León << lay OHN >> is the largest city in Guanajuato state, in central Mexico. At the time of the 2020 census, León had 1,579,803 inhabitants. Its metropolitan area had a population of 1,924,771. León is one of Mexico’s most prosperous cities.
León is a leading producer of leather goods in Latin America. It is known as the shoemaking capital of Mexico. León’s metropolitan area also has a General Motors plant. The city has won praise for its public transportation system.
Unlike many Mexican cities, León was not originally established by indigenous (native) people. In 1575, the Spanish viceroy (king’s deputy) in Mexico issued a decree to establish León. Various indigenous groups had long lived in the area. Construction of the town began in 1576. In the mid-1700’s, León became an important center of the Jesuits, a Roman Catholic religious order. The city remains strongly Catholic. In the 1810’s, during Mexico’s fight for political independence, León was an important Spanish stronghold.
In June 1915, during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), León was the site of decisive fighting between the revolutionary forces of Álvaro Obregón and Francisco Pancho Villa. Obregón lost an arm during the fighting, but his men still crushed Villa’s forces. Obregón’s victory helped secure the triumph of the revolutionary leader Venustiano Carranza. In 1916, Carranza called a congress to write a new constitution, which remains in effect today. Carranza became Mexico’s president in 1917.
