions. The event encourages those organizations who work with the lower social classes and are politically left to participate.
The Festival de Escala is an annual event dedicated to promoting rock climbing in the municipality at places such as El Paredón de la Noria, just south of the city proper.
A popular festival that features a 3-day Salsa competition in the heart of Morelia is called "SalsaMich". Typically held in March, the festival brings Salsa dancers from all across the country to Morelia to compete for prizes.
Sister cities
Morelia has 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 ...
relationship with
Yakima, Washington
Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...
, supported since 1999 by the Yakima-Morelia Sister City Association.
Cultural exchanges between the cities have included musicians from Morelia who have performed with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra.
Morelia has other sister cities around the world, including:
Arequipa
Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...
in Peru;
Caspueñas,
Valladolid
Valladolid () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province o ...
, and
Madrigal de las Altas Torres
Madrigal de las Altas Torres (in English: Madrigal of the high towers) is a municipality of Spain located in the province of Ávila, autonomous community of Castile and León. Displaying a total area of 106.80 km2, the municipality has, as of 2019, ...
in Spain;
Gettysburg,
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
,
Fullerton,
Monterey Park,
Norwalk, and
Shreveport
Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population o ...
in the United States;
Matanzas
Matanzas (Cuban ) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas (Spanish ''Bahia de Matanzas''), east ...
and
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. in Cuba; and
Sopó
Sopó is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. The town is located 39 km north of the Colombian capital Bogotá.
History
The area of Sopó was inhabited first by indigenous groups during the Herrera Per ...
in Colombia.
Education
![Interior del Colegio Primitivo y Nacional de San Nicolas de Hidalgo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Interior_del_Colegio_Primitivo_y_Nacional_de_San_Nicolas_de_Hidalgo.JPG)
During the colonial period the city had four major educational institutions, the Colegio Seminario Tridentino, the Colegio de San Nicolás, the Colegio de los Jesuitas and the Colegio de las Rosas.
The state university, the
Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo
Michoacan University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo (UMSNH) is a public university in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, and the oldest institution of higher education in the Americas. The University grants law, economics, computer science, medicine, ar ...
, is the oldest university in the Americas, which has its origins in the college founded in 1540 by Vasco de Quiroga in Pátzcuaro, the Colegio de San Nicolás Obispo. This school was founded to train priests and missionaries for work in Michoacán. The school gained a royal seal and patronage in 1543. In 1566, colonial religious authorities took over the school and in 1574, academics here were under the jurisdiction of the
Jesuits
The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
. With the episcopal seat changed to Valladolid, the school moved also in 1580 and was fused with the already existing Colegio de San Miguel Guayangareo. The school was reformed in the 17th century and its curriculum was redesigned in the 18th to include courses in philosophy, religious law, civil law and other subjects. At the beginning the 19th century, the school became one of New Spain's main centers of learning and academia, producing scholars such as a Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José Ma. Morelos,
José Sixto Verduzco
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 vernacul ...
,
José María Izazaga
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 vernacul ...
and
Ignacio López Rayón
Ignacio López Rayón (July 31, 1773 in Tlalpujahua, Intendancy of Valladolid (present-day Michoacán), New Spain – February 2, 1832 in Mexico City) was a general who led the insurgent forces of his country after Miguel Hidalgo's death, d ...
, most of whom would have a role in the upcoming Mexican War of Independence. The school closed during the war but was reopened in 1847 with the name Primitivo y Nacional Colegio de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, focusing more on secular studies such as chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, etc. based on the European university model.
![ITESM Campus Morelia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/ITESM_Campus_Morelia.jpg)
After 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 ...
, the school was reorganized and renamed again to the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo in 1917, which consolidated a number of other schools and disciplines into the new organization.
Nowadays, the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo is the most important university in the state of
Michoacán
Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...
. It has been rated also as one of the Top 10 best public universities in Mexico. The university has recently expanded to other smaller cities in the state other than Morelia, such as
Uruapan
Uruapan is the second largest city in the Mexico, Mexican state of Michoacán. It is located at the western edge of the Tarascan Plateau, Purépecha highlands, just to the east of the Tierra Caliente (Mexico), Tierra Caliente region. Since the colo ...
,
Apatzingán
Apatzingán (in full, Apatzingán de la Constitución) is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Apatzingán in the west-central region of the Mexican state of Michoacán.
Geography
The Municipality of Apatzingán is located in the Ti ...
,
Ciudad Hidalgo,
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río (; 21 May 1895 – 19 October 1970) was a Mexican army officer and politician who served as president of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.
Born in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, to a working-class family, Cárdenas joined the M ...
,
Coalcoman,
Huetamo Huetamo is a municipality in the southeastern corner of the Mexican state of Michoacán, in a region known as "Tierra Caliente" (meaning hot land). Of indigenous Purepecha Indian origin, the word "Huetamo" means "four chiefs" or "four came". The mu ...
,
Tangancicuaro and
Zitacuaro. In 2011, according to the
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 Stat ...
census, the university had 55,546 regular students.
Other universities in the city include
Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia
The Morelia Institute of Technology (in es, Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia), also known as Morelia Tech (''Tec de Morelia''), is a public university in Morelia, Michoacán, México founded in 1964.
Academics
Undergraduate programs
* Mechani ...
(ITM), Universidad Tecnológica de Morelia (UTM), Instituto Michoacano de Ciencias de la Educación, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo del Estado de Michoacán (CIDEM), the Morelia Campus of the
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The National Autonomous University of Mexico ( es, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM) is a public research university in Mexico. It is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in Latin America, where it's also the bigges ...
, Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Comunicación (IESCAC), Universidad Pedagógica Nacional, Conservatorio de las Rosas, Universidad Vasco de Quiroga, Universidad Latina de America, Universidad La Salle Morelia, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey- Campus Morelia
ITESM
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) ( en, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education), also known as Tecnológico de Monterrey or just Tec, is a secular and Mixed-sex education, coeducational private ...
, Universidad Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and many other different private universities.
Sports
![Estadio Morelos](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Estadio_Morelos.jpg)
Morelia was represented by their soccer team,
Monarcas Morelia, in the
Liga MX
The Liga MX, officially known as the Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional football division in Mexico, holding 2 tournaments per year.
The league is considered the strongest in North America, and among the strongest in a ...
.
Monarcas Morelia was founded in 1950 on a field outside the city where a monument to Lázaro Cárdenas is now located. The team's original name was Club Deportivo Morelia and was owned by Eucuario Gómez. The club's colors are the city's flag colors red and yellow because Morelia is known to be the most Spanish city in Mexico.
The club was nicknamed “Amarillo”(Yellow) During the 1956–57 season, when the club won the right to play in the 1st division in which they played in their first tournament for the
Copa México
The Copa MX (formerly called Copa Tower Monterrey, Copa Eliminatoria, Copa México and Copa Corona MX (for sponsorship reasons)) was a Mexican football cup competition that was established in 1907. After a lengthy hiatus that began in 1997, it was ...
against
Club América
Club de Fútbol América S.A. de C.V., commonly known as Club América or simply América, is a professional football club based in Mexico City. Nicknamed ''Las Águilas'' (The Eagles), it competes in Liga MX, the top tier of Mexican football ...
.
The club descended into the 2nd division again in 1968 and experienced tough times during the early 70s. By the end of the 1973–74 season the team was completely restructured by 32 Morelia Businessmen who acquired the team. After 13 years in the 2nd division, the team finally returned to 1st division play in 1981 and by the mid-1980s was competitive and reaching the Liguilla (playoffs) regularly.
Following many years of playing at Estadio Venustiano Carranza, the completion of
Estadio Morelos
Estadio Morelos is a football stadium located along Periférico Independencia, in the Independencia sector, near the base of Cerro del Quinceo in northwest Morelia, Michoacán, México. It was the site of professional football teams, Monarcas M ...
in 1989 gave the team a new home. In 1996, the team was acquired by
TV Azteca
TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate owned by Grupo Salinas. It is the second-largest mass media company in Mexico after Televisa. It primarily competes with Televisa as well as some local operators. It owns two national ...
and the name Monarcas (
Monarchs
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power in ...
) Morelia was adopted in 1999 because of the three Spanish Monarchs shown in the flag of Morelia. The team won its first championship during the Invierno 2000 season and by mid-decade, was playing in international competition such as the
Copa Libertadores
The CONMEBOL Libertadores, also known as the Copa Libertadores de América ( pt, Copa Libertadores da América), is an annual international club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960. It is the highest level of competition in S ...
and the Liga de Campeones de la CONCACAF (
CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League, known officially as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons, is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONCACAF. The tournament is contested by clubs from North Ameri ...
). The team's latest success came during the
2010 North American SuperLiga tournament, which Monarcas won over the
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Eastern Conference of the league. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having compet ...
on September the 1st, 2010, at New England.
The team closed the Apertura 2010 tournament of the
Primera División de México
The Liga MX, officially known as the Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional Association football, football division in Mexico, holding 2 tournaments per year.
The league is considered the strongest in North America, and amo ...
(Mexico's 1st division), failing to make the "liguilla".
In 2020 it was announced that the franchise would be moving to the city of
Mazatlán
Mazatlán () is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding ''municipio'', known as the Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of ...
,
Sinaloa
Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...
, and would be Renamed
Mazatlán F.C.
Mazatlán Futbol Club is a Mexican professional football team based in Mazatlán, Sinaloa currently playing in Liga MX. The club was established in June 2020 after the Monarcas Morelia franchise announced that it would be moving to the city of ...
. Soon after, the municipal government announced that they would have a new team playing in the
Liga de Expansión MX
The Liga de Expansión MX, also known as Liga de Desarrollo (Liga BBVA Expansión MX for sponsorship reasons), is a Mexican football league founded in 2020 as part of the Mexican Football Federation's "Stabilization Project", which has the prim ...
(Mexico's second division) under the name
Atlético Morelia
Club Atlético Morelia is a Mexican Association football, football club based in Morelia, Michoacán. Founded on 4 June 1950, the club currently plays in the Liga de Expansión MX. The club play their home games at Estadio Morelos.
From 1981 to ...
Transportation
![Morelia International Airport DSC 0585 AD](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Morelia_International_Airport_DSC_0585_AD.JPG)
Morelia is three or four hours from Mexico City via the
Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco is one of 125 municipalities in the State of Mexico located in the northwest of the State of Mexico in central Mexico, from the state capital of Toluca. The municipal seat is the city of Atlacomulco de Fabela. The name is derived fro ...
-
Maravatío
Maravatío is a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán, representing 1.17% of its land area, or 691.55 km2.
Etymology
The modern word Maravatío comes from the Purépecha word Marhabatio, meaning a precious place or thing.
Hist ...
-Morelia highway and is connected by highways to the states of
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 ...
,
Querétaro
Querétaro (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro, links=no; Otomi language, Otomi: ''Hyodi Ndämxei''), is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. I ...
, Guanajuato and
Jalisco
Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...
. It is connected to the Michoacán coast via highway 200 that passes through Uruapan to the port of
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río (; 21 May 1895 – 19 October 1970) was a Mexican army officer and politician who served as president of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.
Born in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, to a working-class family, Cárdenas joined the M ...
.
General Francisco Mujica International Airport
General Francisco J. Mujica International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional General Francisco J. Mujica) or simply Morelia International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional de Morelia), is an international airport in Álvaro Obregón, ...
or Morelia International Airport (IATA: MLM, ICAO: MMMM) is an international airport at Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. The airport handles both domestic and international flights, with connections to Mexico City, Uruapan, Lázaro Cárdenas, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana and several destinations in the United States. The airport is named after a former governor of the state of Michoacán.
The municipality
As the municipal seat, Morelia is the governing authority of 423 other communities, almost all of which are small communities of between three and 1,000 people, with 89% of the municipality's population of 684,145 people within the city itself.
The municipality covers a territory of and borders the municipalities of
Tarímbaro,
Chucándiro,
Huaniqueo, Charo,
Tzitzio
Tzitzio is a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán, located approximately southeast of the state capital of Morelia.
Geography
The municipality of Tzitzio is located in the Balsas Depression in northeast Michoacán at an elevation be ...
,
Villa Madero,
Acuitzio
Acuitzio Municipality is a municipality located in the central region of the Mexican state of Michoacán.
Geography
The municipality has an area of 180.13 square kilometres (0.30% of the surface of the state) and is bordered to the north and ...
,
Lagunillas,
Coeneo,
Tzintzuntzan and
Quiroga.
Much of the municipality is in the Guayangareo Valley between two rivers: the El Grande and the El Chiquito. Guayangareo means "large hill with a flat side."
The municipality's territory is rugged and dominated by peaks such as Punhuato, El Zapote and the Otzumatlán mountain range, with the highest peak being
Quinceo with an elevation of . The municipality belongs to the
Lerma-Santiago river hydraulic region, with the main rivers being the El Grande and the El Chiquito. There are a number of streams including the Zarza and Pitaya. The most important dam here is Cointzio, with other smaller ones being Umécuaro, Laja Caliente and La Mintzita.
Vegetation outside the city varies based on elevation and the type of soil. Mountainous areas are mostly covered in
conifer
Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...
s while lower and drier areas have trees such as
mesquite
Mesquite is a common name for several plants in the genus ''Prosopis'', which contains over 40 species of small leguminous trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas.
They have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under grou ...
. To the south of the city is the Lázaro Cárdenas Forest, which is an ecological reserve. Animal life mostly consists of small mammals, with coyotes being the largest, birds of prey and some reptiles.
The growth of the city of Morelia is having a negative impact on the surrounding forested area. This is particularly problematic in the area north of the city, which belongs to the
Lake Cuitzeo
Lake Cuitzeo () is a lake in the central part of Mexico, in the state of Michoacán. It has an area of . The lake is astatic, meaning the volume and level of water in the lake fluctuates frequently. It is the second-largest freshwater lake in Me ...
basin, and is a main recharge area for the city's
aquifer
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...
. The forested areas around the city are also important for the city's air quality and as a breeding place for pollinating insects needed for agriculture.
UNAM
The National Autonomous University of Mexico ( es, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM) is a public research university in Mexico. It is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in Latin America, where it's also the bigges ...
has been documenting the species in these forests with the aim of getting them declared as biological reserves.
One industrial area is the Ciudad Industrial de Morelia, which mostly houses small and medium-sized enterprises. Some of the products manufactured here include cooking oil, flour, cement, plastics, bottling and candies.
Tourism is a rising component of the economy, taking advantage of area's colonial heritage, smaller traditional communities, natural areas and archeological zones such as Santa María de Guido in the city, Barranca de los Lobos in Teremendo, Nahuatl Sanctuary and Catrina in Capula. However, it has not been developed sufficiently to be a major contributor.
Tourism accounts for the main economic activity in Morelia. Morelia contains many ecological areas, such as the Rio Bodoquero, which attracts majority of tourists and local residents. Unfortunately, due to Mexico's rising crime in drug trafficking within the cartels, this can provide a grave disincentive in the tourism sector for Morelia.
According to
Standard & Poor's
S&P Global Ratings (previously Standard & Poor's and informally known as S&P) is an American credit rating agency (CRA) and a division of S&P Global that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks, bonds, and commodities. S&P is con ...
report for November 2009, the government of Morelia maintains an adequate development budget, backed by relatively high income and low debt. It is rated on a national scale for Mexico as A+. The economy is projected to be stable with the government keeping control of expenses.
References
External links
{{Authority control
Capitals of states of Mexico
Cities in Mexico
Municipalities of Michoacán
Populated places established in 1541
1540s establishments in Mexico
1541 establishments in New Spain
World Heritage Sites in Mexico
1541 establishments in North America