Monterrey, Mexico
Monterrey, Mexico, is the capital of the state of Nuevo León. It is currently the second most important city in Mexico, and it has always been known for its industry, particularly beer, glass, and steel. Carta Blanca, Bohemia, Sol, Casta, Indio, and Noche Buena are examples of the beers produced there. Vitro figures as one of the most important glass factories. Cemex, the world wide conglomerate of cement, concrete, and building materials, has its headquarters here. The steel industry used to be led by the "Compañía Fundidora de Fierro y Acero de Monterrey", popularly known as Fundidora, which went broke in the mid-1980's due to corruption. Today, the remains of the Fundidora factory have been transformed into the beautiful Fundidora Park.Monterrey is located in northeastern Mexico, and has about 4.5 million inhabitants. The Monterrey metropolitan area also includes the towns of San Pedro Garza Garcia, San Nicolas de los Garza, Apodaca, Guadalupe, Escobedo, and Santa Catarina.
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2 Brief History 3 Food 4 Sports 5 Famous People |
Located at 25.9°N 100.2°W, in the Northeastern Mexican State of Nuevo León. Monterrey is the capital of the State.
The Santa Catarina river crosses the city, and is dry for most of the year, except during the rain season.
Monterrey is surrounded by mountains.
The Sierra Madre Occidental crosses south of the city, in the suburb of San Pedro Garza Garcia.
A small, dead volcano, the "Topo", and its smaller "Topo Chico" are located in the suburb of San Nicolas de los Garza.
West of the city, the "Cerro de las Mitras" is located.
East of the city, the famous "Cerro de la Silla" is located, though half of it is part of the suburb of Guadalupe. The "Cerro de la Silla" has been declared a "National Natural Monument", and is Icon of the city.
South of the Santa Catarina river, the "Loma Larga" separates Monterrey from the suburb of San Pedro Garza Garcia.
North of the river, the "Cerro del Obispado" is located, at the summit, the "Obsipado Regional Museum" is located.
San Pedro Garza Garcia is the richest municipality in Latin America.
Famous monuments of Monterrey include:
In the mid 1500s, the area where Monterrey is located was part of the Valle de Extremadura. Several unsuccessful expeditions led by Alberto del Canto had tried to colonize the desert area. An expedition led by Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva tried to establish a settlement in the area, but also failed. A third expedition, of twelve families led by Diego de Montemayor, founded Monterrey on September 20, 1596, next to a spring called "Ojos de Agua de Santa Lucia". The Museo Nacional de Historia Mexicana (National Museum of Mexican History) is located on the site of this spring (this fact is discussed between historians, since some say that the true location of the spring is where today lays the Palace of State Congress).
Monterrey is sometimes called "La Ciudad de las Montañas" (City of Mountains) or "Sultana del Norte" (Northern Sultan). In the United States, it is sometimes refferred to as "The Pittsburgh of Mexico.
During the years of Spanish Rule, Monterrey was a place that connected trade between San Antonio, Texas, Tampico, and Saltillo. Tampico's port brought many products from Europe, while Saltillo concentrated the Northern Territories trade with the capital, Mexico City. San Antonio was the key trade point with the northern foreign colonies (British and French).
After the Mexican Independence, Monterrey rose as a key economical center for the newly formed nation, specially since it balance trade between Europe (with its connections to Tampico), The United States (with its connections to San Antonio), and the Capital (through Saltillo). However, the anarchy that followed the first 50 years of Mexican Independence allowed for two American Invasions, and a secession war. Monterrey became capital of the State of Nuevo León, which during its endeavor to become an independent country, conquered Coahuila, with it's capital Saltillo, and Tamaulipas, with its Capital Victoria. However, the independence wouldn't last because of inner revolts.
Many Mexican war Heroes are indigenous to this city, including Ignacio Zaragoza, (he wasn't actually born in Monterrey, but lived most of his life there) who fought the Cinco de Mayo battle against the French in Puebla.
During the Porfirio Diaz dictatorship, the city of Monterrey was benefited with the modernization efforts. The railroads favored Industry, and it became possible for the famous companies that shape Monterrey today to evolve. It was during this period that José Eleuterio Gonzalez, "Gonzalitos", founded the Medicine School, which today is part of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, UANL), and the best public medicine school in Mexico.
Alfonso Reyes, son of General Bernardo Reyes (governor of Nuevo León during the Porfirian Regime), is one of the most famous writers and philosophers from Monterrey and from all of Mexico. In his honor, the central library of the UANL is called the Alfonsine Chapel (Capilla Alfonsina).
After the Mexican Revolution, the infrastructure left by the Porfirians helped Monterrey's economy to rebuild. It was during this times that a group of Industrialists, led by the Garza Sada family, founded the Cerveceria Cuahutemoc. They also endeavored in the glass and steel industries.
Don Eugenio Garza Sada also founded, in 1943, the most important Private University in Latin America, the Monterrey Institute of Technology (Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, ITESM or Tec). This University has evolved into being one of the best business schools in Latin America, and it also excells in engineering disciplines.
By the mid 20th Century, in a country were state-owned companies sustained the economy, Monterrey shined brightly as one of the most important economic districts in the land due to its strong private industry.
Due to its great economic influence, Nuevo Leon has been seen by Mexican politicians as a very important state, since it symbolizes the progress the country might step to.
The newspaper "El Norte", founded by Don Alejandro Junco, became important due to its great efforts to denounce government corruption, and due to its principles of independence in journalism. Today, the newspaper has evolved into the famous Reforma news group, comprising the original "El Norte", and "El Reforma" in Mexico City, and "Mural" in Guadalajara.
In 1987, Hurricane Gilberto caused great damage to the city, flooding the Santa Catarina River and causing deaths and economic damages.
In 1991, the Monterrey Museum of Contemporary Art (Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, MARCO), was founded, becoming the first and only privately-owned museum in Mexico.
In 1997, the National Action Party (PAN) candidate, Fernando Canales Clariond, became the first opposition candidate to become governor of the State of Nuevo León since the Revolution.
In 2002, the United Nations Forum for Economic Development was held in the city, grouping heads of state and heads of government from over 50 countries. Cuban President Fidel Castro, left the meeting before George W. Bush, American President, arrived. Allegedly, the Mexican government asked Castro to leave in such conditions.
Typical Monterrey cuisine includes "machacado con huevo", a dish prepared with dry beef, eggs, and salsa. Perhaps the most traditional dish from Monterrey is Cabrito al Pastor, a young goat cooked in embers. It resembles a Jewish method of preparing goat. Many historians argue, however, that most of the dishes considered "typical" in Monterrey were actually invented elsewehere.
Monterrey has two soccer teams, the Tigres, who play in the stadium of the UANL, and the "Rayados", whose home stadium is the Tec Stadium.
Tigres was champion of the Mexican League Competiton twice, in 1978, and 1982. The Rayados have only been champions once, in 2003. The Rayados were also champions of the 1986 Mexico Competition, which was a substitute of the regular league, and which didn't count as an official competiton, because the players that would play the World Cup didn't play in the 1986 Mexico Competition.
Tigres also won the Mexican Club Cup in 1996. This competiton disappeared a year later.
Both the Stadium of the Autonomous University and the Tec Stadium were venues for the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
There is also an indoor soccer team, La Raza.
Monterrey's one baseball team, "Los Sultanes de Monterrey", play in the largest baseball stadium in Latin America.
Monterrey also has a basketball team, "Fuerza Regia," which plays in the Mexican league.
Famous people from Monterrey include:
Geography
Brief History
Food
Sports
Famous People
(See also Monterey, California. Monterrey, Mexico, is sometimes known as "Old Monterrey" since it was founded before "New Monterey", the one in California.)
