Celaya

Seal

Motto: "De Forti Dulcedo" (La Dulzura del Fuerte) (The Sweetness of the Fort)

Celaya

Coordinates: 20°31′23″N 100°48′50″W / 20.52306°N 100.81389°W

Mexico

Municipality

Foundation

October 12, 1570

Founded by

Martín Enríquez de Almanza

Government

• Mayor

Ismael Pérez Ordaz (PAN), 2012-2015

Area

• Total

553.18 km² (213.58 sq mi)

Elevation

1,767 m (5,797 ft)

Population (2012)

• Total

468,469

• Density

850/km² (2,200/sq mi)

Time zone

Central Standard Time (UTC-6)

• Summer (DST)

Central Daylight Time (UTC-5)

Postal code

38000 - 38159

Area code(s)

461

Airport

Aeropuerto Nacional Capitán Rogelio Castillo

Website

http://www.celaya.gob.mx

Celaya is a city and its surrounding municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 310,413. The municipality for which the city serves as municipal seat, had a population of 415,869. The city is located in the geographic center of the municipality, which has an areal extent of 553.18 km² (213.58 sq mi) and includes many smaller outlying communities, the largest of which are San Miguel Octopan, Rincón de Tamayo and San Juan de la Vega.

There are many smaller towns around Celaya including Rincón de Tamayo, Tarimoro, Salvatierra, La Moncada, Panales Jamaica (Cañones), Panales Galera, La Calera, La Estancia, La Noria, La Acebuche, Cacalote, and Charco Largo.

General Álvaro Obregón defeated Pancho Villa in the Battle of Celaya, 1915. Celaya was also the Guanajuato state capital for a short period.

An explosion in a gunpowder and fireworks warehouse in September, 1999, killed over 60 people and injured over 300 people.

Celaya is also famous for the artisanal production of cajeta, a type of milk candy

The Celaya Airport has as of January 22, 2007 commercial flights to Santiago de Querétaro and connections from there to other destinations. Celaya lies along the El Paso Spur of the Pan-American Highway which is known locally as Mexican Federal Highway 45.

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Wikipedia