Zapopan, << sah POH pahn, >> is a large city in the state of Jalisco in central Mexico. It forms part of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, the state capital. At the time of the 2020 census, Zapopan had a population of 1,257,547. It is an important industrial center in the region. The city is best known for the Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan, a historic church built from the late 1600’s to late 1800’s.
Like many other cities in central and southern Mexico, Zapopan was founded before Spaniards conquered the Aztec about 1520. Because of ongoing warfare following the conquest, Spaniards did not settle in the area until 1541.
The Spaniards brought a small statue of the Virgin Mary to Zapopan. Indigenous (native) artisans in what is now Michoacán state had crafted the statue from wood and a paste made from maize stalks. The statue, which eventually became known as the Virgin of Zapopan, represents a mixture of indigenous and European culture that is common throughout Mexico.
In the early 1800’s, some Mexicans came to view the Virgin of Zapopan as a hero for national independence. They named her the General of the Army of the Three Guarantees. In 1919, Pope Benedict XV named the statue the Queen of Jalisco. A coronation ceremony took place in 1921. The pope at that time wished to strengthen Catholic authority following the Mexican Revolution, which had led to separation of church and state. Today, the Virgin is kept in the Basilica of Zapopan. Many people visit Zapopan to see the statue. Some people have credited the statue with performing miracles. An annual procession on October 12, celebrated in Mexico as Día de la Raza (Day of the Race), honors the statue.
From the mid-1900’s, Guadalajara grew rapidly, due in part to a high birth rate and the migration of poor farm laborers to the city. Nearby Zapopan also grew during this period. It gained city status in 1991.
