Tonalá, Jalisco

City and municipality in Jalisco, Mexico

Tonalá Church in Tonalá Coat of arms Location Location in the State of Jalisco Administration Country Mexico State Jalisco Region Región Centro Metropolitan Area Guadalajara Metropolitan Area Municipality • Neighborhoods Tonalá 193 Municipal president Sergio Armando Chávez Dávalos (2021 ) Political party Geography City Area 51.66 km2 Metro Area 2,740 km2 Elevation 1,540 m Coordinates : Population City Population (2020) 442,440 city; 569,913 municipality Metro Population (2020) 5,268,642 (Rank 3) City Density 8,564/km2 Metro Density 1,897.29/km2 General Information Demonym Tonalteca Time Zone CST (UTC−6) • Summer CDT (UTC−5) Postal Code 45400–45429 Area Code +52 (Mexico) / +33 (Jalisco) Website – H. Ayuntamiento de Tonalá

Tonalá (tonaˈla) is a city and municipality within the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area in the state of Jalisco in Mexico. With a population of 442,440, it is the fourth largest city in the state, the other three being the other major population centres in the metro area: Guadalajara, Zapopan, and Tlaquepaque. It is best known as a major handcrafts center for Jalisco, especially pottery, as well as its very large Thursday and Sunday street market, dedicated to handcrafts.

The “municipal palace” or local government building is distinguished by its clock tower and arches, which are decorated in ceramic tiles in traditional motifs. There are also ceramic murals created by Salvador Vázquez and Francisco Basulto. In 2013, the local government opened an exhibition hall and museum in the building called the Tonalá Puebla Museo, to promote local handcrafts, arts and culture. The main church for the city is the Santiago Apostol Parish. Constructed in the 16th century, it is the second oldest standing church in the Valley of Atemajac. It is best known as the site of the masked Dance of the Tastoanes, performed in honor of Saint James on July 25. Main cultural centers are the Museo Nacional de la Cerámica, the Casa de Artesanos and the Museo Tonallan. The Museo Nacional de la Cerámica is mostly dedicated to Jalisco ceramics, especially that of Tonalá. There are halls dedicated to ceramics from other parts of the country as well as a hall dedicated to miniatures. The Tonallán Museum contains exhibits related to the municipality's history, dances such as the Tastoanes and handcrafts from the pre Hispanic era to the present.

The city of Tonalá functions as the local government for 58 other communities, which cover a territory of 119.58km2. Merchants at the traditional tianguis (outdoor market) reported that their earnings had fallen by 60% due to health safety concerns related to the COVID 19 pandemic in Mexico by December 2020. Tonalá reported 4,357 confirmed cases and 540 deaths from the pandemic as of February 26, 2021. Eleven people were killed and at least two wounded when unidentified armed assailants attacked a party on February 27, 2021.