Tonalá, Jalisco
Tonalá (Spanish pronunciation: [tonaˈla]) is a city and municipality within the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area in the state of Jalisco in Mexico.
The “municipal palace” or local government building is distinguished by its clock tower and arches, which are decorated in ceramic tiles in traditional motifs.
[4] Capilla de la Cruz Blanca (White Cross Chapel) is where the first mass in western Mexico was said in 1530 by Franciscan friars.
The Santuario del Sagrado Corazón (Sacred Heart Sanctuary) was built in the 19th century in Gothic style over what was the Nuestra Señora de la Soledad Hospital.
The initial collection came from the Instituto Nacional Indigenista (National Indigenous Institute), which has been since augmented by winners from the Certamen Estatal de la Cerámica (Jalisco State Ceramic Contest).
[9] The Tonallán Museum contains exhibits related to the municipality's history, dances such as the Tastoanes and handcrafts from the pre Hispanic era to the present.
[3] Overlooking the town is the Cerro de la Reina (Queen's Hill), named after the last indigenous ruler of Tonalá, Cihualpilli.
It features artisans from all over Jalisco along with traditional dance, food, parades, the election of a queen, cultural and musical events and more.
[4] The municipality hosts the annual Concurso Nacional de la Cerámica, with a purse of about 600,000 pesos for original ceramic pieces.
[4][8] The city is the largest community with a population of 408,759, followed by Puente Grande(5,664), Coyula(29,674), Centro de Readaptación Social(13,071) and La Punta(4,889).
[4] Outside of the municipal seat, important landmarks include the Santa Cruz de las Huertas Church, the parishes of Coyula and Tololotlán, all in colonial style, the main bridge over the Santiago River, the Garita del Puente Grande from the 18th century and the former Arroyo de Emmedio hacienda.
[4][8] The town started as a Zapotec settlement [citation needed], which latter incorporated Toltec and Nahua migrants, leading to a blending of cultures.
[4] When the Nuño de Guzmán and Spanish arrived in 1530, the town was the capital of a dominion ruled by a woman named Cihualpilli Tzapotzinco.
This dominion included Tlaquepaque, Tololotlán, Coyolán, Mexquitán, Tzalatitán, Atemajac, Tetlán, Tateposco, Tlaxomulco, Cuescomatitán, Coyutlán and Toluquilla as tribute paying entities.
[4][8] The new province was initially governed by Diego Vazquez Buendia and remained the main settlement in the area until the founding of Guadalajara in 1535.
Through the rest of the 19th century, its status changed and was unclear, mentioned as a municipality in a decree in 1873 but declared subordinate to Zapotlanejo and San Pedro in 1889.
[11] Merchants at the traditional tianguis (outdoor market) reported that their earnings had fallen by 60% due to health safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico by December 2020.
[3][4] In the 1970s, Ken Edwards and Jorge Wilmot introduced stone ware and high fire ceramics to Tonalá.
[16] Unlike Tlaquepaque, the town of Tonalá has not been geared for tourists in the sense of hotels, restaurant and scenic streets.
[9][6] Despite this, it received thousands of visitors each week, most drawn by the street market or “tianguis” that is set up each Thursday and Sunday.
[18][17] Aside from handcrafts, commerce is mostly limited to basic needs, with 1,000 small grocery stores, 128 butcher shops, and 142 businesses selling produce.
Agriculture is done on small-scale, raising corn, sorghum, vegetables, dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, domestic fowl and bees.
The main elevations are the Cerro Cúpula de la Reina, and Xólotl, both 1,720 meters above sea level.
Tributary streams include the Popul, Las Jicamas and Agua Amarilla, all located in the east of the municipality.
[4] Wildlife is mostly limited to the ravines and include various rodents, skunks, deer, wildcats, armadillos, opossums and various bird species.
