They called the settlement Xiriquitzio (or Iriquitzio), which the Spanish conquerors pronounced "Jiricuato" (or Jiricuicho), which meant "the place with houses (or low dwellings)".

In the 16th century, vasts amounts of silver ore were discovered at the present day site of the capital city of Guanajuato.

[5] On 18 August 1973, thousands of homes were destroyed and an estimated 200 or 300 people killed when a dam burst, sending a seven-foot (2.1 m) high wall of water crashing into the city.

It handles national and international air traffic of the area that includes the cities of León, Irapuato, and the state capital, Guanajuato.

Guanajuato International Airport is an important connecting point for some flights from Mexico City to the United States.