Mazatlán ( ) is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio (municipality) for which the city serves as the municipal seat is also called Mazatlán. It is located at 23°13′N 106°25′W / 23.217°N 106.417°W / 23.217; -106.417 on the Pacific coast, just across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.
Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning "place of the deer." The city was founded in 1531. By the mid-1800s a large group of immigrants had arrived from Germany. These new citizens developed Mazatlán into a thriving commercial seaport, importing equipment for the nearby gold and silver mines. It served as the capital of Sinaloa from 1859 to 1873. They also influenced the music, banda, which is an alteration of Bavarian folk music, and also started the Pacifico Brewery on March 14, 1900.
Mazatlán, with a population of 352,471 (city) and 403,888 (municipality) as of the 2005 census, is the second-largest city in the state (after Culiacán) and Mexico's largest commercial port. It is also a popular tourist destination,with its beaches lined with resort hotels. A car ferry plies its trade across the Gulf of California from Mazatlán to La Paz, Baja California Sur. The municipality has a land area of 3,068.48 km² (1,184.75 sq mi) and includes smaller outlying communities such as Villa Unión, La Noria, El Quelite, El Habal and many other small villages.
Mazatlán is served by Gral. Rafael Buelna International Airport.
History
Until the early 19th century, Mazatlán was a humble collection of huts inhabited by indios whose major occupation was fishing, according to Abel Aubert du Petit-Thouars, a French explorer. In 1829 a Filipino banker named Machado arrived and established commercial relations with vessels coming to Mazatlán from far off places such as Chile, Peru, the United States, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. By 1836 the city had a population of between 4000 and 5000.
The city has seen some turbulent times. During the Mexican-American War (1846-48) the U.S. Army took the city and, in order to avoid the shelling of the city, the Mexican army abandoned it. Almost twenty years later, on the morning of November 13, 1864, a French man-of-war fired on the city twelve times but there were no casualties; Mazatlán then became part of the Mexican Empire under Maximilian (vestiges of French influence may still be found in the architecture of many buildings in Centro Historico). On November 13 , 1866 , the Mexican general Ramon Corona expelled the imperialists from Mazatlán.
On June 18 , 1868 , William H. Bridge, captain of HMS Chanticleer , blockaded the port and threatened to shell the city on June 22. The captain had taken umbrage after local Customs Authorities seized 23 ounces of gold from the paymaster of the ship.
The City of Mazatlán has the dubious distinction of being the second city in the world after Tripoli, Libya, to suffer aerial bombardment (although the local historical display at the plazuela affirms that Mazatlán was the first). During the Mexican revolution of 1910-17 General Venustiano Carranza (later president), intent on taking the city of Mazatlán, ordered a bi-plane to drop a crude bomb of nails and dynamite wrapped in leather on the target of Neveria Hill adjacent to the downtown area of Mazatlán. The crude bomb landed off target on the city streets of Mazatlán, killing two citizens and wounding several others.
During the Gold Rush, fortune hunters from the United States East Coast sailed from New York Harbor and other Atlantic ports to Mexican ports in the Gulf of Mexico. Debarking, the aspiring miners travelled overland for weeks to Mazatlán, where they would embark from the port to arrive in San Francisco in another four to five weeks.
Mazatlán's lighthouse (El Faro) began to shine by mid-1879. The lamp had been handcrafted in Paris, containing a big oil lamp with mirrors and a Fresnel lens to enhance the light. Since the light was static, in the distance it was often mistaken for a star. By 1905 this lamp was converted to a revolving lamp. Today, the 1000 watt bulb can be seen for 30 nautical miles (60 km). Near the lighthouse shore, famous "divers" (called this even by the Spanish speaking inhabitants of Mazatlán) perform daring jumps off high rocks into the Pacific Ocean for tips from onlooking tourists.
Angela Peralta (1845-1883), a Mexican opera diva famed throughout the world, died of yellow fever in Mazatlán shortly after her arrival in the port. Legend has it she sang one last aria from her hotel balcony overlooking the Plazuela Machado. Her memory is held dear by Mazatlécos to this day, and the restored Teatro Angela Peralta by the Plazuela keeps her memory alive.
Mazatlán is also the hometown of Pedro Infante, one of the most popular actors and singers of the golden years of the Cinema of Mexico.
Mazatlán was well regarded by film stars such as John Wayne, Gary Cooper, John Huston, and others of their generation as a sportfishing mecca. The hotels along Olas Altas flourished during the 40's, 50's and 60's supporting this vibrant trade.
In the 70's, tourism in Old Mazatlán declined as other, newer venues opened on the expanses of beach to the north of the city. As an example of Mazatlán's tourism expansion, one of the largest timeshare providers in Mexico, Mayan Resorts was founded in 1975 with the inauguration of Paraíso Mazatlán (Mazatlán Paradise). This time also saw the expansion of the Hotel Playa Mazatlán and the construction of many others, a trend that continues to this day.
As the 21st Century begins, the Centro Histórico has been rediscovered by newcomers and locals alike, spurring a renaissance of restoration and entrepreneurial endeavors. Once-fine homes that had fallen into literal ruin have been restored to their former glory and house families and boutique businesses. The city has assisted in upgrading infrastructure, such as better water, sewer and electrical services.
Climate
The climate regime of the municipality of Mazatlán is transitional Tropical wet and dry (Köppen climate classification Aw ), with a marked dry season in the winter; however, as it is at the transition zone with the semi-arid climate to the north ( BSh ), the dry season is longer than most areas of similar classification. The wet season (July to September) is short, very rainy, and very humid.
During the 1940-1980 period, the municipality saw an average annual rainfall of 748 mm, a maximum of 215.4 mm in 24 hours, and 90.4 millimeters in one hour. During this same period, the average annual rate of evaporation was 2146.80 mm. The prevailing winds are from the northwest at an average speed of 5.0 meters per second.
Sister towns
Hamm, Germany since 1978
- Santa Monica, California United States
- Seattle, Washington United States
- Puntarenas, Costa Rica
- Grande Prairie, Alberta Canada
Cityscape
Communities and neighborhoods
Beaches and parks
Viejo Mazatlan & Centro area:
- Olas Altas
- Playa Norte
- Los Pinitos
Zona Dorada (Golden Zone):
- Gaviotas
- Sabalos
- Playa Camaron
Nuevo Mazatlan area:
- Cerritos
- Playa Bruja
- El Delfin
- Marmol
Isla de la Piedra:
Culture and contemporary life
Mazatlan is home to the Teatro Angela Peralta, located on the Plazuela Machado. Originally built from 1869 to 1874, the Teatro, completely restored from 1987 to 1992 to
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