Saltillo, Coahuila

City of Saltillo
Foundation date	1577
Population	591 000 (2005)
Population Metro Area	637 000 (2005)
Population density
Altitude	1600 meters
Coordinates
UTC	- 6 hours(Central)
Telephone code number	844

Saltillo is the capital city of Coahuila, Mexico. As of 2003, Saltillo had an estimated population of 591,000 people, rising to 637,000 if the full Metropolitan Area is considered, making it the 20th biggest metro area in the country. The metro area is composed of Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, and Arteaga.

Geography

Saltillo is located at . El Cerro del Pueblo overlooks the city. The city stands elevated at 1600 meters, making it cooler and windier than its neighbor city, Monterrey. Saltillo lies near the city of Arteaga and near the Chihuahan Desert.

History

Saltillo was founded in 1577 by Spanish colonists. Tlaxcaltecas also colonized there. It is the oldest city in northern Mexico. In 1824, Saltillo was made the capital of the State of Coahuila and included the area which is now the US State of Texas until the war of Texas Independence and the founding of the independent Texas Republic. The city is flanked by the Zapalinamé mountains, which are part of the Sierra Madre Oriental. There is a legend that says that the leader of the native Indians, whose name was Zapalinamé, can be seen in the shape of the mountains.

Economy

Saltillo's most famous exports are Saltillo tile and the locally woven multi-coloured sarapes. There is also the automotive industry, with two major assembly plants (one General Motors and the other DaimlerChrysler), two engine facilities and a car transmissions plant. Saltillo is home to the Grupo Industrial Saltillo, an important manufacturing conglomerate that makes home appliances, silverware, and auto parts. Some criticism has been made of this new urbanization and the lack of conservation and planning.

During the early 20th Century, Saltillo was called the Athens of Mexico because of its number of famous intellectuals. Nowadays, it is considered the Detroit of Mexico because of the importance of its automotive industry, including the huge Daimler-Chrysler and General Motors plants.

Saltillo is a sister city of Austin, Texas.

Points of interest

Alameda Zaragoza is the largest park in the city and has an artificial lake with the shape of the Mexican Republic.

Relevant buildings are the Cathedral, the Palacio de Gobierno (state government building), the Ateneo Fuente and the Instituto Tecnologico de Saltillo. The large Cathedral is the most remarkable example of colonial religious architecture in Northeastern Mexico; its facade is mainly Spanish Baroque, with less exuberant areas. The city has several renowned museums such as the Museo de las Aves de Mexico (Bird Museum) featuring a collection of bird specimens from all over Mexico in realistic displays, and the Museo del Desierto (Desert Museum) [http://www.museodeldesierto.org. This last museum focuses on the geography, geology, paleontology (with dinosaur fossils) and biodiversity of the Chihuahuan desert, and the history and culture of the local people through time. It includes a cactus greenhouse and exhibits, with dozens of species. Several international hotels, shopping centers and chain stores (HEB, Wal-Mart, Home Depot) serve the metro area.

You can find pictures of Saltillo on the flickr group Saltillo!. Find Saltillo! at ^*.

Education

Saltillo's main universities are the Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, the Instituto Tecnológico de Saltillo, the Tec de Monterrey Saltillo Campus, and the Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro.

Transportation

Saltillo Metropolitan Area air traffic is served by Plan de Guadalupe International Airport. It takes 15 minutes to get from downtown Saltillo to the airport. It has several flights per day to Mexico City and a daily flight to Houston, Texas. There is a comprehensive bus system in Saltillo along with many lime-color taxis.