Historic Center of Cuatro Ciénegas

Cuatro Ciénegas de Carranza is a small town in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila, located in the state's desert region, founded by the governor of Coahuila state, Antonio Cordero y Bustamante, on May 24, in the year 1800. The original name of the town was Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y Cuatro Ciénegas, later on changed to Villa Venustiano Carranza, until the final name Cuatro Ciénegas de Carranza was decided upon. This was in honor of Venustiano Carranza Garza, the "First Chief of the Constitutionalists" and president of México from 1916 to 1920. He was born in the town in 1859. The incorporation of México to the Global Alliance of National Parks project started during President Venustiano Carranza's term. Due to its biological importance and high diversity and endemism, the Cuatro Ciénegas valley was declared a protected natural area on November 7, 1994.