Irapuato is a Mexican 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' ...

located at the foot of the Arandas Hill (in Spanish: ''Cerro de Arandas''), in the central region of the

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Guanajuato Guanajuato, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, is one of the 32 states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guanajuato, 46 municipalities and its cap ...

. It lies between the Silao River and the Guanajuato River, a tributary of the Lerma River, at above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...

. It is located at . The city is the second-largest in the state (only behind León), with a population of 342,561 according to the 2005 census, while its

has a population of 529,440. The municipality has an area of and includes numerous smaller outlying communities. Although it is now an important center for regional trade and transportation center as well the site of several automotive and chemical manufacturing plants, the city's main industry has historically been

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

and it has long been known for its strawberries and industry of refried beans, also the raising of pigs and

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

. The

fruits In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

and

flowers Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

of Irapuato's luxurious gardens are well known throughout Mexico.

History

Prehispanic era

In the pre-Hispanic era, the site was inhabited by the Chichimecas (c. 1200 AD), a group of semi-nomadic

hunter-gatherer A hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living in a community, or according to an ancestrally derived Lifestyle, lifestyle, in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local naturally occurring sources, esp ...

s. Later on, the Purépechas conquered the region and initiated the establishment of a permanent settlement. They constructed buildings in the Purépecha architectural style, produced pottery, and practiced

. They called the settlement Xiriquitzio (or Iriquitzio), which the Spanish conquerors pronounced "Jiricuato" (or Jiricuicho), which meant "the place with houses (or low dwellings)". The initial growth period, however, was short-lived. The downfall of the Purépecha Empire led to the abandonment of the settlement, at which point it was once again inhabited by the Chichimecas.

Conquest

In the 16th century, vasts amounts of

silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...

ore were discovered at the present day site of the capital city of

. This discovery led to a massive migration of Spanish settlers to the area.

Flood

On 18 August 1973, thousands of homes were destroyed and an estimated 200 or 300 people killed when a dam burst, sending a high wall of water crashing into the city. Many people were left stranded on roofs and high places for days before they were rescued.

Massacres

Mass shootings occurred at drug rehabilitation centers on 6 June and 1 July 2020.

Geography

Climate

It has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(''Cwa'' in the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

) with an average temperature of . The large majority of rainfall occurs from June - September. It is at an altitude above

of .

Transportation

Airport

Irapuato is a 2 or 3 hour flight from cities including

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

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 ...

Monterrey Monterrey (, , abbreviated as MtY) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León. It is the ninth-largest city and the second largest metropolitan area, after Greater Mexico City. Located at the foothills of th ...

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...

and

Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta ( or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican resort city near the Bahía de Banderas on the Pacific coast of the Mexico, Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara ...

, among others. Located just 25 minutes from the city of Irapuato the Del Bajío International Airport (officially, Guanajuato International Airport) (IATA: BJX) is an international airport located in Silao, close to Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. It handles national and international air traffic of the area that includes the cities of León, Irapuato, and the state capital, Guanajuato. Guanajuato International Airport is an important connecting point for some flights from Mexico City to the United States.

Major highways

Major highways in Irapuato and their starting and ending points: * Carretera federal 45

Mexican Federal Highway 45

Ciudad Juárez Ciudad Juárez ( , ; "Juárez City"), commonly referred to as just Juárez (Lipan language, Lipan: ''Tsé Táhú'ayá''), is the most populous city in the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Mexican state of Chihuahua (state), Chihuahua. It was k ...

, Chihuahua - Panales, Hidalgo * Carretera federal 90

Mexican Federal Highway 90 Irapuato, Guanajuato -

Zapotlanejo Zapotlanejo is a town and municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, there were 64,806 inhabitants in the municipality. The municipality has a territorial extension of 718.8 km2. Toponymy Zapotlanejo is a h ...

Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...

Mexican Federal Highway 43

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

, Guanajuato - Morelia,

Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo, is one of the 31 states which, together with Mexico City, compose the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The stat ...

Mexican Federal Highway 110 Armería,

Colima Colima, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Colima, is among the 31 states that make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima. Colima is a small state of western Mexico on the cen ...

- Xoconostle, Guanajuato

Education

The city of Irapuato is home to some private universities including a branch of the University of the Incarnate Word, a Catholic university based in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and a single public university, the Higher Technological Institute of Irapuato (ITESI). The city is also home to a research center of the Center for Advanced Research and Studies (CINVESTAV) specializing in plant biotechnology and genetics and the newly created National Center of Plant Genomics.

Sport

The local

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

team is Irapuato FC, also known as La Trinca.

Stadiums and arenas

* Estadio Sergio Leon Chavez *Plaza de Toros *Parque Irekua *Golf Club Santa Margarita

Notable people

* Amalia Macías – singer and actress who toured Europe * Enrique del Moral – architect. *

Silvia Navarro Silvia Angélica Navarro Barba (born September 14, 1978) is a Mexicans, Mexican actor, actress. She debuted as actress in 1997, in the lead role in the telenovela ''Perla (TV series), Perla''. Since then, she continued to work for Mexican TV n ...

– actress. *

Natalia Guerrero Natalia Guerrero (born September 9, 1987, in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico) is a Mexican actress. Life and career Guerrero was born in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. In 2011, she graduated from the Centro de Educación Artística de Televisa (C ...

– actress. * Carolina Miranda - actress. * Carlos Cordero – athlete for Mexico at the 2012 London Olympics. * Samuel Ruiz – Catholic prelate. * Mario Castañeda – Mexican voice actor. * Chucho Navarro – founding member of the Trio Los Panchos. * Miguel Ángel Chico Herrera – president of PRI from 2005 to 2009. * Roberto Alvarado – professional soccer player who plays for Cruz Azul in the

Liga MX Liga MX, also known as Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Mexico and the highest level of the Mexican football league system. Formerly known as Liga Mayor (1943–1949) and also as Primera Divis ...

, and the Mexico National Team. * Claudio González – professional soccer player who plays for Club Leon in the

. * Óscar Razo – professional soccer player who played for Club Atlas in the

. * Francisco Rotllán – professional soccer player who played for

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

at the

1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics (, ), officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad (, ) and officially branded as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Beginning in 1994 ...

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

. * Sergio Ávila – professional soccer player who played for Chivas de Guadalajara and the Mexico U-23 national team. * José Antonio Patlán – professional soccer player who played for Chivas de Guadalajara in 2006 * Juan Zaragoza – soccer player

Images

File:MiguelHidalgoMural.jpg, Mural depicting Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and the Mexican Independence movement. File:TemplodelHospitalito.jpg, Hospitalito Church File:IrapuatoMural.jpg, Mural depicting Irapuato's Purépecha and Spanish history File:AguasDanzarinas.JPG, Aguas Danzarinas Fountain File:Irapuato Plaza Principal.jpg, Irapuato's Hidalgo Garden File:Templo de la Soledad.jpg, Templo de la Soledad File:IrapuatoCentroHistorico.jpg, Plaza de Los Fundadores File:Irapuato 1907.jpg, Tercera Orden's Church, circa 1907. Photo courtesy SMU

Sister cities

Aguascalientes Aguascalientes, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes, is one of the 32 states which comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. At 22°N and with an average altitude of above sea level it is pre ...

Green Bay,

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

Chula Vista,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Laredo,

Marianao,

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

McAllen,

Murcia, Murcia,

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

References

External links

D IRAPUATO.COM
SPANISH
Presidencia Municipal de Irapuato
Official website * Irapuato Article on Wikipedia Español {{Authority control Municipalities of Guanajuato Populated places established in 1547 Populated places in Guanajuato