Oaxaca de Juárez (), or simply Oaxaca (Valley Zapotec: Ndua), is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of Oaxaca, the most populous municipality in Oaxaca, and the fourth most densely populated municipality in Oaxaca, only being less densely populated than San Jacinto Amilpas, Santa Lucía del Camino, and Santa Cruz Amilpas. It is in the Centro District in the Central Valleys region of the state, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín, extending to the banks of the Atoyac River.

Heritage tourism is an important part of the city's economy, and it includes numerous colonial-era structures, significant archeological sites, and elements of the continuing native Zapotec and Mixtec cultures.

The city is also known as la Verde Antequera (the green Antequera) due to its prior Spanish name (Nueva Antequera) and the variety of structures built from a native green stone. The name Oaxaca is derived from the Nahuatl name for the place, Huaxyacac, which was Hispanicized to Guajaca, later spelled Oaxaca. In 1872, "de Juárez" was added in honor of Benito Juárez, a native of this state who became president, serving from 1852 to 1872, and leading the country through challenges, including an invasion by France. The Zapotec name of the city, Ndua, is still used in the Zapotec language (Tlacolula Zapotec). The coat of arms for the municipality bears the image of Donají, a Zapotec woman hostage killed and beheaded by the Mixtec in conflict immediately after the Conquest.

History

thumb|left|[[Monte Albán is regarded as the historical antecedent of the modern city of Oaxaca.]]

Early settlements

The Zapotec and Mixtec peoples had settlements in the valley of Oaxaca for thousands of years, especially in connection with the important ancient centers of Monte Albán and Mitla. The modern city of Oaxaca developed relatively near them.

When the Spanish arrived in 1521, the Zapotec and the Mixtec were involved in one of their many wars. The Spanish conquest ended this fighting, imposing a kind of imperial peace on the area. At the same time, Spanish Catholic missionaries began evangelizing the indigenous peoples, urging them to convert.

Colonial period

The first Spanish expedition to Oaxaca arrived late in 1521, headed by Captain Francisco de Orozco, who was accompanied by 400 Aztec warriors.

In October 2006, President Vicente Fox sent more than 10,000 paramilitaries to retake control of the city. Armed confrontations resulted in many deaths, including that of Indymedia journalists Bradley Roland Will, Roberto López Hernández, and Jorge Alberto Beltrán. In late December, teachers' union leaders announced an end to their strike. Several leaders of the APPO were arrested. These grassroots groups continued to clash with local and state government, but finally all the barricades were removed and they turned over control of the city.

Geography

Climate

Oaxaca has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), due to its high altitude. During the dry season, temperatures during the day remain warm with an average high of in the coolest month, December, and an average high of in April, just before the beginning of the wet season. Although daytime temperatures are warm, nighttime temperatures are cool with an average low of in January. Due to its altitude of , the climate of Oaxaca is cooler than lowland areas at the same latitude. Precipitation is concentrated in the summer months with June being the wettest with an average precipitation of .

|source 2=Deutscher Wetterdienst (sun, 1961–1990)

|date=June 2012

Economy and tourism

thumb|left|A street vendor at the Oaxaca zócalo

The city is the primary attraction of the state, which also relies economically on tourism. From 1984 to 2009, tourism became the dominant factor in Oaxaca's economy. The attractions are the verdant landscapes of the Oaxaca Valley and the architectural and cultural charms of the city itself. The following largest economic sectors are mining and manufacturing, which employ 20% of the workforce. Tourist activity peaks in three seasons: Holy Week, summer (especially during Guelaguetza) and New Year. Many of the tourists who come during Holy Week and for the New Year come from other parts of Mexico, including native Oaxacans returning to visit from their places of work. Most international visitors come during the summer.

Various arcades surround the plaza. On the south side of the plaza are the Portales de Ex-Palacio de Gobierno, which was vacated by the government in 2005 and then reopened as a museum called "Museo del Palacio 'Espacio de Diversidad'" Other arcades include the "Portal de Mercadores" on the eastern side, "Portal de Claverias" on the north side and the "Portal del Señor" on the west side.

thumb|[[Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Oaxaca)|Santo Domingo de Guzmán Church]]

The church and former monastery of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is located 4 blocks north of the cathedral. It was constructed between 1555 and 1666. It is divided into two parts: the church and the former living/working areas of the monks. The front of the church is Renaissance-style, in the central relief, Saint Dominic and Hippolytus of Rome are holding up the church. After La Reforma around 1860, the church was converted into a stable, which caused severe deterioration of the building. It was returned to devotional use at the end of the 19th century. The living and working areas were converted into barracks and officers' quarters. In 1994, work began to convert this area into the Centro Cultural Santo Domingo.

The Church and ex-monastery of Del Carmen Alto belonged to the Carmelites, who established themselves here in 1696. The complex began as a hermitage built over the teocalli of Huaxyacac. Manuel Fernandez Fiallo financed the project.

Markets

thumb|Vendor stalls at the Mercado Benito Juárez

The Benito Juárez Market is located one block south of the Zócalo on Flores Magón and Las Casas, but it takes up the entire block to 20 de Noviembre and Aldama streets. It offers flowers, fruit, ices, fruit drinks, handcrafts, leather goods, hats and knives, among other things. Some important artifacts from Monte Albán are displayed here. In the center of the Centro Cultural, there is a courtyard with a fountain and a very large staircase. The passages along the courtyard have vaulted ceilings, cupolas, and intricate corridors. Much of the Centro Cultural is occupied by the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca (Museum of Oaxacan Cultures), whose entrance is the one pilgrims used to use to enter the church area of the complex. The 2006 political crisis led to the founding of several art collectives that use printmaking, muralism, and street art to address social issues. By the late 2010s, at least 10 to 20 active printmaking workshops operated throughout the city, with printmaking talleres dotting many city blocks.

Festivals and traditions

Guelaguetza

thumb|The Guelaguetza Auditorium, completed in 2010

The Guelaguetza, also known as the Fiestas de los Lunes del Cerro (Festivals of Mondays at the Hill), is a significant cultural event in the city with origins in pre-Hispanic times. The "Hill" is the Cerro del Fortín, which was the scene of the annual rites to the goddess Centeótl, or goddess of the corn. The hill had a teocalli, or sacred plaza, built by the Aztecs. The ritual would end with the sacrifice of a young maiden chosen to represent the goddess.

The event developed from a Dominican Christmas tradition, when they would have a large dinner on the night of 23 December. To decorate the tables, indigenous servants of the monks would carve radishes and adorn them with flowers and other plants. This led to 23 December, which is known as the Night of the Radishes. This led to a special market on this day, selling radishes along with two other popular Christmas plants, the Flor Inmortal (immortal flower) and corn husks. This market has grown into a significant cultural event and is now sponsored by the city, which fills the main square on that day. The day also includes a competition in which radish creations are judged on originality, technical skill, and beauty.

As the Mixtec feared, the Zapotec broke the peace treaty, attacking Monte Albán while the Mixtec slept. The survivors killed their hostage. Later, the body of Donají, decapitated, was found in the Atoyac River. Time passed. One day, a shepherd came to the place where the river buried Donaji. A fragrant lily flower grew there. Fifteen days later, he returned to find the same flower, still fresh and fragrant in the same place, as if a mysterious force was preserving it. The most notable aspect of Oaxacan cuisine is its variety of moles, which are a type of complex sauce. Their origins go back to the melding of Spanish and Arabic food in Spain. After the Conquest, New World ingredients such as chile mulato, miltomate (a small whitish wild tomato), tomatoes, peanuts, avocado leaves, and chocolate were incorporated. While moles can be found in many parts of Mexico, Oaxaca has the greatest variety, including negro (black), colorado (red), coloradito (faint red), chichilo, verde (green), amarillo (yellow), and manchamanteles (lit. 'stainer of tablecloths'). They are sold in markets all over the city as a paste that is combined with water and simmered with a variety of meats.

Other notable foods sold in markets include bars of chocolate (primarily used for making hot chocolate), traditional breads, and chapulines (fried grasshoppers with chile). Street foods include tlayudas, which are large, slightly crispy corn tortillas piled high with ingredients such as grilled beef (called tasajo), cheese, tomatoes, avocados, onions, etc. Local drinks include those made with water, sugar, and a flavoring such as aguamiel (honey water), trocitos de melón (melon), horchata (rice), tuna batida (cactus fruit shake), and nuez (nuts), as well as local fruits such as chilacayota and guanábana. In nearby Tlacolula and Ejutla, an indigenous drink called tejate is still prepared and sold in the local market. Known here as the drink of the gods, it is prepared with corn, cacao, cacao flower, and the seed of the mamey fruit. As for alcoholic beverages, this area prefers mezcal, which like tequila is made from agave, but unlike tequila can be made from a variety of different species of the plant. While much of the indigenous population was either massacred or died from European diseases during the colonial era, sixteen different ethnic groups continue to inhabit the municipality. Spanish is the most commonly spoken language,

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See also

  • Oaxaca Community Foundation

Notes

References

  • Oaxaca Lending Library
  • Oaxaca is the best touristic city in the world