Jalpan de Serra
| Jalpan de Serra | ||
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| Town | ||
| Jalpan de Serra | ||
Temple built by Junípero Serra between 1751 and 1758.
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 Jalpan de Serra
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| Coordinates: 21°13′00″N 99°28′21″W / 21.21667°N 99.47250°WCoordinates: 21°13′00″N 99°28′21″W / 21.21667°N 99.47250°W | ||
| Country |
 Mexico
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| State | Querétaro | |
| Founded | 1744 | |
| Government | ||
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1,185 km2 (458 sq mi) | |
| Elevation (of seat) | 760 m (2,490 ft) | |
| Population (2005) Municipality | ||
| • Total | 22,025 | |
| • Seat | 8,947 | |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | |
| Postal code (of seat) | 68522 | |
| Website |
www |
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Jalpan de Serra (Spanish 
) is a town in Jalpan de Serra Municipality located in the north of the state of Querétaro, Mexico. It is located in the heart of an important ecological zone called the Sierra Gorda. It is also the site two of five Franciscan missions, including the first one, to have been built in the mid-18th century, and declared a World Heritage Site in 2003. The municipality is also home to a small but important indigenous group called the Pame. However, the municipality has been losing population since the mid-20th century even though recent events such as the town being named a Pueblo Mágico have worked to create a tourism industry.
The town of Jalpan is the municipal seat, located 180 km from San Juan del Río on Federal Highway 120. This road then connects it to Xilitla in San Luis Potosí. It is also connected to Río Verde in SLP via interstate highway 69. Although officially classified as a city since 1904, the current population is only just under 9,000 people (2005). The main economic activities within the town proper are commerce, livestock production and agriculture.
The town is centered on its main square and one of the five Franciscan missions to be named a World Heritage Site in 2003. The main square or garden of the town is located in front of the mission church. It is filled with trees, which are often filled with noisy birds. It is an important gathering place, especially on Sundays when vendors sell snacks and toys for children. In the early morning, taxis to share with other riders gather at the main square, with their drivers shouting various locations. On weekends, there are artistic presentations. Across Independencia Street is the Museum of the Sierra Gorda. The building was originally known as the Jalpan Fort, constructed in the 16th century by Juan Ramos de Lora and is one of the oldest in Jalpan. The site served as a military fort for centuries and then as a regional jail for about fifty years. In 1991, it became the museum. It contains seven halls that relate the evolution of the Sierra Gorda region from the pre historic period to the early 20th century. The collection includes old maps of the area, pre Hispanic artifacts, fossils, displays about the Spanish conquest and evangelization, with emphasis on the five Franciscan missions and Junípero Serra, artifacts from the Mexican Revolution and a room dedicated to the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Gorda.
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