Ecatepec de Morelos
Encyclopedia
Ecatepec City, once officially San Cristóbal Ecatepec de Morelos, is a city in the State of México
and the seat of Ecatepec de Morelos Municipality
; however, both the city and the municipality are often known simply as "Ecatepec". The name "Ecatepec" is derived from Nahuatl
, and means "windy hill". It was also an alternative name or invocation to Quetzalcoatl
. "Morelos" is the last name of José María Morelos
, a hero of the Mexican War of Independence
.
The city is practically co-extensive with the municipality with the city's 2005 population of 1,687,549 being 99.9% of the total municipal population of 1,688,258. The provisional population at the 2010 Census was 1,658,806. The city forms the most populous suburb of Mexico City (Ciudad de México).
"San Cristobál" (Saint Christopher
) is the city's patron saint, whose feast day is celebrated on July 25 of each year.
Points of interest include the newest Catholic
Cathedral
in Mexico, Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
, several colonial era churches and the colonel edifice Casa de los virreyes.
s used the town to control trade routes going north.
Ecatepec was considered an "República de Indios" (Indian Republic) 1560, allowing the village to maintain a certain amount of autonomy and keeping the succession of tlatoani
or chiefs. However, in the first part of the 17th century, this was changed to a mayorship, with the Spanish administrating, along with the communities of Zumpango and Xalostoc.
On October 1, 1877, San Cristobál Ecatepec was declared a village and "de Morelos" was added to its name.
The national hero José María Morelos y Pavón was executed in Ecatepec in 1815 by the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence
. The house in which he was executed is now the Museo Casa de Morelos (Museum House of Morelos). Ecatepec was declared a city on December 1, 1980.
In April 1995, the remains of a mammoth
were found in Colonia Ejidos de San Cristóbal, where the ancient lakes of Xaltocan-Ecatepec and Texcoco came together and where the Aztecs build a dam to keep the fresh and salty waters separate. The bones have been tentatively dated to around 10,500 years B.C.
Mexico (state)
México , officially: Estado Libre y Soberano de México is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of the United Mexican States. It is divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Toluca de Lerdo....
and the seat of Ecatepec de Morelos Municipality
Ecatepec de Morelos Municipality
Ecatepec de Morelos Municipality borders with Tecámac, Nezahualcóyotl, Acolman, San Salvador Atenco, Tlalnepantla and Distrito Federal. The area of this municipality is 155 km² ....
; however, both the city and the municipality are often known simply as "Ecatepec". The name "Ecatepec" is derived from Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
, and means "windy hill". It was also an alternative name or invocation to Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "feathered serpent". The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE...
. "Morelos" is the last name of José María Morelos
José María Morelos
José María Teclo Morelos y Pavón was a Mexican Roman Catholic priest and revolutionary rebel leader who led the Mexican War of Independence movement, assuming its leadership after the execution of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in 1811...
, a hero of the Mexican War of Independence
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
.
The city is practically co-extensive with the municipality with the city's 2005 population of 1,687,549 being 99.9% of the total municipal population of 1,688,258. The provisional population at the 2010 Census was 1,658,806. The city forms the most populous suburb of Mexico City (Ciudad de México).
"San Cristobál" (Saint Christopher
Saint Christopher
.Saint Christopher is a saint venerated by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, listed as a martyr killed in the reign of the 3rd century Roman Emperor Decius or alternatively under the Roman Emperor Maximinus II Dacian...
) is the city's patron saint, whose feast day is celebrated on July 25 of each year.
Points of interest include the newest Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Mexico, Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
, several colonial era churches and the colonel edifice Casa de los virreyes.
History
Remains of earliest human inhabitation of the area have been found on the nearby Cerro (Hill) de Ecatepec. During the Aztec empire, the MexicaMexica
The Mexica were a pre-Columbian people of central Mexico.Mexica may also refer to:*Mexica , a board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling*Mexica , a 2005 novel by Norman Spinrad...
s used the town to control trade routes going north.
Ecatepec was considered an "República de Indios" (Indian Republic) 1560, allowing the village to maintain a certain amount of autonomy and keeping the succession of tlatoani
Tlatoani
Tlatoani is the Nahuatl term for the ruler of an altepetl, a pre-Hispanic state. The word literally means "speaker", but may be translated into English as "king". A is a female ruler, or queen regnant....
or chiefs. However, in the first part of the 17th century, this was changed to a mayorship, with the Spanish administrating, along with the communities of Zumpango and Xalostoc.
On October 1, 1877, San Cristobál Ecatepec was declared a village and "de Morelos" was added to its name.
The national hero José María Morelos y Pavón was executed in Ecatepec in 1815 by the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
. The house in which he was executed is now the Museo Casa de Morelos (Museum House of Morelos). Ecatepec was declared a city on December 1, 1980.
In April 1995, the remains of a mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
were found in Colonia Ejidos de San Cristóbal, where the ancient lakes of Xaltocan-Ecatepec and Texcoco came together and where the Aztecs build a dam to keep the fresh and salty waters separate. The bones have been tentatively dated to around 10,500 years B.C.