Oaxaca de Juárez, Capital city in southern Mexico.
Oaxaca de Juárez is the capital of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, set in a valley at 1555 meters elevation, surrounded by the Sierra Madre del Sur and crossed by the Atoyac River. Streets in the center follow a regular grid around the central square, with low buildings of green volcanic stone and shaded arcades along the sidewalks.
The Spanish founded the city in 1529 on an area previously inhabited by Zapotec communities. The full name was adopted in 1872 to honor President Benito Juárez, who was born in the region.
The name comes from a Nahuatl word for a tree that grew in the mountains around the valleys. Today the city combines colonial buildings of green stone with markets where Zapotec and Mixtec families sell textiles and pottery.
Most accommodations in the center lie within a short walk of the main square, many in converted colonial houses with interior courtyards. Early mornings work well for walking before the sun becomes too warm in the streets.
The quarries for the green volcanic stone used to build colonial facades still lie in the hills north of the city. This material gave the city its nickname Verde Antequera, commonly used in the 18th century.
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