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

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

Mexican state A Mexican State (), officially the Free and Sovereign State (), is a constituent federative entity of Mexico according to the Constitution of Mexico. Currently there are 31 states, each with its own constitution, government, state governor, a ...

Morelos Morelos, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Morelos, is a landlocked state located in south-central Mexico. It is one of the 32 states which comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Mun ...

, about 104 kilometers south of

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

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

Cuernavaca Cuernavaca (; , "near the woods" , Otomi language, Otomi: ) is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state, state of Morelos in Mexico. Along with Chalcatzingo, it is likely one of the origins of the Mesoamerica, Mesoamerican civilizatio ...

and

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

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

, comprises the municipalities of Cuautla, Yautepec, Ayala, Yecapixtla, Atlatlahucan, and Tlayacapan. It covers , which represents 21.26% of the state's total area. The metropolitan population (2010) is 434,187.

History

Prehispanic history

The

Olmec The Olmecs () or Olmec were an early known major Mesoamerican civilization, flourishing in the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco from roughly 1200 to 400 Before the Common Era, BCE during Mesoamerica's Mesoamerican chronolog ...

group who lived in

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

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

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

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

Spanish conquest and colonial period

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

Gonzalo de Sandoval Gonzalo de Sandoval (1497 – late 1528) was a Spanish conquistador in New Spain (Mexico)Diaz, B., 1963, The Conquest of New Spain, London: Penguin Books, and briefly co-governor of the colony while Hernán Cortés was away from the capital ...

on March 14, 1521. In 1543

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...

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

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

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

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

of the church is made of pink

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

with well-defined bases, columns, and

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

s. The small, two-level belltower is square and simple. The monetary is high and formal; it may have been built after the church. The church is unique in that it faces the east, there is no real atrium, and there are neither '' capillas posas'' nor an open chapel. Construction of the church of

Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...

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

Real Audiencia A ''Real Audiencia'' (), or simply an ''Audiencia'' (), was an appellate court in Spain and its empire. The name of the institution literally translates as Royal Audience. The additional designation ''chancillería'' (or ''cancillería'', Catala ...

;'' Cuautla became an ''alcaldia'' (mayoralty) belonging to the Intendencia of Puebla.

Independence & 19th century

After a number of successful battles, General

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

arrived in Cuautla in December 1811. On February 19, 1812, Spanish General Félix María Calleja began the 72-day

Siege of Cuautla The siege of Cuautla was a battle of the War of Mexican Independence that occurred from 19 February through 2 May 1812 at Cuautla de Morelos, Cuautla, Morelos. The Spanish Royalist (Spanish American Revolution), royalist forces loyal to the ...

. Morelos was accompanied by Leonardo Bravo,

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

, Hermenegildo Galeana,

Nicolás Bravo Nicolás Bravo Rueda (10 September 1786 – 22 April 1854) was a Mexican soldier and politician who served as interim President of Mexico three times, in 1839, 1842, and 1846. Previously, he fought in the Mexican War of Independence, and ser ...

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

Revolution & 20th century

As a young man,

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

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

1911 Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia. * January 3 ** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 m ...

he answered Francisco I. Madero's call to arms against President

Porfirio Díaz José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori (; ; 15 September 1830 – 2 July 1915) was a General (Mexico), Mexican general and politician who was the dictator of Mexico from 1876 until Mexican Revolution, his overthrow in 1911 seizing power in a Plan ...

. After minor battles in Chietla, Izúcar,

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

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

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...

, as Porfirio Díaz said the battle convinced him to sign the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez and resign. Nearly seven years later, in April

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

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

Venustiano Carranza José Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (; 29 December 1859 – 21 May 1920), known as Venustiano Carranza, was a Mexican land owner and politician who served as President of Mexico from 1917 until his assassination in 1920, during the Mexican Re ...

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

21st century

Six people, including an 11-year-old child, were killed in the September 17,

2017 Puebla earthquake The 2017 Puebla earthquake, also known as 19S, struck at 13:14 CDT (18:14 UTC) on 19 September 2017 with an estimated magnitude of 7.1 and strong shaking for about 20 seconds. Its epicenter was about south of the city of Puebla, Mexico. ...

. Jesus Corona Damian of ''Juntos Haremos Historia'' (Together we will make history coalition) was elected Presidente Municipal (mayor) in the election of July 1, 2018. Tetelcingo was scheduled to become an autonomous municipality on January 1, 2019, but Cuautla authorities objected. As of May 4, 2020, there were 505 infections and 59 deaths in the state of Morelos and 62 confirmed infections from the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

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

Jalisco New Generation Cartel The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (, ), or CJNG, is a Mexican Organized crime, criminal syndicate, based in Jalisco and headed by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes ("El Mencho"). The drug cartel, cartel has been characterized by extreme violence and pu ...

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

Notable people

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

(1776–1854), president of Mexico three times between 1839 and 1846. * Félix María Calleja del Rey y de la Gándara (1753-1828): Royalist general during the siege. * Hermenegildo Galeana (1762-1814): Galeana was in charge of the 1st sector (San Diego) of the city during the siege. * Mariano Matamoros y Guridi (1770-1814) was in charge of the 3rd sector (Buenavista). * Narciso Mendoza (1800-1888): Born in Cuautla, Mendoza belonged to the children's company ''Compañía de Emulantes'' (Company of Emulators) organized by Juan Nepomuceno Almonte. Mendoza stopped a royalist offensive by firing a cannon and is known as ''El Niño Artillero'' (The Gunner Boy). * José María Teclo Morelos Pérez y Pavón (1765-1815): Hero of the Siege of Cuautla (February 19 – May 2, 1812); the state is named for him. ;Other *

José Agustín José Agustín Ramírez Gómez (19 August 1944 – 16 January 2024) was a Mexican novelist, short story writer, essayist and screenwriter. Publishing under the pen name José Agustín, he was considered one of the most influential and prolific Me ...

(b. 1944) is a Mexican writer who lives in Cuautla. * Ismael Hernández (b. 1990 in Cuautla) is a Mexican modern pentathlete. He won a bronze medal at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...

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

Municipal presidents

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

narrow-gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curv ...

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

Culture

Celebrations and holidays

*January 1:

New Year's Day In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year, January 1, 1 January. Most solar calendars, such as the Gregorian and Julian calendars, begin the year regularly at or near the December solstice, northern winter ...

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

Benito Juarez Benito may refer to: Places * Benito, Kentucky, United States * Benito, Manitoba, Canada * Benito River, a river in Equatorial Guinea Other uses * Benito (name) ** Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1 ...

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

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

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

Holy Week Holy Week () commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. It begins with the commemoration of Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednes ...

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

(state holiday) *April 30:

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

*May 1:

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

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

* May 5:

Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo (; ) is an annual celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, ho ...

(national holiday) *May 10:

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

*July 25: Feast of

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...

* August 8: Anniversary of the birth of the General

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

Cry of Dolores The Cry of Dolores () occurred in Dolores Hidalgo, Dolores, Mexico, on 16 September 1810, when Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his church bell and gave the pronunciamiento, call to arms that triggered the Mexican War of Indep ...

(official holiday) * September 30: Anniversary of the birth of the General José María Morelos y Pavón. There is a parade. * November 2:

Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead () is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pa ...

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

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

(official holiday)

Leather, crafts, & textiles

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

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

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

Food

Rich stews with green or red ''

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

'', the green mole of ''pipián'' with

tamale A tamale, in Spanish language, Spanish , is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of ''masa'', a dough made from nixtamalization, nixtamalized maize, corn, which is steaming, steamed in a corn husk or Banana leaf, banana leaves. The wrapping ...

s, and cecina. Also ''

huitlacoche Corn smut is a plant disease caused by the pathogenic fungus ''Mycosarcoma maydis'', synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Ustilago maydis''. One of several cereal crop pathogens called smut (fungus), smut, the fungus forms galls on all above-ground p ...

'', '' molotes'', a squash flower soup ('' sopa de flor de calabaza''), or a mushroom cream soup, or sopa Azteca. Also available is Pollo Morelense, chicken with

peanut sauce Peanut sauce, satay sauce (saté sauce), ''bumbu kacang'', ''sambal kacang'', or ''pecel'' is an Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian sauce made from ground roasted or fried peanuts, widely used in Indonesian cuisine and many other dishes throughout t ...

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

Art

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

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

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

Dance

''Las Tetelcingas'' is a traditiona
dance
dance from the indigenous town of Tetelcingo. Typical dress: the authentic suit is that of ''Tetelcinga'', which consists of a

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

Economy

Among the most important activities in Cuautla you will find: *Agriculture (corn, beans) *Livestock (beef, pork) *Nursery (production of ornamental plants and fruit trees) *Aquaculture (production of aquatic species such as mojarras, prawns, and catfish) *Agroindustry (sugar cane) *General Commerce (financial, administrative and real estate services, premises such as stationery, grocery, food, beverages, etc.) *Services (hotel, restaurant, professional, technical, and personal) *Tourism (natural areas, lodging, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, water parks, spas, and springs.) *Construction. *Manufacturing. The Cuautla Industrial Park, located in Ayala, covers and is the second largest in Morelos. Most of the companies are related to the automotive industry. The largest employers are ''Saint-Gobainl'', (glass), ''Sekurit'' (windshields), and ''Temic'' (industrial parts).

Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. As of the 2020 census, the city has a population of 314,998. It is the most populous city in th ...

is a

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

Transportation

;Highways * Mexican Federal Highway 160 west to Cocoyoc- Yautepec-

-Cuernavaca; east to Jantetelco- Izucar de Matamoros * Mexican Federal Highway 160D (toll) is an eastern spur of

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

(toll) from ''La Pera'' to Cuautla. * Mexican Federal Highway 115D (toll) north to

- Nepantla-

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

; south to

Ciudad Ayala Ciudad Ayala is a city in the east-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It is named for Coronel :es:Francisco_Ayala_(insurgente), Francisco Ayala who fought with José María Morelos during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. The town's previous n ...

- Zacatepec- Atlatlahucan * Mexican Federal Highway 115 north to Tetelcingo- Tepetlixpa- Atlatlahucan-Mexico City-

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

; east to Izucar de Matamoros (co-signed with #160) ;Public transportation Local buses or ''combis'' serve Cuautla and nearby municipalities. Taxis and ride sharing are available. Cuautla has several bus terminals for long-distance travel: *Estrella Roja (TER) (Cuernavaca, Mexico City, Airport, Puebla) *Pullman de Morelos (Mexico City, Airport, destinations in most parts state of Morelos) *Omnibus Cristóbal Colón (OCC) Company based in Cuautla, with service to Taxqueña and Central Norte bus terminals in Mexico City,

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

, and

Veracruz (city) Veracruz (), also known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico and the most populous city in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located along the co ...

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

Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...

, Tlaxcala City, and

Guerrero Guerrero, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guerrero, is one of the 32 states that compose the administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guerrero, 85 municipalities. The stat ...

) ;Trains There is no regularly scheduled train service. A tourist train, a remnant of the Interoceanic Railway of Mexico, runs occasionally. ;Air Cuautla does not have an airport; flights are available at

Cuernavaca Airport Cuernavaca International Airport (); officially ''Aeropuerto Internacional General Mariano Matamoros'' (General Mariano Matamoros International Airport) is an airport located in Temixco, Morelos, Mexico. It manages air traffic for the Cuernavaca ...

Mexico City International Airport Mexico City International Airport (); officially ''Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez'' (Benito Juárez International Airport) is the primary international airport serving Greater Mexico City. It is the List of the busiest airports in Me ...

, and Puebla International Airport. Zocalo de Cuautla

Communities

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

Sister Cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, 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 ar ...

are

Renton, Washington Renton is a city in King County, Washington, United States, and an inner-ring suburb of Seattle. Situated southeast of downtown Seattle, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington, at the mouth of the Cedar River. As of the 202 ...

, and

. * '' Tetelcingo'' is a

Nahuas The Nahuas ( ) are a Uto-Nahuan ethnicity and one of the Indigenous people of Mexico, with Nahua minorities also in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. They comprise the largest Indigenous group in Mexico, as well as ...

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

Education

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

Attractions

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

and Indigenous communities such as the Tepoztlán and Tetelcingo among others. Villasor Hotel

Springs, spas, & water parks

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

sulfur Sulfur ( American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur ( Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms ...

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

Museums

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

Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence (, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from the Spanish Empire. It was not a single, coherent event, but local and regional ...

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

narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with Minimum railw ...

tourist railroad offering train rides pulled by an historic steam locomotive once used by the former Interoceanic Railway of Mexico. The narrow-gauge was retired in 1973. *The tomb of the famous Mexican revolutionary hero

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

Architecture

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

reinforced concrete Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete or ferro-concrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having higher tensile strength or ...

posts which in turn support reinforced concrete beams, reinforced concrete

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

s and

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

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

water tank A water tank is a container for Water storage, storing water, for many applications, drinking water, irrigation, fire suppression, farming, both for plants and livestock, chemical manufacturing, food preparation as well as many other uses. Water ...

on the roof as well as a concrete ''

cistern A cistern (; , ; ) is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. To prevent leakage, the interior of the cistern is often lined with hydraulic plaster. Cisterns are disti ...

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

pump A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes Slurry, slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic or pneumatic energy. Mechanical pumps serve in a wide range of application ...

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

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

which have

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

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

Geography

Location

Cuautla is located in the eastern Morelos, with the geographic coordinates 18°49'N and 99°01'E and an altitude of 1,294 meters (4,245 feet) above sea level. Cuautla borders the municipalities of Atlatlahucan, Ayala, Yautepec, and Yecapixtla.

Distance from other parts of Mexico

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

- *

Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...

– (1 hour, 35 minutes driving time)

Size

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

Climate

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

Tropic of Cancer The Tropic of Cancer, also known as the Northern Tropic, is the Earth's northernmost circle of latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun ...

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

Equator The equator is the circle of latitude that divides Earth into the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Southern Hemisphere, Southern Hemispheres of Earth, hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, about in circumferen ...

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

Religion

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

References

External links

Ayuntamiento Constitucional de Cuautla (Constitutional Council of Cuautla)
Official website

2005 Census population data statistics
INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática (National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Information)
Morelos
Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México (Encyclopedia of Mexican Municipalities) {{Coord, 18, 49, N, 98, 57, W, display=title Municipalities of Morelos People from Morelos Populated places in Morelos Municipality seats in Morelos