SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

city, east-central Guanajuato estado (state), north-central Mexico. It lies on a small tributary of the Laja River, at 6,135 feet (1,870 m) above sea level and 32 miles (52 km) by highway north of Celaya. The first settlement in Guanajuato, it was founded in 1542 by the Franciscan monk Juan de San Miguel, a benefactor of the Indians, and was named for him and for a native son, Ignacio Allende, a hero of the revolution against Spain. Irrigated by waters from the upper Lerma River system, the surrounding farmlands produce corn (maize), beans, wheat, quinces, and peaches. Tin is mined in the vicinity. Tourism is important, and the city has attracted as residents many U.S. citizens who attend the city's school of fine arts, which was established in 1938 by the artists Stirling Dickinson of the United States and Cossio de Pomar of Peru. San Miguel de Allende is also known for its churches and numerous colonial buildings. The city can be reached by highway from Quertaro, 39 miles (63 km) to the southeast, and the main Mexico City-Nuevo Laredo railroad passes 2 miles (3 km) west of the city. Pop. (1980) 30,003.