Union de Tula is 194 years old

UNION DE TULA, JALISCO. 28 MAY 2015.- In Union of Tula continue the festivities commemorating its foundation as a people through various celebrations ranging from rodeos, cultural exhibits and food fairs, and this day the most symbolic because today is when you turn 194 years.

The director of the Casa de la Cultura, Maria Cristina Ruiz Santana, explained that these parties, made in coordination with the Department of Culture and the city, consists of several areas in which they emphasize the receptions, which are organized every day of the festivities for the residents of each colony according to the schedule. In this case, as the day of the foundation, the organization hosting is provided by City of Union of Tula.

"The first is the part of the reception where the welcome is who go for what would be the bullfight and that's as a tribute to the people at that time, in 1821 it was founded, were given to receive as Welcome to the village, and then from there a cultural festival at night is organized.

Union de Tula is considered the first town founded in the independent Mexico. It was given the name Union in commemoration of one of the three guarantees of the Plan of Iguala, and Tula by the initials of the surnames of its founders: Topete, Villasenor, Lazcano and Arriola. Since 1825 it belonged to the canton of Autlan 6th until September 21, 1832 was when Union de Tula is recorded as municipality.

La Ruta del Peregrino

La Ruta del Peregrino is a path with more than 200 years of tradition. The most popular route from Ameca, although there are many paths to Talpa. The Sierra Madre Occidental mountains are crossed and ends in the town of Talpa de Allende, specifically in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. The route length is 117 kilometers and is traversed by about 3 million people per year in March and particularly in Holy Week.

In April 2008, the governor of Jalisco, Emilio González Márquez, announced an investment of 90 million pesos to improve the infrastructure of the route. The announcement was met with rejection by a large segment of the population that believes that the investment was an attack against the secular state. Among the works with funds from the treasury of Jalisco are basic services, lodging, observatories and shrines. The buildings were designed by an international team of architects who collaborated with the office of Dellekamp Architects.

Ameca more or less elected itself as the starting point of the peregrinación (procession) because that route has many improvements, services and the architectural attractions. Actually people come from all directions including Michoacan, Colima, Mexico City, Nayarit and Guadalajara. Autlan even posted notices that the dirt road to Talpa is in good condition for those making the pilgrimage. 

Sign in Ameca

Atenguillo is on the route

Walking in the country to avoid highway 70

Burras are walking canes

Road from Autlan

Normally for bikes and ATV's

Ruta del Peregrino

Autlan de Navarro

The city of Autlán de Navarro (or simply Autlán) is located in a valley at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, in the south coast region of the state of Jalisco. Autlán is referred to as “La Puerta de la Costa” (Door to the Coast) because of its warm, humid climate and its geographical location, as an important stop in the highway from the Pacific coast to Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco. Because of it's location, Autlán is a very important regional commercial and agricultural centre for the state, as well as the location of the University of Guadalajara’s south coast campus.

Another town that has some feel of the Colonial Era but has not been preserved as such so new is mixed with the old. It's a good sized town with lots of downtown activity - market, plaza and a number of chruches. The bull ring (Plaza del Toros) is close to downtown and one of the fanciest ones I've seen. I really should have tried to get a few fotos of it - even if only the outside.

After coming out of Ayutla onto highway 80 there is a large drop in elevation into the valley where Autlan is (those famous hair-pin turns). I cruzed downtown and then stayed at Hotel Autlan near the bus station - nice place for about $40us. The next morning I walked around town, had breakfast and headed downhill again towards Purificacion and La Huerta (more hair-pin turns).

Entrance to Autlan and bus station from in front of my motel


Colorful intersection near the mercado


Lots of parks


Autlan Church

More Autlan pictures