Torreón

Torreón is one of the youngest cities in Mexico, with a population of some 750,000 people. Known as the Pearl of La Laguna, the metropolitan area includes the cities of Matamoros and Francisco I. Madero also in Coahuila state, and Gómez Palacio and Lerdo in neighboring Durango. It's crowning glory is the Cristo de las Noas complex where visitors take a Cable Car to the Plaza Mayor esplanade and government complex.Today, the Puerto Noas complex is as much an ecological complex with a permanent exhibition of dinosaurs, an Ecological Park, an Observatory and an Aviary. Butterfly Mountain is a giant stained-glass window installation that stands out as particularly impressive.

In downtown Torreon, visitors go in for the Isauro Martinez Theater, the Arocena Museum, the Pearl Canal, and the mysterious vault of the State Mint. The Museum of the Revolution, the Cotton Museum, and the Regional Museum of the Lagoon stand out for welcoming visitors from all over.

The Laguna Region is known principally for business with the Convention Center providing something of a local center. Nearby, the Coliseo Centenario provides a secular alternative as an entertainment center which also hosts major sporting events.

Many of the hotels and restaurants surround this area. All of it is served by the Francisco Sarabia International Airport. Visitors arrive to visit the Sierra itself, and especially the Jimulco Canyon ecological reserve.

The desert and mountains are evident nearly everywhere in Torreón. But the population has grown particularly astute at welcoming visitors to a gentle oasis from that harsh environment, even while recognize its continuing beauty and importance.