Morelia

Morelia (from 1541 to 1545, City of Mechuacán and from 1545 to 1828, Valladolid) is a city in western Mexico, capital of the state of Michoacán and head of the homonymous municipality. The city is located in the Guayangareo valley, formed by a fold of the Neovolcanic Axis, in the Morelia region of the state, at a reference altitude in the center of 1920 m s. no. m.

This is the largest and most populous city in the state of Michoacán with 743,275 inhabitants (2020) in its urban core (the city itself) which makes it the 22nd most populous city in Mexico, in the conurbation (the urban sprawl) has 835,214 inhabitants, the municipality of Morelia has 849,053 inhabitants. and its metropolitan area with 988,704 inhabitants, making it the 18th most populous metropolitan area in Mexico while in terms of its gross domestic product (GDP) it ranks 26th. Morelia is also the most important city in the state since the social, political, economic, cultural and educational point. It houses the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, commonly known as Nicolaita, one of the most important universities in Mexico and the first institution of higher education in the American continent. Morelia is considered one of the most representative cities of the viceregal period of Mexico, identified above all by its pink quarry buildings, its aqueduct, squares, palaces, temples and convents, but above all, its cathedral stands out. Thanks to the relevance of its constructions from the XVI, XVII and XVIII and the historical events that took place there, the historic center of Morelia was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991.

Morelia has a very important place in the history of the country, due to the historical events and characters who were born or lived in it, such as Agustín de Iturbide, first emperor, liberator and father of the nation of Mexico, José María Morelos y Pavón, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, as well as two presidents of Mexico, poets and composers. Also the birthplace of the main conspirators of Valladolid such as José Mariano Michelena and José María García Obeso.

Morelia's main economic activity is services, among which financial, real estate and tourism stand out, followed by the construction industry, the manufacturing industry and, lastly, the activities of the primary sector. As part of its tourist activity, the city hosts various international music, organ, film and gastronomy festivals.

General information

Morelia was founded on May 18, 1541 by Juan de Villaseñor and Luis de León Romano, by order of the first viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco. Its name in pre-Hispanic times was Guayangareo, in the viceregal era it first received the name of Ciudad de Mechuacán, which it changed in 1545 to the city of Valladolid in honor of the homonymous city in Spain. In 1828 it changed its name to Morelia in honor of the hero of the independence of Mexico José María Morelos y Pavón, who was born in this city. The name of its population is Moreliano.

The city is located in a wide valley formerly called the Guayangareo valley, in the center-north of the municipality, which is surrounded by hills and hills, among which the Punhuato hill stands out to the east, and the peak to the west. del Quinceo, to the south the hills of Santa María and the peak of El Águila. Its height at the center is 1920 m s. no. m., ranging from 1881 m s. no. m. in the area of Ciudad Industrial, to the northeast, up to 2167 m a.s.l. no. m. in the Altozano area to the south of the city.

Morelia borders in the northern part with the municipalities of Tarímbaro, Chucándiro and Huaniqueo; to the east with Charo and Tzitzio; to the south with Villa Madero and Acuitzio; and to the west with Lagunillas, Coeneo, Tzintzuntzan and Quiroga. Likewise, Morelia is physically in the middle of the route of the most important cities of the country, Guadalajara and Mexico City.

Morelia is the most populous and extensive city in the state of Michoacán with a population of 743,275 in 2020 (according to CONAPO) while the municipality has 849,053 inhabitants. and its metropolitan area with 988,704 inhabitants (final results of the XIV Population and Housing Census, INEGI 2020), which includes the municipalities of Morelia, Tarímbaro and Charo. It is the fourth most populated metropolitan area in the Bajío Region (after León de los Aldama, Santiago de Querétaro and Aguascalientes). Its annual growth rate is 1.77%.

Morelia is one of the most important cities in the country from a cultural and historical point of view. It is home to several international festivals such as the music festival "Miguel Bernal Jiménez" and the Morelia International Film Festival, among others. The film festival has been gaining importance internationally: with filmmakers, screenwriters and actors presenting their works.

Historically, Morelia is considered the ideological cradle of the Mexican independence movement. In 1809, the historical event known as the Valladolid Conspiracy or Conspiracy occurred, one of the meetings where the movement was planned. Several of the promoters of the first independence cause originate from the city, including José María Morelos y Pavón, Mariano Michelena. Likewise, Agustín de Iturbide, creator and consummator of national independence and later Constitutional Emperor of the Mexicans, is originally from it. In the city he came to study and was rector of the old Colegio de San Nicolás Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. The old Valladolid, today Morelia, in New Spain stood out as an important city as it was the seat of the Province and Bishopric of Michoacán, an old political-ecclesiastical jurisdiction, one of the largest and most prosperous in New Spain. Currently the city is the seat of the Archdiocese of Morelia.

History

The first human remains appeared in the Guayangareo valley until the V[.]II century and have been related to the Purépecha culture; They were located in the vicinity of the Cointizio dam, as well as on the hill of Santa Maria. The place was depopulated soon after and occupied again until the establishment of the Matlatzincas (second half of the XV century), who arrived with the consent of the Purépecha rulers for their support to fight the Tecos of the current territory of Jalisco.

Colonial period

Monument to the virrey Antonio de Mendoza, with a bronze replica of the Royal City of foundation.

Morelia Cathedral at night.

Roberto Carranza passed through the place in 1522 when he went to hold a peaceful interview with the Purépecha ruler, being the first time that a European visited the Guayangareo valley. Between 1525 and 1526, Gonzalo Gómez took possession of land belonging to the Guayangareo valley. Between 1530 and 1531 the Franciscans Antonio de Lisboa and Juan de San Miguel arrived at the place to build a chapel dedicated to San Francisco de Asís and the primitive school of San Miguel Guayangareo, in order to facilitate the evangelization of the natives of the place. In 1537, Queen Juana I of Castile sent a royal decree ordering the establishment of a Spanish town in Michoacán that should bear the name “Valladolid ”.

Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza discovered the Guayangareo valley in 1540 and the following year ordered the foundation of a city in the place, which was founded on Wednesday, May 18, 1541 at 8 in the morning by Alonso de Toledo, Juan de Alvarado the Elder, Juan de Villaseñor and Luis de León Romano, under the name of "City of Mechuacán" and not “Valladolid”, as had been ordered by the queen. Due to disputes with the city of Pátzcuaro, which was then the capital of the province and also held the title of “City of Mechuacán”, the name was changed to Valladolid (6 February 1545) and was granted the title of city. The coat of arms was granted to it in 1553. Between 1575 and 1580, the powers and governmental institutions of Pátzcuaro were transferred to Valladolid, which accelerated its growth during the rest of the colonial period. During the second half of the XVIII century, some of the most important figures of the Mexican War of Independence were born or lived in this city (Morelos, Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, Iturbide and Hidalgo).

During this period, in the year 1794, the city received its first formal nomenclature, obeying the ordinance established by the viceregal government, which was characterized by assigning names to most of the existing streets in the city, today in day historic center of the same.

19th century

In 1809, in full political ferment in New Spain, the Valladolid Conspiracy was carried out, led by José María García Obeso in which he sought to achieve the independence of New Spain and start the independence movement in this city on December 21, 1809 with the establishment of the Mexican Congress. Due to an informer the conspiracy was discovered and its participants were taken prisoner. During the War of Independence, Miguel Hidalgo entered the city with the insurgent army. In 1810 the priest Hidalgo entered the city and the abolition of slavery was decreed. Later, in 1813, the priest Morelos tried to conquer the square, but was defeated by Agustín de Iturbide in the Lomas de Santa María. Later, Iturbide would consummate national independence on September 27, 1821, with the triumphant entry of the Triguarante Army into Mexico City.

Agustín de Iturbide, a native of what was then Valladolid, was proclaimed emperor of the Mexicans on May 19, 1822 by the National Congress, with the support of the majority of the deputies, the people, the Church and the army; he served as head of the nation's first formal independent government, until his subsequent abdication in March 1823. The Congress of Michoacán determined to change the name of the city to Morelia on September 12, 1828 to honor José María Morelos, originally from the city. The municipality of Morelia was established on December 10, 1831.

During the Ayutla Revolution (1854), the city was taken by the rebels Epitacio Huerta and García Pueblita, but in 1855 it was reconquered by the army of Antonio López de Santa Anna.

During the French Intervention the city was taken by imperialist troops, for which reason the republican capital of Michoacán was transferred to Uruapan until this conflict ended. At the end of the XIX century, the city began its incorporation into modernity with the operation of the first factories (1870), the inauguration of the telegraph line, the arrival of the railway service to Morelia (1883), the operation of the tram system, and the inauguration of electric lighting (1888) and the first banking institution (1897).

20th century

Morelia in the 19th centuryThomas Egerton's painting.

The Madero revolutionary forces entered the city triumphantly in 1911. Three years later Morelia was taken by revolutionary troops, so the capital was provisionally changed to Tacámbaro. The Michoacan University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo was created in 1917 from the old Colegio de San Nicolás. Morelia was taken and sacked in January 1924 by Huerta rebel troops. The city's economy was seriously affected between 1926 and 1929 during the Cristero Rebellion, since Michoacán was one of the entities with the greatest Cristero activity.

In 1940, during the elections for President of the Republic and Governor of the State, there were riots in the city that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries. During 1966 there was a university student revolt that was contained by the action of the army. The city was proposed to be part of the "Cultural Heritage of Humanity" in 1990, and the following year received this distinction from UNESCO. The city was about to lose its status as a World Heritage Site due to the large number of informal street vendors in its downtown area, until in 2001 it was relocated to various commercial plazas.

21st century

Visit of Pope Francis to Morelia on February 16, 2016.

On the night of September 15, 2008, a terrorist attack occurred with the simultaneous detonation of two grenades in a large angry crowd that covered some streets in the city center, during the ceremony of the Cry for Independence, with a balance end of 8 people dead and more than a hundred injured, among them people severed, attributed to the criminal group La Familia Michoacana. This largely affected the image of the city in terms of security in the last years of the first decade of the XXI century.

The historical context of the beginning of the century has been marked by sustained urban growth, which is why the relevant efforts of the city have been focused on ordering the accelerated expansion of the urban sprawl. Due to the impulse of vertical growth in the city, as well as the horizontal extension, to the degree of reaching other municipalities, the City Council of the city saw the need to create the Morelia Municipal Planning Institute in December 2013.

Despite the fact that the city has been involved in different events of a social nature, a climate of stability has re-emerged that has allowed celebrities and international personalities to visit the city, highlighting among them the visit of the current Kings of Spain in 2008, as well as the visit of Pope Francis in 2016, being the first and only time in history that a Supreme Pontiff has visited the city.

Currently, the process of pedestrianization of the Historic Center is underway, which aims to achieve a more tourist-friendly city, as well as the modernization of the road infrastructure, which allows greater fluidity, especially in the periphery of the city.

Cultural Heritage of Humanity

On December 12, 1991, UNESCO inscribed Morelia on the World Heritage List. The Historic Center is the Mexican city with the most buildings listed as architectural monuments (it has 1113 and 260 of them were designated as relevant), in such a way that visiting it offers the guarantee of an enriching tour due to its wide and varied historical and architectural value. These buildings sit on a gentle quarry hill that covers 390 hectares distributed in 219 blocks with 15 squares that become havens for the visitor.

Another characteristic is its exterior ornamentation known as “Morelian Baroque”, where decorative sculptural and vegetal elements dominate the planes and lines of boards and moldings. The streets and squares of the Michoacan capital stick to the shape of an irregular grid and many of them end with a monument that creates spectacular perspectives.

In its statement, UNESCO considered that some of the urban perspectives of the Historic Center of Morelia constitute "a unique model in America." He also estimated that the monumental architecture of the city is characterized by its style classified as "Morelian Baroque", due to the originality of its local expressions that are reflected in the Aqueduct, the Metropolitan Cathedral, in the complex of the Church of the Company and the former Jesuit College as well as on the facades and arcades of the corridors and patios of Valladolid houses.

On the other hand, he pointed out that the diversity of styles ranges from architectural typologies from the end of the XVI century, where the appearance of Medieval fortress coexists with Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical elements until reaching the eclecticism and Frenchification of the Porfirio Díaz period.

Toponymy

José María Morelos, insurgent during the Viceroy of New Spain.

The original name of the place in pre-Hispanic times was Guayangareo, which means "long and flattened hill". The town was called City of Mechuacán between 1541 (the year of the Spanish foundation) and 1545. From February 6, 1545 to September 11, 1828, the city Valladolid was called. Finally, the name of Morelia began to be applied on September 12, 1828, and derives from the surname of Morelos, who was one of the prominent figures in the fight for independence from Mexico, and a native of the city. The name of the city in the current Purépecha language is Uainarhio, an evolution of the original ("Guayangareo") and with the same meaning. The nicknames of Morelia are "The City of the Pink Quarry", "The City of Open Doors", "The Rose of the Winds", " The Garden of New Spain", and religiously it is known as "Morelia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús".

Demographics

a) Municipality: According to the definitive results of the Second Population and Housing Count, 2005, the municipal population was 684,145 inhabitants, of which 326,612 were men and 357,533 women, with a rate of annual growth of 2.74% (2000-2005). On the other hand, according to the results of the XIII Population and Housing Census, as of June 12, 2010, the municipal population was 729,757 inhabitants. As of March 15, 2015, the municipal population reached 784,776 inhabitants. For the year 2020, the population reached 849,053 inhabitants (14th Population and Housing Census), of which 407,129 were men and 441,924 women, with an annual growth rate of 1.45% for the period 2010-2020, the second highest high in the state, only behind the municipality of Tarímbaro. The municipal population represented 18.06% of the state population. The most populated localities in the municipality in 2020 were: Morelia 743,275 inhab., Morelos 15,054 inhab., Jesús del Monte 8,995 inhab., Capula 6,624 inhab., Puerto de Buenavista 4,116, San Antonio 3,712, Bosque Monarca 3,093.

b) City: Morelia has historically been the most populous city in Michoacán (then called "Valladolid") since the powers of Michoacán were transferred to it in 1578. At the regional level (Bajío), it ranks second, only behind León de los Aldamas, and at the national level, the city ranks 21 among the most populous localities in the country. The city at the beginning of the XX century had fewer than 40,000 inhabitants, and its growth was low, until between the period 1970 -80 almost doubled its population. Between 1990 and 2000 its growth slowed down a bit, but increased again after the year 2000. In 2005 it reached 608,049 inhabitants, and as of June 12, 2010, 597,897 inhabitants (preliminary results of the XIII Population and Housing Census). By the year 2020, the city reached 743,275 inhabitants (355,161 men and 388,114 women) according to the results of the XIV Population and Housing Census, with an annual growth rate of 1.30% (2010-2020), similar to the municipal one.

c) Conurbation: Due to the great growth of the city, it has exceeded its original limits and absorbed various contiguous localities, thus forming a conurbation that integrates the city of Morelia, properly speaking, and another 14 locations in the municipality of Morelia and 12 in the municipality of Tarímbaro. Its population in the year 2000 was 570,377 inhabitants, in 2005 it was 642,314, and the estimate for 2008 was 672,069 inhabitants. According to the XIV Population and Housing Census, in 2020 the population of the conurbation reached 835,214 inhabitants (399,896 men and 435,318 women), 743,275 of them corresponding to the City of Morelia, 48,705 to the fourteen conurbated localities of the municipality of Morelia and 43,234 to the twelve suburban towns of the municipality of Tarímbaro. Its annual growth rate in the period 2010-2020 was 1.91%.

d) Metropolitan Area: In agreement with the National Population Council (CONAPO), the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (INEGI), as well as the Social Development Secretariat (SEDESOL), the metropolitan area of Morelia (ZMMOR) is made up of the municipalities of Morelia, Charo and Tarímbaro, which reached a population of 988,704 inhabitants in 2020 (476,500 men and 512,204 women) according to the results of the XIV Population and Housing Census, of which 849,053 belonged to the municipality of Morelia, 25,138 to Charo and 114,513 to Tarímbaro. The annual growth rate of the metropolitan area is 1.77% (2010-2020).

The population increase of the three municipalities that make up the metropolitan area is not uniform, while in Charo growth is slow, Morelia maintains a rate close to 1.5%, while Tarímbaro around 3.86% per year.

• Note: The terms "conurbation" and "metropolitan zone" are not synonymous. While the "conurbation" refers to the physical union of census localities in a single urban agglomeration, the term "metropolitan zone" refers to complete municipalities, and this includes localities that are not part of the adjacent area of the cities.

Population tables

Population distribution

Historical population of the Metropolitan Area of Morelia

Population of the city of Morelia 1900-2020

Graphic of demographic evolution of Morelia between 1900 and 2020

Population of censuses and counts of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) from 1900 to 2020.

Population density

In 2020, the population density of the municipality was 708,122 inhabitants/km². On the other hand, the Metropolitan Zone of Morelia had in that same year a density of 577.44 inhabitants/km².

Religions

The majority religion in the municipality is Catholic, with more than 80% adherents, 10% atheists and followed by Protestant groups, including Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Presbyterians, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Pentecostals. The city is the seat of the Archdiocese of Morelia, with the Cathedral of Morelia as its episcopal seat.

Urban marginalization

According to a study prepared by the National Population Council, CONAPO in 2004, the degree of urban marginalization in the Morelia conurbation was as follows (left), on the other hand, according to the results of the Second Pop Count. and Housing (INEGI, 2005), as well as the National Occupation and Employment Survey 2005, for the municipality of Morelia there are the following marginalization indicators;

The marginalization index for the municipality of Morelia is determined, being -1.63334, corresponding to a very low degree of marginalization.

Geography

Hydrography

The municipality is located in hydrographic region number 12, known as Lerma-Santiago, particularly in the Morelia-Querétaro Irrigation District. It is part of the Cuitzeo lake basin. Its main rivers are the Grande and the Chiquito. These two rivers came to surround the city until the middle of the 20th century. Uncle Big was channeled in the late 19th century due to frequent overflows. The Rio Grande has its origin in the municipality of Pátzcuaro and runs for 26 km through the municipality of Morelia (it crosses the municipal capital), and flows into Lake Cuitzeo (the second largest in the country). The main runoffs that feed this river are the Lagunillas stream, the Tirio streams and the San Pedro ravine. The Chiquito River, 25 km long, is the main tributary of the Grande and originates in the Lobera and Lechuguilla mountains, and later joins the Cuadrilla, Agua Escondida, Salitre, Peral, Bello, and the Carindapaz.

Regarding the bodies of water in the municipality, there are the Umécuaro and Loma Caliente dams, as well as the Cointzio dam, the most important in the municipality, with a capacity of 79.2 million cubic meters. Another important source of water supply in the municipality of Morelia are the springs, highlighting the use of the Mintzita spring, used to supply drinking water to a large part of the city's population, as well as for industrial uses. The hot springs that are used as spas are also important, including Cointzio, El Ejido, El Edén and Las Garzas. Going back to the Chiquito river, it was one of the most outstanding rivers in the municipality but over the years it has stopped having clean water, now the river is very dirty and there are no animals as there used to be before the general population contaminated it., rivers, lakes and seas are very important for municipalities, cities, states, countries and even for continents, springs are a very good source to obtain drinking water for the population of a municipality, state, etc.

Orography

The surface of the municipality is very rugged, since it is located on the Transversal Neovolcanic Axis, which crosses the center of the country, from east to west, however, the growing urban development of the city of Morelia has resulted in the population of the mountains, hills and hills surrounding the historic center of the city, which has in turn fostered the need to increase the existing infrastructure to integrate the new urban settlements.

Panoramic of the urbanization of the Loma de Santa Maria to the south of Morelia.

There are three mountainous systems in the municipality: to the east various mountains that form the Sierra de Otzumatlán and which extend from the north to the southwest, highlighting the hill of "El Zacatón" (2960 m a.s.l.), the "Zurumutal" (2840 m a.s.l.), the hill "Peña Blanca" (2760 m a.s.l.) and the "Punhuato" (2320 m a.s.l.), which marks the eastern limit of the city of Morelia, as well as the "Azul" (2625 m a.s.l.) and the "Verde" (2600 m a.s.l.) a little further to the southeast. The physiography of the municipality has the following composition;

• From the west stand the peak of "Five"2787 m. n. m.), the hill "Pelon" (2320 m. n. m.and the highest of the municipality, the hill of the "Aguila" (3090 m. n. m.) which is a little further southwest. In the south the partakers that delimit the area presents an approximate direction of west to east and the orographic accidents correspond to the alignment of the hills "Cuanajo" and "San Andrés", whose conical auctions serve as a limit to the valleys of Lagunillas and Acuitzio. for this sector stand out the "Verde (2600 msnm), the hill of Cuirimeo (2540 msnm) and the hill "La Nieve", which is located towards the southwest end. In the north, and within the urban area of the municipal capital, a parlour extends in the west-east direction from the Santiaguito colony, which continues to be linked to the hills of the "Punhuato", "Blanco", "Prieto" and "Charo", which form the eastern boundary and diminish their elevation to form low parlours towards Quirio. The northern boundary is marked by the low loomies like the "La Placita" hill.2100 m. n. m.) that are located towards the north of the Tarímbaro Valley, as well as the southernmost sector of the Valles de Queréndaro and Álvaro Obregón.
• Sierra (S): 53.57 % of the municipal area.
• Mountain range (SL): 15.71 % of the municipal area.
• Meseta con lomerios (ML): 11.58 % of the municipal area.
• Lomeríos (L): 3.05 % of the municipal area.
• Valley with parlours (VL): 2.46 % of the municipal area.
• Plain with parlours (VL): 4.93 % of the municipal area.
• Plain (V): 13.63 % of the municipal area.
• San Juan Morilo Valley

Climate

Morelia's climate is classified as warm and temperate. The summers are much rainier than the winters in Morelia. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification is Cwb. The average annual temperature (municipal) oscillates between 16 °C in the mountainous area of the municipality and 20 °C in the lower areas, with an annual average of 17.7 °C in the city. The precipitation is 786 mm per year, with oscillations between 700 to 1000 mm of annual precipitation and maximum winter rains of 5 mm. The extreme temperatures recorded have been a maximum of 34 °C and a minimum of -5.2 °C. Despite the fact that temperatures are below zero a few times a year, snowfall in the city and municipality is extremely rare. There is a record of a snowfall in February 1881 and another in January 1919. Likewise, on March 10, 2016, multiple elevations to the west of the city were covered with snow.

The prevailing winds come from the southwest and northwest, variable in July and August with intensities from 2.0 to 14.5 km/h.

Average climate parameters of Morelia Month Ene. Feb. Mar. Open up. May. Jun. Jul. Ago. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Annual Temp. max. abs. (°C) 35.0 34.0 39.0 38.0 38.0 38.0 34.0 34.0 31.0 33.0 33.0 33.0 39.0 Average temperature (°C) 25.1 26.7 28.8 30.5 31.2 29.3 26.8 26.8 26.4 26.4 26.3 25.7 27.5 Average temperature (°C) 15.6 17.0 19.0 20.8 22.0 21.4 19.9 20.0 19.7 18.8 17.4 16.1 19.0 Temp. medium (°C) 6.0 7.3 9.3 11.1 12.7 13.5 13.0 13.1 13.0 11.2 8.5 6.5 10.4 Temp. min. abs. (°C) -0.5 0.0 1.5 0.0 5.5 5.5 5.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 -3.0 -6.0 -6.0 Total precipitation (mm) 13.9 13.8 7.1 11.2 45.9 144.0 174.3 177.3 140.2 55.7 10.1 3.0 796.5 Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 2.9 2.0 2.2 3.3 7.9 17.6 22.0 20.8 18.0 8.9 2.7 1.4 109.7 Source: National Meteorological Service 14 October 2022

Climates in the municipality of Morelia. Key Description % of the municipal area ACw2 Subhumid semi-heated with rains in summer, greater humidity 0.53 ACw1 Subhumid semi-heated with rains in summer, medium humidity 0.99 C(w2): Subhumid season with rains in summer, greater humidity 23,12 C(w1) Subhumid season with rains in summer, medium humidity 75.36

Flora

Affluent south of Morelia.

The municipality of Morelia has ten types of vegetation or primary plant groups, in addition there are extensions of agricultural use and pastures, which are developed on areas altered by man and domestic animals, generally from the oak forest or of the subtropical scrub that were exposed to intense grazing, which are; Mezquital (mezquite, huisache, maguey). It is located in the northern part of the municipality. Subtropical scrub (nogalillo, colorín, casahuate, parotilla, yucca, sapote prieto, puchote). It is located on very stony, shallow terrain or on volcanic rock at altitudes ranging from 1800 to 2000 m s. no. m., in the north, northeast areas.

• Selva media caducifolia (aguacatillo, laurel, ajunco, atuto, escobetilla, saiba).
• Selva low caducifolia (copal, paper, tepehuaje, anona, saclosúchitl). In the southern part of the municipality.
• Encino forest (encino, acacia, madroño). This type of vegetation is located on the skirt of the hills, between 2000 and 2400 m. n. m. of altitude around the valley of Morelia. Being close to the city are the most exploited and destroyed, leading to the formation of secondary grasslands.
• Pine forest (pseudostrobus, michoacan pine, moctezuma pine, teocote pine). Located in the cold and mountainous areas of the municipality, between 2200 and 3000 m. n. m..
• Pine-baby forest. Located in the south, southwest and northeast.
• Gallery forest (ahuehuete, fresno, aile, willow). This plant grouping is in a state of extinction.
• Mountain mesophile forest (moralillo, alie, jaboncillo, fresno, tick, pinabete).
• Forest of oyamel (oyamel or pineapple).
• Agricultural (frijol, corn, chickpeas): 28,58 % of the municipal area.
• Pastizal: 13.98 % of the municipal area.
• Forest and jungle: 40.80 % of the municipal area.
• Matorral and mosque: 11.01 % of the municipal area.
• Other: 5.63 % of the municipal area.

Wildlife

In the municipality of Morelia, 62 species of birds, 96 of mammals, 20 of reptiles and 9 of amphibians have been identified. They are between them:

• Birds: Common raven, urraca, Mexican pinzón, cuckold owl, tecolote, zopilote, zopilotela cola blanca, jilguero pinero, jilguero dominico, colorín, chipe, gorrión ceja blanca, homemade sparrow, oriental tecolote, hummingbird berilo, colibi pico ancho, papamoscas cenizo.
• Mammals: Coyote, gray bitch, armadillo, zarigüeya (tlacuache), tuza, bat, field rat, weasel, breeze rat, gray rat, gang zorrillo, raccoon, badger, musaraña, squirrel.
• Reptiles: Falsa coralillo, alicante, puerco snout, Mexican dark cascabel, aquatic cascabel, cascabel, llanerita, jarretera.
• Amphibians: Salamandra, salamandra michoacana, sapo meseta, ovejera frog, cane frog.

The city is located on firm ground of hard stone called "rhyolite", commonly known as "quarry", and unconsolidated volcanic materials or in the process of consolidation, being in in this case the so-called tepetate. The soil of the municipality is of two types: that of the southern and mountainous region belongs to the podzolic group, typical of sub-humid, temperate and cold forests, rich in organic matter and of a "forest" brown color; the northern zone corresponds to the “agricultural” black soil, of the Chernozem group. The municipality has 69,750 hectares of land, of which 20,082.6 are workable (temporary, juice and irrigation); 36,964.6 of pastures; and 12,234 from forests; In addition, 460.2 are uncultivated and unproductive.

Economy

According to the document Wholesale and Retail Trade Indicators, INEGI Economic Statistics, published in July 1997, the economic activities of the municipality, by sector, within unspecified activities, contemplate 3.77%. In this way, the main economic activities of the city are trade and tourism (tertiary sector) and then the construction and manufacturing industry. On the other hand, the National Occupation and Employment Survey (ENOE) of INEGI shows the following absolute values of employed, underemployed and unemployed population over 14 years of age employed in the quarters of 2005 and 2006. And they are distributed as follows:

• Primary sector (agriculture, livestock, hunting and fishing): 6.64%.
• Sector Secundario (manufacturing industry, construction, electricity): 25.91%.
• Tertiary sector (trade, tourism and services): 63.67%.

Industry

Kimberly Clark Plant in Morelia

Morelia, despite its significant demographic growth, has had a slow industrial development compared to that of many other cities in the center and north of the country, mainly due to the lack of adequate infrastructure, as well as little promotion to industrial-type investments throughout the state. In the capital of Michoacán is the Industrial City of Morelia (CIMO), which covers 354 hectares and accommodates 180 companies that generate 9,050 jobs (February 1, 2007). However, only 42% of them are manufacturing companies, while the rest are warehouses or distribution centers and most of them have small and medium-sized companies. Morelia is home to Corporativo Cinépolis, one of the largest international movie entertainment chains with a presence in more than 14 countries. The Morelian industry is dedicated to the production of edible oil, chemical products, resins, flour, foundry, plastic, boilers, canned sweets, food processors, wood, bottling water and soft drinks, plastics manufacturing, electrical equipment manufacturing, and paper derivatives. In 2014, the Dish company installed its customer service center in the Tres Marías technology park. As of 2017, the Customer Service Center of the Liverpool Department Store will begin operations, also installed in the Tres Marías technology park. Within this technology park, there are software development companies, among the most relevant is the company IA interactive that has won great prizes and recognitions, as well as its great growth and support to other local software development companies, promoting entrepreneurship and technological development. Morelia is considered a hotbed of great software developers, where it is intended to promote this technological industry; as well as the sister cities of Mexico City and Guadalajara, being an intermediate point between these cities to house development companies and create a Silicon Valley but Mexican.

Sports

UMSNH University City Stadium in Morelia.

Morelos Stadium Tribe.

The city of Morelia is the headquarters of the professional team Club Atlético Morelia, of the MX expansion league. Until the middle of 2020, it was the headquarters of the first division soccer team, Monarcas Morelia, which was owned by the television station TV Azteca, the strong competitor of Televisa, so the soccer matches played between Monarcas Morelia and the Club América (owned by Televisa) was known as "El Clásico del Periférico"; This is because the headquarters of both companies are located on the Peripheral Ring of Mexico City; it was also called "Clásico de las Televisoras". The team was league champion in the Invierno 2000 tournament and cup in the Apertura 2013 tournament, in addition to being runner-up in the league on three occasions: in the Apertura 2002, Clausura 2003 and Clausura 2011. It has also represented Mexico in different international tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores de América in the years 2002, 2010 and 2014, in addition to the CONCACAF Champions League in the editions of 2002, 2003 and being champion in the tournament called "Superliga" in 2010 beating New England 2-1. However, on June 2, 2020, the team announced its change of headquarters to the city of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, ending its history in the Michoacán capital. In July 2020, the incorporation of the Atlético Morelia team, the historic team of the city, known by the nickname of "Canarios", to the new Liga de Expansión MX was announced with the purpose of not leaving professional football without a historic headquarters and, finally, going up to the First Division known as Liga MX.

The headquarters of the Atlético Morelia team is the Morelos Stadium, with capacity for 38,869 spectators, being the largest sports arena in Michoacán and the seventh in the country.

Morelia also has the Olympic stadium Estadio Venustiano Carranza, with capacity for 17,600 spectators, and the Olympic-type Estadio Universitario (C.U.).

It also has the Aguacateros de Michoacán professional basketball team that plays in the National Professional Basketball League and that is home to the Auditorium of the Universidad Michoacana in San Nicolás de Hidalgo with a capacity for 3,500 spectators.

Other venues for sports and shows in the city are the Bicentennial Auditorium, inaugurated in 2012 with a capacity for 6,000 spectators; the University Stadium (5,000 spectators), the Morelia Monumental Bullring (17,000 spectators), the Palace of Art (4,000 spectators), the Don Vasco Pavilion (6,560 spectators), and the UMSNH Gymnasium-Auditorium (3,500 spectators).. There is also an autodrome 20 km south of the city, called "Autódromo del Águila", with a layout of 1.34 km, in the neighboring municipality of Lagunillas and with stands for 4,000 people.

Tourism

Public Library in Morelia, Old Temple of the Society of Jesus.

Judicial Palace.

Court of the Clavic Palace.

Mural, Mountains of Michoacán- Clavian Palace.

Central courtyard of the Government Palace.

The city has great tourist attractions due to its important architectural, cultural and historical heritage, in addition to the fact that it is located near towns with traditions and close to natural settings, such as Los Azufres and the lakes of Pátzcuaro and Cuitzeo, among others sites, reasons for which it is the most visited destination without a beach in Mexico (almost 500,000 tourists per holiday season), with a percentage of 85% of national tourists and 15% of foreign tourists, including Americans, Spaniards, Canadians and Italians (2006). For this reason, the city has a good tourist infrastructure, including hotels of all categories, restaurants, travel agencies, sports clubs, spas, a convention center, a planetarium, an orchidarium, a zoo, etc.

Main tourist attractions:

• Historical center of Morelia
  Main article: Historical center of Morelia
  The historic centre of the city of Morelia is one of the highest exponents of colonial architecture on the continent, thanks to which it was declared by the Unesco Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 13, 1991, due to its great beauty and architectural unity, mainly of the buildings of the centuries XVI, XVII and XVIII, although important constructions of the century also exist in the city centerXIX. The World Heritage area consists of 271 ha (2,71 km2), in which there are 219 blocks (tables or blocks), 15 squares and 1113 civil and religious historical monuments.

Temples and ex-convents

• Cathedral of Morelia (1660 to 1744). Stunning monument with two twin towers of 66.8 meters, the highest of the American continent within the baroque style (and regardless of the style of its construction the fourth highest in Mexico, after the towers of the Sanctuary of Guadalupe, in the city of Zamora de Hidalgo [108 m], of the Cathedral of Villahermosa [80 m] and the Sanctuary of Guadalupe in San Luis Potosí [68 m] [68 m]. It should be noted that every Saturday at 9:00 p.m. the show "Luces de Catedral" is performed in which there are fireworks, sound and lights.
• Old Temple of the Society of Jesus (s. XVII). It was built in the century XVII to host the Society of Jesus. Currently there is the Public Library of the Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo.
• Temple and Ex-Convention of the Roses (1743-177). First American Conservatory of Music
• Temple and Ex-Convention of Merced (1604)
• Temple and Ex-Convention of Saint Augustine (1550 to 1626).
• Temple and Ex-Convento del Carmen (sss. XVI a XIX).
• Temple of Saint Joseph (1760-1945).
• Temple of the Holy Cross (1680-1690).
• Franciscan temple and ex-convention of St. (1530-1610). Currently part of this convent has been used as the Casa de las Artesanías, which is a museum of michoacana handicrafts, with sale to the public. And on Fridays at 8:45 p.m. it is projected on the main facade (Plaza Valladolid) a video mapping with free entry and with a duration of 8-13 min.
• Temple and Ex-Convention of the Capuchins (1680-1737).
• Temple of Saint Catherine of Siena or "Las Monjas" (1729-1737).
• Sanctuary of Guadalupe (1708 to 1716).
• Former San Diego Convention (s. XVIII). Currently Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the UMSNH.
• Temple of Christ the King, before chapel of the Shadow (1764-1984).

Mansions

• Michoacán Government Palace (former Tridentino Seminar, 1760-1770). In this place they studied Morelos, Iturbide and Mariano Michelena.
• Legislative Palace of Michoacán (s. XVIII). Casa del Intendente José María Anzorena.
• Federal Palace (1729-1737). Originally a Teresian school, and currently serves as a post office, telegraphs and federal courts.
• Former Royal Hospital of Saint John of God (1685).
• 

  Home of Augustine I.
  Museum of the Judiciary of Michoacán (former Palace of Justice, 1682 to 1695).
• Colegio de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (s. XVI). This school, Alma Mater of the Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), was created in 1540 in the city of Pátzcuaro, by the Basque humanist of Quiroga, who gave him the name of the Royal College of San Nicolás de Obispo, in 1580 he moved to Valladolid, today Morelia, and the following year, he joined his classrooms to the College of San Miguel. It was a place of studies by Miguel Hidalgo (Don Miguel Gregorio Antonio Ignacio Hidalgo Costilla and Gallaga) and José María Morelos. Don Miguel Hidalgo and Costilla was appointed Rector of the Institution in 1790. It was closed during the war of independence and reopened on January 17, 1847 by Don Melchor Ocampo; Governor of Michoacan who participated in the Reform war with Benito Juárez. On the other hand, it was the first educational institution in the Americas. On the upper floor of the building is the "Don Melchor Ocampo" room, where its original clothes, heart and books are preserved. It currently hosts one of the UMSNH preparatory schools.
• Clavian Palace (s. XVII). Former Jesuit College of San Francisco Javier.
• Municipal Palace of Morelia (1766). It was originally the Tobacco Factor.
• Antigua Alhóndiga (1744).

• Escuela Preparatoria n.o 2 "Ing. Pascual Ortiz Rubio". It is a neoclassical building built by the second Archbishop of Michoacán Don José Ignacio Arciga in 1859. The aim of the construction was to host a new seminar to replace the one that worked at the current Michoacán Government Palace.

Mansions

• Casa Natal de Morelos (s. XVIIreconstructed in 1888. It currently works as a caudillo museum.
• Casa de Morelos (s. XVII, whipped at the beginning of the centuryXIX). It was a private home of José María Morelos and currently works as a museum of this hero of Mexico's Independence.
• Iturbide Natal House (s. XVII). Located in Valladolid Street # 75. It currently belongs to individuals.
• Casa Natal de Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez (s. XVII). Located in the southwest corner of the crossing of the streets Vicente Santamaría and Ortega y Montañez. It belongs to individuals.
• Casa de García Obeso (finals of the s. XVIII). In this majestic casena the conspiracy of Valladolid of 1809 was developed.
• Casa de Pedro de Villela (s. XVI).

Public highway Fray Antonio de San Miguel.

Replica de la Campana de Dolores Hidalgo, donada a Morelia en los festejos del Bicentenario de la independencia.

Plaza Morelos.

Museums

• Michoacano Regional Museum (s. XVIII). Originally, house of Isidro Huarte, first mayor of Valladolid and father-in-law of Agustín de Iturbide.
• State Museum (s. XVIII). Casa de la Emperatriz Ana Huarte, where she lived with her husband, Agustín de Iturbide.
• Museum of Colonial Art
• Museo Casa Natal de Morelos
• Casa de Morelos Museum (not the same as that of Casa Natal)
• Museum of Contemporary Art "Alfredo Zalce"
• Museum of the Mask (in the interior of the convent of Carmen)
• Natural History Museum "Manuel Martínez Solórzano"
• Casa de las Artesanías Museum (exposure and sale).
• Sweet Museum.
• City Museum.
• SOS Museum of Wastes
• Museum of the Patriotic Symbols.
• Museo e Instituto de Artesano Michoacano.
• Museum of Geology and Mining "Dr. Jenaro González Reyna".
• Museum of the Judiciary of Michoacán.

Places

• Plaza de Armas
• Plaza Ocampo
• Plaza Valladolid
• Plaza Villalongín, Fuente de las Tarascas de Morelia
• Plaza Morelos
• Plazuela de la Rosas
• Plaza de las Capuchinas and Jardin de la Soterraña.
• Plazuela del Carmen
• Plazuela de San José
• Plaza Carrillo
• Garden of Founders

Theatres

• Ocampo Theatre
• Morelos Theatre
• Teatro José Rubén Romero
• La Casona del Teatro
• La Mueca Forum
• La Ceiba Forum
• Teatro Samuel Ramos
• Centro Cultural Universitario
• Centro Cultural UNAM-Morelia
• Estela Inda
• Outdoor Theatre Jesús Monge, Poliforum Digital Morelia

Parks and green areas

• Zoo of Morelia
• Park 150
• Lazarus Cárdenas Forest
• Arboretum Park
• Parque Francisco Zarco
• Bicentennial Park

Historic Sites

• Morelia aqueduct (1728-1730 and rebuilt in 1785).
• Cuauhtémoc Forest (Antigua alameda de la ciudad).
• Calzada de Guadalupe or Calzada de Fray Antonio de San Miguel.
• Callejón del Romance.
• Ocampo Theatre of Morelia (1830).

Natural sites

• José María Morelos National Park and Pavón
• Presa de Cointzio, southeast of Morelia
• Cueva de la Joya, Capula
• Cañón Cañada, Capula
• La Peña in Atécuaro
• Scalera Grotto in Cuto de la Esperanza
• Forest in Jesus of the Mount
• Umécuaro Dam in Santiago Undameo
• Cerro del Águila in Tacícuaro
• Bañito spring in Tiripetío
• Alberca Crater in Teremendo
• The Tzirate Hill in Teremendo.

Spas

• Spaniards of "El Eden", "El Ejido" and "Cointzio".

Gastronomy

Morelia has a gastronomy that is the result of the combination of the ancient Purepecha cuisine with European cuisine. Some of the appetizers of this city are the placero chicken, chicken served with potatoes, carrots and enchiladas bathed in a thick chili sauce; corundas, triangular tamales wrapped in green corn leaves, and uchepos, tender corn tamales bathed in cream or served as a side to stews. Other delicacies include churipo, a broth made with red chili, beef, and vegetables; the atapakua, a stew whose basic ingredients are corn and chili and is accompanied with meat and cheese; the famous carnitas, the michi broth, prepared with fish and sour tuna; the morisqueta, a dish of rice, beans, and roast pork; and the aporreadillo, strips of dried meat fried with eggs and chili. Among the desserts are chongos zamoranos, a kind of very sweet milk curd and fruit ate. There are also buñuelos, pan de nata, canned fruit, metate chocolate, refreshing pasta snows, based on vanilla, egg, milk and sugar and of course, the well-known Morelianas, wafers with burnt milk and sugar. The atole of various ingredients such as blackberry, tamarind, cascabel pepper and herbs to give it flavor, it is also worth mentioning the gazpachos that consist of chopped fruit and prepared with orange juice, lemon, cheese and onion. Among the drinks is the charanda aguardiente de cane. Also mentioning the already well-known Mezcal which is produced in municipalities surrounding the city of Morelia

Education

Colegio Primitivo de San Nicolás.

Morelia is one of the most important cultural centers in the country due to the large number of artistic events held there, including music (music, organ, guitar) and film festivals, various exhibitions (painting, art), works theatre, etc. Likewise, it is one of the cities with the greatest architectural heritage, which is why it was declared in 1991 as a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco. Also, the city was the cradle of prominent figures of the Independence of Mexico such as José María Morelos, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, Agustín de Iturbide, Mariano Michelena, it was also the place of residence and academic and intellectual training of Miguel Hidalgo. On the other hand, by the number of higher education institutions it has (both public and private).

Unfortunately, education is affected by constant pressures with demonstrations and work stoppages that affect the city. Since 2015, Morelia has been ranked among the cities with the "lowest levels of learning" in the country together with Oaxaca de Juárez. The constant work stoppages from the basic level to the higher level have caused the migration of thousands of students to other cities in the state or even to other states that are not affected by this type of situation.

Higher education

Public:

• Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH): Autonomous public university founded on October 15, 1917, however its historical background dates back to 1540 with the foundation of the College of San Nicolás Obispo in Pátzcuaro, transferred to the city of Valladolid in 1580. This institution is the largest in the state of Michoacán, attending to its various schools and faculties about 50,000 students in bachelor, master's and PhD levels.

• Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia (ITM): Founded in 1965, it caters to some 4650 students, offering studies at a bachelor's level, master's degree and PhD in technological areas.
• Universidad Tecnológica de Morelia (UTM): Founded in 2000, it offers careers at the University Technical and Engineering level and has a tuition of approximately 2,000 students.
• Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia (ENES Unidad Morelia), of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México: Inaugurated in 2012, it has 9 degrees so far (technologies for information in science, science of sustainable materials, environmental science, geosciences, social studies and local management, geohistory, art and design, history of art and intercultural literature). One of the short-term goals of ENES Morelia is its incorporation into existing UNAM postgraduate programmes, in accordance with the standard and functionality of each programme. The promotion and dissemination of academic and cultural activities will be a fundamental part of the comprehensive training of students and teachers. It has the ENES Morelia (CIEM) Language Centre where language classes are taught for all audiences.
  

  Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (UMSNH); next to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
• Instituto Tecnológico del Valle de Morelia (formerly Agricultural Technology)
• Federal Normal Urban School.
• Normal School for Educators "Profr. Serafín Contreras Manzo"
• Normal School of Physical Education
• Escuela Normal Rural "Vasco de Quiroga"
• Instituto Michoacano de Ciencias de la Educación (IMCED): It offers studies at a bachelor's level and master's degree focused on pedagogy and psychology.
• Universidad Virtual del Estado de Michoacán (UNIVIM) Founded on 17 January 2011 Offer 5 Degrees: Alternative medicine, Educational planning and evaluation, Sustainable tourism, Environmental assessment and development and Engineering in agro-industrial development, 6 diplomats: Gender and social development, Sustainable development, pedagogical competencies for learning, Environmental assessment and development, Formulation and evaluation of investment projects, Six Sigma and Cooperativismo; and a master's degree: in Competence.

Private:

• Latin American University (UNLA) (1991) Latin American University was established as a civil association in 1990. On September 2, 1991, he began teaching activities by offering bachelor ' s degree and 7 school graduates – Business Administration, Communication Sciences, Public Accounting, Law, Psychology, International Commercial Relations and Computational Systems – being Rector the Mtro. Enrique Luengo González. The official inauguration of the campus is held on 14 February 1992.
• Instituto de Administración Pública del Estado de Michoacán (2009) Professionalizing the public servants of Michoacán. Master in Public Administration.
• Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Morelia (2002): located southeast of the city in the community of Jesus del Monte. The Tec in Morelia serves a little more than 1500 high school, professional and graduate students.
• Instituto Valladolid Universidad Marista Valladolid (2012)
• Universidad La Salle (ULSA) Campus Morelia (1991)
• Contemporary University of the Americas (UCLA)
• Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Comunicación (IESCAC)
• Jefferson International University (UNIJ)
• Universidad Vasco de Quiroga (UVAQ) Campus Santa María de Guido
• Inter-American University for Development (UNID) Morelia Headquarters
• University of Morelia (UDEM)
• Universidad Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
• Anáhuac University
• Instituto Montrer (Universidad Montrer)
• Centro de Estudios Superiores Nova Hispana
• Culinary College of Morelia
• Institute of Legal Training and Research of Michoacán (IFIJUM) (2009)
• Instituto de Ciencias y Estudios Superiores de Michoacán (ICESM)
• Instituto Mexicano de Investigaciones Cinematográficas y Humanísticas (IMICH)
• Instituto Superior de Música Santa Cecilia

Main Library of the Michoacana University, the oldest in Mexico.

Upper secondary education

Public:

• Centro de Bachillerato Tecnológico Agropecuario #7
• Centro de Bachillerato Tecnológico Industrial y de Servicios #149
• Colegio Primitivo y Nacional de San Nicolás de Hidalgo
• Ing High School. Pascual Ortiz Rubio
• José María Morelos and Pavón
• Isaac Arriaga
• Melchor Ocampo
• Artistic Education Center "Miguel Bernal Jiménez" (CEDART)

Private:

• Education Valladolid
• Instituto Latino de Morelia
• Inter-American Institute
• Instituto Motolinía
• Summit Institute
• Kilimanjaro Institute
• Instituto Vasco de Quiroga (IVQ)
• Instituto Villa Montessori
• Varmond School
• Khépani College
• Instituto Antonio Plancarte
• Instituto Montrer
• Colegio Anáhuac
• Instituto Antonio de Mendoza (Salesiano)
• Rector Hidalgo Preparatory School
• ICA Preparatory
• UVAQ Campus Santo Tomás Moro

Artistic educational institutions

• Conservatory of the Roses
• Popular School of Fine Arts
• Instituto Superior de Música Santa Cecilia
• Artistic Education Center "Miguel Bernal Jiménez" (CEDART)
• Rock Art Morelia
• CEMAC (Enable Music Center)

The city is also the headquarters of the scientific research institutes in Astronomy, Mathematics and Ecology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Regarding the number of institutions and enrollment in the municipality for elementary and secondary levels, in the year 2000 the following was observed:

• Elementary Preschool: 189 institutions / 18 782 students.
• Elementary Elementary: 321 institutions / 85 410 students.
• Elementary Terminal (Work Training): 73 institutions / 11 675 students.
• Middle Secondary: 87 institutions / 28 111 students.
• Medium Technical Terminal: 17 institutions / 4 757 students.
• Normal: 7 institutions / 1478 students.
• Baccalaureate: 60 institutions / 31 100 students.

Communication infrastructure

Roads

Starting in the XVI century, the opening of royal roads began in New Spain to satisfy the needs of commerce. These roads often followed the routes traced by the ancient indigenous merchants who supplied the main population centers.

One of the pioneer roads was the México-Valladolid-Guadalajara, being also one of the busiest along with the México-Querétaro-Valladolid, which placed Morelia as one of the main links between the capital and western Mexico.

Memorial of the Royal Ways of Mexico.

Currently, the city of Morelia constitutes the main highway nucleus of the state of Michoacán, and the main highways it has are the following:

• Morelia-Salamanca (federal 43): Part north and link to the city with the Bajío region of the neighboring state of Guanajuato. It has four lanes to the entronque with the Mexico-Guadalajara motorway and two lanes from there to the city of Salamanca.
• Morelia-Salamanca-León quota road, Guanajuato: Part north as continuation of the free road Morelia-Salamanca-León, in the entronque with the village of Santa Ana Maya. It has two lanes to the entronque with the Salamanca-Celaya-Querétaro road. It has bookcases located in La ribbon (entronque a Santa Ana Maya), exit to Santiago Valley, exit to Salamanca and route to the Salamanca-Celaya-Querétaro road.
• Morelia-Guadalajara (federal 15): Part toward the west and link to the city with Guadalajara, the second most important city in the country, passing through Quiroga, Zacapu, Zamora de Hidalgo and Ocotlán. It has two lanes throughout the route through Michoacán, and four lanes in some parts of the state of Jalisco.
• Free road Morelia-Zitácuaro-Toluca-Cd. of Mexico (federal 15): Part with direction. Former "Mil Cumbres" road connects Morelia to Mexico City by crossing some of the most mountainous parts of Michoacán. This track is almost unused.
• Morelia-Maravatío-Atlacomulco-Toluca Road: Part heading east-northeast. It has free sections of two lanes to Maravatío, and four lanes after Maravatío. It crosses part of the panoramic mountains east of Morelia.
• Morelia-Pátzcuaro-Uruapan-New Italy-Lázaro Cárdenas (federal 37): Part toward the southwest of the city, it has four lanes to Pátzcuaro, and henceforth only two lanes (although there is a project to expand it to four), splitting into the free route (federal 37) and the 21st Century Autopist (Cuota 37D).
• Autopista México-Morelia-Guadalajara (question 15D): Although it does not pass through the municipality of Morelia, it makes it very close to this (25 km north) and connects Morelia to the two main cities of the country. It has at least four lanes all the way.
• Morelia-Atécuaro Road: Part to the south mountainous municipality.
• Morelia-San Miguel del Monte Road: Part with southeast direction.

Railroads

Only the Lázaro Cárdenas-Morelia-Acámbaro-Mexico City highway passes through the city of Morelia, which connects the city with the most important Mexican port on the Pacific, with the Bajío, as well as with the country's capital.

Airport

The International Airport of Morelia "Francisco J. Múgica", although it is not located in the municipality of Morelia but in the adjacent one of Álvaro Obregón (25 km from the city center), connects by air to the city with other cities in the country, such as Mexico City and Tijuana. In addition to 5 cities in the US territory including Los Angeles, Chicago, Oakland, Houston and Dallas. The airlines that operate are Connect, Volaris, Aeromar, United Express and American Eagle.

Bus Terminals

Currently, the city of Morelia has three bus stations, two of which provide domestic service with mainly suburban lines (Terminal Norte and Terminal Sur) and the Morelia Bus Terminal, inaugurated in October 2001, which serves the foreign lines.

Political division

Federal Palace, today houses Mexico's Posts Building.

Legislative Palace.

Government Palace.

In 2005, the municipality of Morelia had 206 localities, made up of 1 city, 12 tenures, and multiple towns, neighborhoods, and ranches, totaling 206 localities, according to the Second Population and Housing Count (2005). In recent years, two of the old tenures of the municipality have disappeared, namely: Isaac Arriaga and Santiaguito, as they have been fully absorbed by the urban sprawl of the city. In a very similar situation is the possession of Santa María de Guido, which in the short term could be eliminated as such. The holdings that make up the municipality of Morelia are; Atapaneo, Atécuaro, Capula, Cuto de la Esperanza, Chiquimitío, Jesús del Monte, Morelos, San Miguel del Monte, San Nicolás Obispo, Santa María, Santiago Undameo, Tacícuaro, Teremendo and Tiripetío.

Municipal offices

• Municipal Presidency.
• Secretariat
• Directorate of Social Communication
• Chief of Operation Department
• Department of Protocols, Tour and Logistics Headquarters
• Head of the Department of Public Relations
• Technical Secretariat
• Head of the Department of Citizens' Hearing and Care
• Administrative Delegate
• Syndicature.
• Regivers
• Secretary of the H. Town Hall.
• Municipal treasury.
• Secretariat of administration.
• Social development secretariat.
• Metropolitan Development and Infrastructure Secretariat.(In 2015 the previous Secretariats of Public Works and Urban Development and Environment were merged)
• Municipal Public Service Secretariat.
• Secretariat for urban development and the environment.
• Economic promotion secretariat.
• Tourism Secretariat.
• City hall.
• Committee for the Comprehensive Development of the Family.
• Secretariat of Effectiveness and Government Innovation.
• Municipal Planning Institute of Morelia.
• Technical Secretariat of the city council.
• Instituto de la Juventud Moreliana.
• Executive coordination of the historic center and monumental areas of Morelia.
• Municipal Housing Institute.
• General direction of transit and road.

Main city council commissions

• Planning and Programming.
• Education, Culture and Tourism.
• Urbanism, Public Works and Heritage.
• Industry and Trade.
• Agricultural Affairs and Fisheries.
• Salubrity and Assistance.
• Environmental and Ecology.
• OOAPAS.

Auxiliary authorities

The Municipal Public Administration outside the Municipal Headquarters, is in charge of the heads of tenure or those in charge of order, who are elected in a plebiscite, lasting in office for three years. In the municipality of Morelia there are 15 heads of tenure and 350 people in charge of order, who mainly perform the following functions:

• Give notice to the municipal president of any alterations they warn in public order.
• Conform the pordium of inhabitants of its demarcation.
• Take care of the cleaning and toilet of public sites and good condition of the neighboring roads and roads.
• Seek the establishment of schools.
• Give part of the emergence of sinisters and epidemics.
• To apprehend criminals, making them available to the competent authorities.

Generalissimo Morelos Award

The Generalísimo Morelos Prize, instituted in 1942, being the highest award given each year on May 18 by the Morelia City Council on the anniversary of the founding of the city, has been delivered to distinguished personalities or institutions from various scopes.

• 1942- Master Ignacio Mier Arriaga and Dr. Julián Bonavit.
• 1945- Master Miguel Bernal Jiménez and Dr. Salvador Jara.
• 1950- General Lázaro Cárdenas del Río and Dr. Salvador González Herrejón.
• 1954- Doctor Ignacio Chávez Sánchez and Antonio Arriaga Ochoa.
• 1955- Doctor Samuel Ramos Magaña and Professor Jesús Romero Flores.
• 1957- General Dámaso Cárdenas del Río and Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez.
• 1958- Ingeniero Pascual Ortiz Rubio and Bachelor Gabino Fraga Magaña.
• 1959- Josefina Aguilar (artist) and professor María Dolores Calderón.
• 1963- Bachelor Antonio Martínez Báez and Dr. Enrique Arreguín Vélez.
• 1965- Bachelor Felipe Tena Ramírez, José Castro Estrada y lido Ramón Canedo Aldrete.
• 1966- Mario Moreno “Cantinflas” and Bachelor Adolfo Cano.
• 1967- Miguel Prado Paz (compositor) and Professor Serafín Contreras Manzo..
• 1968- Professor Juan Díaz Vázquez and Don Miguel Contreras Torres.
• 1969- Master Alfredo Zalce Torres and Professor Isidro Castillo.
• 1970- Bachelor Ricardo Torres Gaytán.
• 1971- Bachelor Carlos Gálvez Betancourt.
• 1972- Professor Rafael C. Haro and teacher David Alfaro Sequeiros.
• 1973- Professor Lucas Ortiz Benítez and engineer Leandro Rovisora Wade.
• 1974- Bachelor Luis Echeverría Álvarez.
• 1975- María Esther Zuno de Echeverría.
• 1976- Maestro Alfonso Vega Núñez and Rodolfo Vitela (deportist).
• 1977- Professor Diego Hernández Topete and Mrs. Amorita W. de Merino Rabago.
• 1978- Bachelor José López Portillo.
• 1979- Bachelor David Franco Rodríguez and Dr. Luis González and González.
• 1980- Dr. Raúl Arreola Cortés and licensed Guillermo Morales Osorio.
• 1981- Bachelor Natalio Vázquez Pallares.
• 1982- Licenced Gustavo Corona Figueroa and graduated Pablo G. Macías Guillén.
• 1983- Bachelor Alfonso García Robles.
• 1984- Doctor Ernesto Lemoine Villicaña.
• 1985- Doctor Juan Hernández Luna.
• 1986- Eduardo García del Río.
• 1987- Engineer Daniel Díaz.
• 1988- Doctor Eli de Gortari.
• 1989- Professor Porfirio Martínez Peñaloza.
• 1990- Colegio de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Dr. Tomás Rico Cano and a graduate Emilio Alanís Patiño.
• 1991- Anthropologist José Corona Núñez and architect Manuel González Galván.
• 1992- Master Bonifacio Rojas Ramírez.
• 1993- Doctor Luis Sánchez Medal and Alfonso Martínez Serrato.
• 1994- Doctor Carlos Herrejón Peredo and Dr. Efraín Dávalos Luviano.
• 1995- Archbishop Estanislao Alcaraz Figueroa.
• 1996- Bachelor Miguel Estrada Iturbide and Doctor Francisco Tenorio González.
• 1997- Doctor Francisco Esquivel Rodríguez and Carmen Báez.
• 1998- C. Homero Aridjis and master Alejandro Avilés Izunza.
• 1999- Maestra Esperanza Ramírez and María Teresa Peñaloza Martínez.
• 2000- Faculty of Law and Technological Institute of Morelia.
• 2001- Doramitzi González and maestro Xavier Tavera Alfaro.
• 2002- General Hospital “Doctor Miguel Silva” and Salvador Hernández Mondragón (paralympic sportsman).
• 2003- Migrant Michoacano and City Council.
• 2004. Amalia Alejandra Solórzano Bravo and Dr. Abdiel López Rivera de la XEI.
• 2005- Gilberto Vargas López.
• 2006- Musician Juan Reynoso Portillo.
• 2007- Miguel Estrada and María Luisa Ollivier
• 2008- Víctor Hugo Garduño Monroy and the Basque University of Quiroga.
• 2009- Cristina Cortés Carrillo and Manuel Rodríguez Morales.
• 2010.- Mexican Red Cross Morelia Delegation and the Federal Normal Urban School “José Jesús Romero Flores”.
• 2011. Instituto Politécnico Nacional and Bernardo Bautista Hernández, composer michoacano
• 2012.- Conservatory of the Roses and Benedict Warren, historian.
• 2013.- Mexican Army.
• 2014.- Marco Antonio Solís Sosa and Juan Torres Calderón, sculptor.
• 2015.-Festival Internacional de Música de Morelia Miguel Bernal Jiménez y Leodegario López Ramírez.
• 2016.-Comité Morelia World Heritage and Nicolás de la Torre Calderón, plastic artist.
• 2017.-Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo.
• 2018.-Agustín Arriaga Rivera.
• 2019.-Children Songs of Morelia and Luis Ventura de la Rosa Orozco.
• 2020.-(Convocation postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic).
• 2021.- Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, delegation Michoacán, Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado, Delegación Michoacán, Secretaría de Salud en el Estado de Michoacán y a la Dirección de Salud Morelia.
• 2022- Marco Antonio Aguilar Cortés, university professor and lawyer.

City Council

Collective body made up of 152 directors; The councilors are citizens who with great enthusiasm pay attention to the analysis of proposals based on the problems that occur in a municipality, with the interest of contributing ideas, experiences and knowledge, generating with the authorities a fruitful enrichment of vision in favor of Morelia; The director's position is honorary and unpaid. This body is coordinated by the technical secretary, whose only authority is directly the municipal president. The City Council has its own magazine: Morelia from the Heart (previously called ENLACE), in which public servants and council members write about any topic of interest of the townhall;

• Promote the participation of neighbours in the study and resolution of urban problems and in the cultural activities of the community.
• Assistant to the City Council in the exercise of its functions, especially in relation to public services. To become a forum for analysis of urban problems, so that their conclusions can serve Municipal authority and the City Council itself for the efficient exercise of their functions.
• Get professional opinions on relevant aspects of public services, with the purpose of making suggestions to the municipal authority and performing the role it has entrusted.
• Assistant to the City Council in its activities for the conservation of the properties of the City, which has artistic and historical value, as well as in the correct use of the common goods belonging to the Municipality of Morelia.
• To seek the cooperation of citizens for the realization of works of common benefit, when the recourse of the City Council is insufficient.
• City Council Commissions: Twin Cities, Parks and Gardens, Historic Center, Housing, Education, Ecology, Urban Development, Economic Development, Markets, Nomenclature and Numeration, Planning and Finance, Cultural Promotion, Public Security, Protection and Reg. of the Fauna, Legal Regime, Tourism, Public Health.

Municipal presidents of Morelia

• 1951-1952: Rafael García de León
• 1953: Enrique Bravo Valencia
• 1954-1956: Alfonso Martínez Serrano
• 1957-1959: Esteban Figueroa Ojeda
• 1960-1962: Alberto Cano Díaz
• 1963-1965: Fernando Ochoa Ponce de León
• 1966-1968: Alfonso Martínez Serrano
• 1969-1970: Melchor Díaz Rubio
• 1970-1971: Navarro Help
• 1972-1974: Marco Antonio Aguilar Cortés
• 1975-1977: Ignacio Gálvez Rocha
• 1978-1980: José Berber Sánchez
• 1981-1983: Rafael Ruiz Béjar
• 1984-1986: Roberto Robles Garnica
• 1987-1989: Germán Ireta Alas
• 1990-1992: Samuel Maldonado Bautista
• 1993-1994: Sergio Magaña Martínez
• 1994-1995: Fausto Vallejo Figueroa (interino)
• 1996-1998: Salvador López Orduña
• 1999-2001: Salvador Galván Infante
• 2001-2001: Augusto Caire Arriaga (interlinary)
• 2002-2004: Fausto Vallejo Figueroa
• 2005-2007: Salvador López Orduña
• 2007-2007: Carlos Macouzet Zamacona (interlinary)
• 2008-2011: Fausto Vallejo Figueroa
• 2011-2011: Rocío Pineda Gochi (intern)
• 2012: (1 January) to (15 August) Manuel Nocetti Tiznado, interim appointed by the H. Congress of the State, after the cancellation of municipal elections of 13 November 2011.
• 2012-2015: Wilfrido Lázaro Medina
• 2015: Salvador Abud Mirabent (internal)
• 2015-2018: Alfonso Martínez Alcázar
• 2018-2021: Raúl Morón Orozco
• 2021: Humberto Arróniz Reyes (internal)
• 2021- Currently: Alfonso Martínez Alcázar

Featured Characters

Morelia and the world

France

The relationship between the Republic of France and the city of Morelia becomes latent in several episodes of the history of Mexico, as a living protagonist in the culture and economy represented by French emigrants.

Mexico has a long and fruitful relationship with France that dates back to 1813, just after the declaration of Mexican independence formalized in 1826, inspired by the democratic ideals of the French Revolution.

In Morelia between the XVIII, XIX and XX centuries, French citizens arrived in search of new opportunities, hopes and horizons, where many of them managed to be successful men and women of benefit to Mexico, generating jobs in French export stores, restaurants, bookstores, etc. Another reason for the French presence was due to the military forces in Mexican territory on two occasions. It is for this reason that in 1917 a consulate of the Republic of France was established in Morelia and an honorary consul currently remains.

It is thus that in the XXI century the twinning is preserved, due to the large number of French descendants in Morelia.

Spain

Between the Spanish town of Linares and Morelia, Linares-Morelia is held, one of the most important international chess tournaments.

Visit of Pope Francis

Plaque commemorative of Pope Francis' visit to the Cathedral of Morelia.

On February 16, 2016, Pope Francis' visit to Mexico included a pastoral visit to the city of Morelia. This is the first and only time in history that a high priest has visited the city. His stay lasted from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., a period during which he held an intense agenda, which included the celebration of a mass at the Venustiano Carranza Stadium with more than 20,000 members and ecclesiastical personnel from all over the country, had a meeting with children in the Metropolitan Cathedral and in the afternoon a festival with young people in the Morelos Stadium with the intention of bringing a message of peace to a state and a country ravaged by violence, in which young people are a critical factor in change.

He arrived at the Morelia International Airport at exactly 8:40 a.m. m. where he was received by the state governor, Silvano Aureoles Conejo and a small group of state authorities and celebrities, and was transferred by helicopter to the access to the city where he boarded the Popemobile. At 10:00 a.m. He arrives at the Venustiano Carranza Sports Complex where he celebrated the liturgical rite accompanied by 20,000 people including priests, men and women religious, consecrated men and seminarians. On the dot at 1:00 p.m. he toured the historic center in the Popemobile to the Cathedral of Morelia where he met with 600 boys and girls to give a message. Finally at 4:30 p.m. a massive meeting was held with more than 40,000 young people at the José María Morelos y Pavón Stadium.

The visit concluded at 6:00 p.m. with the departure by helicopter to the airport and its subsequent return to Mexico City.

Twin cities

The city of Morelia is twinned with the following cities:

Agreements