| San Luis Potosí | |||
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| — City & Municipality — | |||
| From left to right and from top to the bottom: Teatro de la Paz, Caja del Agua, view of the eastern part of the city, ITESM Campus San Luis, UASLP Main Building. | |||
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| Nickname(s): La Ciudad de los Jardínes (City of Gardens) |
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| Location of San Luis Potosí in central-north Mexico | |||
| Country | Mexico | ||
| State | San Luis Potosí | ||
| Founded | November 3, 1592 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Victoria Labastida | ||
| Area | |||
| • Municipality | 385 km2 (148.6 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,850 m (6,070 ft) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Municipality | 685,934 | ||
| • Metro | 1,040,822 | ||
| • Demonym | Potosino (a) | ||
| Time zone | CST (UTC−6) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC−5) | ||
| Website | http://www.ayuntamientoslp.gob.mx | ||
San Luis Potosí, commonly called SLP or simply San Luis, is the capital of, and most populous city in the Mexican state of the same name. The city lies at an elevation of 1,850 meters (6,070 feet). It has an estimated population of 735,886 inhabitants in the city proper, and a population of approximately 1,021,688 in its metropolitan area which is formed with the neighbour city of Soledad and some other small townships inside the urban area. This makes the metropolitan area of Greater San Luis Potosí the tenth largest in Mexico.
The city of San Luis Potosí is located in the west-central part of the state of San Luis Potosí, at 22.16°N, 100.98°W. The municipality has an area of 1,443.14 km² (557.2 sq mi).
The city is named after Louis IX of France (also known in Mexico as San Luis Rey de Francia; Saint Louis, King of France), who is the city's patron saint. Potosí was added in reference to the fabulously rich mines of Potosí, Bolivia, discovered some forty years before the city was founded, as the exploitation of silver and gold mines in Cerro de San Pedro near San Luis was the main reason for the founding of the city in 1592.[1]
Nowadays the city is one of the main industrial centres in central Mexico with a prolific manufacturing industry. A number of foreign industries have chosen to invest in San Luis Potosí in the last decades thanks to its strategic location for trade, as the city is located halfway Mexico City and the United States border, as well as in the middle of the triangle formed by Mexico City and the other two largest cities in Mexico, Guadalajara and Monterrey.[2]
Besides its industry-based economy, recently the city has been promoted as a touristic destination in central Mexico by state and federal programs. San Luis Potosí's historic downtown displays a great mixture of different artistic styles in many buildings and it's a major example of colonial architecture in Mexico. In 2010 the historic center of the city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site within Camino Real de Tierra Adentro[3]
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In pre-Hispanic times the territory now occupied by the state of San Luis Potosi included two cultural areas: Mesoamerica and Aridoamerica. Its northern and central-west parts, where the city of San Luis now is located, were inhabited by chichimeca and otomi tribes. Chichimeca is a generic term to designate these wild indigenous tribes which were hunter-gatherers wandering all across northern Mexico, so they couldn't settle in a fixed seating as opposed to Mesoamerican civilizations. They are described by historians as wild and very warlike peoples, living in continual wars among themselves. These tribes spoke different languages but their customs were similar.[4]
After the arrival of Spanish conquistadores into the territory now formed by the Mexican nation, it still took them about a century to colonize the northern territories in Aridoamerica. When the Spaniards founded the first settlements in the region in late 16th century, they had to struggle against constant attacks from guachichil tribes. Extremely belligerent, these tribes attacked traders who travel to Zacatecas in newly created routes. Conquistadores and religious missionaries called the place where San Luis now is located "El Gran Tunal" (Grand Place of Tuna fruit). Finally, in 1589, the peace between chichimeca peoples and Spanish settlers was reached thanks to efforts made by Miguel Caldera and fray Diego de la Magdalena, which marked the end of the Chichimeca War.[4][5]
A Franciscan mission was established in the zone in 1583, nine years before the city's founding. In early 1592 the mines of Cerro de San Pedro were discovered. The lack of water in Cerro de San Pedro made impossible a new settlement in that specific area, as well as the proper exploitation of the minerals. A short distance away there was a valley where water was abundant. This originated in the creation of a new township to facilitate the labors of mining extraction. The legal foundation of the town of San Luis Potosí was made in November 3, 1592, according to a charter commission raised by Viceroy Luis de Velasco and given to Miguel Caldera (considered the historic founder of the city) and Juan de Oñate.[6]
For a time in 1863 during the French invasion of Mexico, San Luis Potosí served as the capital of the republican government under President Benito Juárez.
The Plan of San Luis Potosí, issued November 20, 1910, was the opening shot of Mexico's revolution against the dictator Porfirio Díaz. The Mexican presidential election of 1910 was stolen when Díaz had his opponent Francisco I. Madero arrested and imprisoned. Madero fled and issued the Plan of San Luis Potosí, declaring the election void and calling upon Mexicans to take up arms against the government.
Today, the downtown is one of plazas and colonial architecture. The "Plaza de Armas" is home to a cathedral and governor's palace (1770), and chatting couples and families enjoying popsicles can be seen around the city at times. The nearby "Templo de Nuestra Señora del Carmen," with its colorful tiled domes and famous altars, is considered among Mexico's finest churches. In addition, San Luis is home to the bullring Plaza de Toros Fermin Rivera.
Outside the city center, a modern industrial city has begun to grow.
The Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP) is in the city. Based on a Jesuit College founded in 1624, the Instituto Científico y Literario was raised to the category of a university in 1923, and is recognized as one of Latin America's best universities.
Potosinos (as residents of the city are referred to) are proud of their bright orange enchiladas potosinas, often served fried with refried beans and guacamole.
The nearby town of Santa María del Río provides the state with its sparkling mineral water, Agua de Lourdes. The water fills both store shelves and the cocktails of Potosinos, who claim the water can cure a hangover.
San Luis Potosí, with a population of approximately one million inhabitants, is the tenth-largest metropolitan area in Mexico. The city is a major commercial and industrial center. It lies in an economically advantageous area at the heart of the "triangle" formed by the three largest cities in Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. In recent years, the city has attracted the attention of European and American investors; its political, social, and economic stability has convinced large multinational companies to assume a presence there and even buy land in the outskirts of the city.
Recently, according to a survey conducted by the magazine The Investor, San Luis Potosi and its metropolitan area was the third-best place to live in Mexico.
| Historic Center of San Luis Potosí Camino Real de Tierra Adentro * | |
|---|---|
| Country | Mexico |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | II, IV, |
| Reference | 1351 |
| Region ** | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2010 (34th Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO |
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Besides having hundreds of classically designed buildings, the city is also home to some of the most modern and interesting buildings in Mexico.
In recent years the city has faced a boom in the construction of buildings and museums. Among the most prominent are the Laberinto Museum of Science and Arts, which was an investment of more than $ 200 million pesos, in 9000 m2 of land, located in the Tangamanga I Park. The project was designed by architect Ricardo Legorreta and promoted by the governor of San Luis Potosi, Marcelo de los Santos Fraga. It is a museum of aesthetic proportions similar to that of the Papalote Museum of Children in Mexico City, with the addition that the materials used in its construction, especially the quarry, make it a real building manufacturing Potosino. The floor of the museum occupies a total of 6.5 hectares which have gardens with species endemic to the region and a central source. Its interior, divided in a total of six rooms arranged in galleries whose proportions will allow visitors to make an interactive tour that will switch themes of the art museum with samples of science and technology.
Currently the two tallest buildings in the capital are the Building EME built in 1988, the building measured 64 metres to the top floor, with my 75 spiral with the antenna 98 metres, has 17 floors, with 10 levels of parking at the street for a capacity of 1500 cars, this building houses offices mixed, it remains Building Muniz Werger 58 metres up the top floor, with the spiral 65 meters, with the antenna 80 metres and 15 storeys, with 2 elevators ( elevators) its construction began in 1991 and finished in 1993 is considered the most modern building in the city.
There are currently two buildings under construction and five buildings in the project, Corporate Tangamanga that measured 41 m will have 14 floors, its construction began in 2005 and will end in 2008, this building houses offices and mixed Star Medical Tower, 40 metres and will have 8 floors. The buildings that are planned are: the first is to be World Trade Center of San Luis Potosi to be 30 floors and its height is 130 m, its construction will begin in mid-2008. Also planned is the Marriot Hotel San Luis Potosi to be 17 floors and its height will be between 80 m 100 m, followed three residential towers in the area Sierra Azul a height of approximately 40 meters with a total of 30 floors, plus a building called residecial Vallarta, 8-story tower that is located at Avenida Carranza and other residential tower located in Lomas of about 7 floors.
Various supermarket chains operate in the city, such as, H-E-B, Commercial Mexicana, Costco, Walmex (Wal-mart, Sam's Club, Superama, Vips, Bodega aurrera, y Suburbia), Chedraui, Gigante, Home Depot, to mention a few.
The principal commercial centers of the city are Plaza Tangamanga, Plaza el Dorado, and Plaza Sendero.
In the city, various banks also operate, such as, BBVA Bancomer, Banamex, HSBC, Banorte, Santander-Serfin, Scotiabank-Inverlat, and Banregio.
The city's transportation consists of a public system based on urban buses that move throughout the metropolitan area. Besides the public transportation, the city contains one of the highest concentrations of Taxis. Ponciano Arriaga International Airport is the city's main airway point. It is located around 17 km from the city's downtown, and it is the state's most important airway terminal.
San Luis is home to San Luis F.C., a football club in Mexico's first division. The team's home stadium is the Estadio Alfonso Lastras, which has a capacity of 35,000 spectators.
The city also hosts the professional basketball team, Los Santos de San Luis which is one of the most important teams of the league.
The institutions of higher education that offer degrees at the bachelor level are:
IPICYT, UASLP and El Colegio de San Luis are also world class research institutions that offer Doctoral degrees.
Newspapers. "El Sol de San Luis", Pulso, "El Heraldo de San Luis", "La Prensa", San Luis Hoy, "La Jornada San Luis" y Tribuna. Online journalism.
San Luis Potosí has the following sister cities in Mexico and abroad[7] :
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