Monterrey, Mexico

Monterrey, Mexico, is the capital of the state of Nuevo León. It is currently the second most important city in Mexico, and it has always been known for its industry, particularly beer, glass, and steel. Carta Blanca, Bohemia, Casta, Indio, Chipinque, and NocheBuena are examples of the beers produced there. Vitro figures as one of the most important glass factories. The steel industry used to be led by the "Compañía Fundidora de Fierro y Acero de Monterrey", popularly known as Fundidora.

Monterrey is located in northeastern Mexico, and has about 4.5 million inhabitants. The Monterrey metropolitan area also includes the towns of San Pedro Garza Garcia, San Nicolas de los Garza, Apodaca, Guadalupe, Escobedo, and Santa Catarina.

Brief History

In the mid 1500s, the area where Monterrey is located was part of the Valle de Extremadura. Several unsuccessful expeditions led by Alberto del Canto had tried to colonize the desert area. An expedition led by Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva tried to establish a settlement in the area, but also failed. A third expedition, of twelve families led by Diego de Montemayor, founded Monterrey on September 20, 1596, next to a spring called "Ojos de Agua de Santa Lucia". The Museo Nacional de Historia Mexicana (National Museum of Mexican History) is located on the site of this spring.

Monterrey is sometimes known as "La Ciudad de las Montañas" (City of Mountains) or "Sultana del Norte" (Northern Sultan).

Food

Typical Monterrey cuisine includes "machacado con huevo", a dish prepared with dry beef, eggs, and salsa. Perhaps the most traditional dish from Monterrey is Cabrito al Pastor, a young goat cooked in embers. It resembles a Jewish method of preparing goat.

Sports

Monterrey has two soccer teams, the Tigres, who play in the stadium of the Universdad Autónoma de Nuevo León, and the "Rayados", whose home stadium is the stadium of the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. There is also an indoor soccer team, La Raza.

Monterrey's one baseball team, "Los Sultanes de Monterrey", play in the largest baseball stadium in Latin America.

Famous people from Monterrey include:

• Alicia Villareal

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(See also Monterey, California. Monterrey, Mexico, is sometimes known as "Old Monterrey" since it was founded before "New Monterey", the one in California.)