Azcapotzalco

Infobox Settlement
name = Azcapotzalco
settlement_type =

---

mapsize = 200px
map_caption = Azcapotzalco within the Federal District
image_

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Mexico
subdivision_type1 = Federal entity
subdivision_name1 = D.F.
seat = Av. Castilla Oriente s/n esq. 22 de Febrero
leader_party = PRD
leader_title = Jefe delegacional
leader_name = Alejandro Carbajal González
established_title = Established
established_date = 1928
named_for = Acient Tepanec city
area_magnitude = 1 E+7
area_total_km2 = 33.6
area_footnotes = Cite web|title=Delegación Azcapotzalco|url=http://www.siege.df.gob.mx/estadistico/pdf/monografias/azc.pdf|publisher= [http://www.siege.df.gob.mx Sistema de Información Económica, Geográfica y Estadística] |type=pdf|language=Spanish|accessdate=2008-09-18]
population_total = 425298
population_density_km2 = auto
population_footnotes =
coordinates_type = city
latd = 19
latm = 28
lats = 13
latNS = N
longd = 99
longm = 10
longs = 28
longEW = W
timezone = Central Standard Time
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = Central Daylight Time
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code_type = Postal codes
postal_code = 02000-02990
area_code = 55
website = http://www.azcapotzalco.gob.mx/

Azcapotzalco ( _nc. Āzcapotzalco|aːs.ka.po.'ʦaɬ.ko From Nahuatl Azcalli=ant; Potzulli=ant hill; co= place; Lteraly, "In the place of the ant hills") is one of the 16 "delegaciones" (boroughs) into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. Azcapotzalco is in the northwestern part of Mexico City. It was a town of its own until it was swallowed up by the burgeoning conurbation of Mexico City.

Today, Azcapotzalco is divided into many "colonias" (neighborhoods), including Nueva Santa María, Clavería, San Rafael, El Rosario, Villas de Azcapotzalco, El Recreo, Pro-Hogar, Obrero Popular and Santa Cruz Acayucan.

History

panish Influence

Much of the Spanish Colonial Style architecture is still in use in Azcapotzalco; of particular note is the Church of St. James and St. Philip, with its chapel of the Virgin of Rosario and the associated Dominican monastery.

The chapel contains the following altarpieces:
* The Santa Ana altarpieces, signed by Juan Correa (17th century)
* The San Jose altarpiece.
* The Virgin of Guadalupe altarpiece, and
* The central altarpiece dedicated to the "Virgen del Rosario".

The chapel of the Virgin of Rosario often is compared to the chapels of Puebla and Oaxaca as the best examples of Spanish colonial church architecture and decoration.

The Porfirian era

Between 1881-1882, president Manuel Gonzalez intensified a colonization project all over the country. He brought thousands of Italians to the country and in the Colonia Aldana he colonized it with northern Italians, mainly from Lombardy, Tirol, and Piedmont. It was one of the most prosperous colonies in the country, but in the early 1900s the urbananization growth of Mexico City reached the colony and absorbed it. Today some families still retain their Italian identity with restaurants and bakeries. This could be considered Mexico City's Little Italy. The Italian district in Mexico City.Between 1910 and 1920, Mexico City's character was largely influenced by President Porfirio Díaz. During this period, several of the city's suburbs were known by different names, for example: "The American Suburb" (now Zona Rosa), "Centro Suburb" (now Historic Centre), "Roma Suburb" (Colonia Roma), "Chapultepec Forest Area" (now Bosque de Chapultepec and Lomas de Chapultepec), San Ángel (now San Angel Inn), "Hacienda de los Morales" (now Polanco (Mexico)) and "Azcapotzalco" (now Azcapotzalco) were considered glamorous and luxurious areas.

On Azcapotzalco Avenue, elegant Beaux-Arts architecture houses were built, and a very European atmosphere existed (still present to some extent today). President Díaz enjoyed visiting the suburb because, as he would say, "Azcapotzalco is the place where I have a still day". During this period, Azcapotzalco was known as "Porfirio Díaz's Azcapotzalco".

Modern day

climate chart
Azcapotzalco
5|23|9
6|25|8
9|28|11
11|28|31
12|28|61
13|26|148
12|25|166
12|25|160
12|24|114
11|24|63
8|24|7
6|23|7
source= [http://smn.cna.gob.mx/]
float=rightAzcapotzalco changed dramatically in the 20th century; urban sprawl led many of Mexico City's suburbs to become absorbed into the city. Mexico's state-owned oil monopoly, PEMEX, built an oil refinery there.

References

External links

*es icon [http://www.azcapotzalco.gob.mx Delegación Azcapotzalco] official site