San Juan de los Lagos

Pre-Hispanic era For much of the pre-Hispanic period, the Altos area was inhabited by groups of Tecuexes and Nahuas who formed small independent states in the 12th century. Soon after, these dominions would fall under the rule of a single Tecuexe state, with its capital at Metzquititlán. Establishment and early years The first Spanish conquistador in the area was Pedro Almíndez Chirino, sent from Cuitzeo by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán. Many of these new residents came from the nearby town of Santa María de los Lagos, now known as Lagos de Moreno, and this prompted the changing of San Juan Bautista's name to San Juan de los Lagos. The city's current seal was authorized by the municipality in 1987. It was designed by Gabriel Camarena Gutiérrez de Laris. In 1990, Pope John Paul II visited San Juan in a pilgrimage to Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos as part of his pastoral visit to Mexico. He officiated a mass for a crowd of six million. ==Geography==

Climate }}The climate of San Juan is relatively dry and warm with mild winters. The average annual temperature is 19.1 °C, with, on average, about 19 days per year experiencing below freezing temperatures. Most precipitation falls in the summer months, amounting to more than 700 mm per year. The municipality is located in a region called Los Altos. It has a territory of 874.47 square kilometers, bordering the municipalities of Teocaltiche, Encarnación de Díaz, Jalostotitlan, San Miguel el Alto, San Julián, Unión de San Antonio and Lagos de Moreno. The municipality has an average altitude of 1750 meters above mean sea level, with most of the area consisting of flat land or rolling hills, with altitude differences reaching only 200 meters. The lowest point is the San Juan River at 1700 meters, and the highest elevation is to the south, at the Lozano and Los Indios mesas at about 1900 meters. The area is part of the Lerma River/Lake Chapala/Santiago River basin and the Verde/Grande de Belén/Santiago-Atotonilco River sub-basin. The main rivers through the municipality are San Juan (Lagos) and El Agostadero, with three dams Peña de León, Los Laureles and Alcalá. Streams include El Cedral, El Carrizo, San Antonio, El Barroso, El Corralillo, La Cañada, Mata Gorda, El Maguey, El Arrastradero, El Chilarillo, Santa Rosa, Los Trujillos and La Labor. There are also a number of fresh water springs including Santa Rosa and Charco del Tigre. Flora and fauna Most of the municipality is covered in arid grassland and other dry area plants such as cactus, maguey and arid scrub. About three hundred hectares is filled with dense vegetation, mostly cactus and thorny scrub. Predominant wildlife includes: coyotes, pumas, wildcats, wolves, deer (only in areas with abundant vegetation), rabbits, squirrels, opossums, armadillos and moles. ==Socioeconomics==

The municipality as a whole is ranked as having a medium level of socioeconomic marginalization. As of 2010, there were 15,088 housing units in the municipality. Other products include ice, construction materials, ironworking, textiles and furniture. Clothing for charros can be found here from heavily embroidered jackets and pants to embroidered belts called "piteado." Another common handcraft is religious items for sale to visitors, such as reliquaries, candles, images of the Virgin and rosaries made from the local white stone. Many of the areas handcrafts are sold on the stores and street stalls around the main plaza and basilica. These items are either made locally or brought in from other states in central Mexico. Just under fifty percent of the working population is dedicated to commerce and services, with most of this related to tourism to the city of San Juan de los Lagos, followed by businesses catering to local, mostly primary, needs. This translates to a population of about 40,000 residents who cater to the needs of about seven million or so pilgrims per year. The city has frequent bus service, and is accessible by expressway. However, this tourism is almost purely domestic. Most English language guidebooks do not even mention San Juan de los Lagos. ==The City==

Many of the buildings in the center of the city are made of pink sandstone dating as far back as the 17th century, with the streets fanning out from the main square. During festivals and other times, various local foods are available. Typical dishes include pozole, tamales, milk candies and cajeta (dulce de leche) and fruits such as cactus fruit, oranges and figs preserved in sugar. Traditional drinks include ponche made from local fruits. Another traditional confection is a large disk of a coconut confection called "alfajor." ==Pilgrimage site of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos==

, 15 August 1904. The pilgrims come to the city to pay homage to a small image of the Virgin Mary called Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos, but sometimes referred to by her Nahuatl name of Cihuapilli, which means "Great Lady." It is an important tourist attraction for the state of Jalisco. On religious holidays, the church and its immediate surroundings are packed. The most important days for this image are February 2, most of May, August 15 and December 8, those times associated with Mary. Two million come during Candlemas alone. At peak visitation times, the crowd spill out from the basilica and crowd onto the streets of the city. Church authorities indicate that there is a severe need to improve facilities for the pilgrims and provide more space. During peak periods, demand for hotel space far exceeds supply and the municipally opens shelters with basic services. The shelter has been constructed to accommodate 20,000 pilgrims but it is insufficient at peak times. Organized groups may walk or bike for hundreds of miles, but most arrive by car or bus. Many pilgrims will cross the entire nave in their knees, and most are there to fill a promise to the Virgin image. Most pilgrims come to "repay" the image for a miracle received, an obligation called a "manda." According to popular belief, those who fail to fulfill a "manda" to the Virgin risk being turned into stone. One of the common actions of pilgrims is to leave a small image called a votive painting for the image. Traditionally, these are images hand painted onto wood or metal depicting a miracle attributed to the Virgin image. Most have details with dates and names. So many have been left here that only a small fraction can be seen at any time, those most recently deposited. The atrium of the basilica is often filled with traditional dancers done as an offering to the Virgin. For Candlemas, the most important day associated with this image, the morning begins with the singing of Las Mañanitas, traditional dancers and the sharing of tamales and atole. == Government ==

Municipal presidents ==References==