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Espita

Espita
Town
St. Joseph church.
St. Joseph church. Estación de ferrocarriles.
Plaza de toros.
Espita
Official seal of Espita
Seal
Motto: "The Athens of Yucatan"
Espita is located in Yucatán (state)
Espita
Espita
Coordinates: 21°00′46″N 88°18′17″W / 21.01278°N 88.30472°W / 21.01278; -88.30472Coordinates: 21°00′46″N 88°18′17″W / 21.01278°N 88.30472°W / 21.01278; -88.30472
Country Mexico
State Yucatan
Municipality Espita Municipality
Government
 • Municipal president Carlos Erosa Correa
Area
 • Total 6.47 km2 (2.50 sq mi)
Elevation 27 m (89 ft)
Population (INEGI, 2010)
 • Total 11,551
 • Density 1,662.75/km2 (4,306.5/sq mi)
Demonym(s) espitan
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 97730
Area code(s) 986
INEGI Code 310320001
Website www.espita.gob.mx

Espita is a town in Espita Municipality, Yucatan (Mexico) located on the Litoral Oriente (East Coast) or Region I of Yucatan. It has an average height of 27 meters and is located at a distance of 165 km from the Merida City, 80 km from Izamal, 58 km from Chichen Itza, 49 km from Valladolid, 35 km from Ek' Balam and 27 km from Tizimín.

During pre-Hispanic times, the site where the town stands today was part of the province of the cupules, where later, with the arrival of the Spanish, was founded the present town and established the encomienda system in 1549. Since colonization vast buildings were built, among which stands the church dedicated to St. Joseph. In the nineteenth century, the town housed some of the most important maize haciendas in the state, due to its booming economy and the impulse to culture, Espita was considered as one of the cultural centers of the Yucatan, and he was known by the nickname of "The Athens of Yucatan". Towards the second half of the twentieth century, the town experienced a decline in its development due in large part to the closure of the haciendas and the consequent decline of its economy.

Today is the fourth most populous town in the eastern of Yucatan, only after Valladolid, Tizimín and Chemax.

There are several versions of the original name of the town, the most accepted argument that was called "x pit há", which literally means "bit water" in the Yucatec Maya language.

The name Espita was given to the town by the Spanish while they were in the conquest of Yucatan. Espita name remained so for three centuries, until the September 15, 1876, when the town council changed the official name to Espita de Peniche Gutiérrez; same as, to date, completely not used in any official document.

Espita is an ancient town rich in traditions such as historical facts.


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Wikipedia

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