Sister cities of Zapopan, Jalisco

Zapopan (Spanish pronunciation: [saˈpopan]) is a city and municipality located in the Mexican state of Jalisco, which is part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. It is best known as being the home of the Virgin of Zapopan, an image of the Virgin Mary which was made in the 16th century. This image has been credited with a number of miracles and has been recognized by popes and even visited by Pope John Paul II. The municipality is also the home of the Centro Cultural Universitario, which contains one of the most important concert venues in Latin America and is the home of the new stadium for the C.D. Guadalajara.

The name Zapopan comes from the Nahuatl word “tzapotl” which means among sapote trees and the word “pan” which means among under. It also has the nickname of “Villa Exmaicera”(Ex-corn village) as it used to be a major producer of corn. Its seal was designed by José Trinidad Laris in 1941 for the 400th anniversary of the city’s founding.