Zaragoza, Chimaltenango


Zaragoza is a town, with a population of 11,176, and a municipality in the Chimaltenango department of Guatemala.

History

The early name of the valley where Zaragoza is located was Chicaj, which evolved into Chicoj or Chixoc, which in kakchiquel means "Francisco Oj", who was the kakchikel chief who owner the land in 1711. It was also known as the "Peach Valley". In 1761 several Spanish families wanted to move to that place and commissioned several members to get government approval; once the permission was granted, the villa was called "Valle de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Heredia" ".
One of the earliest references to the town during the Spanish Colony can be found in Compendio de la Historia de la Ciudad de Guatemala who in 1818 wrote Domingo Juarros. He pointed out that the Spanish villa belong to Patzicía's "curato" in the mayor municipality of Chimaltenango.
After the independence of Central America in 1821, the Constitution of the State of Guatemala from 11 October 1825, specified the town in the territory, and the villa appeared in Circuit #8, within Chimaltenango and then, by the Constitutional Assembly of 1839, the town was assigned to Chimaltenango Department. Finally, by an executive action of 27 January 1892, the town was elevated to municipality, and its name was changed to "Zaragoza" because most of the Spanish people who lived there was from Zaragoza, Spain.
In 1895 British archeologist Alfred Percival Maudslay and his wife, Anne Cary Maudslay, visited Zaragoza on their way from Antigua Guatemala to Santiago Atitlán. Anne Maudslay told her adventure in the book A glimpse at Guatemala, from the Victorian Era perspective: "After riding a mile or two along a road bordered by cottages bosomed in fruit trees we rose to a bleak tableland. It was one of the very few days of unpleasant weather which we experience during the whole of our journey; a fierce wind raised clouds of dust and rustled through the ugly dry rastrojos, or stubbles of Indian corn, which covered the plain. We passed through the little Indian town of Zaragoza, chiefly noted for the manufacture of aparejos, the native pack-saddles. I have been told that the Indians here have such a liking for dried alligator meat as a Lenten fare that the vendors of the highly-perfumed delicacy have to be locked up in the carcel (English: Jail for protection and sell the meat through the prison bars. The streets were full of gaily-dressed people assembled for a fiesta, and dancing was going on in a shed, to a monotonous sound of a marimba. We were not tempted to loiter for long, and rode on again over the dull plan to uninteresting town of Chimaltenango."

Administrative division

ClassificationList
VillagesLas Lomas, Puerta Abajo, Agua Dulce, Mancheren, Las Colmenas, El Cuntic, Rincón Grande, Joya Grande, Potrerillos, Rincón Chiquito, Tululché and El Llano
SettlementsHierba Buena, Laguna Seca and El Perique
Residential neighborhoodsEl Pilar, Las Ilusiones, Lo de Pérez, Nueva Esperanza and La Colonia 29 de Diciembre
HaciendaLos Jutes

Tourism and recreation

The following is the list of the main celebrations in the municipality:
MonthDayDescription
January1New Year: Masquerade dance and free public concert
January15Peregrination to visit Esquipulas. Rincón Chiquito and Joya Grande villages celebrate their annual fair in honor to Esquipulas Black Christ.
February2"Virgen de Candelaria" prayers and Mass
FebruaryVariableCanival
March and AprilVariableLent: processions with "Jesús del Pensamiento", Vía crucis every Friday, and culinary dishes.
May3Day of the Cross: construction workers build and ornament a cross on every single construction site in town. The town itself celebrates the Cruz de Pachojo.
May10Mother's day
June17Father's day
September1Opening ceremony of Independence celebrations
September4 to 8Several contests take place.
September13 and 14Torch races and civic ceremonies
September15Independence Day: Civic parade
September30Closing ceremony of Independence celebrations
October1Horse parade and cowboy night
October7Zaragoza's queen crowning
October8Fair parade
October11"Virgen del Pilar" procession
October12Major Mass
October13Public free celebration and Belt race. A second procession comes out at night.
October14Closing ball, called "El Baile de Antaño"
November1Day of the dead: Celebrated with visits to the local cemetery, custom kite flying and traditional food.
December24Christmas Eve
December25Christmas: Masquerade dance and free public concert
December29Annual fair

Climate

Zaragoza has a subtropical highland climate.
Winds speed average is 13,5 km/h between January and June, and of 25 km/h between July and December, while the daily sun light average is 6,6 h.

Geographic location

Located in the middle of Chimaltenango Department with an area of 49.1 km². It is completely surrounded by Chimaltenango municipalities:

Sister cities