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Ocotlán, Jalisco

Coordinates: 20°17′20″N 102°50′20″W / 20.28889°N 102.83889°W / 20.28889; -102.83889
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Ocotlán
Municipality and city
Coat of arms of Ocotlán
Coat of arms
Location of the municipality in Jalisco
Location of the municipality in Jalisco
Country Mexico
StateJalisco
Area
 • Total247.7 km2 (95.6 sq mi)
Population
 (2005)
 • Total89,340
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time)

Ocotlán is a city and municipality in Jalisco, Mexico. Its industry includes furniture production.

Toponymy

The toponym Ocotlán means: "near the pines" or "place of the ocote (pines)". Ocote is from the Náhuatl ocōtl, Pinus montezumae, a species of pine, .

History

Ocotlán was founded in 1530. Two main cathedrals line the plaza. One is the church named La Purisima ("The Most Pure"), which is one of the oldest buildings in Jalisco. The altar is dipped in gold. The other cathedral, more recent than La Purisima, was built in the late 1800s and dedicated to Nuestro Señor de Misericordia (Our Merciful Lord), which honors a vision of Christ seen after an extremely destructive earthquake.

The current municipal president is Lic. Absalón García Ochoa, from the National Action Party.

Story of Nuestro Señor de la Misericordia

On October 2, 1847, a large and powerful earthquake destroyed most of the city, including the original church. The following day, a Sunday, when the faithful were attending a Mass outside of the destroyed church, a vision of the crucifix was claimed to have been seen. It is said that they say the vision of Christ, which is why the people of Ocotlan celebrate this day with high regards. It is a recognized event, that is not to be forgotten. It has become a tradition passed from generation to generation with celebrations taking place in Ocotlan and in different parts of the US, by those who have migrated to the US that are from Ocotlan, that continue the tradition of celebrating this holy and spectacular event.

Geography and demographics

Ocotlán borders Poncitlán and Tototlán and is only fifty minutes east-southeast from the city of Guadalajara. It is located on the northeast end of Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest lake. As of the census of 2005 the city of Ocotlán had a population of 81,165. The municipality of Ocotlán, which has an area of 247.7 km² (95.64 sq mi), had a population of 89,340. The proper gentilic for the people is Ocotlense, as in "they are all Ocotlenses." The altitude of the city is 5020 feet, and the time is -6 hours from UTC.

City Businesses

Some of the principal businesses in Ocotlán are Nestlé, Celanese, Forrajes El Nogal,Maderas primas de occidente, Triplay y Aglomerados, Fábrica de Muebles La Cibeles and many other furniture factories like EMMAN, an MDF manufacturer.

Architecture

One of the most important buildings in the city of Ocotlan is the new Library and Media Center Fernando del Paso, recently opened to the public and operated by the Universidad de Guadalajara. This modern building is inspired by the lineal constructions of the university center. It features an impressive lobby of multiple heights in which the main elements of the visual composition of the space are the books themselves. The building was designed by the young architecture firm LeAP, based in Guadalajara. It has been published and exhibited locally and internationally.

List of famous people from Ocotlán

Sister cities

References

20°17′20″N 102°50′20″W / 20.28889°N 102.83889°W / 20.28889; -102.83889

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