AGUASCALIENTES, AGUASCALIENTES

(Redirected from The Exedra)
The city and municipality of 'Aguascalientes' is the capital of the state of Aguascalientes in western central Mexico. It stands on the banks of the Río Aguascalientes, 1888 meters above sea level, at .
The city was founded on 22 October 1575. It became the capital of the newly formed state of the same name when its territory was split off from the adjacent state of Zacatecas in 1835.
The name originated from the Spanish words "aguas calientes" meaning "hot waters". When the city was first founded it was given this name for its abundance of hot springs. These thermal features are still in demand in numerous spas and even exploited for domestic use.
People from Aguascalientes (both the city and the state) are known by the whimsical Spanish demonym ''hidrocálidos'' or "hydrothermal" people. The older official name of the city in spanish is: "Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de las Aguas Calientes" (Village of our Asumption Lady from the Hot Waters")

Contents

Industry, economy and demographics

Cultural life

Famous ''hidrocálidos''

Sports

References

External links

Industry, economy and demographics

According the latest census by the National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Data Processing (INEGI), Aguascalientes City was the 13th largest metropolitan area by population in the country, with over 900,000 people in the year 2000. It is one of the fastest growing cities in Mexico. In fact, the city's urban area has grown so much during the last 10 years, that it has surpassed the boundaries of the neighboring municipality of Jesús María, annexing its municipal administrative head town to the metropolitan area of Aguascalientes, converted now into a suburb. Several private sources have publicized the population in 2005 as one million inhabitants. Technically, as of the 2005 census the city's population was 663,671, whereas the municipality's population was 723,043.
The largest Nissan plant outside Japan is located in the city, and among other models of cars, it manufactures the worldwide production of the Sentra and Versa.
Texas Instruments has two plants in Aguascalientes. Both are the company's only plants company in Mexico. One is dedicated to integrated circuitry (IC) manufacturing; the other one makes sensors and control devices. Flextronics is another electronics manufacturer that has a plant located in Aguascalientes City. There are also several companies that work in the robotics industry, the most notable being Fanuc Robotics.

Cultural life

Aguascalientes organizes the largest festival held in Mexico, the San Marcos Fair, which takes place from the middle of April to the beginning of May. It receives almost 7 million visitors every year.
Aguascalientes is home to several outstanding museums and one of the country's leading provincial theatres. Amongst them are the following:

★ 'Morelos Theater' Important for its historical role during the Mexican Revolution as a Convention site. Architecturaly, the building is noted for its facade and interior, which houses a small museum.

★ Teatro Aguascalientes – the Aguascalientes Premier Theatre and Opera House

★ Museum of Contemporary Art ''(Museo de Arte Contemporáneo)''

★ Guadalupe Posada Museum ''(Museo Guadalupe Posada)'' life and work of José Guadalupe Posada

★ Aguascalientes Museum ''(Museo de Aguascalientes)'' The City's Art Museum

★ Museo Descubre – interactive science and technology museum, aimed at providing children with a hands-on learning experience

★ La Estacion Theme Park (The Old Train Station Complex) It contains the Old Train Station and Railway Museum historic complex, which at some point formed the largest rail hub and warehouses in all Latin America. The theme park has dancing fountains, spring water square, dancing water Civic Center, Whistle plaza and locomotive monuments, among others.

★ 'The State History Museum' is located in an elegant house typical of the Porfirian period, It is Mediterranean in style, with a French academism facade, interior columns, and arcade, pink quarry dining room, and a Nouveau central patio, with ornamental motives of vegetables.

★ The Chistian War Museum The only museum to showcase the Chistian War, a war between Mexicans divided by their way of thinking, and an event that still provokes controversy; it was spread thoughtout 18 states of Mexico.

★ The parral The only 24/7 drinking place where no law exists, home to Zid and Zora

Famous ''hidrocálidos''

★ Antonio Acevedo Escobedo, writer

★ José María Bocanegra, Lawyer, interim President of Mexico in December 1829, Minister in the national government 1833-44.

★ Francisco Díaz de León, artist

★ Marcelo "El Chelo" Ortega, feudal lord.

★ Gabriel Fernández Ledesma, artist

★ Manuel M. Ponce, musician

★ José Guadalupe Posada, artist

★ Saturnino Herrán, artist

★ Ramón López Velarde, poet

★ Miguel Angel Barberena Vega, politician

★ Jose Antonio Zapata, journalist

★ Yadhira Carrillo, actress

Sports

The city is home to the soccer team Necaxa, which plays in the Primera División de México. The team left Mexico City and relocated to Aguascalientes following the 2003 opening of Estadio Victoria, which is now the team's home venue.
Panteras de Aguascalientes is the city's entry in Mexico's National Professional Basketball League. Los Rieleros play baseball in the summertime Mexican Baseball League.

References

★ Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática

External links

★ Municipal website

★ News website including streaming media and radio news

★ Grupo de Usuarios de Linux de Aguascalientes

★ City Map and Commercial guide with street search and product/company search

★ Photographs of Aguascalientes in flickr.com