Ixtapan de la Sal
Encyclopedia
Ixtapan de la Sal is a town and municipality located in the State of Mexico, Mexico
. It is 60 km south of Toluca
, the state capital. The word Ixtapan comes from Nahuatl
. There are two theories as to the origin of the name. The first one states that it is composed of iztal, which means salt, and pan, which means over or in. The second one states that it comes from iztac, which means white, atl, which means water; and pan, which means in white waters. "de la Sal" is Spanish
for "of salt".
of “La Laguna Verde,” a spring which filters from the subsoil sprouting naturally in form of water eruptions.
On January 22, 1981, Ixtapan de la Sal officially became a city. In 1996, it was integrated to the program of the “100 Colonial Cities”, which is a tousitic program that gathers the oldest as well as the most important Mexican cities.
It is also the home of the Parque Acuatico Ixtapan a water park with thermal spring spa, a children's area, a family area and an area dedicated to "extreme" water rides. The park also has an expanse of green area with a small train that tours it.
Fifteen kilometers to the south of the city are located the Grutas de la Estrella. These are caverns that have been formed by the dissolving of limestone by groundwater that seeps from the Chontalcuatlan and San Jeronimo rivers. These caverns are filled with stalactite
s and stalagmites of various colors.
There are currently 114 schools with about 566 teachers. The illiteracy rate is 12.6%. 48.8% of the population is economically active.
The municipality also has a Secretary, Director of Municipal Public Works, Municipal Administrator, Director of Municipal Development, Municipal Security Chief, Municipal Slaughterhouse Administrator, Chief of Human and Material Resources, Director of Sports, Administrator of Natural Springs, Director of Water Works and sanitation and Director of Civil Protection.
These authorities have jurisdiction over both the town and municipality of Ixtapan de la Sal.
In each communitu belonging to the municipality, 3 representatives are chosen to help in the government and to represent their neighbors. In each community, there are also 2 or 3 of these representatives that help with security and with some government projects.
was formed. This amazed them because back then, salt was a very precious item. When the emperor found out about this discovery, he also ordered men and women to move there, which led to the foundation of Ixtapan de la Sal.
At the time of the Spanish conquest, Hernán Cortés
sent Andrés de Tapia to conquer Ixtapan de la Sal. The first priest who came to Ixtapan was Juan Guichen de Leyva. Evangelization was carried out by Franciscans who came here after 1543. Tradition states that 13 monks came to Ixtapan de la Sal to convert the Indians by associating Christ with the local deity associated with storms.
In 1822, Ixtapan de la Sal became a municipality of the state of Mexico. In 1825, the first elections to select the municipal council took place on Sunday December 3 of the same year. On August 9 and 10, 1912, the population of Ixtapan de la Sal was attacked by “pseudo–Zapatistas”, who are followers of Zapata's ideology. The invaders were led by Andres Ruiz and Francisco B. Pacheco. On August 1, 1918, by council’s agreement, local mourning was declared for every year’s August 10.
to the northwest, Villa Guerrero to the northeast, and Zumpahuacán
to the east, the municipality of Tonatico
and the state of Guerrero
to the south, and the municipality of Zacualpan
to the west.
The climate in Ixtapan de la Sal is predominately cool, semi-arid with rains in the summer. It has an average temperature of 17.9 °C (64 °F) and a low of 1 °C (34 °F) which results in a comfortable place for health and for relaxing.
There is a great variety of plant species in Ixtapan de la Sal, among which are found watercress
, borage
, camomille, pine
, cedar
, ash tree
, jacaranda
, avocado
, date palm
Trees, "reeds
", "rue
", arnico, "holm oak
", "oyamel fir", "aile", causarina, "Mexican fig tree", "cabrillo
", cazahauates, liquorice, tepeguaj and pirul. It has a wide variety of animals which includes rabbits, squirrels, sparrowhawks, quails, iguanas, badgers, coyotes, wild cats, skunks, ferrets, foxes, American badger
s, tuzas, opossums, mockingbirds and cacomixtles, but also you can find insects, birds and reptiles.
the annual religious celebration in honor to the Lord of Forgiveness is celebrated.
On August 15, a religious festival in honor of the Assumption of Mary
takes place.
Another tradition that is practiced in Ixtapan is the “Sunday open-air market", which is a market placed in the same place every Sunday. In it, people practice “El trueque" (bartering).
in memory of the celebration of the Mexican War of Independence from the stronghold of the Spanish conquest, led by Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
, carved wood and confectionery and also the production of pipían pumpkin
candy in October and November. The most prominent are the wooden copalillo and pottery.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It is 60 km south of Toluca
Toluca
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
, the state capital. The word Ixtapan comes from Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
. There are two theories as to the origin of the name. The first one states that it is composed of iztal, which means salt, and pan, which means over or in. The second one states that it comes from iztac, which means white, atl, which means water; and pan, which means in white waters. "de la Sal" is Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "of salt".
The town
As of the 2005 census, the town had a population of 15,383. Two rivers pass through Ixtapan de la Sal. They are “El Rio Salado” from the east with a year-round current, and “El Rio Salitre” from the northwest with a seasonal current. Also an aqueduct passes through the city. But the most relevant part for tourists is the carbonated waterCarbonated water
Carbonated water is water into which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, a process that causes the water to become effervescent....
of “La Laguna Verde,” a spring which filters from the subsoil sprouting naturally in form of water eruptions.
On January 22, 1981, Ixtapan de la Sal officially became a city. In 1996, it was integrated to the program of the “100 Colonial Cities”, which is a tousitic program that gathers the oldest as well as the most important Mexican cities.
Tourism
The city of Ixtapan de la Sal has as its primary economic activity the tourism generated by the thermal springs that are found here. It is considered to be one of the primary tourist destinations in the State of Mexico. Many internationally-known hotel chains have locations here, most often placed on or right next to a thermal spring. The best known of these hotel-spas are the famous Ixtapan Spa Hotel and Golf Resort, Marriott Ixtapan de la Sal, Hotel Rancho San Diego Grand Spa Resort, and Rey Ixtapan de la Sal. These resorts offer guests baths in volcanically-heated waters, massages, beauty treatments and other services.It is also the home of the Parque Acuatico Ixtapan a water park with thermal spring spa, a children's area, a family area and an area dedicated to "extreme" water rides. The park also has an expanse of green area with a small train that tours it.
Fifteen kilometers to the south of the city are located the Grutas de la Estrella. These are caverns that have been formed by the dissolving of limestone by groundwater that seeps from the Chontalcuatlan and San Jeronimo rivers. These caverns are filled with stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...
s and stalagmites of various colors.
The municipality
As municipal seat, the town of Ixtapan de la Sal has governing jurisdiction over the following communities: Ahuacatitlán, Barrio Santa Ana, Coaxusco, Colonia Juárez, Colonia la Joya Tres de Mayo Lindavista, El Arenal de las Ollas, El Colorín, El Refugio, El Rincón de Dios Yerbas Buenas, El Salitre, Ixtamil, La Falda, Llano de la Unión, Llano de San Diego, Los Naranjos, Malinaltenango (Manila), Mesón Nuevo, Plan de San Miguel, Portezuelos Dos, Portezuelos Uno (San Andrés), Puerta Grande (Puerta de los Fresnos), Rancho San Diego, San Alejo, San Diego Alcalá (San Diego), San José del Arenal (El Arenal), San Miguel Laderas (San Miguel), San Pedro Tlacochaca, Santa Ana Xochuca, Tecomatepec (San Pedro Tecomatepec), Tlacochaca, Yautepec, and Yerbas Buenas.Demographic information
The population of the municipality according the 2005 census is 30,073 51% of the population lives in the town of Ixtapan de la Sal itself and 48.1% live in the surrounding municipality.There are currently 114 schools with about 566 teachers. The illiteracy rate is 12.6%. 48.8% of the population is economically active.
Government
The government is formed by:- Municipal president
- Attorney General
- 10 deputies
The municipality also has a Secretary, Director of Municipal Public Works, Municipal Administrator, Director of Municipal Development, Municipal Security Chief, Municipal Slaughterhouse Administrator, Chief of Human and Material Resources, Director of Sports, Administrator of Natural Springs, Director of Water Works and sanitation and Director of Civil Protection.
These authorities have jurisdiction over both the town and municipality of Ixtapan de la Sal.
In each communitu belonging to the municipality, 3 representatives are chosen to help in the government and to represent their neighbors. In each community, there are also 2 or 3 of these representatives that help with security and with some government projects.
History
In the year 1394, a group of indigenous people came from the Pacific coast. They wanted to get to Tenochtitlan in order to attend the crowning of the emperor. On their way to their destination, these Pacific people established in Ixtapan de la Sal where they formed communities. Here they noticed that once the geothermacally heated water was evaporated naturally in the sunlight, saltSalt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
was formed. This amazed them because back then, salt was a very precious item. When the emperor found out about this discovery, he also ordered men and women to move there, which led to the foundation of Ixtapan de la Sal.
At the time of the Spanish conquest, Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
sent Andrés de Tapia to conquer Ixtapan de la Sal. The first priest who came to Ixtapan was Juan Guichen de Leyva. Evangelization was carried out by Franciscans who came here after 1543. Tradition states that 13 monks came to Ixtapan de la Sal to convert the Indians by associating Christ with the local deity associated with storms.
In 1822, Ixtapan de la Sal became a municipality of the state of Mexico. In 1825, the first elections to select the municipal council took place on Sunday December 3 of the same year. On August 9 and 10, 1912, the population of Ixtapan de la Sal was attacked by “pseudo–Zapatistas”, who are followers of Zapata's ideology. The invaders were led by Andres Ruiz and Francisco B. Pacheco. On August 1, 1918, by council’s agreement, local mourning was declared for every year’s August 10.
Geographical information
Ixtapan borders the municipalities of Coatepec HarinasCoatepec Harinas
Coatepec Harinas is a town and municipality in Mexico State, Mexico. The original name is "Coauhtepetl" which means 'serpent hill' in Náhuatl. Around 1825 because of a boom in flour production, the name "Harinas" was added.-The town:...
to the northwest, Villa Guerrero to the northeast, and Zumpahuacán
Zumpahuacán
Zumpahuacán is a town and municipality in México State. The name “Zumpahuacán” comes from the Nahuatl language "Tzompahuacán". Tzompahuacán means "place of the strawberry tree" Zumpahuacán is a town and municipality in México State. The name “Zumpahuacán” comes from the Nahuatl language...
to the east, the municipality of Tonatico
Tonatico
Tonatico is a town and municipality of State of Mexico, in Mexico located 153 kilometers from Mexico City, 105 from Cuernavaca, 84 from Toluca, 68 from Taxco and 5 from Ixtapan de la Sal. Tonatico, of Náhuatl origin, is from the Náhuatl word tonatihco, place of the sun.-The town:In the area around...
and the state of Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
to the south, and the municipality of Zacualpan
Zacualpan, Mexico State
Zacualpan is a town and municipality in Mexico State in Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 301.47 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 13,800.-References:...
to the west.
The climate in Ixtapan de la Sal is predominately cool, semi-arid with rains in the summer. It has an average temperature of 17.9 °C (64 °F) and a low of 1 °C (34 °F) which results in a comfortable place for health and for relaxing.
There is a great variety of plant species in Ixtapan de la Sal, among which are found watercress
Watercress
Watercresses are fast-growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plants native from Europe to central Asia, and one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by human beings...
, borage
Borage
Borage, , also known as a starflower, is an annual herb originating in Syria, but naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region, as well as Asia Minor, Europe, North Africa, and South America. It grows to a height of , and is bristly or hairy all over the stems and leaves; the leaves are...
, camomille, pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
, cedar
Cedar wood
Cedar wood comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world, and may have different uses.* California incense-cedar, from Calocedrus decurrens, is the primary type of wood used for making pencils...
, ash tree
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
, jacaranda
Jacaranda
Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America , Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It is also found in Asia, especially in Nepal...
, avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
, date palm
Date Palm
The date palm is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf. It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with...
Trees, "reeds
Reed bed
Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...
", "rue
Rue
Rue is a genus of strongly scented evergreen subshrubs 20–60 cm tall, in the family Rutaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia and southwest Asia. There are perhaps 8 to 40 species in the genus...
", arnico, "holm oak
Holm Oak
Quercus ilex, the Holm Oak or Holly Oak is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It takes its name from holm, an ancient name for holly...
", "oyamel fir", "aile", causarina, "Mexican fig tree", "cabrillo
Primula veris
Primula veris is a flowering plant in the genus Primula. The species is found throughout most of temperate Europe and Asia, and although absent from more northerly areas including much of northwest Scotland, it reappears in northernmost Sutherland and Orkney.-Names:The common name cowslip derives...
", cazahauates, liquorice, tepeguaj and pirul. It has a wide variety of animals which includes rabbits, squirrels, sparrowhawks, quails, iguanas, badgers, coyotes, wild cats, skunks, ferrets, foxes, American badger
American Badger
The American badger is a North American badger, somewhat similar in appearance to the European badger. It is found in the western and central United States, northern Mexico and central Canada, as well as in certain areas of southwestern British Columbia.Their habitat is typified by open...
s, tuzas, opossums, mockingbirds and cacomixtles, but also you can find insects, birds and reptiles.
Popular celebrations
On the second Friday of LentLent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
the annual religious celebration in honor to the Lord of Forgiveness is celebrated.
On August 15, a religious festival in honor of the Assumption of Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
takes place.
Traditions
For nine days after the passing of a loved one, prayers are offered for the deceased. On the ninth day, a wooden cross that has been laid on the ground is raised upright and carried to the tomb to be placed there permanently.Another tradition that is practiced in Ixtapan is the “Sunday open-air market", which is a market placed in the same place every Sunday. In it, people practice “El trueque" (bartering).
Dances
The most important is the one called "Apaches”, which is represented by local townspeople on September 15 and 16in memory of the celebration of the Mexican War of Independence from the stronghold of the Spanish conquest, led by Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Music
The traditional one is the “Banda del Viento” (the wind band), which still persists. Its members play musical instruments without formal music studies.Arts and crafts
The principal handcrafts are potteryPottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, carved wood and confectionery and also the production of pipían pumpkin
Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America...
candy in October and November. The most prominent are the wooden copalillo and pottery.