{{Short description|City and municipality in Mexico}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | settlement_type = City and municipality | total_type = City | official_name = Celaya | image_skyline = CelayaCollage.jpg | image_caption = In order from left to right:<br/>Ángel de la Independencia, Andador Guadalupe, Bola de agua, Estatua a Tresguerras, Portal Colunga, Catedral de San Francisco, Iglesia de la Virgen del Carmen and Palacio Municipal. | image_flag = | image_shield = Escudo_armas_de_celaya.svg | nickname = ''The Golden Gate of the [[Bajío]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cultura.gob.mx/turismocultural/destino_mes/guanajuato/celaya.html | title=CELAYA | access-date=2022-11-30 | archive-date=2022-11-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130034649/https://www.cultura.gob.mx/turismocultural/destino_mes/guanajuato/celaya.html | url-status=live }}</ref> | motto = "De Forti Dulcedo" (La Dulzura del Fuerte) | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Mexico Guanajuato#Mexico | coordinates = {{coord|20|31|23|N|100|48|50|W|region:MX|display=inline}} | subdivision_name = {{flag|Mexico}} | subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Guanajuato]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Political divisions of Mexico|State]] | subdivision_type2 = Municipality | subdivision_name2 = | established_title = Foundation | established_date = October 12, 1570 | established_title2 = Founded as | established_date2 = ''Villa de la Purisíma Concepción de Zalaya'' | founder = [[Martín Enríquez de Almanza]] | government_type = | leader_title = [[Mayor]] | leader_name = Juan Miguel Ramirez Sanchez | area_total_km2 = 65.3 | area_blank1_title = Municipality | area_blank1_km2 = 553.1 | elevation_m = 1767 | population_total = 340,387 | population_as_of = 2020 census | population_density_km2 = auto | population_footnotes = <ref>[http://www.citypopulation.de/en/mexico/admin/guanajuato/11007__celaya/ Citypopulation.de] Population of Celaya municipality with localities</ref> | population_blank1_title = Municipality | population_blank1 = 521,169 | population_density_blank1_km2 = auto | demographics_type1 = [[GDP|GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)]] | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = Year | demographics1_info1 = 2023 | demographics1_title2 = Total (Metro area) | demographics1_info2 = $15 billion<ref name="TelluBase">{{cite web|url=https://tellusant.com/repo/tb/tellubase_factsheet_mex.pdf|publisher=Tellusant|title=TelluBase—Mexico Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)|access-date=2024-01-11|archive-date=2024-01-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113154659/https://tellusant.com/repo/tb/tellubase_factsheet_mex.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> | demographics1_title3 = Per capita | demographics1_info3 = $21,200 | timezone = [[Central Standard Time]] | utc_offset = -6 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 38000 - 38159 | area_code = [[Area codes in Mexico|461]] | blank_name = Airport | blank_info = [[Captain Rogelio Castillo National Airport|Aeropuerto Nacional Capitán Rogelio Castillo]] | website = http://www.celaya.gob.mx | footnotes = | name = | population_metro = 717,616 }} '''Celaya''' ({{IPA|es|seˈlaja|-|Celaya - es - mx.ogg}}; [[Otomi language|Otomi]]: {{Lang|ote|Ndathi}}) is a city and its surrounding [[municipalities of Mexico|municipality]] in the state of [[Guanajuato]], [[Mexico]], located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 310,413. The municipality for which the city serves as municipal seat, had a population of 415,869. The city is located in the geographic center of the municipality, which has an areal extent of {{convert|553.1|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and includes many smaller outlying communities, the largest of which are San Miguel Octopan, [[Rincón de Tamayo]] and [[San Juan de la Vega]].
There are many smaller towns around Celaya including Rincón de Tamayo, [[Tarimoro]], [[Villagrán, Guanajuato|Villagrán]], [[La Moncada]], [[Panales Jamaica]] (Cañones), Panales Galera, La Calera, La Estancia, La Noria, Los Fierros, El Acebuche, [[Cacalote]], and Charco Largo. It is also not far away from [[Cortazar, Guanajuato|Cortazar]], [[Salamanca, Guanajuato|Salamanca]], [[Salvatierra, Guanajuato|Salvatierra]], [[Apaseo el Grande]], [[Querétaro City]] and among others. The city was founded in 1570 as ''Villa de la Purisíma Concepción de Zalaya''. The word Zalaya is of [[Basque language|Basque]] origin and means "Flat Land".
== History == [[File:Panorama de la ciudad de Celaya, Guanajuato.tif|thumbnail|right|''Panorama de la ciudad de Celaya, Guanajuato'' (Celaya city panorama), Anonymous, [[1883]], [[Museo Soumaya]]]] [[File:Street vendors in the Celaya train station. Description (Spanish) Vendedores ambulantes en la estación de tren en Celaya..jpeg|thumb|Street vendors in the Celaya train station before 1901]] Celaya was a frontier region between the [[Purépecha people|Purépecha]] and the [[Chichimecas]].<ref>Peter Gerhard, ''A Guide to the Historical Geography of New Spain'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1972), p. 64</ref>
General [[Álvaro Obregón]] defeated [[Pancho Villa]] in the [[Battle of Celaya]] in 1915, as referred by Martínez<ref>Martínez A, JA (2019). Los Combates de Celaya: Crónicas y Testimonios.</ref> Celaya was also the Guanajuato state capital for a short period.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}
[[Celaya fireworks disaster|An explosion]] in a gunpowder and fireworks warehouse in September, 1999, killed over 60 people and injured over 300 people. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.u-69cruzrojacelaya.org/domingonegro.htm |title=Domingo Negro - U-69 CRUZ ROJA CELAYA |access-date=2011-01-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728135848/http://www.u-69cruzrojacelaya.org/domingonegro.htm |archive-date=2011-07-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.disasterrelief.org/Disasters/WORLD/990927wag.html#5 |title=World at a Glance |website=www.disasterrelief.org |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817095157/http://www.disasterrelief.org/Disasters/WORLD/990927wag.html#5 |archive-date=17 August 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 23 May 2022, [[Celaya massacre|eleven people were murdered]] in a [[massacre]] linked to the [[Mexican drug war]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://elpais.com/mexico/2022-05-24/asesinadas-al-menos-10-personas-en-un-ataque-en-celaya.html | title=Asesinadas al menos 11 personas en un ataque en Celaya | date=24 May 2022 | access-date=2022-07-13 | archive-date=2022-07-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717025920/https://elpais.com/mexico/2022-05-24/asesinadas-al-menos-10-personas-en-un-ataque-en-celaya.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
==Geography== ===Climate=== Celaya has a [[semi-arid climate]] (Köppen climate classification [[Semi-arid climate|BSh]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://en.www.inegi.org.mx/temas/climatologia/ | title=Mapas. Climatológicos | access-date=2022-11-30 | archive-date=2022-11-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130033600/http://en.www.inegi.org.mx/temas/climatologia/ | url-status=live }}</ref> {{Weather box|width=auto | location = Celaya (1991-2020) | metric first = yes | single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 36.0 | Feb record high C = 34.5 | Mar record high C = 39.0 | Apr record high C = 39.0 | May record high C = 38.5 | Jun record high C = 38.0 | Jul record high C = 34.5 | Aug record high C = 34.5 | Sep record high C = 33.0 | Oct record high C = 34.0 | Nov record high C = 35.0 | Dec record high C = 34.0 | Jan high C = 26.1 | Feb high C = 27.8 | Mar high C = 29.8 | Apr high C = 31.4 | May high C = 31.7 | Jun high C = 29.6 | Jul high C = 27.6 | Aug high C = 27.9 | Sep high C = 27.6 | Oct high C = 27.8 | Nov high C = 27.4 | Dec high C = 26.5 | year high C = 28.4 | Jan mean C = 16.3 | Feb mean C = 17.8 | Mar mean C = 19.9 | Apr mean C = 22.1 | May mean C = 23.3 | Jun mean C = 22.6 | Jul mean C = 21.2 | Aug mean C = 21.3 | Sep mean C = 21.1 | Oct mean C = 20.1 | Nov mean C = 18.5 | Dec mean C = 17.0 | year mean C = 20.1 | Jan low C = 6.5 | Feb low C = 7.9 | Mar low C = 10.0 | Apr low C = 12.8 | May low C = 14.8 | Jun low C = 15.5 | Jul low C = 14.8 | Aug low C = 14.7 | Sep low C = 14.5 | Oct low C = 12.5 | Nov low C = 9.6 | Dec low C = 7.5 | year low C = 11.8 | Jan record low C = -3.5 | Feb record low C = -3.5 | Mar record low C = -3.0 | Apr record low C = 1.0 | May record low C = 6.0 | Jun record low C = 7.0 | Jul record low C = 8.0 | Aug record low C = 6.5 | Sep record low C = 3.0 | Oct record low C = 3.5 | Nov record low C = -1.5 | Dec record low C = -3.5 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 11.1 | Feb precipitation mm = 11.9 | Mar precipitation mm = 10.7 | Apr precipitation mm = 8.0 | May precipitation mm = 27.4 | Jun precipitation mm = 101.7 | Jul precipitation mm = 146.2 | Aug precipitation mm = 137.1 | Sep precipitation mm = 116.9 | Oct precipitation mm = 34.4 | Nov precipitation mm = 10.4 | Dec precipitation mm = 4.1 | year precipitation mm = 619.9 | unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm | Jan precipitation days = 2.6 | Feb precipitation days = 2.1 | Mar precipitation days = 2.5 | Apr precipitation days = 3.1 | May precipitation days = 8.0 | Jun precipitation days = 12.7 | Jul precipitation days = 16.4 | Aug precipitation days = 14.0 | Sep precipitation days = 12.3 | Oct precipitation days = 6.3 | Nov precipitation days = 3.2 | Dec precipitation days = 1.7 | year precipitation days = 84.9 | source 1 = [[Servicio Meteorologico Nacional]] (extremes 1971-2020)<ref name=SMN1>{{cite web | url = https://smn.conagua.gob.mx/tools/RESOURCES/Normales_Climatologicas/Normales9120/gto/nor9120_11095.txt | title = Estado de Guanajuato-Estacion: CELAYA (SMN) | work = Normales Climatologicas 1991–2020 | publisher = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional | language = es | access-date = 30 October 2025}}</ref><ref name=SMN>[http://smn.cna.gob.mx/climatologia/normales/estacion/gto/NORMAL11009.TXT NORMALES CLIMATOLÓGICAS 1971-2000] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130219033028/http://smn.cna.gob.mx/climatologia/normales/estacion/gto/NORMAL11009.TXT |date=2013-02-19 }}, National Meteorological Service of Mexico. Retrieved August 4, 2012.</ref> | date = August 2012 }}
==Education==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order --> *Centro Pedagogico de Celaya *Colegio Arturo Rosenblueth *Colegio Marista *[[Colegio Nuevo Continente Bajío]] Celaya Campus<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nuevocontinentebajio.edu.mx/?page_id=102|title=Nuevo Continente Bajío: Contacto|website=nuevocontinentebajio.edu.mx|access-date=2016-04-20|archive-date=2016-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413172324/http://nuevocontinentebajio.edu.mx/?page_id=102|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Complejo Educativo Ignacio Allende *Colegio Mexico<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.colegio-mexico.edu.mx/|title=Colegio México Celaya – La Verdad Os Hará Libres|website=www.colegio-mexico.edu.mx|access-date=2009-11-29|archive-date=2009-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804161003/http://www.colegio-mexico.edu.mx/|url-status=live}}</ref> *Escuela Bilingue Guilford<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guilford.edu.mx/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218222844/http://www.guilford.edu.mx/|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 December 2007|title=Escuela Guilford|date=18 December 2007}}</ref> *Instituto Andersen<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.institutoandersen.edu.mx/|title=Instituto Hans Christian Andersen|website=www.institutoandersen.edu.mx|access-date=2011-07-24|archive-date=2012-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328040941/http://www.institutoandersen.edu.mx/|url-status=live}}</ref> *Instituto Bilingue Oxford *Instituto Británico de Celaya (BIC) *Instituto Educativo Rosa G. de Carmona *Instituto Sir Winston Churchill<ref>{{cite web|title=Bienvenido al Instituto Winston|url=http://www.institutowinston.edu.mx/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722224624/http://www.institutowinston.edu.mx/|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 July 2011|date=22 July 2011}}</ref> *Instituto Tecnologico de Celaya<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itc.mx/|title=Portal Web ITCelaya - Site|website=www.itc.mx|access-date=2007-09-26|archive-date=2007-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070925010400/http://www.itc.mx/|url-status=live}}</ref> *Instituto Tecnologico de Roque<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itaroque.edu.mx/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721013641/http://www.itaroque.edu.mx/|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 July 2008|title=Instituto Tecnológico de Roque|date=21 July 2008}}</ref> *[[Instituto Universitario del Centro de México]] (UCEM) *Universidad de Celaya<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.udec.edu.mx/|title=Inicio - Universidad de Celaya|website=www.udec.edu.mx|access-date=2007-09-26|archive-date=2007-09-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070920130411/http://www.udec.edu.mx/|url-status=live}}</ref> *[[Universidad de Guanajuato]] *Universidad de Itesba<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unitesba.edu.mx/|title=UNITESBA - Universidad|website=www.unitesba.edu.mx|access-date=2009-08-07|archive-date=2009-03-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323040548/http://www.unitesba.edu.mx/|url-status=live}}</ref> *Universidad Lasallista Benavente<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulsab.edu.mx/|title=Universidad Lasallista Benavente|website=www.ulsab.edu.mx|access-date=2007-11-07|archive-date=2007-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029155641/http://www.ulsab.edu.mx/|url-status=live}}</ref> *Universidad Latina de Mexico<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulm.edu.mx/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228165550/http://www.ulm.edu.mx/|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 February 2010|title=Universidad Latina de Mexico - Offline|date=28 February 2010}}</ref> *Westminster Royal College
==Attractions== ===Ball of Water=== [[File:celaya-bola.jpg|thumb|left|Celaya's main icon—a water tower in the heart of the city.]]
The Ball of Water reservoir has been a city icon since 1908; it continues to supply water to portions of downtown. The tank was manufactured in Germany and assembled on site, and is unique in being assembled using rivets rather than welds. It is believed{{by whom|date=October 2017}} to be the only one of its kind with a spherical shape (it is rumored{{weasel inline|date=October 2017}} that there was another similar water ball in [[Stuttgart]], [[Germany]] that was destroyed during the [[Second World War]]). Traditionally, locals tell visitors that it is filled with [[Cajeta de Celaya|cajeta]], taking them to visit the "Bola del Agua" on Sundays, the traditional day for visiting the Independencia Lane. A plaque at the base of the water tower features the legend (in Spanish):
{{Blockquote|'''"This tower was built at the expense of the city municipality in 1910 and officially opened on 15 September, the day of the anniversary of the proclamation of the independence of Mexico as a state governor Mr. Don Joaquín González Obregón, who gave full moral support to the construction.'s work and everything related to the provision of drinking water, was designed and conducted by the district political head Mr. Don Perfecto I. Aranda, its total cost, including piping limited to two circuits, was $ 161,520.84 '' (mexican old) '' pesos ".''}}
The work was carried out under the command of German Enrique Schöndube, although it is known that payment for the construction took ten years due to the start of the [[Mexican Revolution]], so it was paid once the new government established. During the Mexican Revolution, Villa's officers thought the hydraulic tower had such a large amount of water that destroying it would drown the population of Celaya. One of Villa's generals ordered his artillery to destroy it. Captain Gustavo Duron, in charge of a 75mm battery, followed the orders but shot around the tower, avoiding it and protecting the monument, as mentioned by local historian Herminio Martínez. The construction resulted in the neglect of the people handing out water at home from the mayor's office called water carriers. Commercial advertising on its surface was allowed for several years to cover the costs of the reservoir, ending on September 8, 1980, when, in celebration of upcoming 410th Anniversary of the Foundation of Celaya, the mayor in charge decreed that the Ball of Water would be a symbol that would represent the city, and the placement of advertisements was banned.
===Cuisine=== Celaya is also known for the artisanal production of [[Cajeta de Celaya|cajeta]], a type of milk candy.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
==Transportation== The [[Celaya Airport]] had (as of January 22, 2007) commercial flights to [[Querétaro, Querétaro|Santiago de Querétaro]] and connections from there to other destinations; these services were dropped in 2008.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} Celaya lies along the El Paso Spur of the [[Pan-American Highway]] which is known locally as [[Mexican Federal Highway 45]].{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}
==Notable people== * [[Marta Sahagún de Fox]] (b. April 10, 1953), former Mexican First Lady and wife of President Vicente Fox, lived in Celaya and unsuccessfully ran for mayor * [[Guillermo Martínez (footballer)|Guillermo Martínez]] (b. 15 March 1995), Footballer * [[Miguel Martínez (musician)|Miguel Martínez]] (b. September 29, 1921), Musician, composer and songwriter. Considered the father of the modern mariachi trumpet * [[Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras]] (b. October 13, 1759, d. August 3, 1833), Architect and painter. Designed the El Carmen church in Celaya * [[Joshua Ilika Brenner]] (b. September 14, 1976) Olympic swimmer * [[Liliana Ibáñez]] (b. January 30, 1991), Olympic swimmer * [[Teresa Magueyal]] (1958–2023), Mexican human rights activist. * [[Raúl Velasco]] (b. April 24, 1933, d. November 26, 2006) Entertainer and TV Producer. Was the host of the TV program ''Siempre en Domingo''. * [[Octavio Ocampo]] (b. February 28, 1943) Painter known for his "metamorphosis" style. * [[Mauricio Ochmann]] (b. November 16, 1977), Actor * [[Ever Guzmán]] (b. 15 March 1988), Footballer * [[José Juan Vázquez]] (b. 14 March 1988), Footballer * [[David Bárcena Ríos|David Roberto Bárcena Ríos]] (26 December 1941 – 22 February 2017) was a Mexican equestrian who competed at five Olympic Games, winning a bronze medial in the Team Event at his fifth Olympics * [[Eduardo Clark]] (1991), public official<ref name="clark">{{Cite news |last=Scherer Ibarra |first=María |date=28 January 2022 |title=Clark, 'el que hacía datos' antes de que su análisis fuera popular |url=https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/opinion/maria-scherer-ibarra/2022/01/28/clark-el-que-hacia-datos-antes-de-que-su-analisis-fuera-popular/ |work=[[El Financiero]] |language=Spanish}}</ref>
==Sister cities== *{{flagicon|USA}} [[Carrboro]], [[North Carolina]], United States *{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina|Chapel Hill]], [[North Carolina]], United States{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} *{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Guernica (town)|Guernica, Spain]] *{{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Oaxaca, Oaxaca|Oaxaca, Mexico]] *{{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico]]
==See also== * [[Club Celaya]] a football club from the 1950s that was resurrected in 2003 * [[Atlético Celaya]] a former association football team * [[Auditorio Tresguerras]] * [[Estadio Miguel Alemán]] * [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Celaya]] * [[Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Celaya]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110613183420/http://www.inegi.gob.mx/est/contenidos/espanol/sistemas/conteo2005/localidad/iter/ Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005] INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070317205520/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/wb2/ELOCAL/EMM_guanajuato Guanajuato] Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.celaya.gob.mx/}} * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110721223840/http://www.correo-gto.com.mx/notas.asp?id=130248 A casi 100 años de la Bola de Agua (''Near the century of "Ball of Water"'')]}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312024513/http://www.podcelaya.com/ PODCelaya.com] Business Virtual Directory * [http://www.diocesisdecelaya.org.mx/ Diócesis de Celaya] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128030537/http://www.diocesisdecelaya.org.mx/ |date=28 November 2020 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728140101/http://www.u-69cruzrojacelaya.org/ Domingo Negro Explosion]
{{coord|20|31|20|N|100|48|44|W|display=title}} {{Geographic Location | Centre = Celaya | North = [[Comonfort]] | Northeast = | East = [[Apaseo el Grande]] | Southeast = [[Apaseo el Alto]] | South = [[Tarimoro (municipality)]] | Southwest = [[Cortazar, Guanajuato|Cortázar]] | West = [[Villagrán, Guanajuato|Villagrán]] | Northwest = [[Santa Cruz de Juventino Rosas]] }} {{Guanajuato}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Celaya| ]] [[Category:Municipalities of Guanajuato]] [[Category:Otomi settlements]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1570]] [[Category:Populated places in Guanajuato]]