Lagos de Moreno
Lagos de Moreno (Spanish: [ˈlaɣos ðe moˈɾeno] ⓘ) is a city and municipality in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Lagos is located in the region of Los Altos de Jalisco, within the macroregion of the Bajío, one of the most highly developed areas in Latin America. Lagos de Moreno is occasionally known as the "Athens of Jalisco", owing to the numerous writers and poets who were born there.
Lagos de Moreno | |
|---|---|
Municipality and City | |
From left to right and from top to bottom: Templo del Calvario, Teatro José Rosas Moreno, Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Parroquia De Nuestra Señora De La Luz | |
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Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: Athens of Mexico (Atenas de México) | |
| Motto: Adversus populos Xiconaqui et Custique fortitudo | |
Location of the municipality in Jalisco | |
Lagos de Moreno Location in Mexico | |
| Coordinates: 21°21′N 101°55′W | |
| Country | Mexico |
| State | Jalisco |
| Founded | March 31, 1563 |
| Founded as | Villa de Santa María de los Lagos |
| Founded by | Hernando Martel and Pedro de Anda |
| Named for | Pedro Moreno and the historical lakes in the region |
| Government | |
| • Municipal President | Tecutli José Guadalupe Gómez Villalobos (Movimiento Ciudadano) |
| Area | |
| • Municipality | 2,514 km2 (971 sq mi) |
| • City | 24.72 km2 (9.54 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,942 m (6,371 ft) |
| Population (2020 census) | |
| • Municipality | 172,403 |
| • Density | 69/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| • City | 111,569 |
| • City density | 4,500/km2 (12,000/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Laguense |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time) |
| Area code | 474 |
Lagos de Moreno was founded as Villa Santa Maria de los Lagos on March 31, 1563, by Don Hernando Martel, an Andalusian conquistador. The town was the economic and cultural center of a region that eventually attracted many ranchers. By 1600 there were over 20,000 cattle in the region. Santa Maria continued growing both physically and culturally, and by the 1800s, the town was elevated to a city and renamed to Lagos de Moreno in honor of Pedro Moreno. Lagos de Moreno was the site of the signing of several important political documents, the two identically named but unrelated Convenios de Lagos. The arts flourished in the city during the latter half of the 19th century, but this literary boom decreased somewhat after the Mexican Revolution, especially during the 1940s. Recently, Lagos de Moreno has become an important cultural and tourist destination thanks to its rich history and architecture, some of which still stands from the 17th century.
As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 111,569, making it the 6th largest city in the state of Jalisco. The municipality had a population of 172,403 in 2020. It includes many other outlying small communities, the largest of which are Paso de Cuarenta (San Miguel de Cuarenta) and Los Azulitos.