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The City of Querétaro

    Just 2 hours north of Mexico City, the City of Querétaro, also known as Santiago de Querétaro, is the capital and largest city (pop. ~650,000) of the state Querétaro. The name “Querétaro” is thought to be derived from either a phrase in the Otomí language meaning "the great ball game" or from a word in the Púrhépecha language that meant "place of stones." Tradition has it that the city was founded without bloodshed on July 25th, 1531 by the Spanish Conquistador Hernán Pérez Bocanegra and an Otomí chieftan named Conin. Legend has it that the city’s peaceful founding was a miracle vouchsafed to these allies by a vision of the the Spanish patron saint Santiago bearing a rose colored cross.

    The city's historical significance did not end with its "miraculous" founding. In 1847 Querétaro was made the capital of the Mexican Republic, and just one year later the peace treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed here, putting an end to the Mexican-American War. In 1867 Querétaro became the capital of the Emperor of the Mexican Empire, Maximilliano I, who was appointed to this position in 1864 by the Napolean III of France. Later in the same year, following the defeat of Maximillo’s Imperial Conservative Forces by the Liberal Republican forces of Benito Juárez, the Emperor was executed on the Cerro de Campanas (Hill of Bells), just west of downtown Querétaro. Many years later on February 5th, 1917, the Constitution of México was signed in Querétaro’s Teatro de la Republica.

    As a result of its historic significance and intrinsic beauty, Santiago de Querétaro was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It does not take long for a visitor to decide that this honor is well deserved. You can spend your days walking through the city’s immaculate streets, driving along its soaring aqueduct, sipping coffee in one of its many plazas, browsing one of its well stocked bookstores, or admiring Mexican art in one of its excellent museums. At night, you can catch a show at the historic Teatro de la Republica and then, during one of the city’s frequent fiestas, watch fireworks light up the night sky in celebration. The only downside to coming to Querétaro is that you may never want to leave!

    Querétaro has been able to preserve its historical character and cultural charm, but it has also taken bold steps into the 21st century. Many multinational companies, including Coca Cola, Samsung, Volkswagen, and Bombardier, to name just a few, have set up major manufacturing operations on its outskirts. As a result of investments like these, Querétaro has become one of Mexico’s most prosperous cities. All of the modern amenities and conveniences of cities in Europe or America are available. There is an active nightlife centered on bars and clubs arrayed along the strip of 5 de Mayo and on actors, clowns and artist who display their talents in the city’s plazas as live Mexican music wafts from the city’s ubiquitous cantinas. Querétaro is full of history and life and the city invites visitors to make themselves at home in it!