Taxco

Infobox City
official_name = Taxco de Alarcón


image_



map_caption = Location in Mexico
subdivision_type = State
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = Top
pushpin_map_caption = Taxco de Alarcón
pushpin_mapsize =
subdivision_name = Guerrero
leader_name = Ramiro Jaimes Gómez
elevation_ft = 5833
elevation_m = 1778
coordinates_display =
latd=18 |latm=33 |lats=23 |latNS=N
longd=99 |longm=36 |longs=18 |longEW=W
population_as_of = 2005
population_total = 50,415 city
website = http://www.taxco.gob.mx
footnotes =

Taxco de Alarcón (Taxco) is a former colonial silver-mining center in the northern part of the Mexican state of Guerrero on the western arm of the Sierra Madre del Sur. It is located 200 km southwest of Mexico City along the old highway to Acapulco at an elevation of convert|1800|m|ft|-2|abbr=on. The city serves as the administrative center of the municipality of the same name, which covers a total area of 347 km² (134 sq mi) of the surrounding territory. With a population of 50,415, [http://www.inegi.gob.mx/est/contenidos/espanol/sistemas/conteo2005/localidad/iter/ Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005] INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática] Taxco is the fifth-largest in the state. [Behind Acapulco, Chilpancingo, Iguala, and Zihuatanejo] The municipality has a population of 98,854, which also includes the cities of Tlamacazapa and Acamixtla.

The city is built on the side of a mountain, with very steep narrow cobblestone streets lined by whitewashed houses with red-tiled roofs.

History

The Aztecs founded a city they called “Tlacho” meaning the place of the ballgame. [cite web|url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/guerrero/municipios/12055a.htm|title= Guerrero - Taxco de Alarcón|publisher=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México|year=2005|accessdate=2007-12-24]
Hernán Cortés mined tin for his artillery in the area of Taxco:

Taxco was incorporated in 1532. The books in the Court of Letters, Taxco's first-known public registry, go back to 1529. In 1542 the Mayor, Don Luis de Castilla, was the first Spaniard to make his fortune from the mines of Taxco.

Two hundred years later, French prospector Joseph de la Borda discovered a rich silver deposit. Taxco is the world's capital of silver, with over 200 shops and dozens of renowned silver jewelers. Silver is still the most important aspect of Taxco's economy.

The parish church of Santa Prisca, a 250-year-old baroque-style church, is found in Taxco.

Taxco was named a "Pueblo Mágico" in 2002.

References

External links

* [http://www.taxco.gob.mx/ Ayuntamiento de Taxco de Alarcón] Official website