Pachuca, ( pa't͡ʃuka ) formally known as Pachuca de Soto, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located in the south-central part of the state. Pachuca de Soto is also the name of the municipality of which the city serves as municipal seat. Pachuca is located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) from Mexico City via Mexican Federal Highway 85. There is no consensus about the origin of the name Pachuca. It has been traced to the word pachoa (strait; opening), Pachoacan (place of government; place of silver and gold), and patlachuican (place of factories; place of tears). The official name of Pachuca is Pachuca de Soto in honor of congressman Manuel Fernando Soto, who is given credit for the creation of Hidalgo state. Its nickname of “La bella airosa” (Beautiful Airy City) comes from the strong winds that blow into the valley through the canyons to the north of the city. In the indigenous Otomi language, Pachuca is known as Nju̱nthe. The area had been long inhabited but except for some green obsidian, but the mining that Pachuca is famous for began in the mid-16th century, during Spanish colonial rule. Pachuca remained a major mining center until the mid-20th century, with the city’s fortunes going up and down with the health of the mining sector. In the mid-20th century a major downturn in mining pushed Pachuca to change the basis of its economy to industry, resulting in the revamping of the Universidad Autónoma de Hidalgo. Today mining forms only a fraction of the municipality’s economy. One cultural aspect that makes Pachuca stand out is the influence that Cornish miners who immigrated here in the 19th century have had. Many of their descendents remain in Pachuca and nearby Real del Monte, as well as two heritages that define the city, soccer and a dish called “pastes.”
The Municipality of Pachuca de Soto, or Municipality of Pachuca, is one of the Municipalities of the state of Hidalgo, located in east-central Mexico.
The municipal seat is the City of Pachuca (Ciudad de Pachuca de Soto).
The Municipality of Pachuca is increasingly co-extensive with the metropolitan area of Pachuca, as development grows to cover over 60% of the geographic open space. This has eliminated much of the municipality’s native flora diversity and larger fauna.
The current municipal president is Eleazar García of the Institutional Revolutionary Party.
The Municipality of Pachuca has a territory of 195,300 square kilometres (75,400 sq mi) and borders the municipalities of Mineral del Chico, Mineral del Monte, Zempoala, Zapotlán de Juárez, Mineral de la Reforma, Epazoyucan, and San Agustín Tlaxiaca.
Settlements in the Municipality of Pachuca include:
Club de Fútbol Pachuca is a Mexican professional football team based in Pachuca, Hidalgo, that competes in Liga MX. Founded by British miners in 1901, it is one of the oldest football clubs in the Americas. After decades of mediocre or poor performances between the 1st and 2nd division, Pachuca was promoted once again to the Primera División in 1998. Since then it has been one of the most successful clubs in Mexico, winning five national championships, four CONCACAF Champions' Cups, the 2007 SuperLiga, defeating Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy and one Copa Sudamericana in 2006 Pachuca became the first CONCACAF team to win a CONMEBOL tournament. Pachuca was one of the founding members of the Mexican Primera División and one of its most successful clubs.
Cornish emigrant miners working for the Compañía Real del Monte y Pachuca founded the "Pachuca Athletic Club" in 1901. Originally they practiced football as only a hobby during the free time they had while working at the mines owned by William Blamey. Alfred C. Crowle was the man who first introduced the sport to the mine workers, bringing the first footballs and the rules. Other clubs soon were established in surrounding states, including Albinegros de Orizaba, Reforma AC, British Club, Puebla A.C. and Mexico Cricket Club.