In 1531, the Spaniard, Don Nuño de Guzmán, arrived with his army and brought a great variety of objects and foods in order to establish this place as conquered territory. The domination of the invaders provoked discontent among the indigenous people and this ended in a battle which the Spaniards won. The Spaniards considered this war to be a great triumph and they divided large parcels of land among themselves and became the first residents of Mazatlán.
The first customs office was in Villa Unión, but in 1827, the Mazatlán Customs Office was opened across the street from a warehouse which contained import and export merchandise.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, open, wooden carts called Arañas were used for transportation. At first they were drawn by animals but later had motors. Today these vehicles have been replaced by "pulmonias".
The Lighthouse is located on a hill called Cerro del Crestón. It was constructed in 1879 by an engineer named Natividad González. The lights are 157 meters above sea level. The Lighthouse has a reach of 48 nautical miles and is thought to be world's tallest natural light house.
Top of the page
Historic Center
One can enjoy an elegant 19th century environment among the grand structures built in the tropical neoclassical style that characterizes buildings from the last part of that century.
Cathedral Basilica
Construction of the cathedral began in 1856 and was finished in 1899. Construction was initially started by Bishop Pedro Loza y Pardavé and was later revived by Priest Miguel Lacarra. The exterior architecture of the cathedral is influenced by both the Gothic and Neoclassical style, but the decoration is completely Baroque.
Angela Peralta theatre
The Angela Peralta Theatre was originally constructed in 1869 and named The Rubio Theatre in honor of Mr. Manuel Rubio.
It was inaugurated February 14th, 1874 with the presentation of the plays "La Campana de Almudiana" and "La Casa de Campo" by the spanish company of Mr. Luke. It was reinaugurated February 6, 1881, when the seating capacity was increased to 1366 seats. In 1883, the opera diva, Angela Peralta, died in the hotel adjacent to the theater before she could even perform there. The theater was renamed in her honor shortly thereafter.
Art Museum
The art museum building was constructed in 1993 and was originally the "Casa de la Cultura".
In November 1998, it was converted to an art museum with three galleries: The Masterpieces Gallery, The Temporary Gallery Room and The Cafetería Gallery.
Top of the page
.
There are three major golf courses in Mazatlán. They have several tournaments during the year as follows:
El Cid Country Club
Ave. Camarón Sábalo
s/n Fracc. El Cid
Phone (69)13-33-33 Ext. 3261
E-mail: club@elcid.com
Internet: www.elcid.com
Number of holes: 27
Type of Greens: Bermuda
Length: 3216 yardas
Schedule: 6:30 - 19:00 Hrs. |
Club Campestre
Bahía de Acapulco s/n
Col. Mazatlán II
Phone: (69) 80-15-70
Fax: (69) 80-15-70
Designer: Carlos Smith
Number of holes: 9
Length:3327 yardas. |
| Estrella del Mar
Kilómetro 10
Camino Isla de la Piedra
Phone: (69) 82-33-00
Fax: (69) 82-34-12
Internet: www.estrelladelmar.com
Designer: Robert Trend
Jones, Junior
Number of holes: 18
Length: 7003 yardas.
Schedule: 6:00 - 15:00 Hrs. |
|
Hunting
Mazatlán is considered one of the best places in México for bird hunting. Several different types of birds are found in this area.
Fishing
You will find many different species of fish in the waters of Mazatlán including blue, striped and black marlin, Mahi Mahi, sailfish and swordfish.
- 11 Sport Fishing Fleets
- 52 Sport Fishing Boat
Hunting and Fishing Calendar
Top of the page
Aquarium
The Mazatlán Aquarium is the best aquarium in all of northwest Mexico.
The aquarium also has an aviary that exhibits various types of birds that live in the northwest of the country like parrots, macaws, golden pheasants and toucans. The aviary was created in an environment similar to their natural habitat.
Mazagua
Mazagua is a water park with water toboggans, slides, toboggans on wheels, wading pools, pools with man-made waves, shaded rest areas and a souvenir shop, all of which make for a fun family outing.
City Park
The city park is a recreational center for the families of Mazatlán and the educational institutions use this area for field trips.
The park has a small train that rides through the woods, a playground and a skating rink for the children. It is located on Ave. Leonismo Internacional across from the University.
Aquatic Sports
One can enjoy various aquatic sports in Mazatlán including:
- Banana Rides
- Sail Boats
- Kayaks
- Jet Skis
- Parachute Rides
Night Life
If you want to have some fun after sunset, we recommend taking Avenida del Mar along the coast to the south until you reach the Historical Downtown area. Here you will find outdoor shows where you can enjoy dinner with romantic music or take a walk along Paseo Olas Altas and enjoy the sound of the ocean.
If you want to dance and sing, go to the northern part of the city called the Zona Dorado and enjoy discos, bars and terraces with great music whether you are into bohemian, disco, tropical or the band atmosphere. You can sing along in any of these great places that offer live music.
Carnaval
With over 100 years of tradition, the Mazatlán Carnaval is considered the third largest carnaval in the world.
Carnaval events include: The Coronation of the Queen of the Floral Games, Carnaval Queen and King of Cheer. There is a literature and poetry prize, naval combat, a parade of allegorical floats and a food fair.
Marathon
The Pacific Marathon takes place during the first week of December.
Distance: 42.195 Km.
Branches: Men and Women.
Categories: Free, Master, Senior, Senior Plus, Wheelchair and Crutches
Prizes:
To the person who breaks the Mexican record, 100,000 USD
To the person who breaks the world record, 1,000,000 USD.
Mazatlan Cyclist Race
With a 36 year history, this race is a national competition in which more than 300 cyclists (4 different levels) from around the country participate.
The total prize money is 250,000.00 pesos
This year’s race has already been scheduled for May 24-28, 2005.
Cultural Festival of Mazatlán
Photo exhibits, opera, plays, ballet, piano recitals, rock concerts and symphonies.
Top of the page