DURANGO, sometimes called Ciudad de Victoria, or Guadiana, a city of Mexico, the capital of the state of Durango, lies near the foot of the south-eastern slope of the Sierra Madre, at a height of 6847 feet above the sea, in 24° 25' N. lat. and 105° 55' W. long. It is the centre of a Roman Catholic bishopric, and possesses a cathedral, ten parish churches, a hospital, Government-buildings, a penitentiary, a state prison, a bull-ring, and a large cock-pit. Formerly the seat of a Jesuit college, it still maintains an episcopal seminary, and an institute with literary, legal, and scientific departments. It is well supplied with water by thermal and other springs, which not only satisfy the demands of nine public baths, but also fill considerable channels along the streets. Trade is carried on with the northern and northwestern states; and, besides a mint, a gold refinery, and other offices connected with the mining operations, there are glass works, printing-presses, and factories for cotton and woollen goods, leather, and tobacco. Durango was founded in 1559 or 1560 by Alonso Pacheco, an officer of the Viceroy Velasco, as a military post for the control of the Chichimecas. It was soon after made an episcopal see, but did not attain any great importance till the discovery of the rich deposits of Guarisamey; and most of its public buildings were erected at the expense of Zambrano, the owner of the mines. In 1783 it had no more than 8000 inhabitants; about 1850 they were estimated at 30,000 or 40,000; in 1868 they were reduced to 12,449.