Monterrey
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Monterrey IPA: [ˌmontɛˈrei] (Spanish: Monterrey) is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León and a municipality of the same name. Also known as "Sultana del Norte" (Northern Sultan), Monterrey is one of the three most important cities in all Mexico and a modern industrial and business center. The city proper has population of 1.1 million, and the metropolitan area of Monterrey has a population of 3.8 million (INEGI 2005). The city is named after the Countess of Monterrei (a city in Galicia, Spain) wife of the Viceroy of New Spain Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey.
Residents of Monterrey are often called Regiomontanos (or Regiomontanas).
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History
In the mid-1500s, the valley which Monterrey now occupies was known as the Extremadura Valley, an area largely unexplored by the Spanish. Several expeditions led by Alberto del Canto tried to colonize the area, the most important in 1577, but were always unsuccessful because the population left for more prosperous towns. The Spanish expeditionary Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva negotiated with King Philip II of Spain to establish a territory in northern New Spain, which would be called Nuevo León, the "New Kingdom of León". In 1580 he arrived in the newly granted lands but it was not until 1582 that he established a settlement called San Luis Rey de Francia within present-day Monterrey. New Kingdom of León was an enormous area extending westwards from the port of Tampico to the limits of Nueva Vizcaya ("New Vizcaya", now State of Chihuahua), and around 1,000 kilometers northwards. Carvajal's plans of colonization were frustrated by the Spanish Inquisition that accused and jailed him. For eight years Nuevo León was abandoned and uninhabited but finally, a third expedition of twelve families led by Diego de Montemayor founded Ciudad Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de Monterrey ("Metropolitan City of Our Lady of Monterrey") on September 20, 1596, next to a spring called Ojos de Agua de Santa Lucia, where the Museum of Mexican History is now located.
During the years of Spanish rule, Monterrey remained a small city, and its population varied from a few hundred to only dozens. The city was a place that facilitated trade between San Antonio (now in Texas), Tampico and from Saltillo to the center of the country. Tampico's port brought many products from Europe, while Saltillo concentrated the Northern Territories' trade with the capital, Mexico City. San Antonio was the key trade point with the northern foreign colonies (British and French).
In the 19th century, after the Mexican Independence War, Monterrey rose as a key economic center for the newly formed nation, especially due to its balanced ties between Europe (with its connections to Tampico), the United States (with its connections to San Antonio), and the capital (through Saltillo). In 1824, the "New Kingdom of León" became the State of Nuevo León, and Monterrey was selected as its capital. However, the political instability that followed the first 50 years of the new country allowed two American invasions and an internal secession war, during which the Governor of the State annexed the Coahuila and Tamaulipas states, designating Monterrey as the capital of the enlarged state.
In 1846, the earliest large-scale engagement of the Mexican-American War took place in the city, known as the Battle of Monterrey. Mexican forces were forced to surrender but only after successfully repelling US forces during the first few advances on the city. The battle inflicted high casualties on both sides, much of them resulting from hand-to-hand combat within the walls of the city center.
Most of the generals in the Mexican War against France were natives of the city, including Mariano Escobedo, Juan Zuazua and Jerónimo Treviño.
During the last decade of the 19th century, the city of Monterrey was linked by railroad, which benefitted industry. It was during this period that José Eleuterio González founded the Hospital Civil which is now one of the best public hospitals in the northeast of Mexico, and serves as medical school support to the School of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL). Vicente Ferrara founded the Fundidora de Fierro y Acero de Monterrey, Parque Fundidora]</ref> a steel-producing company that accelerated the already fast industrialization of the city and became one of the world's biggest at its time.
In 1988, Hurricane Gilbert caused great damage to the city; the Santa Catarina River overflowed, causing about 100 deaths and severe economic damage.
The city has hosted international events such as the 2002 United Nation Conference on Financing for Development with the participation of more than 50 Heads of State and Government, as well as other ministers and senior delegates from over 150 countries. The conference resulted in the adoption of the Monterrey Consensus, which has become one relevant reference point for international development and cooperation. In 2004, the OAS Special Summit of the Americas was attended by almost all the presidents of the Americas. In 1986, several official games of the 1986 FIFA World Cup were hosted.
In 2007, Monterrey held the Universal Forum of Cultures with four million visitors.
Economy
Monterrey is a major industrial center in northern Mexico , producing a GDP of 78.5 billion US dollars (2006).The city's GDP per capita in 2006 was 21,788 US dollars.[citation needed] The city was ranked second-best to do business in Mexico in 2005 and is currently ranked as the third best by the América Economía magazine.
Experts note that Mexico City is burdened by problems of crime, congestion and pollution that make smaller but better-run and faster-growing cities like Monterrey more attractive to entrepreneurs and ambitious workers. Monterrey is expected to grow to an approximate 160 billion US dollars in the near future.
Because of its strong steel industry, it is often called "the Pittsburgh of Mexico". The city has prominent positions in sectors such as steel, cement, glass, auto parts, and brewing. In 1999 Fortune magazine recognized Monterrey as the best city in Latin America in which to do business. The magazine attributes its economic wealth in part to its proximity with the United States-Mexican border and mentions Monterrey as a significant city with economic links to the United States.
Industrialization was accelerated in the mid 19th century by the Compañia Fundidora de Fierro y Acero Monterrey a steel-processing company. Today Monterrey is home to transnational conglomerates such as Cemex (the world's largest cement company), FEMSA (Coca-Cola Latin America), Alfa (petrochemicals, food, telecommunications and auto parts), Axtel (telecommunications), Vitro (glass), Selther (leading mattress and rest systems firm in Latin America), Gruma (food), and Banorte (financial services). The FEMSA corporation owns a large brewery, the Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma that produces the brands Sol, Tecate, Indio, Dos Equis and Carta Blanca among others. By the end of the same year, there were more than 13,000 manufacturing companies, 55,000 retail stores, and more than 52,000 service firms in Monterrey. Monterrey accounts for about 95% of the State of Nuevo Leon's GDP, and 30% of Mexico's manufactured exports.
The metals sector, dominated by iron and steel, accounted for 6 percent of manufacturing GNP in 1994.[28] Mexico's steel industry is centered in Monterrey, where the country's first steel mills opened in 1903. Steel processing plants in Monterrey, privatized in 1986, accounted for about half of Mexico's total steel output in the early 1990s.
Monterrey was ranked 94th worldwide and fifth in Latin America in terms of Quality of Life according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting (2006), and was ranked second in 2005 and fourth in 2006, according to America Economia.
Monterrey is also a great city to do shopping. Some of the shopping malls in the city include Paseo San Pedro, Plaza Fiesta San Agustín, Galerías Monterrey, and Galerías Valle Oriente, which distribute goods and services to the Mexican population.
Education
The city is considered one of the main educational centers in Mexico.
Monterrey is also the headquarters of the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Studies, ITESM or "Tec de Monterrey").
The Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (Autonomous University of Nuevo León, UANL), is the third largest Mexican university and is ranked by the Reader's Digest-AC Nielsen Survey 2005 as the top public university in northeast Mexico. Its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria (University City), covers approximately 67,630,000 square metres (17,000 acres). The UANL system comprises 26 colleges (faculties), 22 graduate divisions, 24 high schools, 1 center of bilingual education and 3 technical high schools.
Founded in 1969 with the support of local leading multinational corporations such as Cemex, Alfa, Femsa, Gamesa, Protexa & CYDSA, the Universidad Regiomontana is a private university offering preparatory, undergraduate and graduate programs. With agreements with more than 200 universities across the globe, it is member of GATE (Global Alliance for Transnational Education), FIMPES (Federación de Instituciones Mexicanas Particulares de Educación Superior) and holds an ISO 9001 Certification. Its urban campus attracts many working professionals who complement and enrich the academic experience.
The Universidad de Monterrey stands out as model of liberal arts education. UDEM was founded by the religious congregations of the Sisters of Immaculate Mary of Guadalupe, the nuns of the Sacred Heart and the Marist and La Salle brothers, all of them supported by an enthusiastic association of catholic citizens. On December 2001 was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to deliver bachelor and master level educational programs.
Culture
Food
The most traditional dish from Monterrey is cabrito al pastor, kid goat cooked on embers based on the Jewish cuisine of the founders of the city. Other local dishes and customs that perhaps date back to the Crypto-Judaism of these founders are the "semita" (bread without leavening), the capirotada dessert (a mix of cooked bread, cheese, raisins, peanuts, and crystallized sugarcane juice), and the relative absence of pork dishes. Another famous local dish is machacado con huevo, scrambled eggs, dry beef and salsa.
Carne asada (grilled beef) on weekends remains one of the most cherished traditions in Monterrey's families. When people gather to celebrate birthdays, family reunions, soccer games or just to share time with their friends, carne asada is a must. It is usually served with grilled onions, baked potatoes and sausages or chopped as tacos. Carne asada gatherings generally take place in the afternoons opposed to central Mexico tradition of having carne asada between 2 and 4pm. Locally brewed beer and cola soft drinks are an almost mandatory part of the weekly ritual. The traditional desserts, "glorias" and "obleas," made from goat milk are both traditional candies from Nuevo León.
it is know to be one of the best cities in the world. Although not still comparable with the kaleidoscopic gastronomy of Mexico City and some major Mexican beach resorts, several good restaurants offering Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean, German, Japanese, and Argentinian food can be found throughout downtown Monterrey, Southern Monterrey (Valle Alto) and San Pedro Garza Garcia suburb.
Sports
Monterrey has two soccer teams in the Mexican league, the Club de Fútbol Monterrey, known as the Rayados who plays in the Estadio Tecnológico, a facility owned by the ITESM, and rented to the team. And the UANL Tigres, the team of the U.A.N.L. and they play at Estadio Universitario which is located at the main campus of the university. Both teams are related to the city on the derby, called Clásico Regiomontano. Recently there is a proposed project to build a stadium for both teams, the stadium's name is planned to be "Estadio Internacional Monterrey"[32], although the idea was dropped out by both teams. Club de Fútbol Monterrey plans to build a new stadium able to sit a crowd of 50,000. It is scheduled to be finished by 2011, named "Estadio de Fútbol Monterrey". The new stadium is to be financed by the club's managing firm, FEMSA, and will remain the club's property for fifty years before becoming property of the government.
In addition, two professional indoor soccer teams were hosted in the past, the Monterrey La Raza, members of the Continental Indoor Soccer League and World Indoor Soccer League and the Monterrey Fury, members of the current Major Indoor Soccer League. The city was awarded another franchise to begin play in the fall of 2007 in the MISL.
The city hosted many official games during the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Baseball has a long history in the city, where it became the most popular sport during the early 20th century. Monterrey has been champion of the Little League World Series three times (1957, 1958 and 1997), and has been host of US Major League Baseball games. In the Mexican Baseball League, the Sultanes de Monterrey are one important team every season and have won the national title several times. In the year 2003, the city unsuccessfully attempted to buy (and relocate to Monterrey) the Montreal Expos franchise of the US Major League Baseball.The Sultanes de Monterrey, are a Mexican League baseball team based in Monterrey, Mexico. They are in the Northern Division. The team was formed May 20th, 1939 as Carta Blanca (A local beer brand, owned by Cerveceria Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma which owned the team). The team was also known as the gray ghosts. Soon, they became one of the most important teams in the league, winning its first championship in 1943. In total, the Sultanes have collected nine championships (1943, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1962, 1991, 1995, 1996 and 2007), including three straight (1947-1949) under the legendary Cuban manager Lázaro Salazar.
The Sultanes play in the Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey, the largest baseball stadium in Mexico.
There are two professional basketball teams: Fuerza Regia that plays in the national league, Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional and the Monterrey Venom that plays in the minor league American Basketball Association. Fuerza Regia plays at the Monterrey Arena while the Monterrey Poison plays at the gymnasium of the ITESM.
The city has hosted the Champ Car race in Fundidora Park from 2001 to 2005 and hosted the A1 Grand Prix of Nations on February 2006.
In 2004 Monterrey hosted the World Karate Federation Senior World Championships. In April 2004, Monterrey's Arena Monterrey became the first city to host WWE in Mexico. In 2007 Monterrey hosted the Women's WTBA World Tenpin Bowling Championships
American football is well represented nationwide, with two college local teams: the Auténticos Tigres (UANL) and the Borregos (ITESM) that play in the National College League (ONEFA); their games attract thousands (mainly student crowds). A vast number of kids with ages ranging from 5 to 15 practice this sport during summer and fall, and play on Sunday mostly; teams with a great history in the city are Halcones, Aguilas, Pumas, Avispones,Potros and Vaqueros.they have a big league called AFAIM
People can also find golf, fishing, camping, and extreme-sports outdoors near the city (bungee jumping at Cola de Caballo, rock-climbing, hiking, mountain bike). In particular there is international-level rock-climbing places like la Huasteca, Potrero Chico and many other canyons. El Potrero chico offers easy and intermediate terrain for learning to rock climb.
Contemporary music
Starting in the 60's Monterrey has been known for "Norteño" music which is the trademark music of the city, bands like Ramon Ayala, Pesado, Duelo and other Mexican "Regional" music bands perform at the different clubs in the city. Monterrey, Nuevo León has witnessed the birth of several bands that have become internationally acclaimed. Their genres vary considerably. Bands include Plastilina Mosh, Control Machete, Kinky, El Gran Silencio, Jumbo, Panda, Genitallica, Zurdok, Heavy Metal Band "IRA", Maligno, Stentor and Avatar. Gothic Metal represented by bands like MutuM and Eon. The Symphonic Black Meta like selvmordinnehelvete, Evilheart and Aiwass. The song "Los Oxidados" by Plastilina Mosh opens the 2005 movie "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Kinky performed at the 2004 edition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, along with Radiohead, The Cure and The Killers. A few of the most popular live music venues in Monterrey include Arena Monterrey, Auditorio Coca-Cola, Cafe Iguana, Ibex Rockbar, Arena Santa Lucia, McMullen's and Uma Bar, all located in the Barrio Antiguo section of the city.
International development
2007 Universal Forum of Cultures is an international cultural event intended to take place every four years in different cities, for peace, sustainable development, knowledge sharing, human rights and respect for cultural diversity. It was held in Monterrey from September 20th to December 8th 2007. This event was a hotly debated topic in the city; its programmed duration was cut substantially.
Also the city wanted to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Due to last-day registration, the city council decided to wait up for the 2020 Olympic games.
Backed by a young people's movement, students of the universities of Monterrey propose the hosting the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics. Monterrey was in discussion for hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics.
References
This Article is From WikiPedia en.Wikipedia.org
