San Juan del Río is the second largest and most populous city in the state of Querétaro and it is also second in economic and political importance in the state. San Juan del Río is located south of the city of Querétaro, which is the capital of the state with the same name.

This city was founded in a sedimentary valley with a rich agricultural zone, which also contains abundant underground hot springs, with temperatures as hot as 37.5 ° C.

San Juan del Rio was given such name because its founders arrived at that location on June 24th, the Feast of San Juan the Baptist; they loved the luscious and fertile valley with its rushing river and decided to settle on its banks.

Some records indicate that San Juan del Rio was founded on June 24, 1531, although some authors, like Dr. Augustín Ruiz Olloqui, contend that the actual foundation date was few years earlier, on June 24, 1526. He bases his theory on writings which appear in a Colony document that talks about some water issues in the area of San Juan del Río. Such document can be found at San Juan del Río Municipal Historical Archive; based on these findings, the anniversary to commemorate the Foundation of the city has been widely determined to be June, 24 1526. June 24 also coincides with the feast of San Juan the Baptist, the city’s patron saint. Over the years, this celebration has grown in importance, both, because its religion influence and because of the rapid growth of the city and its nearby communities. The perimeter of the city and its nearby communities is spread over an area of 796.6922 km2.

The City’s coordinates are:

• Latitude: 20 º 23 '19,83 "North
• Longitude: 99 º 59 '46,71 "West
• Altitude: 1,920m (in the middle of the Garden of Independence).
  
  The main economic engines of the area are:
  a) industry (paper production, packaging and distribution of canned and fresh food products, production of chemicals, metal production and mechanical industry),
  b) agriculture and
  c) tourism. This city is a major tourism destination in the state, containing very important tourist sites and attractions, such as:
  
  
• The archaeological site of Barrio de la Cruz
• The city’s Historic Center
• The Museum of Death, which is one of a kind
• San Juan River, a very popular recreational site