Guadalajara is the capital city of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Guadalajara is known as "La Perla Tapatia" ("Pearl of the West") and Ciudad de las Rosas (city of the Roses) for its architecture and environment.

Culture

The actual cultural movement in Guadalajara is without a doubt one of strongest in America, where the whole city becomes contributor. The city is home to several cultural festivals like the May Cultural Festival, Fiestas de Octubre, Zapopum!, the Guadalajara Municipal Fair Book, Fair of Mariachi and Charreria, Guadalajara Contemporary Dance festival, CHROMA, Fotoseptiembre, Independient Film Festival and world wide important festivals like the Guadalajara International Film Festival.  Also the Guadalajara International Book Fair (Feria Internacional de Libro or FIL) is celebrated in November and is considered the most important Spanish language book fair in the world. 
The city is also place of several dance and ballet companies, like the Chamber Ballet of Jalisco, Folkloric Ballet of the University of Guadalajara and University of Guadalajara Contemporary Ballet.

Architecture

The city is certainly very rich in architecture, that varies from the most exquisite baroque architecture, until the modern one. The architectonic forms of the colony are product of French and Spanish architectonic currents that during the foundation of Guadalajara shone in the European continent and that of parallel way left influence in this city. In the historical center (downtown) it is possible to be appreciated the pure example of neoclassic architecture beginning with the metropolitan cathedral, the degollado theater and buildings to the environs, in the Lafayette colony is east architectonic style in residential large houses some whatever turned boutiques and restaurants.