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Tuxtla Gutiérrez

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Tuxtla Gutiérrez is the capital city of the Mexican state of Chiapas.

RemnantPaintCupolaSanMarcosTuxtla
RemnantPaintCupolaSanMarcosTuxtla

It sits within a wide valley in southeastern Mexico. The city serves as the most developed and populous urban center in the state. It functions as a vital transportation hub for the entire region. Travelers use the large Ángel Albino Corzo International Airport to enter the area.

Nueva Fachada del AIAAC
Nueva Fachada del AIAAC

A major bus terminal also connects the city to surrounding locations. While it is not a primary tourist destination, it is essential for regional movement. The city is characterized by its busy government, commercial, and service sectors.

The history of the valley begins with the Zoque people. They established the first pre-Hispanic settlements in the area. The Zoques named the valley Coyatoc, meaning "land or house of rabbits." Later, the Aztecs arrived in the area between 1486 and 1505. They called the region Tuchtlan, which carries the same meaning in their language. After the Spanish conquest, Dominican monks arrived in the 16th century. They organized dispersed Zoque communities into groups centered around churches. In 1560, the Dominicans founded a church dedicated to San Marcos, or Saint Mark.

RemnantPaintCupolaSanMarcosTuxtla
RemnantPaintCupolaSanMarcosTuxtla

The city's political status changed many times over the centuries. In 1748, the town of San Marcos Tuxtla was first recorded. By 1768, it had become the seat of a mayoralty in Chiapas. In 1813, the King of Spain recognized it as a villa. At that time, it had a population of about 5,000 people. Three quarters of those residents were Zoques. In 1821, the villa proclaimed independence from Spain and Guatemala. However, this declaration was not accepted by those governments. Eventually, Tuxtla and Chiapas became part of Mexico by popular vote.

En Tuxtla (10)
En Tuxtla (10)

Tuxtla Gutiérrez has undergone significant administrative and physical transformations. Governor Fernando Nicolás Maldonado officially renamed the city to honor Joaquín Miguel Gutiérrez. He was a former governor who promoted the annexation of Chiapas to Mexico. The city replaced San Cristóbal de las Casas as the state capital. In 1915, Chiapas adopted a municipality system. Noé Vázquez served as the first municipal president of Tuxtla Gutiérrez. The city also faced political unrest during the Mexican Revolution. In 1915, a group called the Mapaches burned the state government building. This event destroyed the official archives of the state.

Modern Tuxtla Gutiérrez is a large and growing urban center. The city experienced high population growth starting in the 1970s. This growth led to the annexation of the municipality of Terán in 1973. The city features wide, busy avenues filled with cars and buses. Shopping varies from modern commercial malls to open-air markets known as tianguis. In 2011, the federal government and the Karolinska Institute certified it as a "safe city." This was due to its low crime rate and prevention programs. Some organizations even call it a "city of the future" because of its economic potential.

Panorámica de Tuxtla Gutiérrez desde el aire (recortado)
Panorámica de Tuxtla Gutiérrez desde el aire (recortado)

Cultural and natural landmarks define the landscape of the city. The Catedral de San Marcos is a major landmark in the central plaza.

Tuxtla05
Tuxtla05

Its apse contains the only conserved colonial-era frescos in Chiapas. The church features a Neoclassical interior and a tower with Doric columns. For nature, the El Zapotal Ecological Reserve offers the ZooMAT.

Zoomat11
Zoomat11

This zoo covers 100 hectares and protects native species. It houses 1,400 animals from 220 different species. The zoo is famous for breeding the quetzal bird in captivity. Sixty of the species there are currently in danger of extinction.

Cristo Chiapas
Cristo Chiapas

The city also hosts important scientific and historical institutions. The Museo Regional de Antropología e Historia is a massive museum.

PatioMuseoRegTuxtla
PatioMuseoRegTuxtla

Its modern building won a prize at an architecture contest in Bulgaria. The museum holds collections regarding archaeology and regional history. Nearby, the Chiapas Museum of Science and Technology provides interactive exhibits. Another facility displays over 200 fossils from the state. These fossils range from 300 million to 10,000 years old. The city remains a place where ancient history and modern development meet.

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🖼️ Images & Media (12)
File:RemnantPaintCupolaSanMarcosTuxtla.JPG
RemnantPaintCupolaSanMarcosTuxtla.JPG
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Tuxtla05.jpg
File:Cristo_Chiapas.jpg
Cristo_Chiapas.jpg
File:Torre Mesoamericana.jpg
Torre Mesoamericana.jpg
File:Zoomat11.jpg
Zoomat11.jpg
File:PatioMuseoRegTuxtla.jpg
PatioMuseoRegTuxtla.jpg
File:PepitacnTasajoCorzo.jpg
PepitacnTasajoCorzo.jpg
File:Tuxtlacentro.JPG
Tuxtlacentro.JPG
File:Tuxtla.jpg
Tuxtla.jpg
File:En Tuxtla (10).jpg
En Tuxtla (10).jpg
File:Panorámica de Tuxtla Gutiérrez desde el aire (recortado).jpg
Panorámica de Tuxtla Gutiérrez desde el...
File:Nueva Fachada del AIAAC.jpg
Nueva Fachada del AIAAC.jpg
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