Madrid

Madrid, in the municipality of Tecomán, has nothing to do with the Spanish capital: it takes its name from the La Madrid hacienda, on whose ruins the village was founded. It lies in the valley between Tecomán and Coquimatlán, about 170 metres above sea level, and with some 3,300 residents it is one of the larger communities in the municipality.

The hacienda was the cradle of the De la Madrid family, who later moved to the city of Colima and gave several names to regional and national history: Colonel Mariano de la Madrid, Miguel de la Madrid Guerrero (1827-1895), governor of Colima, Enrique O. de la Madrid (1862-1935) and Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado, president of Mexico. Only a few ruins and stretches of aqueduct are left of the estate.

This is farming and cattle country, ringed by orchards of Mexican lime, papaya, mango, soursop and tamarind, in a very hot and fairly dry climate that averages 26 °C. The Guaracha springs rise near the village, and locals cool off at the spring-fed balneario known as the ojo de agua and at the reservoir. The main celebration is the feast of the Virgen del Rosario on October 7. Madrid has its own local board, a technical secondary school and the University of Colima's Technical High School No. 24, and the Montecristo and El Rosario ejidos surround it.