Queretaro

Capital - Other Cities and Attractions

Location: south of the central table
Area: 1530km
Population: 1:404,306 inhabitants

The State of Queretaro is located in the heart of Mexico, just two hours away from Mexico City and it's a treasure chest waiting to be discovered.

According to tradition, Querétaro was founded on 25 July 1531. On this date Spanish Conquistador Hernán Pérez Bocanegra y Córdoba arrived with Otomí Indian Conín, the chief Jilotepec, to found the town of Querétaro. He is said to have won without resorting to arms after seeing a vision of the Cross and Saint James the Great ("Santiago"), after whom the city was named.

In 1656 the city was re-named "The Noble and Loyal City of Santiago of Querétaro", by Viceroy the Duke of Alburquerque. The title was confirmed in 1712 by King Philip V of Spain.

The State of Querétaro is divided into seven boroughs, called delegaciones:

Centro Histórico: it includes downtown and nearby areas, it is surrounded by the city's main thoroughfares. Most of the city's monuments are located here, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site designated areas, and the Cerro de las Campanas where Maximilian of Habsburg was executed. The north western corner is home to industrial establishments, mainly food related (Gerber, Nestlé, Pilgrim's Pride

Santa Rosa Jáuregui: it consists mainly of rural areas, where the production of eggs, poultry and livestock are important. However, the borough includes larger towns such as Santa Rosa Jáuregui and Juriquilla. It is home to the largest water reservoir in the municipality, the Presa de Santa Catarina. A relatively new state of the art industrial park has been built here (Samsung).

Felix Osores Sotomayor: most of the recent growth in the city has taken place here, the population growth rate estimated at 6%. The largest industrial area of Querétaro is located here, where lots of multinational companies have operations (Michelin, Philips). The beautiful neighborhood of Jurica is comprised in this borough.

Epigmenio González: a mostly residential zone on hilly terrain. The former airport will become the third campus of the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro.

Josefa Vergara y Hernández: on the slopes of the Cerro Del Cimatario, its easternmost area is known as Centro Sur, where the Stadium, Bus Station and City Hall are located.

Felipe Carrillo Puerto: the western part consists mainly of rural areas, where the town of Tlacote is located, famous for its allegedly miraculous water springs. The eastern area is urban and integrated with the rest of the city, with industrial zones (Kellogg's) and military facilities.

Cayetano Rubio: residential area, it includes the town of Hercules, a pictoresque village-like area, nestled between steep slopes along the riverway of the Río Querétaro.