Cuidad Juárez (1144 m (3755 ft); population: 1,100,000; fiestas: December 4th, Día de Santa Bárbara; December 5th-12th, celebration of the city's foundation; August 10th-12th, cotton fair; air, bus and rail connections with Mexico City) is situated 336km/209mi north-west of Nuevo Casas Grandes on the U.S. frontier. It lies on the south bank of the Río Grande, directly opposite El Paso (Texas). Originally called Paso del Norte, in 1888 the city was renamed in honour of Benito Juárez who, in 1865 and 1866 at the time of the War of Intervention, had his headquarters here.
During the Mexican Revolution (1910-21) it was used as a base by the revolutionary hero and bandit leader Francisco ("Pancho") Villa. Today Cuidad Juárez is an important agricultural processing and distribution centre ("maquiladoras").
Among places of interest in the city are the mid 17th c. Guadalupe mission church and the recently built cultural centre (Centro Cultural). The latter incorporates a museum of history and archaeology (ceramics from Casas Grandes, memorabilia from the Mexican Revolution) and displays of folk art.
If visiting El Paso's Mexican sister city the best plan is to take the bus to Santa Fe Bridge, cross the frontier on foot, then make enquiries at the Juarez Tourist Office on the Mexican side. Cheap shopping is one of Ciudad Juarez's chief attractions, all manner of goods being available.
Read More
Read Less
Read More
Read Less
