Compostela (Nayarit)
| Compostela | ||
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Coordinates: 21 ° 14 ′ N , 104 ° 54 ′ W Compostela on the map of Nayarit
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| Basic data | ||
| Country | Mexico | |
| State | Nayarit | |
| Municipio | Compostela | |
| City foundation | 1540 | |
| Residents | 17,573 (2010) | |
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| Detailed data | ||
| surface | 4.42 km 2 | |
| Population density | 3,976 people / km 2 | |
| height | 860 m | |
| Post Code | 63640 | |
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Compostela is a small town with around 17,000 inhabitants and the capital of a municipality (municipio) with around 20,000 inhabitants and the capital of the municipality of the same name . The city has been one of the Pueblos Mágicos of Mexico since 2018 because of its largely traditional appearance .
Location and climate
The city of Compostela is only about 30 km as the crow flies from the Pacific coast of Mexico and is located at an altitude of about 860 m . Tepic , the capital of the state, is about 38 km (driving distance) north. The climate is rather dry and warm in the winter half-year, while in the summer half-year it is rainy (approx. 1060 mm / year) and tropical humid.
population
| year | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| Residents | 15,797 | 15,991 | 17,573 |
The vast majority of the population is of Indian descent ( Caxcanes ), but there are also numerous mestizos .
economy
Compostela is a quiet commercial and tourist town in western Mexico. The coastal resorts of San Blas and Puerto Vallarta are each about 100 km away.
history
The area had already been explored in 1525 by Francisco Cortés de San Buenaventura, a nephew of Hernán Cortés . In 1529, Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, at the head of around 500 Spaniards and 10,000 Indian auxiliaries ( Aztecs and Tlaxcalteks ), invaded the area of the province called New Galicia two years later . As a result, he exploited the area and its population, but he was captured in 1536 by the then Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza and exiled in chains to Spain. In the course of the suppression of an Indian uprising ( Mixtón War ), Cristóbal de Oñate founded the city of Villa de Santiago de Galicia de Compostela de Indias on July 25, 1540 on the site of an Indian settlement called Coatlán ; Compostela became the first capital of the province until the seat of government was moved to Guadalajara in 1560 .
Attractions
- The oldest building on site is the single-aisled church of Santiago Apostól , which dates back to the 16th century and was largely made of volcanic rock . The bell tower , made of bricks but plastered, is much younger.
- The green Plaza Mayor extends next to the church .
- The mostly one- or two-story houses on the straight side streets are painted in bright colors.
- The local museum shows pre-Columbian ceramics as well as colonial weapons etc.
- Approx. 500 m south of the city is a small lake with an unused lighthouse.
Web links
- Compostela, Nayarit - Photos + Info (Spanish)
- Compostela, Nayarit - Video (Spanish)