Silao
Encyclopedia
Silao is a city in the west-central part of the state of Guanajuato
in Mexico. It is the seat of the municipio
with the same name. As of the 2005 census, the city had a population of 147,123, making it the seventh-largest community in the state. Silao is a center of agricultural and industrial activity in the area, with a wide variety of farm crops, produce and dairy packing plants and a General Motors truck and SUV assembly plant which currently makes the following models: Chevrolet and GMC Pickups, Cadillac Escalade EXT and the Chevrolet Avalanche.
. It functions as the central airport for the cities of Irapuato, Guanajuato, León, and Salamanca.
and Tarascan natives. Tzinacua loosely translates into 'place of dense fog', derived from the quantity of thermal waters surrounding the area. In the Otomi language
its name is Tsinäkua that also means 'place of dense fog'.
settlement that was conquered by the Tarascan tribe. It then received the name Tzinacua, that in English means "place of dense fog", because in the area of Comanjilla, there were columns of water vapor rising from thermal springs. Later, the name was changed to 'Sinaua' which means 'without water'. Over time, the name gradually changed to 'Silagua' and then 'Silao'.
The municipality of Silao has an area of 531.41 km², equivalent to 1.76% of the total state area. The city of Guanajuato
lies to the east and north of Silao; to the south lies Irapuato; to the southeast is Romita
; to the west is León
.
, between its few important elevations, one can find the 'Cerro del Cubilete' whose altitude is 2,570 meters above sea level and is considered the geographic center of the country.
and Nahuatl
.
According to the second 'Conteo de Población y Vivienda' (Census) of 2005, there are a total of 187 persons who speak some indigenous language.
The municipality has a density
of 250 persons per square kilometer and an average population increase of 1.6%.
Some of the attractions in Silao are:
Silao is also central to other cities and towns of interest to tourists. The cities of Guanajuato
and Romita
are approximately 10 minutes by highway. León and Irapuato are about 15 minutes by highway.
The business district is development at this time. This District is designed to lodge: hotels , financial and commercial buildings
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
in Mexico. It is the seat of the municipio
Silao, Guanajuato
Silao is a municipality in the west-central part of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico. Its seat is the city of the same name.This municipality lies adjacent to the west side of the municipality of Guanajuato, the state capital...
with the same name. As of the 2005 census, the city had a population of 147,123, making it the seventh-largest community in the state. Silao is a center of agricultural and industrial activity in the area, with a wide variety of farm crops, produce and dairy packing plants and a General Motors truck and SUV assembly plant which currently makes the following models: Chevrolet and GMC Pickups, Cadillac Escalade EXT and the Chevrolet Avalanche.
Airport
This city is served by the Del Bajío International AirportDel Bajío International Airport
Del Bajío International Airport is an international airport located in Silao, Guanajuato, close to León, Guanajuato, Mexico. It handles national and international air traffic of the area that includes the city of León and the state capital, Guanajuato...
. It functions as the central airport for the cities of Irapuato, Guanajuato, León, and Salamanca.
Toponymy
In its original Nahuatl, it was called Tzinacua by the OtomiOtomi people
The Otomi people . Smaller Otomi populations exist in the states of Puebla, Mexico, Tlaxcala, Michoacán and Guanajuato. The Otomi language belonging to the Oto-Pamean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family is spoken in many different varieties some of which are not mutually intelligible.One of...
and Tarascan natives. Tzinacua loosely translates into 'place of dense fog', derived from the quantity of thermal waters surrounding the area. In the Otomi language
Otomi language
Otomi is an Oto-Manguean language and one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken by approximately 240,000 indigenous Otomi people in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The language is spoken in many different dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, therefore it is in...
its name is Tsinäkua that also means 'place of dense fog'.
History
In the place where Silao now sits, there was an OtomíOtomi people
The Otomi people . Smaller Otomi populations exist in the states of Puebla, Mexico, Tlaxcala, Michoacán and Guanajuato. The Otomi language belonging to the Oto-Pamean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family is spoken in many different varieties some of which are not mutually intelligible.One of...
settlement that was conquered by the Tarascan tribe. It then received the name Tzinacua, that in English means "place of dense fog", because in the area of Comanjilla, there were columns of water vapor rising from thermal springs. Later, the name was changed to 'Sinaua' which means 'without water'. Over time, the name gradually changed to 'Silagua' and then 'Silao'.
Geography
Silao is located in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. It is situated 100° 25´ 59´´ longitude west of the Greenwich meridian and 20° 56´ 24´´ latitude north. Its altitude is 1,780 meters above sea level.The municipality of Silao has an area of 531.41 km², equivalent to 1.76% of the total state area. The city of Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
lies to the east and north of Silao; to the south lies Irapuato; to the southeast is Romita
Romita
Romita is a Mexican city located in the Southwest region of the state of Guanajuato. The municipality has an area of 442.10 square kilometres and is bordered to the north by León, to the east by Silao, to the southeast by Abasolo and Cuerámaro, and to the east by Manuel Doblado and San Francisco...
; to the west is León
León, Guanajuato
The city of León, formally León de los Aldama is the sixth most populous city in Mexico and the first in the state of Guanajuato. It is also the seat of the municipality of León...
.
Geology
The territory of Silao is almost planar formed in by the BajíoBajío
The Bajío is a region of Central Mexico that includes the plains south of the Sierra de Guanajuato, in the state of Guanajuato, as well as parts of the states of Querétaro and Michoacán .In general parlance, it is usually associated with the States of Guanajuato and Querétaro, although it only...
, between its few important elevations, one can find the 'Cerro del Cubilete' whose altitude is 2,570 meters above sea level and is considered the geographic center of the country.
Hydrography
The Silao River, crosses the major part of the municipal territory. It is fed by the Magueyes, Pascuales, Hondo, and Tigre streams, as well as the Gigante River, which is its major tributary. Within the municipality are some streams of importance, like those of the Agua Zarca, San Francisco, El Paraíso, Pabileros, and Aguas Buenas.Climate
The climate of the city is semi-arid in the majority of the territory, with rains in the summer and an average annual temperature of 28 °C. Temperatures can rise as high as 34 °C in the month of June, and a minimum of 0 °C has been reached in the months of December and January. However, in the northeastern zone the climate varies to semi-dry with a temperature predominantly in excess of 28 °C. Precipitation varies between 600 and 800 millimeters per year.Population
According to the results presented by the second 'Conteo de Población y Vivienda' (census) of 2005, the municipality counts a total of 147,123 inhabitants.Ethnic Groups
The indigenous population of Silao is limited to 203 inhabitants that represent 0.15% of the total municipal population. The principal native languages are MazahuaMazahua
The Mazahua are an indigenous people of Mexico, inhabiting the northwestern portion of the State of Mexico and northeastern area of Michoacán, with a presence also in the Federal District owing to recent migration...
and 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...
.
According to the second 'Conteo de Población y Vivienda' (Census) of 2005, there are a total of 187 persons who speak some indigenous language.
The municipality has a density
Density
The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...
of 250 persons per square kilometer and an average population increase of 1.6%.
Religion
95.8% of the population of Silao (as of 2000) are Roman Catholic. Approximately 1.8% are Protestants and Evangelicals, and 1.4% are other religions. The last 1% either stated they don't have a religion or it wasn't specified.Historic Monuments
- Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol, construction was started in the end of the 17th century and ended in the year 1728. Its style is neo-classical.
- Templo del Santuario, constructed at the end of the 17th century.
- Templo de la Casa de Ejercicios, built in 1834.
- Palacio Municipal, formerly functioned as city jail and headquarters.
- Mercado González Obregón, main market in Silao.
- Monument to Cristo Rey (Christ the King), started construction on December 10, 1945 and completed on August 17, 1949. The monument itself stands 20 meters from foot to head and is in the 'cerro del Cubilete', which is considered the geographic center of the country of Mexico.
Tourist attractions
- Here one can find the 'Cerro del Cubilete' that is considered the geographic center of the country. In the highest part of the mountain (at 2,500 meters) stands a monument to Cristo Rey or Christ the King. It represents the unity of the people of MéxicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the Catholic faith. Construction started on December 10, 1945, and was completed on August 17, 1949. The monument itself measures 20 meters from its feet to its head. Its location dominates the scenery of the 'Bajío' region surrounding Silao. - Museum of the Chávez Morado Brothers (muralists and sculptors).
- Silao has 27 parochial churches and innumerble buildings rich in architecture and history.
- Building of the 'Casa de la Cultura' (House of Culture), previously the military quarters of Silao.
- Restaurant Villalpando
Silao is also central to other cities and towns of interest to tourists. The cities of Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
and Romita
Romita
Romita is a Mexican city located in the Southwest region of the state of Guanajuato. The municipality has an area of 442.10 square kilometres and is bordered to the north by León, to the east by Silao, to the southeast by Abasolo and Cuerámaro, and to the east by Manuel Doblado and San Francisco...
are approximately 10 minutes by highway. León and Irapuato are about 15 minutes by highway.
business district
This District is located at Guanajuato Puerto InteriorThe business district is development at this time. This District is designed to lodge: hotels , financial and commercial buildings
External links
- Official website of the comerce of Silao, Guanajuato (Español)
- Ayuntamiento de Silao Official website of the municipality of Silao (Español)
- Guanajuato Encyclopedia of the Municipalities of Mexico (Español)
- Official website of the municipality of Silao, Guanajuato (Español)
- Periodico de Sociales Gente&Stilo de Silao, Guanajuato (Español)
- Enciclopedia de los Munincipios de Guanajuato (Español)