Founded in
1596 by Don Diego de Montemayor, Monterrey was named for the
Viceroy of New Spain. Don Gaspar de Zuñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey. Real development began in the 18th century, when El Obispado, or the Bishop's Palace -- initially built as a place of retirement for
Catholic bishops -- became the seat of the religious
diocese.
Capital of the state of
Nuevo León, this is
México's third largest metropolis and its most dynamic
industrial powerhouse. Numerous
factories produce
transportation equipment,
electrical appliances,
cement,
steel,
chemicals,
clothing,
beer, cut
glass and many other products.
Industrialization has also made the city an important point of
commerce with the
United States. Monterrey's
business muscle is exemplified by the
Centro Internacional de Negocios (CINTERMEX, International Business Center), said to be the largest trade and convention center in
Latin America.
Passage of the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the early 1990s added further economic
impetus to an already-healthy
industrial environment. Multinational corporations, drawn by the availability of cheap
Mexican labor meant jobs for Mexican workers, and
maquiladoras sprang up here and in the border cities. Real prosperity, however, is a fact of life for only a small -- although growing -- percentage of the
population.
The "
Sultana del Norte" or Sultan of the North (an
affectionate nickname owing to
industrial prominence) is by no means laid-back; well over two million people live here.
México's class
juxtapositions are strongly evident, as
terrible poverty exists side by side with remarkable wealth. Some 150 miles south of the
United States-
México border -- a mere three hours by car -- Monterrey is a favored weekend destination for nearby Texans, although its sheer size and
frenetic pace can be
daunting to the casual visitor. The lack of touristic charm, however, is compensated for by a
palpable sense of
progress.