Tulancingo (officially Tulancingo de Bravo;
Otomi
The Otomi (; es, Otomí ) are an indigenous people of Mexico inhabiting the central Mexican Plateau (Altiplano) region.
The Otomi are an indigenous people of Mexico who inhabit a discontinuous territory in central Mexico. They are linguisticall ...
: Ngu̱hmu) is the second-largest city in the
Mexican
Mexican may refer to:
Mexico and its culture
*Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America
** People
*** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants
*** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
Hidalgo
Hidalgo may refer to:
People
* Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility
* Hidalgo (surname)
Places
Mexico
* Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico
* Hidalgo, Coahuila, a town in the north Mexican state of Coahuila
* Hidalgo, Nuevo Le ...
. It is located in the southeastern part of the state and also forms one of the 84
municipalities of Hidalgo
Hidalgo (state), Hidalgo is a Administrative divisions of Mexico#States, state in central Mexico divided into 84 municipalities of Mexico, municipalities. According to the 2020 Mexican Census, Hidalgo is the States of Mexico, 16th most populous st ...
, as well as the
Archdiocese of Tulancingo
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tulancingo ( la, Archidioecesis Tulancingensis) is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico. The Archdiocese comprises the province of Hidalgo, and the archiepiscopal see is located ...
. Located 93 km from Mexico City, this area is the most important wool textile producer in the country and was home to
El Santo
Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (23 September 1917 – 5 February 1984), known professionally as El Santo or in English The Saint, was a Mexican luchador enmascarado (Spanish for "masked professional wrestler"), actor and folk hero. He is one of the mo ...
, Mexico's most famous
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 ...
wrestler. It is also home to the
Huapalcalco
Huapalcalco is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archeological site located some 5 kilometers north of Tulancingo in the state of Hidalgo (state), Hidalgo, Mexico.
The site was built on the west slope of the "Tecolote" hill; the slope is separated e ...
archeological site, which was the forerunner to the
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan (Spanish language, 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 ...
civilization. The name derives from the
Nahuatl
Nahuatl (; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahua peoples, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller ...
words “tule” and “tzintle” which mean “in or behind the reeds.” This is confirmed by its
Aztec
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those g ...
glyph
A glyph () is any kind of purposeful mark. In typography, a glyph is "the specific shape, design, or representation of a character". It is a particular graphical representation, in a particular typeface, of an element of written language. A g ...
.
History
The area is home to some of the oldest settlements in Latin America in Huapalcalco and El Pedregal. These first settlements have been attributed to the
Olmecs
The Olmecs () were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization. Following a progressive development in Soconusco, they occupied the tropical lowlands of the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. It has been speculated that t ...
, Xicalancas and other tribes. A city was founded in 645 BCE by the
Toltecs
The Toltec culture () was a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture that ruled a state centered in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico, during the Epiclassic and the early Post-Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, reaching prominence from 950 to 1150 CE. T ...
with the name Tolancingo as part of the empire centered in
Tula
Tula may refer to:
Geography
Antarctica
*Tula Mountains
*Tula Point
India
*Tulā, a solar month in the traditional Indian calendar
Iran
* Tula, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province
Italy
* Tula, Sardinia, municipality (''comune'') in the pr ...
. During this period, the city was home to school and temples. A calendar stone was sculpted here and a temple called Mitlancalco was built to receive the bodies of priests and princes. After 1116 CE, the
Toltec Empire
The Toltec Empire'', ''Toltec Kingdom or Altepetl Tollan was a political entity in modern Mexico. It existed through the classic and post-classic periods of Mesoamerican chronology, but gained most of its power in the post-classic. During this t ...
declined and the city was abandoned.
According to the Tribute Codex (Códice de los Tributos), the Tulancingo area was a commercial center for the
Otomi
The Otomi (; es, Otomí ) are an indigenous people of Mexico inhabiting the central Mexican Plateau (Altiplano) region.
The Otomi are an indigenous people of Mexico who inhabit a discontinuous territory in central Mexico. They are linguisticall ...
-Tepehua and
Totonaca
The Totonac are an indigenous people of Mexico who reside in the states of Veracruz, Puebla, and Hidalgo. They are one of the possible builders of the pre-Columbian city of El Tajín, and further maintained quarters in Teotihuacán (a city wh ...
people since about 1000 CE bringing traders from lands now in the states of Hidalgo, Puebla and Veracruz. Traditional trading still exists in the form of the Thursday “
tianguis
A is an open-air market or bazaar that is traditionally held on certain market days in a town or city neighborhood in Mexico and Central America. This bazaar tradition has its roots well into the pre-Hispanic period and continues in many cases e ...
” or market.
The
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 des ...
s came to rule here under
Xolotl
In Aztec mythology, Xolotl () was a god of fire and lightning. He was commonly depicted as a dog-headed man and was a soul-guide for the dead. He was also god of twins, monsters, misfortune, sickness, and deformities. Xolotl is the canine brothe ...
starting around 1120. The city was refounded by these people and the remaining Toltecs. The population increased with the arrival of the
Tlaxcaltecas. In 1324, a king named
Quinantzin, reorganized the area politically, making Tulancingo the head of a province. Tulancingo marched against
Texcoco, but was defeated. In the early 15th century, this same Texcoco, under
Huitzilihuit, conquered Tulancingo, putting it within the
Aztec Empire
The Aztec Empire or the Triple Alliance ( nci, Ēxcān Tlahtōlōyān, Help:IPA/Nahuatl, jéːʃkaːn̥ t͡ɬaʔtoːˈlóːjaːn̥ was an alliance of three Nahua peoples, Nahua altepetl, city-states: , , and . These three city-states ruled ...
. In 1431, the Tulancingo area was again reorganized politically under
Itzcoatl
Itzcoatl ( nci-IPA, Itzcōhuātl, it͡sˈkoːwaːt͡ɬ, "Obsidian Serpent", ) (1380–1440) was the fourth king of Tenochtitlan, and the founder of the Aztec Empire, ruling from 1427 to 1440. Under Itzcoatl the Mexica of Tenochtitlan threw off th ...
and
Nezahualcoyotl Nezahualcoyotl may refer to:
* Nezahualcoyotl (tlatoani), the ruler of Texcoco
* Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, a city in the State of Mexico
* Nezahualcóyotl metro station, in Mexico City
* The Nezahualcóyotl Award, a literary prize in Mexico
* Nezah ...
.
During the
Spanish Conquest
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predece ...
, Prince Ixtlilxochitl gathered an army here to join
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (; ; 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of w ...
to conquer
Tenochtitlan
, ; es, Tenochtitlan also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, ; es, México-Tenochtitlan was a large Mexican in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear. The date 13 March 1325 was ...
. Officially, the area came under Spanish rule in 1525, and evangelists arrived soon afterwards. The
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 =
, ...
arrived from Texcoco to build a hermitage in the Zapotlan neighborhood. This would eventually become the modern cathedral, consecrated to
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
.
This was the beginning of the European city, which was initially constructed for the use of Europeans only; no indigenous were allowed to live there. Those indigenous who worked in city were obliged to live outside it on the outskirts at the base of the Cerro del Tezontle. Today this area is known as Colonia Francisco I. Madero and is part of the city proper.
The Valley of Tulancingo was partitioned between Francisco de Avila and Francisco de Terrazas. The fertile soil and warm climate attracted many Spanish settlers, especially older ones. In time, the area became known as the “Retiring place of Old
Conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, O ...
s.”
During 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 attacked several times by insurgents in 1812, 1814 and 1815. However, royalist forces were able to hold the city until
Nicolás Bravo
Nicolás Bravo (10 September 1786 – 22 April 1854) was a Mexican soldier and politician who first distinguished himself during the Mexican War of Independence. He was Mexico's first vice-president though while holding this office Bravo ...
and
Guadalupe Victoria
Guadalupe Victoria (; 29 September 178621 March 1843), born José Miguel Ramón Adaucto Fernández y Félix, was a Mexican general and political leader who fought for independence against the Spanish Empire in the Mexican War of Independence. He ...
took it in 1821, near the very end of the war. Bravo remained here for a time, founding a newspaper called El Mosquito de Tulancingo and constructing a gunpowder factory. This would lead to “de Bravo” being added as an appendage to the city's name in 1858. After
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 ...
was proclaimed emperor in 1822, he maintained a residence in Tulancingo, where he was supported by the populace. When Iturbide was dethroned, he withdrew from Mexico City to Tulancingo on his way to
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
and into exile.
Under the
1824 Constitution, Tulancingo was head of a district of the then enormous
State of Mexico
The State of Mexico ( es, Estado de México; ), officially just Mexico ( es, México), is one of the 32 federal entities of the United Mexican States. Commonly known as Edomex (from ) to distinguish it from the name of the whole country, it is ...
, which today are the states of Mexico, Hidalgo,
Morelos
Morelos (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Morelos ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 36 municipalities and its capital city is Cuer ...
and
Guerrero
Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...
. The Tulancingo district included the areas around
Apan
Apan is a city and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 346.9 km².
Overview
As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 39,247.
It was an important site in the Wa ...
,
Otumba,
Pachuca
Pachuca (; ote, Nju̱nthe), formally known as Pachuca de Soto, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located in the south-central part of the state. Pachuca de Soto is also the name of the municipality of whic ...
, and
Zempoala.
Despite the ouster of Iturbide, Tulancingo favored a centralist form of government, rather than the state-based federalist one. It would provide refuge to centralists such as Nicolas Bravo during most of the 19th century. Bravo's forces were attacked here by federalist forces under
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 ...
in 1828. Guerrero was victorious and Bravo fled into exile. In 1853, dictator
Santa Anna Santa Anna may refer to:
* Santa Anna, Texas, a town in Coleman County in Central Texas, United States
* Santa Anna, Starr County, Texas
* Santa Anna Township, DeWitt County, Illinois, one of townships in DeWitt County, Illinois, United States. ...
imprisoned federalist
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 ...
in the city. Because the city was loyal to the centralist cause, Ocampo was not placed in prison, but rather allowed to walk the streets where the citizens would supervise him. This continued until Santa Anna decided to send Ocampo out of the country.
During the
French Intervention in Mexico, the large State of Mexico was divided into three military districts for defensive purposes. The one in which Tulancingo belonged would eventually become the state of Hidalgo. President
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 ...
could not hold Tulancingo and French troops entered in 1863. French emperor
Maximilian I Maximilian I may refer to:
*Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, reigned 1486/93–1519
*Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria, reigned 1597–1651
*Maximilian I, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1636-1689)
*Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, reigned 1795 ...
would use the same house in this city that Iturbide used before. This emperor divided the country into fifty departments, making Tulancingo the head of one of them.
In 1863, Tulancingo made the city the head of a
see
See or SEE may refer to:
* Sight - seeing
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Music:
** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals
*** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See''
** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho
* Television
* ...
, under the archbishopric of Mexico City, despite desires to have the head of this see in
Huejutla
Huejutla de Reyes is a city and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The name comes from the Nahuan languages, Nahuatl ''huexotl'' ("willow") and ''tlan'' ("place"), while "de Reyes" commemorates local cobbler Antonio ...
. Its territory included parishes from
Puebla
Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...
, Hidalgo and Mexico State.
Soon after Juárez and the federalists ousted the Emperor Maximilian, the state of Hidalgo was created. Tulancingo was considered as a place to locate the new state's capital but Pachuca was chosen instead.
During 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 ...
, forces loyal to
Francisco I. Madero
Francisco Ignacio Madero González (; 30 October 1873 – 22 February 1913) was a Mexican businessman, revolutionary, writer and Public figure, statesman, who became the 37th president of Mexico from 1911 until he was deposed in Ten Tragic Da ...
under Gabriel Hernandez took Tulancingo in 1910. Madero himself visited in 1912. Forces loyal to
Venustiano Carranza
José Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (; 29 December 1859 – 21 May 1920) was a Mexican wealthy land owner and politician who was Governor of Coahuila when the constitutionally elected president Francisco I. Madero was overthrown in a February ...
took the city in 1915, with Carranza visiting in 1916.
The municipal territory contains a number of small rivers and streams as well as mountainsides, making it susceptible to flooding. Two most recent major floods occurred in 1999 and 2007. Major flooding occurred in and around the city in 1999, with communities such as La Rosa, on the outskirts, the hardest hit, when rivers and streams overflowed. The flooding was caused by heavy and prolonged rainfall which affected several states in the region. Over 500 houses were abandoned in the city at the height of the disaster.
Hurricane Dean
Hurricane Dean was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the most intense North Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Wilma of 2005, tying for eighth overall. Additionally, it made the fourth most intense A ...
caused flooding damage again in 2007, when in less than 12 hours of rain, eighteen
colonias were underwater with water pouring off mountainsides. Many houses were completely destroyed and a number flooded by sewerage. Those here were among the estimated 100,000 affected in Hidalgo state.
Climate
The climate is temperate to cold with an annual average temperature of 14C and average rainfall of between 500 and 550 mm per year. Most rain falls from June to October.
The city
The city is the second largest and second most important in the state. It lies at the foot of the Cerro del Tezontle mountain, which gives views of the city and much of the surrounding valley. At the top there is a restaurant, playground, sports facilities and more. Industrial development has made the city a gateway to the Sierra Poblana and the Mexico's northern Gulf coast. Despite the city's long history, almost no early colonial structures still survive.
It has its own Zona Metropolitana defined, containing 3 municipios, 204,708 people in the 2005 census up from 193,638 in 2000, covering some 674 square kilometers.
The city centers on its cathedral and the Jardin Floresta (Floresta Garden). The cathedral's origins date back to 1528 when it was established as a Franciscan monastery, with a church dedicated to
Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...
. This church was reconstructed in 1788 by Damián Ortiz de Castro, and was dedicated to
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
, who is the city's
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
. The cloister of the old Franciscan monastery was left intact.
In 1862, this church became the seat of the diocese or see of Tulancingo, gaining cathedral status. In 2007, Tulancingo became an archdiocese with the seat remaining here.
This archdiocese is subject to the archdiocese of Mexico and covers a territory of , or almost the entire state of Hidalgo and a few parishes in
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
. The bishop lives in the old
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 ...
complex.
The cathedral is 56.6 meters tall and made of grey sandstone with a sober Neoclassical facade, and a portal flanked by 17 meter tall
Ionic columns. In the interior, there is a holy water font in stone and a wood pulpit decorated with reliefs. There is also an organ with more than 16,000 flutes. The old cloister has rounded arches and ceiling supported by thick wood beams.
![JardinLaFloresta](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/JardinLaFloresta.JPG)
The Floresta Garden is formed by two sections, the Plaza de la Constitución and Parque Juárez.
This area originally was the “Manzana Fundacional” or Foundation (City) Block and the atrium of the original Franciscan monastery in the early 16th century. Shortly after that time, the name was changed to Jardín Floresta.
Leathergoods, cider, hats and wool items can be found for sale in La Floresta.
The city has a number of notable churches. The La Expiración Chapel was constructed in 1527 by Friar Juan de Padilla. It is located in the old Zapotlán neighborhood, one block from the San Miguel Municipal Cemetery.
It is one of the few buildings left from when the Franciscans founded the Spanish settlement, and is considered to be the oldest chapel in the region.
The Iglesia de los Angeles or Church of the Angels is dedicated to an image of the Virgin Mary called the Virgen de los Angeles, or Virgin de los Angelitos (little angels).
Devotion to this image began in 1736, but the name was officially given in 1790. In 1862, she was named as the patroness of the diocese of Tulancingo. The church was begun in 1878, but the case and main altar,
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 ...
and other features were not built until 1942. In 2008, she was named the sovereign (titular) of the archdiocese.
Most major religious processions in the city proceed from here and end at the cathedral.
The La Merced Temple was constructed in 1892 by José Antonio Agüero. However, the building collapsed before it was finished, leading to a new construction which exists today. Other notable churches include the San José Church and the Church of La Villita.
The Railroad Museum (Museo del Ferrocarril) is located in the old train station. It contains old photographs of the building's construction, objects from the office from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Built in 1893 by Gabriel Mancera, this building was the second train station for the city and bears witness to the time period when Tulancingo served as a major hub of transportation and communication in Hidalgo state.
Nearby, the Vagón del Ferrocarril (Railroad Car) cafeteria offers crafts and other regional products.
Near the Railroad Museum, at the entrance to the highway that connects Tulancingo to
Acatlán and
Huasca del Ocampo, is a statue of Tulancingo's famous son, Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, better known as El Santo or The Silver Mask, Mexico's most famous lucha libre wrestler.
The wrestler was born here in 1917 and is buried here as well.
A statue was originally placed here in late 1999, and at the same time, the highway it marks was renamed Boulevard Rodolfo Guzman Huerta, El Santo. The ceremony was hosted by his son, a wrestler named
El Hijo del Santo
Jorge Ernesto Guzmán Rodríguez (born August 2, 1963) is a Mexican ''luchador enmascarado'', or masked professional wrestler and political activist, best known under the ring name, El Hijo del Santo ("The Son of the Saint"). Guzmán is the yo ...
and 100 others including various from the lucha libre world.
However, the original statue placed here was met with derision among the populace for its diminutive size and “null athletic characteristics,” being called the “Monument to
E.T.
''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dub ...
” by many residents.
The statue suffered vandalism, which even included a few bullet holes.
Between 2004 and 2006, the city and El Santo's son worked to replace the statue, eventually hiring self-taught sculptor Edwin Barrera who created the life-sized soldier statues at the military base in the Cuatro Caminos.
The current stone monument is 2.30 meters tall and is a reproduction of the wrestler with his cape and mask in a fighting stance.
The Museo de Datos Históricos (Museum of Historical Facts) is in the building that was the first train station for the city. This museum traces the city's history from the pre-Hispanic era to the present day. It contains two rooms: one dedicated to photographs and the other with archeological finds including those of the Huajomulco culture.
The Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Library is located in a building constructed in the 19th century on what was part of the cathedral's old cemetery. The current library has been in operation since 1984.
The Jardin del Arte (Art Garden) and Ricardo Garibay Cultural Center were built were the old Municipal Palace was demolished in 1984. These areas host national and international exhibitions and events featuring art, music and theatrical works.
The
Municipal Market is built on what was the Plaza of the Count of Orizaba. In the last decades of the 19th century, it was converted into a market but the building was neglected. In 1948, the current market was constructed.
There are five tianguis markets, including one that specializes in counterfeit products (called “fayuca”), two public traditional markets, and a Central de Abastos or wholesale market.
The city has a number of historic homes, mostly dating from the 19th century. The Casa de los Emperadores or House of the Emperors, was used by both Agustín de Iturbide and Maximiliano I as a residence. It is located on the corner of 1 de Mayo and Cuauhtémoc Streets.
It is the only house in which both emperors stayed.
The Casa de los Huesitos de Chabacano or House of the Little Apricot Pits is a Neoclassical work from the 19th century. The name comes from its owner in the early 20th century who ran a grocery store from the building and would paint apricot pits for neighborhood children to use as toys. The house is still in private hands and located on the corner of Juárez and 1 de Mayo Streets.
The Exquitlán Hacienda is a building constructed from the late 19th century by Pánfilo García Otamendi. The work was completed using materials brought from France and was inaugurated in 1908.
The Municipal Zoo has 180 species and a total of 390 animals. Species include lions, tigers, antelopes, lizards, bears, deer and a hippopotamus which is the zoo's mascot.
Overlooking the city are a number of large satellite dishes, which were constructed in the 1960s, initially to televise the
1968 Olympic Games. These dishes would give the city the nickname of “City of the Satellites.”
Today, they provide various services. The two largest satellite dishes are 32 meters in diameter and weigh 330 tons each. These provide international service. A third is 15 meters in diameter and links the country with networks in the United States. The last is only 7 meters and is national.
These dishes are the largest and the most important in Mexico.
One distinctive neighborhood whose origins can be traced back to the original founding of the Spanish city is Colonia Francisco I. Madero. Located at the base of the Cerro del Tezontle, it began as an indigenous settlement outside the city proper. As the city grew, it eventually was incorporated. The initial separation of the indigenous from the Europeans allows native culture to survive for a time after the Conquest. Old religious practices were maintained in secret and traditional herbal medicine continued to be practiced. Some residents claimed to be
nahual
In Mesoamerican folk religion, a nagual (pronounced a'wal is a human being who has the power to shapeshift into their tonal animal counterpart. Nagualism is tied to the belief one can access power and spiritual insight by connecting with the ...
s or Mesoamerican demons, making the Spanish of the city afraid to go into this area. Since then, people of this area have been called derisively “nahuals.” More recently, crosses have been placed in this area, especially in the intersection of 16 de Septiembre and Avenide del Trabajo to “scare” the nahuals that supposedly still live here.
The annual Feria de Tulancing
is the main event for the city featuring the commercial, agricultural and industrial activities of the area.
The municipality
![ValleTulancingo01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/ValleTulancingo01.jpg)
As municipal seat, the city of Tulancingo is the local governing authority for over one hundred communities,
which cover a territory of 290.4km2.
However, about 75% of the municipality's population of 129,935 lives in the city proper. Other major communities include Jaltepec (pop. 5,177), Santa Ana Hueytlalpan (pop. 5,261) and Javier Rojo Gómez (pop. 4,972).
The municipality borders the municipalities of
Metepec, Hidalgo, Metepec,
Acaxochitlán
Acaxochitlán is one of the 84 municipalities of the state of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 226.1 km². As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 34,892. Acaxochitlan has three languages ...
,
Cuautepec
Cuautepec is a city and seat of the municipality of Cuautepec, in the state of Guerrero, south-western Mexico
Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in t ...
and
Singuilucan
Singuilucan is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 334.1 km². As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 13,143.
The name of Singuilucan has been erron ...
.
It is located in 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 ...
in the Sierra Hidalgo, as it begins its descent to the Gulf of Mexico.
It is mostly valley floor with some peaks. This relatively flat surface is mostly of light volcanic rock cut with
ravine
A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.[volcanic rock
Volcanic rock (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) is a rock formed from lava erupted from a volcano. In other words, it differs from other igneous rock by being of volcanic origin. Like all rock types, the concept of volcanic r ...](_blank)
it is principally made up of. Other elevations include Cerro Viejo, Napateco and Las Navajas. The main river is the Tulancingo River, which is part of the
Metztitlán River system. There are four small lakes called Los Alamos, Otontepec, San Alejo and La Ciénega.
The climate is temperate to cold with an annual average temperature of 14C and average rainfall of between 500 and 550 mm per year. Most rain falls from June to October. Forested areas include trees such as pine,
ocotea
''Ocotea'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. Many are evergreen trees with lauroid leaves.
There are over 520 species currently accepted within the genus, distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical areas of t ...
,
oyamel
''Abies religiosa'', the oyamel fir or sacred fir, (known as in Spanish) is a fir native to the mountains of central and southern Mexico (Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Sierra Madre del Sur) and western Guatemala. It grows at high altitudes of in ...
,
cedar
Cedar may refer to:
Trees and plants
*''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, an Old-World genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae
*Cedar (plant), a list of trees and plants known as cedar
Places United States
* Cedar, Arizona
* ...
and walnut trees. Most wildlife consist of small mammals such as rabbits and squirrels with birds such as hummingbirds, doves and woodpeckers and reptiles such as snakes.
In the Tulancingo Valley, some of the oldest human remains of Mexico were found in Tecolote Cave.
However, the most important site is Huapalcalco. This site is located about three km from the center of modern Tulancingo and contains a pre-Hispanic pyramid and cave paintings.
In the cliffs of Huapalcalco and nearby, there are fifty groups of cave paintings, some of which date back as far as 10,000 BCE.
The pre-Hispanic site was first excavated in the 1950s by
Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (INAH). Carbon dating has placed objects as far back as 1,100 BCE. In the 7th century, a ruler by the name of
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl (, ; Spanish: ''Quetzalcóatl'' ; nci-IPA, Quetzalcōātl, ket͡saɬˈkoːaːt͡ɬ (Modern Nahuatl pronunciation), in honorific form: ''Quetzalcōātzin'') is a deity in Aztec culture and literature whose name comes from the Nahu ...
ruled here until he left to found Teotihuacan. While the remains of this site do not look impressive, they are the forerunners of the Teotihuacan civilization.
The center of the site is a five-level pyramid measuring twelve meters at its base and is eight meters high.
The function of this site was that of a ceremonial center. At the top of the pyramid, there is a monolithic altar, which was probably used for the deposit of offerings. The name means House of Green Wood.
Most people of the city are familiar with the San Miguel Municipal Cemetery located on Miguel Hidalgo Street in the main city. However, the city and municipally have a number of notable cemeteries. Cemeteries here are a custom brought and imposed by the Spanish after the Conquest. Prior to this, the indigenous peoples buried their dead underneath their houses. The first cemetery in the city was located next to what is now the cathedral. Today, this cemetery no longer exists, as it has been abandoned and built over. Another notable cemetery in the area is the one at Santa Ana Hueytlalpan, where evidence of Otomi traditions can be seen such as the arrangement of Mexican marigolds and offerings of seasonal fruits, mole, sweets and alcohol. The Santa María Cemetery also has indigenous touches but this one has
Nahua
The Nahuas () are a group of the indigenous people of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They comprise the largest indigenous group in Mexico and second largest in El Salvador. The Mexica (Aztecs) were of Nahua ethnicity, a ...
influence.
Los Ermitanos is a nature preserve which contains two almost parallel ravines and numerous rock formations such as towers, cliffs and narrow peaks. The area has a cold climate and fog is common.
Economy
The economy of the municipality divides into three sectors, agriculture, manufacturing, industry and mining and commerce. Agriculture employs 5.9% of the population, manufacturing, industry and mining employ 30.5% and commerce employs 63.6%.
The soil is semi arid and fertile. Just over sixty percent of the municipality's land is used for agriculture, pastures and for forest products. There is both seasonal and year-round irrigated agriculture practiced in the municipality. Major crops include corn,
barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...
, beans, wheat and animal feed. Most crops are produced seasonally with the total corn crop divided equally between seasonal and irrigated lands. Crops produced year round and usually irrigated include
cactus fruit (tunas),
alfalfa
Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as w ...
and hay. Livestock includes cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, horses and domestic fowl. Pine and some other trees are harvested for wood, but this is heavily regulated.
The area is an important dairy product producer as well as a producer of cider, made from locally grown apples.
The city is known as the premier wool textile center in the country, specializing in thread and yarn, cashmeres, blankets, as well as embroidered blouses and skirts
During the pre-Hispanic era, this area produced cotton textiles, especially in the mountain areas of Huehuetla and Tenango. These were part of the tribute items collected by the Aztecs. Textile production continued into the colonial period, especially to mining communities in the
Real del Monte
Mineral del Monte, commonly called Real del Monte () or El Real, is a small mining town, and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in the State of Hidalgo in east-central Mexico.
It is located at an altitude of . As of 2005, the municipali ...
and Pachuca areas. Sometime during this period, the fabric produced switched to mostly wool. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the textile industry here and in the rest of Mexico was modernized and the first train station was opened to ship products. The Mexican Revolution disrupted train service and the textile industry here suffered but came back after the war was over led by the La Esperanza and Santiago Textil factories, and with about 21% of the wool fabric of the country produced here. The textile industry continued to develop with the production of dairy products becoming important as well.
Other industry includes food processing, bottling, tobacco products, textiles, leather goods, wood and paper products, printing, chemicals, plastics and more. The three most important as far as employment are food processing, tobacco and textiles.
Handcraft production centers mostly on pottery, making everyday items such as jars, cups and plates. Another craft is the making of leather goods such as sandals, chaps, gloves, etc. Textile items are usually made of wool and include sarapes and rebozos. Pottery includes both burnished and glazed objects. One unique handcrafted item is a type of “God’s eye” called a “tenango.”
The city has grown rapidly over the past 20 or so years as multinational corporations have moved operations here. However, this growth has put inflationary pressure on goods and services, especially basic foodstuffs as transportation connections here are not as good as in other Mexican cities and foreign interests can pay more for goods.
There is still large scale unemployment and underemployment in the area, with many migrating to the United States. Many are men who have moved to
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
and specialize in selling ice cream.
Education and infrastructure
The municipality provides public education from preschool to university level. There are 68 pre-schools, 29 primary schools and 30 secondary or middle school schools, in which 1,225 teachers work. There are ten high schools (bachillerato) and six institutions of higher education.
These include the Universidad Tecnologica de Tulancingo http://www.utec-tgo.edu.mx/ and the Universidad Politecnica de Tulancingo http://www.upt.edu.mx/
There are 42.4 km of major roadways with over half being federal and the rest state. There is a small airport with a 1,000 meter runway. Most public transportation is by bus, both locally and inter-city. There are two bus stations, first and second class, out of which operate bus lines to Mexico City,
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fifth ...
,
Tuxpan
Tuxpan (or Túxpam, fully Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano) is both a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The population of the city was 78,523 and of the municipality was 134,394 inhabitants, according to the INEGI census o ...
,
Poza Rica
Poza Rica (), formally: Poza Rica de Hidalgo is a city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Its name means "rich well/pond". It is often thought that the name came to be because it was a place known for its abundance ...
as well as to nearby communities in Hidalgo. There are satellite relay stations providing television reception for six broadcast channels and three local radio stations (XENQ, XEQB and XHTNO).
Sister cities
Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the Amador Valley, it is a suburb in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 79,871 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. In 200 ...
, United States
There is a community exchange program with
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, USA, due to the large numbers of migrant workers from Tulancingo in New York City.
Notable people
*
El Santo
Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (23 September 1917 – 5 February 1984), known professionally as El Santo or in English The Saint, was a Mexican luchador enmascarado (Spanish for "masked professional wrestler"), actor and folk hero. He is one of the mo ...
(1917-1984)
*
Alfonso Zayas
Juan Alfonso Zayas Inclán (30 June 1941 – 8 July 2021), better known as Alfonso Zayas, was a Mexican actor and comedian. He was best known for his participation in many Cinema of Mexico, Mexican sex comedy, sex comedies. In Mexico, Zayas partic ...
(1941-2021), notable film and television actor, born here
*
Jorge Poza
Jorge Alberto Poza Pérez ( born 3 January 1977) is a Mexican film and television actor.
Biography
Poza was born in Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico. He started his acting career in the movie ''Bandidos'' in 1990, but his career as a TV actor star ...
References
External links
Municipio TulancingoOfficial website
State of HidalgoOfficial website
{{Hidalgo
Municipalities of Hidalgo (state)
Populated places in Hidalgo (state)
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
Otomi settlements
Nahua settlements