Zapotlán el Grande
| Zapotlán el Grande | |||
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| Nickname(s): Athens of Jalisco | |||
 Location of the municipality in Jalisco |
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 Zapotlán el Grande
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| Coordinates: 19°42′13″N 103°27′53″W / 19.70361°N 103.46472°WCoordinates: 19°42′13″N 103°27′53″W / 19.70361°N 103.46472°W | |||
| Country |
 Mexico
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| State | Jalisco | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Ayuntamiento | ||
| • Municipal President | José Luis Orozco Sánchez Aldana | ||
| Elevation | 1,507 m (4,944 ft) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| • Total | 93,609 | ||
| • Density | 250.83/km2 (649.6/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC-6) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-5) | ||
| Website | Official site | ||
Zapotlán el Grande (also known as Guzmán, and Ciudad Guzmán) is a municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco. There are several meaninings given to the root name of the "Zapotlán el Grande" "TzapoTl is the name given to all the round fruits from the general region. Another well known fact among the locals it states The full name Zapotlán means my round fruits in the ancient language. round sweet fruits not exactly zapotes as most people believe; however it means Guavas, Tunas, Tejocotes, Cherries found in this region and still found in the low wet valleys. A new theory of the name is Tzapot which ends with Tzapotlan and it refers to the goddess of medicine named Tzaputlatena.
In 1971 the figure shown below became part of the city of Zapotlán el Grande, shown as a tree with three branches, with round fruits at the end of each branch and at the trunk a pair of teeth simulating a human mouth. This oil painting was embraced by the city officials under the administration of Lic. Genaro Alvarez Lopez, who ordered this work of art to be displayed in the city hall. This work of art eventually became a representation of the city indicating its strong ties with its ancestors of Zapotlán el Grande; also known as Ciudad Guzmán or plainly just Guzmán.
Prior to the arrival of the European Spanish Conquistadors, this area was the pre-Columbian kingdom of Zapotlán and was at different times under the domain of the nearby kingdoms of Colima and Michoacán. Zapotlán el Grande was conquered in 1526. Many treasures and weapons are said to be buried throughout the town's old colonial homes, buildings, and farms. In the mid-19th century, the name of the town was changed from Zapotlán el Grande to Ciudad Guzman, after the Mexican federalist insurgent Gordiano De Guzmán.
The valley of Zapotlán was discovered by Friar Juan de Padilla who arrived to Tuxpan in 1532 in which he found three small towns. The small towns were Tzapotlán, Tlayolan, Tenamaxcatitlan and Mochitla. Friar Padilla settled down in Tenamaxcatitlan where he taught the natives the Catholic doctrine. August 15, 1533 the Spanish crown recognized the Pueblo de Santa Maria de la Asunción de Zapotlán in the place called the Portal de Sandoval.
The city is located at 19°42′N 103°28′W / 19.700°N 103.467°W, 124 km south of Guadalajara, at a height of 1,507 metres above sea level. Its population totaled 93,609 in the 2005 census, ranking as the sixth-largest city in the state. Other geographical location explanations are as follows the city is located south-central in the state of Jalisco, west-central of Mexico. It is placed between the Sierra de Tapalpa and the Cerro del Tigre. Between Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.
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Wikipedia