Monterrey
This article is about the Mexican city; for other uses, see Monterrey (disambiguation).Monterrey IPA [ˌmontɛˈrei] is the capital city of the northeastern
Mexican state of
Nuevo León and the municipal seat of the
municipality of the same name.
The city of Monterrey is located in Mexico, in the state of
Nuevo León; it has about 1.1 million inhabitants distributed on 572.8 km². The Greater
Monterrey metropolitan area (composed by surrounding counties or cities of
Apodaca, GarcÃa,
General Escobedo,
Guadalupe, Juárez,
San Nicolás de los Garza,
San Pedro Garza GarcÃa,
Santa Catarina, Santiago, Cadereyta, Ciénega de Flores, PesquerÃa and Zuazua) add another 2.5 million, making the total estimated population (as of 2005) to be 3.6 million. The Monterrey metropolitan area is the
third most populous in Mexico but the second largest in area and most important urban center after the capital.
 |
Cerro de la Silla |
Monterrey is located at , and 530 meters above the sea level (downtown). The
Santa Catarina River bisects the city. Although this river is dry for most of the year, it flows after occasional heavy rains.
Monterrey, also known as "La Sultana del Norte" ("The Sultan of the North") and "La Ciudad de las Montañas" ("City of the Mountains"), has the
highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Latin America after
San Juan, Puerto Rico. It lies at the foothill of the
Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range, which seems to come to an abrupt start south of the city, i.e. the famous peak
La Eme (the "M") in
San Pedro Garza GarcÃa. The remarkable mountains and sierras around Monterrey are
limestone (
calcareous),
sedimentary, of biological origin; they are essentially the remains of ancient (
Cretaceous and
Jurassic)
reefs and marine shells; fossils of these are very abundant in the local rocks.
Volcanic rocks and activity do not exist in any significant amounts in these mountain ranges. A small hill, the
Cerro del Topo and its smaller
Topo Chico are located in the suburbs of San Nicolás de los Garza and Escobedo. West of the city rises the
Cerro de las Mitras, so called because the profile of several
bishops with their
mitres (mitra) can be seen along its edge. East of the city, the iconic
Cerro de la Silla ("Saddle Hill") dominates the view. South of the Santa Catarina river, the
Loma Larga separates Monterrey from the suburb of San Pedro Garza GarcÃa. North of the river, the summit of the
Cerro del Obispado is the site of the historic
Bishop's Palace (Obispado), where one of the most important
battles in the
Mexican-American War was fought.
:''See also articles in the category
Transportation in MonterreyMonterrey and its
metropolitan area have democratic governments; the political environment is one of civility with power alternating between political parties. Currently, the
municipal president of the
municipality of Monterrey is
Edgar OlaÃz; he will remain in office until 2006 and will be replaced by
Adalberto Madero who will remain in office until 2009. The state of Nuevo León, of which Monterrey is the capital, is governed by
José Natividad González Parás who belongs to the
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI); he will remain in office until
2009.
Several major roads lead to the city, including the Carretera Nacional (also known as the
Panamerican Highway) that runs from
Nuevo Laredo to
México City and south, and the Autopista Interoceánica connecting
Matamoros with the port of
Mazatlán on the Pacific; it is also crossed by highways 40, 45, 57. The divided highway Monterrey-
Saltillo-Matehuala-
Mexico City is the main land corridor to interior Mexico. It has at least three important
railroad freight lines:
Nuevo Laredo-Mexico City, Monterrey-Tampico, and Monterrey-Pacific (
Mazatlán). Passenger rail service to the city no longer exists. There are two international airports:
General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (served by major international carriers) and
Del Norte International Airport. There is no public transportation from the Mariano Escobedo Airport other than airport taxis which charge about $20 US for a one-way ride to the city. From this airport, there is a bus shuttle to nearby Saltillo [
1]. Inter-city bus services run daily into the interior, as well as north to the US border and points beyond.
Public transportation in the city includes a modern but limited
rapid transit system (with only two lines) [
2],[
3]; many city bus lines that vary very widely on the conditions of buses and service; and thousands of economical and efficient taxis. Private vehicles make up the bulk of transportation in the city, resulting in high traffic.
Monterrey is the only metropolitan area of the country that is below the national average of criminal incidence. The Nuevo Leon state´s capital and 10 of its surrounding municipalities (
Apodaca,
GarcÃa,
San Pedro Garza GarcÃa,
General Escobedo,
Guadalupe,
Juárez,
Salinas Victoria,
San Nicolas de los Garza,
Santa Catarina and
Santiago) reported 8,034 crimes for every 100,000 people in
2004, whereas the national average of criminal incidence was 11,246 for every 100,000 people.
:''See also
Companies based in MonterreyMonterrey is a major industrial center among cities in Mexico, second only to the nation's capital. As a result of its strong steel industry, it is often called "the Pittsburgh of Mexico". The city has prominent positions in sectors such as
steel,
cement, glass, auto parts, and beer. In 1999
Fortune magazine voted Monterrey as the best city in Latin America in which to do
business. The magazine attributes its economic wealth in part to its proximity with the United States-Mexican border and mentions Monterrey as a significant city with economic links to the United States, recognized around the world for its entrepeneurial character. Monterrey is considered one of the best cities for business in the world..
[Mexico Connect. North star shines. Retrieved February 11, 2006]Monterrey´s industrialization process was accelerated in the late 19th century by the Compañia Fundidora de Fierro y Acero Monterrey. Today, it is home of powerful conglomerates, such as
Cemex (world's third largest cement company),
Vitro (glass),
Maseca (food),
Banorte (finanical services). The
FEMSA corporation owns a large brewery, the
CervecerÃa Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma (see also the baseball museum named
Salon de la Fama). This brewery is possibly the largest in Mexico; it produces the brands
Sol,
Tecate,
Indio, Dos Equis & Carta Blanca, among others. In the year 2000, the economic resources of the city accounted for more than 31.3 billion USD. By the end of 2005, there were more than 13,000
manufacturing companies, 55,000 retail stores, and more than 52,000 service firms.
[Weldmex General information. Retrieved February 11, 2006]. Monterrey accounts for about 95 % of the State of
Nuevo Leon's GDP, and 18% of Mexico's manufactured exports come from this city.
[Monterrey, Mexico. Retrieved February 11, 2006]The metals sector, dominated by iron and steel, accounted for 6 percent of manufacturing
GNP in 1994.
[Country-data. Mexico - Industry. Retrieved February 11, 2006] The
steel industry is centered in Monterrey, where the country's first steel mills opened in 1903.
Steel plants in Monterrey, privatized in 1986, accounted for about half of Mexico's total steel output in the early 1990s.
Monterrey was also voted city number 87 (scoring a 92), in terms of Quality of Living, by
Mercer Human Resource Consulting on 2005, on their worldwide report. This makes Monterrey the Top city in
Latin America in terms of Quality of Life (which includes safety, income levels, purchasing power, education opportunities and health services). [
4]
:''See also articles in the category
Landmarks of Monterrey* La
Macroplaza, in the heart of the city featuring many monuments and buildings including the
Faro del Comercio.
* The
Barrio Antiguo, the colonial sector of the city where one can also find bars, cafés and restaurants. On November of every year the
Festival Cultural Barrio Antiguo takes place in the
Barrio Antiguo with national and international artists and performers.
*
Fundidora Park.
* El
RÃo Santa Catarina: despite being called "rÃo" (river) the Santa Catarina is pretty much dry, except for the times it rains. The river bed is now home to soccer and baseball fields, a running track and, on weekends, a market (which is more of a flea market); it is located under
El Puente del Papa, which gives the market its name.
* Opened in 2003, the controversial
Puente Atirantado is a suspension bridge that crosses the
RÃo Santa Catarina and joins
San Pedro Garza GarcÃa with Monterrey. It was highly controversial due to its cost, its design (which appears to have been cribbed from
Santiago Calatrava), and the fact that the river it crosses is dry.
* El
Cerro del Obispado (Bishop's Hill) which includes a
public, scenic lookout, a
Monumental flag and the museum inside the
Palacio del Obispado (the Bishop's Palace).
* El
Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), a pink marble Neoclassical construction where the office of the governor is located.
* The Museum of Mexican History (
Museo de Historia Mexicana) [
5], with exhibits and collections dating from Pre-Columbian days through the early 90s. The museum features interactive displays and a large collection of pieces of Mexican history. Guided tours are available in both English and Spanish.
* The Museum of Contemporary Art,
MARCO [
6].
* La
CervecerÃa Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, with its XIX century buildings and where the national Baseball Hall of Fame (
Salon de la Fama) is located.
* Parque Fundidora. A large, urban park including a variety of spaces: a landscaped area ideal for easy bicycle and jogging, the Cineteca (alternative cinema); the Photo Collection; the state plastic arts collection, and other exhibits and spaces: [
7]
*The
Museo Metropolitano de Monterrey, across from the south end of la
Macroplaza.
*El
Museo del Vidrio, [
8], devoted mainly to glass art and history; remarkable, diverse and changing exhibits.
* La
BasÃlica del Roble, one of the three basilicas of the city.
*A listing of these and smaller museums, in Spanish: [
9]
*
Grutas de Garcia - an extensive (2 km?)
cave system located northwest of Monterrey in the Villa de Garcia. A scenic train-like vehicle lifts visitors to the caves' entrance hundreds of feet above, on the hill slope.
*The
Cola de Caballo (Horse tail) waterfall, on the mountains near the towns of Santiago and El Cercado, about 35 km. (22 miles) south.
*On the way to the Cola de Caballo waterfall (Carretera Nacional going to Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas), in Santiago, the Presa Rodrigo Gomez or "La Boca" ("La Boca" Dam) [
10] [
11] lays nested between green hills.
*On this area, before La Boca Dam, at Los Cavazos (25 km from Monterrey) there are many small, family-owned restaurants which serve Mexican and local food, produce, flowers, and candies at low prices; there are also stands of Mexican and local handcrafts and hand-made wooden and metal furniture. This area is a
mercado by the road; traffic is heavy on summer Sundays.
*The Carretera Nacional area south of Monterrey enjoys a relatively humid micro climate that allows the growth of lush, subtropical vegetation; this gives this area a garden-like atmosphere.
The mountains around Monterrey harbor an almost endless number of canyons, trails and roads, crossing deserts and forests. These trails vary in their difficulty from super easy to those for the expert
rockclimber only. The ones below are just some of the better-known, accessible ones.
*Parque Ecologico Chipinque (Chipinque) [
12]. This a park within the larger "Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey". Chipinque park provides protection to forested areas (oak and oak-pine mainly) that the Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey protects only in theory. Within a 10-minute drive from downtown Monterrey, it includes spectacular scenery of mountains and forests.
*La Estanzuela state park. About 7 km. south from downtown on the "Carretera Nacional" highway to Cd. Victoria. Entrance road starts in front of supermarket "Soriana La Estanzuela". Follow signs. It includes a wonderful small river and forested area; access through a cobblestone road for about 1.5 miles. [
13].
*La Huasteca. Vertical-walled cliffs and canyons in a desert setting by the city. In Santa Catarina, west of downtown towards Saltillo.
* A
birding itinerary around Monterrey: [
14].
|
View from the top of Cerro del Obispado towards the Huasteca. |
:''See also articles in the category
History of Monterrey |
Panoramic view of San Pedro |
In the mid-
1500s, the area was largely unexplored by the Spanish. It was known as
Extremadura Valley. Several unsuccessful expeditions led by
Alberto del Canto had tried to colonize the area. An expedition led by
Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva established a settlement in the area called San Luis Rey de Francia, but was frustrated by the
Inquisition and the persecution of the
Sephardim among the colonists. A third expedition of twelve families led by
Diego de Montemayor founded Ciudad Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de Monterrey (Metropolitan City of Our Lady of Monterrey, now only Monterrey) on
September 20,
1596, next to a spring called Ojos de Agua de
Santa Lucia, where the Museum of Mexican History is now located.
During the years of Spanish Rule, Monterrey was a place that connected trade between
San Antonio (nowadays in
Texas),
Tampico, and
Saltillo and the center of the country. Tampico's port brought many products from
Europe, while Saltillo concentrated the Northern Territories trade with the capital,
Mexico City. San Antonio was the key trade point with the northern foreign colonies (British and French).
After the
Mexican Independence War, Monterrey rose as a key economical center for the newly formed nation, especially due to its balanced ties between Europe (with its connections to Tampico), the United States (with its connections to San Antonio), and the capital (through Saltillo). However, the anarchy that followed the first 50 years of the new country allowed for two American Invasions, and a secession war. Monterrey became capital of the State of Nuevo León, which during its endeavor to become an independent country annexed the states of
Coahuila and
Tamaulipas.
Most of the generals in the [[French intervention in Mexico|Mexican War against France]] were natives of the city, including
Mariano Escobedo,
Juan Zuazua and
Jerónimo Treviño.
During the last decade of the 19th Century, the city of Monterrey gained access to the railroads, which benefitted industry. It was during this period that José Eleuterio González, "
Gonzalitos", founded the
Colegio Civil, an early effort to create a university in Nuevo León, he also founded the
Hospital Civil which is one of the best public hospitals in the northeast of Mexico nowadays, and also serves as medicine school support to the
Facultad de Medicina de la UANL, making it a teaching/community-serving facility in the present.
Vicente Ferrara founded the Fundidora de Fierro y Acero de Monterrey along with other great entrepreneurs [
15].
Eugenio Garza Sada founded, in 1943 the
Monterrey Institute of Technology (
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey,
ITESM, or
Tec). This educational institution has evolved into one of the leading business and engineering schools in Latin America.
By the mid 20th century, in a country where state-owned companies sustained the economy, Monterrey was notorious as one of the most important economic districts in the land due to its strong private sector and fierce sense of independence.
In the last decades of the 20th century,
El Norte [
16], a newspaper founded by
Celedonio Junco de la Vega, became important due to its efforts to denounce government corruption, and due to its principles of independence in journalism. Recently, the newspaper has evolved into the national-level
Grupo Reforma news group, including the original
El Norte [
17],
Reforma in Mexico City,
Mural in Guadalajara and
Palabra in
Saltillo. Other newspapers in Monterrey are
Milenio [
18] and
El Porvenir [
19].
In
1988,
Hurricane Gilbert caused great damage to the city; the Santa Catarina River overflew, causing about 100 deaths and severe economic damage.
In
2002, the
United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development was held in the city, with the participation of more than 50 heads of state and government as well as other ministers and senior delegates from over 150 countries. The conference resulted in the adoption of the "
Monterrey Consensus", which has become one relevant reference point for international development cooperation. At the conference, the US and the EU announced new aid commitments, which added an extra $30 billion for development. This amounts to the largest increase for assistance at any international conference. Countries also reached agreements on debt relief, fighting corruption, policy coherence and increased participation of developing countries in international decision-making and norm-setting.The event attracted some additional media attention when Cuban President
Fidel Castro left the meeting before U.S President
George W. Bush arrived: Castro alleged the Mexican government asked him to leave to prevent an uncomfortable encounter between the two.
In
2007, Monterrey will hold the
Universal Forum of Cultures. The cost of holding this event is stirring controversy among the community.
|
Cabrito (kid goat) is Monterrey's most popular traditional dish |
Typical Monterrey cuisine includes
machacado con huevo, a dish prepared with dry beef, eggs, and salsa. Perhaps the most traditional dish from Monterrey is
cabrito al pastor, kid goat cooked on embers based on the
Jewish cuisine of the founders of the city. Other local dishes and customs that perhaps date back to the
Crypto-Judaism of these founders are the "semita" (bread without leavening), the capirotada dessert (a mix of cooked bread, cheese, raisins, peanuts, and crystallized sugarcane juice), and the relative absence of pork dishes.
|
The CIAP building at the ITESM Campus Monterrey |
One of the most prestigious private universities in Mexico is the
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, or
ITESM (English: Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Studies). It has the largest educational system in Latin America with 33 campuses and agreements with other universities in America, Europe and Asia. The
ITESM holds its headquarters in this city.
The
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, or
UANL (English: Autonomous University of Nuevo León), is among the most recognized public schools in Latin America; it has one of the top medical schools in the country.
Several other private universities, like the
University of Monterrey (UDEM),
Universidad del Norte (UN), and the
Universidad Regiomontana are also present in the city.
There are several bilingual private schools in Monterrey; two examples are the ASFM (American School Foundation Monterrey) and AIM (
American Institute of Monterrey)
*
Monterrey International City of Knowledge: The Monterrey, International City of Knowledge project seeks to create a better future for Nuevo Leon, a future where economic growth is the result of innovation, within the framework of an alliance between Society, Businesses, Academic Institutions and the Government; in a city with social and cultural infrastructures for the service of its citizens". You will be able to browse through this site and find all the details of the program. "Let's begin today to build the future of our children; if it is possible, it is possible in Nuevo Leon
* Monterrey Forum 2007: International cultural event intended to take place every four years, for peace, sustainable development, human rights and respect for cultural diversity.
* Host of Olympic Games 2016: A very unofficial initiative to promote Monterrey as the host for
Olympic Games of 2016
:''See also articles in the category
Sport in MonterreyMonterrey has two
soccer teams in the Mexican league, the
Tigres of the
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and the
Club de Fútbol Monterrey, known as the
Rayados. While
Tigres play in their stadium, the
Estadio Universitario in
San Nicolás de los Garza,
Rayados plays in the
Estadio Tecnológico, a facility owned by the ITESM, and rented to the team.
The city hosted many official games during the
1986 FIFA World Cup.
Baseball has a long history in the city, where it became the most popular sport during the early 20th century. Monterrey has been champion of the
Little League World Tournament three times (1957, 1958 and 1997), and often hosts
Major League games. In the
Mexican League, the
Sultanes de Monterrey are one important team every season, and in the year
2003, they unsuccessfully attempted to buy (and relocate to Monterrey) the
Montreal Expos franchise of the
Major League.
Monterrey has two basketball teams.
Fuerza Regia plays in the Mexican league and the
Monterrey Poison plays in the
American Basketball Association.
The city also hosts the
CART race in
Fundidora Park since 2001 and hosted the
A1 Grand Prix of Nations on February 2006.
Other popular sports include golf and college American football, with two local teams: the Autenticos Tigres (
UANL) and the Borregos del
ITESM that play in the National College League (
ONEFA); their games attract thousands (mainly student crowds). People can also find fishing, camping, and extreme-sports outdoors near the city (
bungee jumping at
Cola de Caballo,
rock-climbing, hiking, mountain bike). In particular there is international-level
rock-climbing in places like la
Huasteca [
20] ,
Potrero Chico and many other canyons.
:''See also articles in the category
People from MonterreyFamous people from Monterrey include:
*
Gloria Trevi, Mexican rock singer
*
Alfonso Reyes, Mexican writer, intellectual,
poet and
essayist.
*
Eugenio Garza Sada, businessman and
philanthropist.
*
Alejandro Junco de la Vega, journalist.
*
Lorenzo Zambrano, businessman.
*
José A. Muguerza, businessman and
philanthropist.
*
Gabriel Zaid, author.
*
Eloy Cavazos, bullfighter.
*
Eugenio Garza Lagüera, businessman.
*
Alfonso Romo Garza, businessman.
Pop and Rock bands from Monterrey
:''See also articles in the category
Musical groups from MonterreyStarting in the 90's, Monterrey has witnessed the birth of several bands that have become internationally acclaimed. Their genres vary considerably. Bands include
Plastilina Mosh,
Control Machete,
Kinky,
El Gran Silencio,
Jumbo,
Panda,
Genitallica, Zurdok,
Volovan. The song
Los Oxidados by Plastilina Mosh opens the 2005 movie
Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Kinky performed at the 2004 edition of the
Coachella Festival in California, along with
Radiohead,
The Cure and
The Killers.
Monterrey, Nuevo León is not the only city of that name that exists; there is also a city with that name in Colombia (
Monterrey, Colombia; airport code
MOY). Monterrey is sometimes known as "Old Monterrey" since it was founded before
Monterey, California,
USA, which is spelled with only one "R". In Spain, the name of the original city that inspired both
New World cities is written
Monterrei, with an "I" at the end.
*
City of Monterrey government website*
Monterrey 2016: Project to make Monterrey the host city of the Olympic games*
Photographs of Monterrey historic places*
Monterrey and Nuevo Leon state government tourism website*
Forum Universal de las Culturas Monterrey 2007 Website. This Forum summons people instead of countries or governments; it is the civil society that reflects on the problems and challenges of humanity with the purpose of improving the well being of the present.
