Zacatecas, Zacatecas

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Zacatecas is the name of both a state of Mexico and that state's capital city. This article is about the city. For the state, see state of Zacatecas.

Zacatecas
80px[[{{{Map}}}\|150px]]
Official Name	Zacatecas
Country - State: - Municipality	Mexico Zacatecas Zacatecas
Population (2005)	122,889 city; 132,035 municipality hab
Altitude	2440 msl
Coordinates - Latitude: - Longitude:	22° 50' N 102° 32' W
Foundation - Foundation:	September 8, 1546 Juan de Tolosa
Mayor	Gerardo de J. Félix Domínguez
Political party	PRD
Time zone:	UTC -6
Demonym	Zacatequense
Postal code	98000
Area code	492
Website: www.zacatecas-capital.gob.mx

**Historic Centre of Zacatecas**^a
**UNESCO World Heritage Site**

State Party	Mexico
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv
Identification	#676
Region^b	Latin America and the Caribbean
Inscription History
Formal Inscription:	1993 17th Session
a Name as officially inscribed on the WH List b As classified officially by UNESCO

Zacatecas is a city in Mexico, the capital of the state of Zacatecas. It was founded 1548, two years after the nearby discovery of silver, and became an officially-recognized city in 1584. Its population as of the 2005 census was 122,889. Zacatecas is also the municipal seat of the municipality of Zacatecas which surrounds the city. The municipality had a population of 132,035 and an area of 444 km² (171.4 sq mi). The city is the largest in the state, slightly larger than Fresnillo (pop. 110,892), but the municipality of Fresnillo (pop. 196,538) is larger than the municipality of Zacatecas because it includes a much larger land area with more population in its outlying communities.

1 History
2 Tourism and Culture
3 Entertainment
- 3.1 Sports
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Zacatecas was founded in 1546 and was built over a rich vein of silver discovered by Juan de Tolosa in the same year. This and other mines in the vicinity attracted a large population, and it soon became one of the chief mining centres of Mexico.

Silver from Zacatecas and from Potosí in Bolivia was coined as pieces of eight and transported around the world by the Spanish treasure fleets and the Manila galleons. It was this silver that paid the wars of the Spanish Empire.

Mining is now no longer as important a part of the local economy, and in fact the primary mine (the Mina El Edén) has been converted into a tourist attraction, including an underground disco in a large hollowed out cave. Indeed, the city of Zacatecas is a popular tourist destination for Mexicans, and many of the local businesses cater to them.

[edit] Tourism and Culture

It is built in a deep, narrow ravine, 2450 m (8050 ft) above sea level, with narrow, crooked streets (callejones in Spanish) climbing the steep hillsides, and white, flat-roofed houses. The colonial center is a UNESCO World Heritage site and features elaborately decorated buildings, cobblestoned streets, and wrought-iron lanterns. The more modern outer suburbs are a mix of cinderblock shanties and gated communities for the wealthy.

The city is centered on the Plaza de Armas, a small open square bordered by the cathedral and the governor's palace. Other small plazas and parks (jardines) dot the city, among them the Jardín de la Independencia and the tiny (19 m²) Jardín de Juárez.

The cathedral is an elaborately carved red-stone(cantera) structure, but its once richly decorated interior was looted during the civil wars of the 19th and 20th centuries. Churches abound, and many have recently been converted into art galleries or museums.

Zacatecas is home to the Autonomous University of Zacatecas (UAZ) and a branch of the Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM).

Overlooking the city from an elevation of 150 m (500 ft) is the Cerro de la Bufa, a rocky outcropping crowned by a chapel and which is a popular spot for hiking and taking in the view of the city below. The city is also famous for its "Teleferico", an aerial tramway built by an Austrian company in 1978. The tramway starts at the Cerro del Grillo and "flies" over downtown Zacatecas giving passengers a breathtaking view of the city. The tramway then climbs up to the Cerro de la Bufa were passengers can either visit a museum or enjoy the view of the city.

Tourists particularly visit Zacatecas during the September Feria nacional de Zacatecas and again in the spring during Easter Week.

[edit] Entertainment

[edit] Sports

Club	Sport	Founded	League	Website	Logo
Barreteros	Basketball	?	LNBP	[1]

[edit] References

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