Yuriria facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yuriria
Seal
Location of Yuriria municipality in Guanajuato
Country	Mexico
State	Guanajuato
Population  (2020)
• Total	68,741
Website	http://www.yuriria.gob.mx/

Yuriria is a town located in Guanajuato, Mexico. It is one of the 46 different areas, called municipalities, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The town is known for its history and important buildings.

History of Yuriria

The name Yuriria comes from an older, longer name: "Yuririapúndaro." This original name means "Place of the Bloody Lake" in the Purépecha language. The Purépecha language was spoken by an ancient group of people native to this region.

In 1548, a religious leader named Friar Diego de Chávez helped build a canal. This canal brought water from the Lerma River to make Lake Yuriria much larger. Friar Diego de Chávez was part of the Augustinian Order, a group of monks.

He also started building the Augustinian Monastery in 1566. An architect named Pedro del Toro oversaw the construction. The monastery was built very strong, almost like a fort. This was to protect it from attacks by the Chichimec people, another native group.

Population of Yuriria

The total number of people living in Yuriria and the areas around it is 68,741. About 25,845 people live in the main town of Yuriria. The rest, 42,846 people, live in the countryside areas nearby.

Some of the biggest rural communities around Yuriria include Cerano (with 5,435 people) and Casacuarán (with 2,184 people). El Monte de los Juarez, which is important for farming, has about 594 people. El Xoconoxtle has 731 people, and La Calera has 1,767 people. Santa Monica Ozumbilla is one of the oldest communities, dating back to the early 1500s.

Important Landmarks

Yuriria has several important buildings and places to see.

Ex-Convento San Agustín

The Parroquia of Yuriria, an important cultural icon of the state

The Ex-Convento, which is like a large church or cathedral, is probably the most important building in Yuriria. It is also a very famous symbol for the entire state of Guanajuato. Its construction started in November 1550 and finished in 1559.

Its huge size and beautiful design have amazed people for generations. The building helped put Yuriria on the map! Friar Diego de Chávez, who was the nephew of a famous Spanish explorer named Don Pedro Alvarado, started its construction. The well-known architect Pedro del Toro designed it.

• 

  Convento de San Agustín de Yuriria.

• 

  Interior view of Yuriria Convent.

• 

  Detail of the Temple of the Ex-Convent of San Agustín de Yuriria.

• 

  Detail of the Temple of the Ex-Convent of San Agustín de Yuriria.

• 

  Detail of the Temple of the Ex-Convent of San Agustín de Yuriria.

Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo

The Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo means "Temple of the Precious Blood of Christ." This church was built in the 1800s. Inside, it holds a special black figure of Christ that dates back to the 1600s.

• 

  Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.

Geography of Yuriria

Yuriria is located in a low-lying area of Guanajuato called the "Bajío". It shares borders with several other towns and states. To the east, it borders Salvatierra and Santiago Maravatío. To the north, it borders Jaral del Progreso and Valle de Santiago. To the south, it borders Uriangato and Moroleón. To the west, it borders the state of Michoacán. The total size of Yuriria is 656 square kilometers.

The town of Yuriria sits on the southern edge of Lake Yuriria. This lake is a shallow reservoir, which means it's a man-made lake used to store water. It gets its water from the Lerma River.

Climate

See also

In Spanish: Municipio de Yuriria para niños