[4] After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, and the subjugation of the local Chiapan people in 1528, the Dominicans constructed a monastery in nearby Tecpatán.

[5] There is no official founding date for Tuxtla, but it is known that the Dominican monks gathered dispersed Zoques into communities organized around churches in the 16th century.

[6] In 1821, the authorities of the villa proclaimed independence from both Spain and the regional colonial government of Guatemala, along with other areas in what would become Chiapas.

[4] During the Mexican Revolution, a battalion called "The Sons of Tuxtla" was formed in 1911, and its member Captain Julio Miramontes was assassinated in 1912.

The reaction against Carranza's policies was headed by the Mapaches ("Raccoons"), a group of landholders in the state who objected to the loss of their privileges and the redistribution of their lands.

[10] In 1998, PRD politician, EZLN activist and leader of the Asamblea Estatal Democrática del Pueblo Chiapaneco Rubicel Ruiz Gamboa was assassinated in the city.

[12][clarification needed] In 2011, the government of Guatemala announced that it would open a consulate in the city to support its nationals who cross through Mexican territory or reside there.

It was evaluated based on its economic potential, human resources, cost-benefit ratio, quality of life, infrastructure and business environment.

Madero Park is located on 5a Norte Avenue where it crosses Calzada de Sumidero about six blocks from the Plaza Cívica.

Along this corridor, there are various museums and cultural centers which include the Dr. Faustino Miranda Botanical Garden, which occupies four hectares along the Sabinal River.

There is also a natural history museum with a number of preserved species of animals and plants as well as artifacts and maps of the historical indigenous peoples of the state.

[16][21] Parque Jardín de la Marimba (Marimba Park) is located is eight blocks from the First Square on Central West Avenue (Avenida Central Poniente in Spanish) and Octave North West Street (8° Calle Poniente Norte) and named after the most characteristic musical instrument of the state.

The park was established in 1993 to be a meeting place for families with numerous trees, colonial style benches, lighting at night and a central kiosk.

[4][16][21] On the edge of the city is the El Zapotal Ecological Reserve, best known as the home of the Zoológico Miguel Alvarez del Toro Zoo, often referred to as the ZooMAT.

[5][15][16] It exhibits, studies, protects and preserves the native species of Chiapas, which have suffered severe stress due to human activities.

Sixty of the species exhibited here are in danger of extinction, including the jaguar, the ocelot, the macaw, the quetzal, and howler monkey.

It also contains an Ethnographic Museum which shows scenes representing the lifestyles of the various indigenous groups of Chiapas with dioramas of rural villages and how crafts are made.

[4][5][21] In his time, was a great museum that stored the largest collection of photos, crafts and recreations of life of native villages in the depths of the state, but was almost entirely consumed by fire in 2001.

[4] According to Mexico's National Council on Population (CONAPO), the metropolitan area of Tuxtla Gutiérrez is formed by five municipalities, two core and three peripheral.

[25] Gross domestic product is 97,100,000,000 Mexican pesos, 0.5% of the national GDP,[27] and its economy has a low level of competitiveness.

This population growth has led to high demands for lands, housing, infrastructure and services, with many not able to keep up, especially in low income areas, which is about 40% of the city.

[4][10] The percentage of indigenous language speakers rose somewhat from 1995 to 2000 as many rural people moved into the area as a consequence of the Zapatista rebellion.

[4] Much of the cuisine of the municipality reflects that of the rest of the state and includes pictes (a sweet corn tamale), chispota (beef with chickpeas and cabbage), niguijuti (pork with mole sauce), sopa de pan (bread with broth and vegetables), cochito (pork in adobo sauce), chanfaina (lamb innards with rice), a legume called patashete, and traditional Chiapas tamales made with chipilín.

[5][16] Other local specialties include nucú, an edible ant that comes out at night during the rainy season, rich in proteins;[32] carnes parrilladas, grilled meat platters; and carne molida tártara, spicy ground meat cooked in lime juice with onions, tomatoes and cilantro, usually eaten in tostadas.

The Tuxtla Gutierrez Institute of Technology (ITTG) was founded in the 1970s as the Instituto Tecnológico Regional, offering programs in Internal Combustion Engines, Electricity, Laboratory Chemistry, and Machinery and Tools.

Tourism during Holy Week adds over 150 million pesos to the state's economy, much of which passes through the city, with occupancy rates that rise fifty percent.

Most foreign visitors through the city are young, especially from European countries such as France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and England, who pass through the bus station.

[10] Economic activities include commerce and the agricultural production of corn, beans, fruit, dairy cattle and domestic fowl.

The bus station is served by the Cristobal Colon, Maya de Oro, ADO and Rapidos del Sur lines.

Main destinations are Mexico, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tapachula, San Cristóbal, Villahermosa, Mérida and Cancún.