The city was founded with the name San Francisco de Acámbaro.

The word Acámbaro is derived from a Native American term meaning “place of magueyes”.

The first inhabitants of this area belonged to the Chupicuaro culture, one of the oldest in Mesoamerica.

Their origin is estimated to be from 1200 B.C. In this region, there have been valuable archaeological finds of ceramic of incredible beauty that are now exhibited at the local museum.

The city was founded on September 19, 1526, by the cacique Don Nicolás de San Luis Montañés, with the name San Francisco de Acámbaro. It was the first Spanish town in what is now the state of Guanajuato.

The evangelization process was undertaken by Franciscan friars, who also constructed splendid structures that remain standing today, such as the Templo del Hospital (Hospital Temple), an aqueduct in the Mudéjar style (1527), and a stone bridge over the River Lerma (1750).

The first bullfights on the soil of New Spain were held in Acámbaro, and the Fuente Taurina fountain in the city’s plaza commemorates the introduction of the sport to Mexico.

It is also a unique city in Mexico with a colonial-origin fountain dedicated to bullfighting.

Acámbaro is the only city in Mexico that had a fully intact colonial-era aqueduct until recent times, as it has been destroyed with the construction of houses and streets in Colonia San Isidro.

The 18th century brought prosperity to Acámbaro. During that time important religious and public buildings were constructed. Beautiful temples, bridges, and particular houses were left as remnants of the city’s colonial architecture.

An important event in the history of Mexican independence took place in Acámbaro.

Don Miguel Hidalgo stayed there on October 22, 1810, and brought a ceremony that declared Acámbaro military quarters for the Ejército Grande de América (Grand Army of America).

Hidalgo was given the title of Generalísimo de las Américas (Grand General of the Americas).

That same day, a parade of eighty thousand insurgents took place, that demonstrated the speed of growth of the movement: one month prior on September 16 just 800 men responded to the Grito de Dolores and raised arms against the Spanish in Dolores Hidalgo.

Because of its strategic location, Acámbaro was the key to the development of the railway in Mexico and had a major junction, yard, and shop facility for the National Railways of Mexico (The rail lines are now owned by Kansas City Southern de Mexico).

Acámbaro was the home of the only full-scale locomotive repair facility in Latin America that was capable of constructing steam locomotives.

In 1944 Acámbaro’s mechanical workshop built La Fidelita 296, a steam engine that is a symbol of a time in the history of the Acambarense society. La Fidelita is now on display as the cornerstone exhibit of Acámbaro’s railway museum.

Another souvenir of Acámbaro’s age of steam is a large model locomotive on an elevated platform in the center of a major highway intersection east of the city.

The model engine was originally intended to be placed in a church as thanks by railway workers to the Virgen del Refugio (patron saint of the city) for bringing prosperity and jobs to Acámbaro.

However, the model would not fit through the doorway of the church.

Consequently, it was decided to mount the model outdoors.

Visit the magic town of Acámbaro with its unique churches and architecture. Explore Acámbaro’s streets and enjoy the atmosphere.

• Bullfighting Fountain (“La Fuente Taurina”) or Pila del Aguila.
• Templo del Hospital dates back to the 16th century.
• Templo de Guadalupe dates back to the 18th century.
• Templo de San Francisco dates back to the 18th century.
• El Acueducto (“The Aqueduct”), whose arcs are different among themselves.
• El Paseo de la toma de Agua is a beautiful ravine with arcs and roofs at its bottom.

To the north of Acambaro worth visiting:

• The archaeological site of Chupicuaro
• The Solis Dam
• The Cuitzeo Lagoon
• Obrajuelo – a town located 15 km from Acámbaro, on the slopes of the Celaya-Acámbaro highway
• Agua Caliente Spas with thermal waters

Museo Waldemar Julsrud

Acámbaro has been notable as a point of controversy in the field of archeology as the source of the Acámbaro figures, a collection of about 32,000 clay figurines discovered by German archaeologist Waldemar Julsrud in 1944 near the city’s most prominent landmark, the Cerro del Toro (Bull Hill).

The figures are claimed to be hoaxes, as some of the figurines resembled dinosaurs (thus implying that man and dinosaurs co-existed) and their discovery is used by some as evidence to support creationism.

Many of the Julsrud finds are now on display at the Museo Waldemar Julsrud.

Museo de Chupícuaro

Less controversial archeological artifacts are on display at the Museo de Chupícuaro (also known as Museo Fray Bernardo Padilla), documenting the history of the Chupícuaro people, and the Museo Local de Acámbaro, which has over 4000 relics relating to local Mesoamerican cultures.

The Museo Local also contains paintings related to colonial Mexico and the War of Independence.

The Acambaro figurines are almost 33,000 small ceramic figurines believed to have been found by Waldemar Julsrud in 1944 in Acambaro. The figurines resemble dinosaurs and are sometimes called anachronisms.

Some have put forward the existence of the figurines as compelling evidence for the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans, in an attempt to challenge scientific dating methods and potentially support a literal interpretation of the creation narrative in Genesis.

However, there is no known reliable evidence that the Acámbaro figurines are actual ancient artifacts, and many question the motives of those who defend their validity.

History

The figurines were discovered by a German immigrant Waldemar Julsrud who came across the figurines while riding a horse and hired a local farmer to dig up the remaining figurines, paying him for each figurine he brought.

The farmer brought him more than 32,000 figurines, which included depictions of everything from supposed dinosaurs to peoples from around the world, including the Egyptians, Sumerians, and “bearded Caucasians.”

The figures attracted little attention from scientists and scientists, and when Julsrud began to argue that they were accurate representations of dinosaurs created by ancient society, he only distanced himself further from serious scientific research.

However, the tabloids and popular media covered the story, and these figures gradually became famous.

Archaeologist Charles C. Di Peso worked for the Amerind Foundation, an anthropological organization dedicated to the preservation of Native American culture. He examined the figurines and concluded that they were not authentic.

He concluded that the figurines were indeed fakes: there were no signs of age on their surfaces; dirt did not accumulate in their cracks, and although some of the figures were broken, not a single piece was missing, and not a single broken surface was worn out.

Moreover, the stratigraphy of the excavation clearly showed that the artifacts were placed in a newly excavated pit filled with a mixture of surrounding archaeological layers.

Di Peso also learned that a local family had been producing and selling these figurines to Julsrud since 1944, supposedly inspired by films shown at the Acambaro Cinema, local comic books and newspapers, and affordable day trips to the National Museum of Mexico City.

Others, however, argued that Di Peso would not have been able to conduct a thorough investigation during the four hours he spent at Yulsrud’s house. Charles Hapgood, a pioneer of pole shift theory, became one of the theory’s most famous and dedicated proponents.

Other supporters included Earl Stanley Gardner, creator of the Perry Mason character, who stated that the 32,000 figurines could not have been created by one person or group of people and that the figurines were not a hoax.

Dating

Attempts have been made to date the figurines using thermoluminescence (TL) dating. The earliest results from tests conducted when TL dating was in its infancy suggested a date around 2500 BC. However, later trials refuted these findings.

In 1976, Gary W. Carriveau and Mark K. Hahn attempted to date 20 Acambaro figurines using TL dating. They found that the figurines were fired at temperatures ranging from 450 °C to 650 °C, contradicting claims that the figurines were fired at temperatures too low to be accurately dated.

However, all samples failed the “plateau test”, which showed that the dates obtained for the Acambaro figures using standard TL high-temperature dating methods were unreliable and lacked any chronological significance.

Based on the degree of signal regeneration found in the re-measured samples, they estimated that the figures tested were produced approximately 30 years before 1969.

Pan de Acámbaro (Acambaro bread), Acámbaro’s most famous culinary export, is a bakery product similar to Jewish Challah (it is supposed that the similarity is not coincidental).

The largest of the six city bakeries devoted to the production of Pan de Acámbaro is Tio Sams (Uncle Sam’s), which claims credit for its invention.

From Mexico City

Buses from Mexico City to Maravatio: $15-$16 (2:30/2:50 hours) run just 3 times a day.
Then taxi from Maravatio to Acambaro $35-$45 (0:36 min).

Buses from Mexico City to Acambaro: $8-$17 (2:30/2:50 hours) run every 30 min.

Taxi or car from Mexico City to Acambaro takes just 2:45 hours.

From Morelia

Buses from Morelia to Acambaro: $3-$5 (1:30 hours) run hourly a day.
From Morelia to Acambaro in taxi: $70-$85 (0:55 min).

From Queretaro

Buses from Queretaro to Amealco: $2-$4 (0:50 min) run hourly.
Buses from Amealco to Acambaro: $3-$5 (1:35 hours) run every 30 min.

Then taxi from Queretaro to Acambaro is $90-$110 (1:30 hours).

More buses

Salamanca – Acambaro just via Morelia or Queretaro
Patzcuaro – Acambaro just via Morelia
San Miguel de Allende – Acambaro just via Queretaro

The city is located at an altitude of 1,767 metres (5,797 ft) on the margins of the watercourse of the Querétaro river, a tributary of the Laja River which flows into the Lerma River. Apaseo el Grande extends over an area of 415.26 km2 (160.33 sq mi).

The Sierra de los Agustinos range enters the town from the south, and the Sierra Codornices from the west.

The main body of water is the Apaseo River, a tributary of the Laja River. In Querétaro, it forms currents and rivers like Huipal, from the state of Querétaro, that enters streams to the municipality of San Bartolo and Ixtla and the river Apaseo el Alto.

There are two springs of sulphurous water, namely the Marroquín and the Mandujano. The town also has three alkaline water springs: El Nacimiento, Agua Tibia and Llanitos. The waters of Cañada Mandujano Cedazo and Ojos de Apaseo el Alto, gathered into streams, are used to irrigate the valley lands.

The flora consists of deciduous forest and mesquite. The reported species in the area have endured heavy pressure from urbanization, and include the opossum, coyote, hare, rabbit, and birds like the thrush.

Climate

It is mild and pleasant throughout the year, with a maximum temperature of 37.1 °C (98.8 °F), and a minimum of 0.9 °C (33.6 °F). The annual rainfall is 606 mm (23.9 in).

The northern part of the municipality has a dry climate, with an annual average temperature between 12 and 22 °C (54 and 72 °F), and rainfalls of 400–600 mm (16–24 in). In the central part there is a semi-dry climate, with annual temperatures between 18 and 20 °C (64 and 68 °F) and precipitation of 557–615 mm (21.9–24.2 in).

To the south is a warm climate with summer rain totaling less than 5% of the winter rain, and average temperatures ranging between 7 and 14 °C (45 and 57 °F). June is the warmest month.

In pre-Columbian times, this region was known as Andahe (“close to the water”) and Atlayahualco (“place where water flows”) by the otomí and nahua inhabitants.

It was eventually known as Apatzeo (“yellow flower”) by the purépecha.

The initial name of the town and municipality was Apatzeo, first used by Hernán Pérez de Bocanegra y Córdoba, who was apparently influenced by the expression in the Purépecha language meaning “place of weasels”.

Other names of the city of Apaseo el Grande were Andehe (in the otomi language) which appears in an inscription that is in the choir of the parish church and means “by the water”.

Another name, used by the viceroy Antonio de Mendoza, was Atlayahualco, from the nahuatl language, meaning “by the lake”.

On February 22, 1957, the city and the municipality of Apaseo took the nickname “Apaseo el Grande” (“greater” or “larger”).

This change was intended to resolve conflicts caused by the use of the nickname “Apaseo el Bajo” (“Lower Apaseo”) by residents of the smaller neighboring town of Apaseo el Alto (“Upper Apaseo”).

The location of Apaseo el Grande was inhabited by various indigenous groups of nahuatl, otomi and guamar peoples from ancient times and as a place of refuge following the spanish conquest of Mexico.

Spanish colonization

The territory was conquered by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán in 1530, but its formal incorporation into the spanish empire did not occur until 1538, by act of congregation of indian villages issued by Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza.

In 1537, Don Hernán Pérez de Bocanegra began buying properties from Don Fernando P. Motoci, lord of Xuaxo, and on October 11, 1564, entailed these under the mayorazgo[es] system so the properties would be passed down in his family via primogeniture.

This area became eastern Bajío, the name by which spaniards, creoles, mestizos, indians, blacks and mulattos called the property belonging to the principal landowner of the region.

By 1571, Apaseo had 50 spanish families, 200 blacks, 150 mulattos, and 240 Otomi indians who also spoke nahuatl.

In 1547, silver deposits discovered in Zacatecas resulted in a steady stream of migration to the region, seen by the semi-nomadic chichimecas as intrusions on their ancestral lands.

Underpaid dpanish soldiers raided native villages to acquire slaves for the mines, and the chichimicas made attacks against herders and traders on the border.

Led by Bocanegra, the village of Apaseo defended itself against the chichimecas, and the nearby town of Celaya was founded to bolster the region’s defence.

As the costly chichimeca war entered its fourth decade, the colonial authorities reversed their aggressive treatment of the chichimeca and introduced the “peace by purchase” policy, countering the insurgency by rewarding peaceful behavior while taking steps to settle them in villages and assimilate them.

Viceroyalty

During the 1640s, Apaseo embarked upon a period of economic expansion through ranching in Ixtla, el Peñón and Apaseo el Alto, and fabric manufacturing in Ixtla.

The village was inhabited mostly by Indians, especially Otomi, who were already in the process of assimilating. Many had adopted Spanish surnames such as Valencia, Arrieta, Esparragoza, Sánchez, and González; others translated names like Águila (Eagle) or Conejo (Rabbit). Blacks and mulattos were employed as servants on farms centered around the village of Ixtla.

In 1690, Apaseo’s baptistery was expanded to a parish church with its existing architectural form as the town’s main building. These were times of economic prosperity for Apaseo that united traditional grain and fruit farmers with cattle and sheep farmers. Sheep produced meat and wool, which was especially valued to create garments woven in Obraje de San Diego de Ixtla and Obrajuelo. Wool supplies fueled wholesale and retail markets in Zacatecas, Guadalajara, Mexico City and the Bajío zone through the Camino Real (Royal Road).

By 1748, Apaseo was the fourth-largest city in what would be the state of Guanajuato. The indigenous people of Apaseo started to build a temple on the Camino Real, which was completed in 1824 and was dedicated to the Divina Pastora, better known today as the Pastorcita.

In December 1786, the village of Apaseo and its jurisdiction were incorporated into the Municipality of Guanajuato, along with the city of Celaya. Problems soon arose over land distribution and legal funds, and Apaseo clashed with the Mayorazgo over water rights.

War of Independence

The leaders of the Hidalgo Revolt, theologian Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and military officer Ignacio Allende, were known and esteemed in Apaseo – Allende’s sister was married to the village’s Síndico Procurador (city attorney), Don Domingo Busce. When the uprising approached Celaya in September 1810, a panic broke out in the city. Starting on 22 September, Spaniards fled to refuge at Querétaro.

On September 26, in perhaps the first offensive action, colonial troops attacked Apaseo to arrest Busce, who was accused of complicity with the insurgents. During mid-November, 7,000 men under command of Don Felix Maria Calleja stayed overnight in Apaseo, while preparing to engage Allende’s rebels.

On September 9, 1812, the rebel Colonel Don Antonio Velasco attacked Apaseo, defeating the village’s small colonial garrison. The following year, Apaseo established additional colonial garrisons at the haciendas El Tunal and Obrajuelo. Agustin de Iturbide began a relentless war against the insurgents in Bajio, working with Apaseo Parish Priest Don Manuel María Rodeles and families of the village.

In late 1815, the insurgents were active near Apaseo and on December 19 they killed three soldiers form the El Tunal garrison. Using tactics of damaging the economic base, insurgents attacked the Hacienda de Ameche on April 25, 1818. On July 9, 1818, safeguards were ordered so merchants and artisans from Celaya could attend to business in Apaseo with minimal risk.

On December 30, 1819, Pablo Esquivel, leader of the Picacho rebels, was captured and beheaded by the Apaseo garrison. On January 6, 1820, insurgent José Trinidad Aguado was captured and executed, and it seemed there was victory of the royal arms over the insurgency in Apaseo.

After Iturbide and Vicente Guerrero agreed to end the conflict in 1821, the Spanish garrison left Apaseo. By November 1821, independence was recognized across the country. Apaseo retained its municipal status under the new government, and on April 14, 1826, elected its first constitutional mayor, Don José Pablo Gomez.

In 1830, Apaseo’s textile mills failed, as did others across the country due to the impact of British textile imports. This brought economic hardship, and the same year a severe cholera epidemic killed 680 people.

Reform Era (1855–1876)

In 1856, Don Octaviano Muñoz Ledo purchased the Mayorazgo Hacienda and the adjoining haciendas of San Jose and San Cristobal, solidifying his family’s long-standing relationship with Apaseo.

During the Reform War (1857–1860), Apaseo saw much action due to its strategic location to access the Bajio region. In the Battle of Celaya (1858), General Luis G. Osollo’s army, in combination with Casanova and General Tomás Mejía, attacked General Don Anastasio Parrodi; Osollo chased Parrodi into Salamanca and defeated the Liberal forces.

Meanwhile, Apaseo witnessed an act of chivalry from General Miguel Miramón who – knowing that General Don Santiago Tapia was seriously injured and taking refuge in Apaseo – promised not to disturb the wounded and also sent his doctor to treat them.

The eventual Liberal victory meant full implementation of the 1857 Constitution and the reform laws, mainly the Confiscation (Disentailment) Act, which affected the church and community assets. In Apaseo, substantial church properties were expropriated, including several farms.

During the second French intervention in Mexico (1861–1867), when the capital was captured, President Juarez withdrew through Apaseo on June 5, 1863, taking the treasury to the interior. Liberal Apasean citizens received him and invited him to refreshment in Don Marcos Corona’s house. The resistance crumbled to Franco-Mexican forces and on November 29, 1863, Apaseo and Celaya signed the accession instrument to the Second Mexican Empire in the presence of Mejía. French troops appeared in Apaseo and Celaya on December 3.

Maximilian I took the throne, and toured the Bajío in August 1864. He was warmly received in Apaseo, though Liberals including Don Canuto Gómez hid the temple bell clappers, forcing improvisation using hammers to ring the bells for the Emperor’s party. Marshal François Achille Bazaine married on June 26, 1865, and Maximilian provided a dowry of two farms in Apaseo. The new government had seized and redistributed more than half of the old part of Apaseo: most properties had belonged to Liberals but the Mayorazgo Hacienda had belonged to Muñoz Ledo, a Conservative.

Among those who rose to defend the Republic and attack Franco-Mexican garrisons along the old Camino Real (then called the National Road) was a female bandit captain called “La Carambada”. Her main point of assault was cerca pinta near Caleras de Ameche.

With discontent throughout the country and the withdrawal of French support, Maximilian withdrew to Querétaro. On February 22 and 23, 1867, General Mendez’s Imperial Brigade of 3,000 men stayed in Apaseo on their way to join Maximilian. Behind them, the Republican army of 17,000 men passed through on March 4 and 8.

On June 30, 1870, the town of Apaseo received the title of Villa.

On May 18, 1874, Muñoz Ledo died at 68 years old. He had been a senator, minister, and governor of Guanajuato and Querétaro, and introduced the telegraph to the state. At end of his life, he had many difficulties recovering his properties.

Porfirism (1876–1910)

During the 35-year regime of Porfirio Díaz, peace allowed for the creation of much-delayed public works in Apaseo, particularly in the current Plaza Hidalgo, that was the court of the first parish church and cemetery.

By 1880, Apaseo had constructed an embankment, culverts and railway station. On March 31, 1882 the first passenger train came to Apaseo. The proximity to Querétaro and Celaya prompted Apaseo to become a metropolis of an agricultural area, where activities take place outside the village, at the haciendas and ranches. In 1904, the population of the town was 4,123 and the district was 27,587.

Mexican Revolution

Little local data exists on these years, but it can be inferred that Don Vicente A. Ruiz won the mayoral elections at the triumph of the Revolution Maderista, and continued his post as Political Chief until the Battle of Celaya. Ruiz managed to take several progressive measures, notably the introducing electricity, drilling for a water supply and organizing civil defenses.

Pancho Villa and Venustiano Carranza disagreed on how to reorganize the country and reached their breaking point on October 10, 1914. Apaseo witnessed fighting between the two sides in the Battle of Celaya (April 6–15, 1915). General Cesareo Castro’s cavalry emerged from the forests of the La Labor Hacienda, and played a decisive role in the victory over Villa’s army. Ruiz disappeared in the battle, along with many young Apaseenses who fought for Villa under his command. They may have formed the bandidos (outlaw group) “Los del Cerro de la Rosa”, whose uprising led to the abandonment of several haciendas and the village of San Miguel de Ixtla.

In 1917, the entrance of the United States in World War I, caused the price of garlic to rise rapidly, increasing the revenue of Apaseo and bringing considerable profits to speculators. In 1918, the Spanish influenza epidemic took 1,500 victims in a month.

The current town hall was completed in 1924, and on November 26 Apaseo received the title of city.

The administration of President Plutarco Elías Calles felt its revolutionary initiatives were challenged by the Catholic Church, and instituted anti-clerical laws leading to the Cristero War (1926–1929). On July 31, 1926 the Mexican Episcopate declared suspension of Catholic worship. The priests of the parish decided to hide in Apaseo, and the Apaseenses Cristeros faced federal army troops on January 4, 1927 at the Cerro del Capulin (now in the municipality of Apaseo el Alto). There were about 100 casualties on both sides. Cristero General Don Manuel Frías began to operate north of the town. Meanwhile, Catholic youths organized activities to raise funds for arms and ammunition.

On April 1, 1927, Frías unexpectedly surrounded the Plaza Hidalgo with his troops and arrested City Treasurer Ranulfo Molina, forcing him to deliver the public funds. Frías then robbed the railway station and telegraph office. They used some of the money to buy food for the Cristeros guerrillas and departed.

When diplomacy brought an agreement between the bishops and the Mexican government, the conflict effectively ended, and church bells were rung for the first time in almost three years. Public worship resumed in the Parish Church of Apaseo on July 12, 1929.

Modern era

In 1939, the Pan-American Highway was plotted through Querétaro on the route Apaseo el Alto – Celaya, which was completed in 1942.

In 1947, the District was broken into two municipalities: Apaseo and Apaseo el Alto. In 1948, a cinema opened on Plaza Hidalgo. On October 7, 1955, a prank involving exploding gunpowder caused a stampede in the cinema which left four dead and several injured.

In early 1956, Dr. Salvador Martínez Silva proposed that the city of Apaseo adopt the adjective “El Grande”. José Estrella Vazquez sent a memorandum to Congress requesting el grande (English: ‘the great’) as a nickname for the county. The XLIII State Legislature memorandum responded with Decree No. 64 of February 22, 1957, by which the city and municipality of Apaseo were collectively changed to the title of Apaseo el Grande.

In 1957, an earthquake occurred that closely marked the start of a slow and gradual drying of the spring El Nacimiento, bringing an end to cheap water and large-density irrigation in the municipality. The loss of arable land was estimated at 105 caballerías or 4,440 acres (18.0 km2), leading to Apaseo’s descent into poverty. This would be partially alleviated decades later, after the establishment of factories in the city.

In 1958, the construction of the Superhighway Querétaro–Irapuato began. On December 11, 1961, Apaseo City improved its services sector with the opening of a branch of the Bank of Commerce SA. On December 11, 1964, a branch of Banco Nacional de Mexico (Banamex) was founded on the north side of the parish.

On October 12, 1979, the first stone was laid for the municipal market, Antonio Plaza. On August 3, 1980, tax incentives were granted to attract industry to the town in what would become known as the Bajío Industrial Corridor. The first major move was the relocation of a Procter & Gamble factory. In October 1996, a new state hospital opened.

Palacio de Herrera

The Palace of Herrera (commonly called “Casa de los Perros” or the House of Dogs) is a prominent eighteenth-century colonial building. Constructed in a sober baroque style, this palace was commissioned by Don Francisco Fernández de Herrera y Antonio Merino Areávalo, landowner and merchant. Maximilian I stayed here while touring the Bajío. It is privately owned, with no public access.

Hacienda El Tunal

Fernández de Herrera owned several farms and ranches, some of which remained in the family for generations, as was the case for the Hacienda El Tunal. The hacienda was renovated in the latter nineteenth century, so it no longer represents the style of eighteenth century Bajío architecture. Access is restricted.

Temple and Franciscan Convent

This old set of buildings dates to the sixteenth century. The exterior of the church and its convent are in a military monastic style and the interior of the temple is neoclassical. Several chapels are attached to the temple with an open atrium.

Hacienda El Vicario

The Vicar appears to be a single piece from the outside. It is rumored that in 1814, the royalist army stationed soldiers on the estates of Apaseo, including El Vicario.

Railway station

This was one of the main stations of Guanajuato state for a quarter of exports, including agricultural products. The train was also used for transportation to border cities until the late-twentieth century. It is now in disrepair with no public access.

Hacienda La Labor

Erected in the late-eighteenth century by José Ignacio Villaseñor Cervantes, this hacienda retains the outlines of its facade with neoclassical alterations. It is reminiscent of Renaissance villas with a gallery of arches on columns, a tradition dating to the Conquista.

Hacienda de Obrajuelo

Another hacienda that retains historic elements, this belonged to Captain Fausto Merino from the mid-18th century. He donated it to the congregation of clerics of Our Lady of Guadalupe de Querétaro. In the mid-19th century, Maximilian I presented it, with the Buenavista Palace of Mexico City, to Marshal Bazaine as a dowry for his marriage.

Pueblo de Ixtla

Ixtla is the first settlement founded by Spaniards from Querétaro in the state of Guanajuato. Its peculiarity is that it has about 34 chapels, some preserved better than others, belonging to different families that were part of the early population. Some of the most emblematic chapels are being restored. San Miguel Ixtla was recognized as a town c.1550, as a reservation for Otomi Indians. The family chapels were erected as part of the campaign of Christianization undertaken by Franciscans in the Otomi region.

“Vacas” (cattle) is a stew which typically consists of crackling with potato hash and even tuna. The dish is wrapped in a thin layer of bread.

There is also a sweet bread stuffed with melted cheese, known by the name “Gallo” (rooster).

Sweets are also made with jamoncillo milk, cheeses and sausages. In recent years “gorditas” have enjoyed popularity among visitors.

Charreria is the traditional sport which has promoted the formation of churros through family heritage. The charros team of Apaseo el Grande won the 1961 National Charro Championship in Querétaro. The 4,000-seat Lienzo Charro La Guadalupana opened in 1996, and has hosted two national championships. In addition to charreria, the venue is also used for shows.

Festivities

Regional Fair of San Juan Bautista – First organized in June 1950 as an agricultural parade. It is held every year on June 24, celebrating the founding of the city with San Juan Bautista as patron, featuring floats adorned with chariots and decorated with allegories about the saint’s life, scenes of conquest, and evangelization. Beginning in 2008, further investment was made for the title of regional fair.

Circumcision of the Lord – On January 1, this is a highlight of the festivals that take place in the municipal seat and in San Pedro Tenango.

Day of the Three Kings – On January 6, this symbolic parade features the Magi and gifting of toys to children.

Semana Santa (Easter) – This features processions through the different villages of the town, with a final destination in the town of Ixtla, where they worship the Lord of Ojo Zarco.

Virgen del Rosario – Held on October 30.

Día de Muertos – Held on November 2, people create traditional altars to honor their dead relatives in a festive atmosphere.

Immaculate Conception – Held on December 8.

Virgin of Guadalupe – La Villita has a stone with an image of the virgin where parishioners come to worship.

Buses from Santiago de Queretaro

Buses from Mexico City to Celaya
Then taxi from Celaya to Apaseo el Grande

Buses from Queretaro to Celaya
Then taxi from Celaya to Apaseo el Grande

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Celaya has a temperate climate, with warm to hot temperatures during the day and cooler nights.

Spring (March to May): Spring is an ideal time to visit Celaya when temperatures are mild, ranging from 18°C to 28°C. The landscape comes alive with vibrant blooms, and outdoor activities are enjoyable.

Summer (June to August): Summers in Celaya can get quite warm, with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 33°C. Expect occasional afternoon showers, which help maintain the lush greenery of the region.

Autumn (September to November): Autumn brings cooler temperatures, ranging from 16°C to 27°C. The city’s parks and gardens offer a colorful display of falling leaves, making it a pleasant time for nature lovers.

Winter (December to February): Winters in Celaya are relatively mild, with temperatures ranging from 8°C to 24°C. While it can get cooler at night, it rarely dips below freezing. This time is great for exploring the region.

The best time to visit Celaya

The best time to visit Celaya largely depends on your preferences.

• If you enjoy milder temperatures and colorful landscapes, spring and autumn are the ideal seasons.
• For those who don’t mind warmer weather and occasional showers, summer offers a unique charm.
• Winter is suitable for those seeking a respite from extreme cold, with pleasant days for exploring the city.

The first settlers of the region were small groups of Otomíes and some Chichimecas, in the old mosque (the Mezquital de Apaseo), where the town of Spaniards presumed Basque ancestry would later settle.

The original name of Celaya was Nat-tahí, Nat-ta-í, Natthahí, or Natthaí, in the Otomí language meant El Mezquite or Place of Mezquites.

With the arrival of the Spanish and the subsequent conquest of the Central Table, where the Bajío is located, the primitive balance in its multiple variants was altered, starting with the names of many things.

Nattahí descended to a supplementary native reference when its name was replaced.

The extensive huizacheras (“sweet acacia”) extended to the south Zalaya, which in Spanish Basque means “flat land”. The new name, alluding to the topography (like the previous one), was accurate and appropriate.

Still on February 3, 1574, the name of this place is recorded as Selaya del Mezquital.

Zalaya, with z, and Selaya, with s, without other versions that were also tried at the time spreading very fortunately among the bulk of the population, since it was also written: Zalalla, Zelaia, and Zelaída.

Back at the dawn of the 18th century, the town earned the poetic nickname of La Puerta de Oro del Bajío.

Fundation

• Celaya’s history begins with the Spanish exploration and conquest of the region.
• Early settlements like Apaseo and Acámbaro were established to serve travelers in the region.
• Constant attacks by indigenous people led to the establishment of a garrison for protection.

The Founding of Celaya

• Despite the garrison, an indigenous settlement called Nat-Tha-Hi remained, and its location made it suitable for further settlement.
• Attacks on travelers carrying precious metals prompted Viceroy Martín Enríquez de Almansa to organize defenses.
• A group of Basque ranchers approached the garrison to request the founding of a town for protection and evangelization.
• Francisco Sandi was commissioned to facilitate the town’s founding, and the first council was established on January 1, 1571.

City Development

• The city’s center was established around the large San Francisco convent, with Royal Houses in the Plaza de Armas.
• Surrounding haciendas became significant producers of crops for mining cities.
• Franciscan missionaries played a vital role in the city’s development, establishing various institutions, churches, and public spaces.

Becoming a City

• Celaya gained the title of “Muy Noble y Leal Ciudad” in 1655 but received official confirmation in 1658.
• Jesuits arrived in 1719, bringing education and contributing to the city’s development.
• In 1864, Emperor Maximilian visited Celaya, and the city celebrated his presence.

19th Century

• During the French Intervention, Celaya’s troops played a role in resisting the invaders.
• The city saw significant development with the introduction of the railway, electricity, and telegraph.
• The city’s industry grew with the establishment of alcohol and corn-derived products factories.

Revolutionary Period

• Celaya initially remained cautious during the Mexican Revolution but eventually became a focal point of the conflict.
• Key events included the entry of Francisco I. Madero and battles between different revolutionary factions.
• The Battle of Celaya in 1915 was a significant conflict, with Obregón’s forces emerging victorious.

The Ball of Water reservoir has been a city icon since 1908; it continues to supply water to portions of downtown.

The tank was manufactured in Germany and assembled on site, and is unique in being assembled using rivets rather than welds.

It is believed to be the only one of its kind with a spherical shape (it is rumored that there was another similar water ball in Stuttgart, Germany that was destroyed during the Second World War).

Traditionally, locals tell visitors that it is filled with cajeta, taking them to visit the “Bola del Agua” on Sundays, the traditional day for visiting the Independencia Lane.

A plaque at the base of the water tower features the legend (in Spanish):

“This tower was built at the expense of the city municipality in 1910 and officially opened on 15 September, the day of the anniversary of the proclamation of the independence of Mexico as a state governor Mr. Don Joaquín González Obregón, who gave full moral support to the construction.’s work and everything related to the provision of drinking water, was designed and conducted by the district political head Mr. Don Perfecto I. Aranda, its total cost, including piping limited to two circuits, was $ 161,520.84 (Mexican old) pesos”.

The work was carried out under the command of German Enrique Schöndube, although it is known that payment for the construction took ten years due to the start of the Mexican Revolution, so it was paid once the new government was established.

During the Mexican Revolution, Villa’s officers thought the hydraulic tower had such a large amount of water that destroying it would drown the population of Celaya. One of Villa’s generals ordered his artillery to destroy it.

Captain Gustavo Duron, in charge of a 75mm battery, followed the orders but shot around the tower, avoiding it and protecting the monument, as mentioned by local historian Herminio Martínez.

The construction resulted in the neglect of the people handing out water at home from the mayor’s office called water carriers.

Commercial advertising on its surface was allowed for several years to cover the costs of the reservoir, ending on September 8, 1980, when, in celebration of the upcoming 410th Anniversary of the Foundation of Celaya, the mayor in charge decreed that the Ball of Water would be a symbol that would represent the city, and the placement of advertisements was banned.

The city was a small town known simply as Dolores when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla uttered his famous cry for the independence of Mexico (the Grito de Dolores) there in the early hours of September 16, 1810, in front of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores parish church. After Mexico achieved independence, the town was renamed Dolores Hidalgo in his honor.

The central square of the town, in front of Fr Hidalgo’s historic church, is a popular tourist spot.

A place of pilgrimage in Dolores Hidalgo for many fans of ranchera and popular music is the tomb of José Alfredo Jiménez, one of the country’s most beloved singers and songwriters, as well as one of the most prolific popular songwriters in the history of western music. He is buried in the town cemetery.

Today Dolores Hidalgo is known primarily for its ceramics industry, started by Father Hidalgo, which provides income to well over half the city’s population. The inexpensive and mass-produced output of the town is marketed throughout Latin America and the United States.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Most of the territory of Guanajuato municipality is covered by the Sierra of Guanajuato also called the Sierra of San Gregorio. Principal elevations include Santa Rosa, Chichíndaro, Sirena, Bufa Picacho, and Bufa Peñón all near the city.

Others include La Giganta, El Gigante, Los Llanitos, and Vaquería in the east and north.

These peaks average 2,400 meters above sea level. The territory is filled with small streams, arroyos, and rivers, which wind around the steep mountains. These include the Cedeño, La Goya, La Hernia, El Salto and La Cebada.

Two climates predominate. One is fairly hot and dominates in the south and southeast portions of the municipality.

The other is temperate and dominates the rest of the territory, including the city. In the warmer areas, temperatures can reach as high as 36 °C in the summer and in the coldest area can get as low as 3 °C in the winter.

The average temperature overall is 18.5 °C with an average annual precipitation of between 600 to 840 mm. Most rain falls during the rainy season between July and August.

Ecosystems vary from the low rainforest that loses leaves in the dry season, to areas with trees never exceeding 15 meters, grassland, and temperate forest, some dominated by trees of the Prosopis family.

In most areas, small mammals such as skunks, tlacuache (opossum), rabbits, and badgers dominate—with coyotes and deer found in isolated areas. Reptiles such as rattlesnakes, frogs, and lizards can be found, as well as some bird and insect species.

According to INEGI, the only indigenous language spoken in the municipality is Nahuatl, and only 330 people. Almost all of the municipality’s residents profess the Catholic faith with most of those who do not follow a Protestant or Evangelical Christian creed.

Pre-Hispanic period

The first known inhabitants of the area were the Otomi, who were then displaced by the Chichimeca.

There was Purépecha presence as well. The oldest known name for the area is “Mo-o-ti,” which means “place of metals.” Later, it was called “Paxtitlán” by the Aztecs, which means “place of straw.”

The current name of Guanajuato comes from Purépecha “Quanax huato,” which means “hilly place of frogs.”

Mining had been done in this area long before the Spanish arrived. Late in the pre-Hispanic period, the Aztecs had a presence here, specifically to look for metals to make ornamental objects for their political and religious elite.

Some stories from this time state that the area was so rich in minerals that nuggets of gold could be picked up from the ground.

Colonial era

The Spanish found deposits of gold here in the 1540s and soon they sent soldiers and built forts.

In 1548, the outpost was formally established with the name of Real de Minas de Guanajuato by viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza.

Despite the Chichimeca attacks, the population of the area grew rapidly with the arrival of Spanish and Creole adventurers and indigenous and mestizo laborers. It was soon declared a town with the name of Santa Fe Real de Minas de Guanajuato and Preafán de Rivera was the first mayor. Its first church was consecrated in 1555, and it was named an “alcadía mayor” in 1574.

Initially, the city was divided into four barrios or neighborhoods called Marfil/Santiago, Tepetapa, Santa Ana, and Santa Fe. The last is considered the oldest and is in the current colonia of Pastita.

This city was split by a small river that served as a main thoroughfare. The oldest neighborhoods are Rayas y Mellado, Cata, La Valenciana, and Pastita, named after the mines found there.

The very first mineral vein discovered, called San Barnabé, attracted attention not only in New Spain but in Spain itself.

The discovery brought thousands of adventurers to the area, which led to the discovery of other deposits, such as at the Rayas mine. The San Barnabe find produced until 1928 when it tapped out.

Today, the remains of this mine are found in the small village of La Luz, just outside the city proper.

In 1679, by decree of the viceroy of Mexico Fray Payo Enriquez de Rivera, the name was changed to Ciudad de Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato (Very Noble and Loyal City of Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato).

It received an escutcheon in the same year, which is still in use. The city’s coat of arms of a gold background with an image of a woman in the center referring to the Holy Faith (Santa Fe).

It contains other images such as a seashell supported by two laurel branches, a blue ribbon, and marble columns. It is topped with the royal crown of Castille and acanthus leaves.

In 1741, the city received the title of “The Most Noble and Loyal City of Santa Fe de Minas de Guanajuato” and became an “intendencia” (province) in 1790 because of the abundance of riches coming from its mines. In the 18th century, it was the world’s leading silver extraction center, making it the richest city in Mexico for much of the early colonial period.

The production of the La Valenciana mine alone affected the world economy and made the counts of Valencianas one of the most powerful families in New Spain.

The city was one of the richest and most opulent in New Spain in the 18th century. This wealth is manifested in its civil and religious architecture.

The colonial architecture includes some of the best Baroque and Churrigueresque examples in the New World—such as the Valenciana, Cata, and La Compañia (Jesuit) Churches, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato.

Most constructions from this time are of pink or green sandstone. In the churches, the Baroque altars were gilded with gold from local mines. These structures have influenced later buildings throughout central Mexico.

According to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the La Compañia and La Valenciana churches are considered among the most beautiful examples of Baroque architecture in Central and South America.

Independence

By the end of the 18th century, the lower classes were poor and oppressed despite the great wealth coming out of the mines. One event foreshadowing the Mexican War of Independence was a revolt carried out in the city attacking the Caja Real (building to hold the Crown’s share of mining production) to protest the high taxes. One year later there were large protests against the expulsion of the Jesuits.

The War of Independence broke out in the state of Guanajuato in the town of Dolores, when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla shouted the “Grito de Dolores” and raised an insurgent army on 15 and 16 September 1810.

This army marched to San Miguel, today San Miguel de Allende, and then onto the city of Guanajuato. Just on the outskirts on 28 September 1810, Hidalgo sent a warning letter to city authorities, but it was ignored. Instead, royalist troops and many of the elite made their stand at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas granary, an imposing building with few windows and thick walls.

After entering the city unopposed, Hidalgo decided to attack the granary. This was the first battle against Spanish troops in the war and is popularly called the ‘Siege of the Alhondiga’.

The insurgents were unable to take the building as royalist gunfire kept them from approaching the only entrance. Then a poor miner by the name of Juan José de los Reyes Martínez, better known as El Pípila, strapped a large flat stone onto his back for protection.

Crawling, he carried a flask of tar and a torch. When he reached the wooden doors of the main entrance, he smeared it with the tar and set it on fire. This allowed the insurgents to enter and take the building.

This action is commemorated by a colossal statue of Pipila on a hill overlooking the city.

After Independence, the province of Guanajuato was made a state, and the city was made its capital in 1824.

However, fighting in the state and the rest of the country continued as Liberals, who wanted a Federalist government, fought with Conservatives, who wanted a centralized government under a monarch or dictator.

Power in the city and state changed hands between the two factions during much of the 19th century, taking its toll on mining. The city was the provisional capital of the country in 1858 as Liberal president Benito Juárez fought Conservative rebels.

In 1863, the French took the city during the French Intervention in Mexico, receiving a visit from the installed Emperor Maximiliano I and his wife, Carlota. French occupation ended in 1868, when General Florencio Antillón captured it on 26 January.

Mining was reactivated around the 1870s due to foreign investments encouraged by the Porfirio Díaz government.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries this renewed economic activity spurred projects such as the Juárez Theater, the Esperanza Dam, the Monumento a la Paz, the Hidalgo Monument, and the State Government Palace.

Flooding had been a serious problem throughout most of the city’s history, due to the area’s steep compact hillsides.

In 1760 and 1780 two major floods nearly wiped it out. This spurred the construction of large ditches and tunnels to contain and divert overflows during the rainy season.

These eventually crisscrossed a large part of the city. Dam construction in the 1960s brought the flooding under control, and many of the ditches and tunnels were converted into underground roadways.

The first Festival Internacional Cervantino was held in 1972. The historic city center was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988.

Initially, the city was divided into four barrios or neighborhoods:

• Marfil/Santiago
• Tepetapa
• Santa Ana
• Santa Fe

The last is considered the oldest and is in the current colonia of Pastita.

The city was split by a small river that now serves as a main thoroughfare.

Because of the extremely hilly terrain, only one main road enters, and another one leaves. The main street into the city, called Belaunzarán, now runs for three km underground and follows the original course of the Guanajuato River.

Unlike the regular layouts of many other Spanish and Mexican cities, the streets of Guanajuato follow the extreme irregularity of the terrain, with small alleyways, plazas, and in some cases steep staircases up hillsides.

Most are paved with square cut stone, with only a limited number that is passable to cars.

Most of the passageways are really alleys with a limited amount of open space in the way of very small plazas, which gives the city a more European flavor than other Mexican cities.

A number of these alleys have no names and some have whimsical names such as “Sal si puedes” (“Exit if you can”).

Another famous alley is the Callejon Oacuten, through which Ignacio Allende and Miguel Hidalgo entered with their army in 1810.

One alley near the State Government Palace is called the Callejón de la Condesa (Alley of the Countess). The name comes from the lady of one of the mansions who lived there in the very late 18th and very early 19th centuries.

Ashamed of her husband’s bad reputation with other women, before and after the marriage, the Countess began to enter and leave her home through the back door into this alley to avoid the glances of the townspeople.

The most famous alley is the Callejón del Beso. Located on the slopes of the Cerro del Gallo hill in a neighborhood that dates back to the 18th century, it is only 168 cm (66 in) wide in places with balconies that nearly touch each other.

Folklore states that couples who kiss on the third step (painted in red) are guaranteed seven years of happiness together.

The name, which means Alley of the Kiss, comes from a legend of two young lovers who come to a tragic end: Doña Carmen and Don Luis.

Doña Carmen’s father forbade the courting of his daughter by the young Luis, threatening to send Carmen to a convent if she left the house to see him. Carmen’s balcony reached over this alley and nearly touched the balcony of the neighboring house.

Luis found out who owned it and arranged access.

One evening, while the two were on these balconies, Carmen’s father discovered them as Luis held Carmen’s hand between his own. Enraged, Carmen’s father stabbed her, leaving the shocked Luis holding the hand of his beloved as it grew cold and lifeless, giving it one final kiss.

The narrow streets and alleys have given rise to a pastime called “callejoneadas.” These are roving parties, traditionally held by the students of the University of Guanajuato with live musicians. Today, there are callejoneadas arranged for tourists as well.

Juarez Street is one of the few through streets on the surface. It is filled with stores and restaurants and has a constant flow of people and traffic.

The other streets of the town are either partially or fully underground, following the old drainage ditches and tunnels dug during colonial times. Originally they were used for flood control, but modern dams have controlled flooding and left them dry, so they have been turned into thoroughfares in a city with little surface area.

The most important of these roads is Miguel Hidalgo or Belaunzarán, which carried the runoff from the river that used to divide the city in two. Guanajuato’s version of the La Llorona story has the woman wandering its tunnels, some of which had rivers or streams running through them.

The streets and alleys of the city are filled with mostly colonial-era buildings, restaurants, bars, and cafes with terraces and small plazas. Buildings have been constructed of sandstone in pink and green, adobe and other stone, filling the streets with shades of pink, green, ochre, and red.

Most of these plazas are in front of or to the side of the many churches, such as the Plaza San Fernando, Plaza San Roque, Plaza de la Valenciana, Plaza de Los Angeles, and Plaza de Mexiamora. Exceptions to these are the Jardin Reforma and the Jardín Unión.

The area around the Plaza de la Paz, the Basilica, and the Legislative Palace

The center of the modern city is the Plaza de la Paz (Plaza of Peace), also known as the Plaza Mayor (Main Plaza). Since the colonial period, the richest of the city’s families built their main homes here, along with government buildings and the parish church, now a basilica.

This plaza is a garden with a sculpture of a woman representing peace; its placement here in the late 19th century caused the official name to change to Plaza de la Paz. Today, the plaza is surrounded by the basilica, other churches, government and commercial buildings, many of which were once mansions.

Still remaining around the plaza are mansions that belonged to local nobility such as the Counts of Rul, Count of Galvez, and Count De los Chico. The Rul house was constructed at the end of the 18th century by architect Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras. It is noted for its inner courtyard, with architectural features from ancient Greece.

Alexander von Humboldt stayed here in 1803. Later, the house became known as the Palacio de Otero. The Casa Real de Ensaye is a Baroque mansion that, on its façade, bears the first noble coat of arms granted in Guanajuato.

The main church of the city is the Basilica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato built between 1671 and 1696.

Overall, the church is a sober Mexican Baroque in style but there are popular elements from donations made by the area’s miners and other elements that demonstrate the influence of several of the city’s rich mining nobility.

The Marquis of San Clemente and Pedro Lascuraìn de Retana were the current building’s first patrons.

Later, the Counts of Valenciana left their influence as well with the donation of a clock for one of the towers and the acquisition of relics related to a saint and martyr named Faustina obtained from the Pope. These relics are in the main altar.

The main portal is made of pink sandstone with “estipite” or inverted truncated pyramidal columns.

The focus of the main altar is the image of Our Lady of Guanajuato (Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato), who is the patroness of the city. She was donated to the city by Carlos I and his son Felipe II in 1557.

In 1696, the church gained minor basilica status and full basilica status in 1957.

The Legislative Palace or state government building was the site of the Aduana or Casas Consistoriales (customs house) in the colonial period. The current building was constructed by Cecilio Luis Long in a European style popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and inaugurated in 1903.

The façade has a Neoclassical portal in sandstone of colors typical of the Guanajuato area. It contains the legislative chamber called the Sala de Sessiones, decorated with 19th- and 20th-century paintings and somber furniture.

Alhondiga de Granaditas

The Alhóndiga de Granaditas is a very large building covering an entire block. It was originally built to store enough grain to feed the city for a year to protect the population against famines such as those that occurred in 1783, due to crop failure.

This gave the building its name, which roughly translates to “house of grain.” The building is two floors, nearly windowless with a very large courtyard in its interior. Construction began in 1798 under an architect named Durán y Villaseñor and terminated under José del Mazo.

The Alhondiga only served its original function for eight months after it was built. The main reason for its importance today is that it was the site of the first battle of the Mexican War of Independence between insurgents and royalist troops on 28 September 1810. When Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, and the insurgent army approached the city, royalist troops under Lieutenant Riaño and the city’s elite took refuge in the building, along with millions of pesos of silver and other loot. The insurgents quickly surrounded the building, but the building proved difficult to penetrate due to the lack of openings and royalist gunfire. The battle remained a stalemate until a miner from San Miguel de Allende devised a way to approach the building’s main entrance. This miner, whose name was Juan José de los Reyes Martínez, is better known as El Pípila, who had joined the insurgent army as it passed through his hometown. El Pípila strapped a large flat stone over his back and carrying a flask of tar and a torch, crawled towards the main entrance. The stone protected him from the bullets fired at him. When he reached the heavy wooden door of the entrance, he smeared it with tar and lit it. This allowed insurgents to then take the building.

After the battle, it was used as barracks, a tenement and tobacco warehouse. From 1864 to 1949, it was used as the state penitentiary. In 1949 the building was converted into the Museo Regional de Guanajuato, documenting the history of the area and its role in Mexican national history from the pre-Hispanic period to the present divided among fourteen halls on the upper floor. The ground floor there are large mascarons of José Mariano Jiménez, Vicente Guerrero, Ignacio Allende and Ignacio Aldama. The main hall has mascarons of Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos y Pavón who “guard” the national coat of arms. In front of this an eternal flame that is renewed each 28 September. The walls of the main stairwell contain mural work by José Chávez Morado that alludes to Independence. It houses a large collection of ceramics from western parts of Mesoamerica, especially from Chupícuaro. It contains works by Guanajuato artist Hermeneguildo Bustos and photographer Romualdo García. There are displays related to the building itself, in its construction, its original function as a granary and its role in one of the first battles of the War of Independence. The large courtyard within the Alhondiga is a traditional place to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day with the reenactment of Miguel Hidalgo’s “El Grito de Dolores.” It is one of the sites for a number of the events of the Festival Cervantino. The museum was restored in 2010 for the Bicentennial by the INAH at a cost of 5.7 million pesos as part of similar museums in Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende to form the Ruta de Independencia (Independence Route). The work was the first renovation of the building in 20 years.

University of Guanajuato

The University of Guanajuato began as a Jesuit school for children in the first half of the 18th century. The establishment of this school was sponsored by Josefa Teresa de Busto y Moya, sister of the Marquis of San Clemente, who obtained permission for the school from the Spanish Crown in 1732 and established the institution in her home. She donated a fifth of her fortune toward it and worked to obtain donations from other wealthy families in the city. However, credit for the establishment of the school is most often given to Jesuits. Over time, the school grew and began to offer high school and professional level studies. It held several names over its history, from Real Colegio de la Purísima Concepción (1767), Colegio del Estado (1828), Colegio Nacional de Guanajuato (1867), with its current name adopted in 1945. The Collegeio del Estado name was prompted the fact that the institution became property of the state in 1828. In 1945, it gained university status.

Today the institution serves approximately 30,000 students at the high school, bachelor’s and graduate levels. In addition to the main campus in the city, there are nine others in other parts of Guanajuato state. The university hosts a number of the events of the Festival Cervantino, with its famous stairway acting as seating. The best known facility of the institution is the main building in Guanajuato city, which was built in Neoclassical style in green stone. It houses the dean’s office, administrative offices and a number of the institution’s departments. The main building is recognized by its long staircase with 113 steps, which empties onto the Callejon del Estudiante. Under the main roof is a 16th-century chapel that was sponsored by Vasco de Quiroga for indigenous mine workers. It’s called the Templo de los Hospitales (Temple of the Hospitals). It received the image of the Virgin of the Rosary, now called the Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato.

The Museo de Historia Natural Alfredo Dugès is on the ground floor of the University of Guanajuato’s main building. It contains a national-level collection of fossils, plants and animals. The importance of this collection comes from its state of conservation and its age. The collection was gathered by Alfredo Dugés and donated to the university.

Other plazas and churches

The city is dotted with a large number of small plazas that were built along with the churches that usually gave them their names. One of the best known plazas or open spaces is the Jardín de la Unión, on the south side of the San Diego Church. The garden is filled with carefully pruned Indian laurels and, in addition to the church, is surrounded by small cafes, restaurants, and the Juarez Theater. It occupies a triangular space that originally was the church atrium. In 1883, wrought iron benches and a kiosk were installed. Today, concerts are held in this kiosk on occasion. It is popular with wandering student musicians performing callejoneadas and functions as the atrium of the San Diego Church. This church as a Churrigueresque façade. The interior has paintings from the 18th century, Neoclassical altarpieces and a crucifix called the Cristo de Burgos, which was donated to the church by the Count of Valenciana. The current church was built between 1780 and 1784, by the Count of Valenciana when the original was destroyed by a flood. In the 19th century, its original gilded altarpieces were replaced with the current Neoclassical ones. The monastery, which was also destroyed, was never rebuilt, but the site is now home to the San Diego Museum. It was created to rescue and display the cultural inheritance of the city, describing its development and changes from its beginnings to the present day. It also contains a computer simulation of what the original monastery looked like.

Located next to the University, the Temple of the Company of Jesus or Oratorio de San Felipe was built in 1746 by José Joaquín Sardaneta y Legazpi. It was completed in 1767, the same year that the Jesuits were expelled from New Spain. The new church remained abandoned until1804, when the order was allowed to return and reclaim it. The order then worked to renovate the church, replacing Baroque elements for Neoclassical ones, which were then in fashion. It has a façade with narrow estipite columns in Churrigueresque style, but its more famous aspect is a colossal cupola with three levels, which was added in the 19th century by architect Vicente Heredia. Inside, a collection of 180 paintings were recently studied and restored. Some of these paintings are displayed in the church complex, while the rest are kept in a pinacotheca created for the purpose. The main altar and the paintings are by Miguel Cabrera.

Dating from 1726, the oldest plaza still in existence is the Plaza de Baratillo, located in front of the San Roque Church, and surrounded by very old houses. The name comes from a weekly market once held on Sundays. This market specialized in low prices (baratillo means “very cheap”). In the center is a fountain brought from Florence, Italy. This fountain once provided area residents with potable water from the Olla Dam. Today, it is purely ornamental. There is a stone cross, which indicates the ground was once used as a cemetery. Starting in the 1950s, this plaza was used for short one-act plays called Entremeses Cervantinos, which later developed into the Festival Cervantino. The plaza is still used for these plays as well as events associated with the annual event. The San Roque Church was dates from 1726. It has a sober Baroque façade and contains an important collection of colonial era paintings.

Other important churches include the Temple of Guadalupe from the 18th century in sober Baroque, the Pardo Church from the 18th century with a façade covered with sculpted plants. The San Francisco Church on Sopeña Street faces a plaza with the same name. It has a Baroque façade of pink stone with a green tint, a staircase with wrought iron railings and a small fountain. The Belén Church was built in the 18th century by the Count of Valenciana with a modest façade. It is across from the Hidalgo Market and on the street leading to the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The Mellado Church was part of the Merced Monastery. The cloister area is now in ruins but the church remains and is dedicated to the veneration of Our Lady of Mercy. The original Baroque altarpieces were replaced with Neoclassical ones in the 19th century.

The Jardín Reforma or Reforma Square was originally a market, built in 1861. When the Hidalgo Market opened, most vendors moved out. In 1923, the site was renovated into a garden with a central fountain and Indian laurel, eucalyptus and cypress trees. The Jardin Reforma has an arched entryway with a series of thin columns.

The Plaza de Quijote is at the old San Antonio bridge and to the side of the San Diego Church. The plaza was created to honor the 400th anniversary of the first edition of Don Quixote of La Mancha in 1605.

Very near the Jardin Union on Luis Gonzalez Obregon Street is the Casa de Gobierno, where Benito Juarez made the city the temporary capital of Mexico. Next to the Casa de Gobierno is the Real Caja de Guanajuato, which dates from 1665. It was the scene of the naming of the first authorities of a Mexico declared liberated from Spanish rule. Later it was used as a women’s prison and teachers’ college.

The Mercado Hidalgo was built by Ernesto Brunel in 1910 over what was the site of the old Gavira bullring. It was inaugurated by President Porfirio Díaz to celebrate Mexico’s Centennial of Independence. The roof has a cupola with a clock tower. The clock has four faces. The interior of the market is a giant metallic nave.

The market sells typical candies of the region such as “charamuscas,” which is often shaped as a charro or mummy and wrapped in wax paper. The upper floor of the market contains a large number of crafts and souvenir shops containing products such as baskets, knit items, ceramics, leathercrafts and more. The ground floor has many everyday items such as fresh and packaged food, household goods, wickerwork and hardware.

The Mummy Museum

The city’s most famous tourist attraction is the Mummies of Guanajuato, which are in their own museum on the side of the municipal cemetery in the Tepetapa neighborhood. The Mummy Museum contains a collection of specimens that mummified naturally in the adjoining cemetery. Authorities began exhuming bodies in 1870, when a new law required residents to pay a tax for perpetual burial. If survivors didn’t pay the tax, they exhumed the body. If the body was mummified, they stored it in a building above ground and people began paying to see them in the late 1800s. The burial tax was abolished in 1958. At first, the mummies were displayed in a poorly lit tunnel that visitors entered with a torch or candle. Visitors were allowed to touch the mummies with some even breaking off pieces for souvenirs or to verify the body was real. The modern museum opened in 1970 with proper lighting and ventilation, and the mummies protected behind glass.

The collection contains 111 mummies, mostly women, with some men and about 20 children, but only 59 of these are on display. It is considered the largest collection of mummies in the Western Hemisphere. Almost all of the people were commoners and came from backgrounds such as miners and farmers. The mummies were disinterred from the municipal cemetery between 1870 and 1958, and were people who died between 1850 and 1950. The first of the documented mummies, which has been on display in one form or another since the 1870s, is that of a French doctor named Remigio Leroy. He can be seen at the current museum. Of the children in the collection, one can see evidence of a practice where deceased Catholic children were dressed as angels, if girls, or as saints, if boys, to indicate their purity and assured entrance into heaven. Several are babies, including one considered the smallest mummy in the world. Two of these small bodies were partially embalmed by taking out internal organs and replacing the cavities with packing material. One was a fetus, which probably miscarried at about 24 weeks, and the other is a newborn male infant. This embalming process may have enhanced the natural mummification process but was not the cause. It is not known why these had been embalmed, nor are their years of death exactly known. There is a mummy of a woman who died in childbirth or miscarriage (a dried placenta is attached to her) but it is not known if she is the mother of either of these mummified children.

Although only one out of every 100 bodies interred in the cemetery became naturally mummified, the concentration of this phenomenon has led to theories about how they have come about. Some believe that they are the result of people who had been buried alive, after mistakenly declared dead. These people, according to belief, died of desperation and asphyxiation and as a sign of their pain, convert into mummies. More commonly, it is likely the result of Guanjuato’s altitude or the abundance of minerals in the soil. However, all of the mummified remains were found in the cemetery’s above ground cement crypts, not in underground graves. Researchers believe the phenomenon is due to the warm, dry climate of the area, which dried out the bodies rapidly.

One of the main reasons for the mummies’ fame in Mexico is the 1972 film El Santo contra las momias de Guanajuato, which featured Mexico’s most famous lucha libre wrestler, El Santo, as well as two others called Blue Demon and Mil Máscaras. In this movie, the mummies are reanimated by a wrestler known as “Satán” and El Santo fights to defeat them. It was filmed in the Guanajuato cemetery and has since become a cult classic.

A mayor of the city, Dr. Eduardo Hicks, initiated the Guanajuato Mummy Research Project in 2007 to increase knowledge and awareness of the specimens. They have since been extensively studied in Mexico and the United States. The study has found evidence of medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, extreme anemia lung damage from smoke inhalation and tuberculosis. Some of the research looked into the folklore surrounding a number of the mummies such as the man with a misshapen face thought to have been caused by a mortal blow, a woman who was supposedly hanged by her husband and a woman who is thought to have been buried alive. No scientific evidence has been found to support the last two stories. Without records, it is not possible to know exactly when some mummies died. Carbon 14 cannot help because it has a margin of error of 50 years and it is already known that the mummies died between 1850 and 1950. In 2009, 36 of the mummies were displayed for the first time outside of Mexico, at the Detroit Science Center in the United States as part of a tour to last until 2012. They have been the focus of a National Geographic documentary series called “The Mummy Road Show,” which covered 18 of the mummies.

The Juarez Theater

The Juarez Theater is located across from the San Diego Church in the city center. It is one of the main venues of the Festival Cervantino. It is considered one of the most beautiful theaters in the country, according to Mexico Desconocido. It is in Neoclassical style with a façade containing nine sculptures depicting the Muses of Greek mythology. The Juarez Theater. The south façade has a lintel with the word “Tragedia” on it and on the north façade, the matching lintel reads “Comedia.” It is one of the main venues of the Festival Cervantino. The interior has an eclectic design richly decorated. The vestibule or foyer (also called the Smoking Room) has columns and garlands. The auditorium is Mauresque with Arabesque detail throughout. The curtain contains an image of Constantinople. The theater was built from 1872 to 1903 by Antonio Rivas Mercado, who designed the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, and inaugurated with the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verdi with President Diaz in attendance. It is the only theater in the country that has conserved its original furnishings.

Rincon del Arte

On the side of the Juarez Theater, there is the Rincon del Arte. Next to this is a cable car that rises up to the Pípila Monument on San Miguel Hill. The monument honors the insurgent who managed to torch the main entrance of the Alhondiga de Granaditas. The monument consists of a giant statue of Pipila raising a torch over his head. Around the monument, there is an esplanade and overlook with permits a panoramic view of nearly the entire city.

The Teatro Principal

The Teatro Principal was built at the city’s height when the wealth of the mines attracted entertainers. It was the first theater in the city, built in Neoclassical style and one of the few places where people of different social strata could enter. The theater closed periodically during its early history due to sociopolitical upheavals. After the Mexican Revolution, it was converted into a movie theater. Shortly after this, it suffered a fire and closed for 30 years. Today, it is reconstructed and run by the University of Guanajuato as one of the main venues of the Festival Cervantino.

Unlike other theaters in the city, which were stage theaters converted into movie houses at one point or another, the Teatro Cervantes was a movie house that was converted into a stage theater. It is used for puppet shows, dance recitals, experimental theater and conferences.

The Museo del Pueblo

The Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato was created to exhibit the best of the artwork of the city. It contains an important collection of religious arte from the 17th to 19th centuries. It contains collections of works by Olga Costa and José Chávez Morado. This includes three murals by Chavez Morado set up as altars. These murals depict the end of the colonial period and the War of Independence.

The Museo Diego Rivera

The Museo Diego Rivera was the house where the painter was born and spent his early childhood. The first floor is dedicated to furniture and other items from the late 19th century. The floors above contain a large collection of paintings, about 100 of which are Rivera’s early and little known works. It has workshops for arts, literary events, film showings and other cultural activities.

The Museo Iconográfico del Quijote

The Museo Iconográfico del Quijote is on Manuel Doblado Street. It was created in 1987 to honor Don Quixote. The museum contains visual representations of the character, including some created by notable artists such as Pedro Coronel, José Guadalupe Posada and Salvador Dalí.

The Museo de Arte Olga Costa y José Chávez Morado

The Museo de Arte Olga Costa y José Chávez Morado is in the Pastita neighborhood, installed in a building in the former Guadalupe Hacienda. This was the home of the two artists, who donated the structure and their personal art collection to the city after their deaths. The collection contains their own works as well as works by a number of other artists.

The Casa Museo Gene Byron

The Casa Museo Gene Byron, in the suburb of Marfil, was the former Santa Ana Hacienda and belonged to Canadian artist Gene Byron. Byron began studying Mexican muralists in 1941, but her work was also influenced by contemporary Spanish artists. She and her husband settled in Guanajuato in 1958, and took over this ex-hacienda in 1962. Today the grounds are a cultural center that hosts art exhibitions, theatrical productions, concerts, and book presentations.

Cerro de la Bufa

The Cerro de la Bufa is very close to the city of Guanajuato and has a number of stories associated with it. At sunset, there is a formation that looks like the profile of the face of a bearded man. According to tradition, this is the face of Christ. There are two caves consecrated to Ignatius of Loyola. There are on opposite sides of the summit and called the “old” and “new” cave.

Each 31 of July, there is a pilgrimage to the “new” cave in honor of the saint. Sometime during the colonial period, an image of Ignatius was painted on a wall. According to legend, a group of male witches used to use the cave for their rites on the eve before the Catholic ritual, “forcing” the image on the wall to observe.

The Cerro de la Bufa is home to another legend about an enchanted princess. It states that on feast days, a woman would appear to a man on a road in the mountain and ask him to carry her to the Basilica in the city center in his arms. If he did so, the city of Guanajuato would return to the height of its wealth. If he chose to do so, noises and threats from behind would haunt him. If he lost his resolve, the woman would turn into a serpent and kill him. No woman has ever been carried from this mountain to the Basilica.

Presa de la Olla Dam

The Presa de la Olla is a dam that was constructed in the mid 18th century to supply the city with potable water. The area became a popular gathering place for young aristocrats, and later the lower classes as well. The area hosts the Feast of San Juan every 24 of June. The origin of this event dates from the colonial period when a poor miner came here to give thanks for the recent arrival of rains. The current event culminates with the “opening of the dam,” which attracts hundreds to watch the water flow. Today, the event stretches over the second and third week in June and has taken on new elements such as a beauty contest and dances with techno, reggaetón, Duranguese and Grupero music. The dam is used for water sports, and there is a park named Florencio Antillon Garden next to it.

The Christ the King Monument was constructed on the top of Cubilete Mountain in 1923 by architect Nicolàs Mariscal Pina and sculptor Fidias Elizondo. The sculpture stands 20 meters tall and shows Christ with his arms extended flanked by two angels who hold a crown of thorns and a royal crown. The sculpture weighs 250 metric tons. From the plaza, one can see the entire Bajio Valley.

Mines

The mines that made Guanajuato rich are inside and just outside the city proper. A number of these mines gave rise to small communities with their own churches; these still exist with other institutions such as museums. The best known mines gave their names to a number of the city’s oldest neighborhoods such as Cata, Rayas y Mellado, La Pastita, San Luisito and Valenciana. Some of these mines are open to the public for tours. The first significant mine was called San Barnabe, which brought thousands of adventurers to Guanajuato and led to the discovery of other mineral deposits. This mine functioned from the 16th century until 1928. The remains of this mine can still be found in the small village of La Luz just outside the city.

The most important of these mining complexes is the La Valenciana mine, on the northern edge of the city. It began operation in 1774. From then until the early 19th century it was one of the most productive silver mines in the world, accounting for ⅔ of the world’s production at its peak. It produced 80% of all silver mined in the state of Guanajuato and one-sixth of all Mexico. For over 250 years, it produced about 30% of the world’s silver. The mine continues operation today. Production is much diminished, but one ton of rock is still extracted every six minutes. The largest shaft descends for 450 meters and about 10,000 miners have worked it over its history.

The mine made its owners, the Counts of Valenciana, extremely wealthy and powerful. The first Count of Valenciana, Antonio de Obregón y Alcocer had the San Cayetano Church (also known as the La Valenciana Church) built near the entrance of this mine. Dedicated to Saint Cajetan, it was built between 1765 and 1788. The church has a Churrigueresque portal, which has been compared to the Mexico City Cathedral and the La Santisima Church, both in Mexico City. The interior conserves a number of gilded altarpieces and a pulpit that is encrusted with ivory and precious hardwoods. The interior also contains agraffito work and paintings from the 19th century.

Near the Valenciana Mine is the Guadalupe Mine, established in the 16th century. This complex was built with extremely large and thick stone walls supported by buttresses, giving it the look of a medieval fortress. The mine is no longer in operation but the complex has been undergoing redevelopment as a resort with a hotel, spa, golf course and more.

The Cata mine is one of the early mines, and a city neighborhood is named after it. The mine is near the Don Quijote Plaza. It began operations in 1558 with peak production in the first quarter of the 18th century. It was owned by the Marquis of San Clemente. The center of the neighborhood is the Señor de Villaseca Church, more commonly called the Cata Church. This church was built in the 17th century in Mexican Baroque or Churrigueresque style similar to that of the Valenciana Church. The church holds a valued crucifix called the Señor del Villaseca and is registered as a Mexican Federal Historic Monument.

The Bocamina de San Ramón mine is one of the city’s early mines, with the deposit found by some travelers in the early 16th century. In 1548, its mother lode was found. Today, the mine is a tourist attraction in which visitors can descend into the earth through the old shafts. The complex has a patio area, a gallery of minerals and a bar called El Petardo, which once was the gunpowder storage room.

The Rayas mine gave rise to one of the city’s original neighborhoods, after having been found in 1550 by Juan Rayas. The mine’s apogee occurred in the 18th century, giving its owner, José de Sardineta y Legaspi the titles of Viscount of Sardineta and Marquis of Rayas. Today it is found on a section of the Carretera Panorámica (Panoramic Highway) that circles the city. The complex walls are tall and are held up by stone buttresses. It has one of the longest mine shafts in the world, which extends into the earth for 425 meters.

The Castile of Santa Cecilia is a majestic medieval style construction built on a former 17th century mining hacienda. The current building functions as a hotel.

The Festival Internacional Cervantino is an annual cultural event, mostly held in the city of Guanajuato, which sponsors a large number of artistic and cultural events with artists invited from Mexico and other parts of the world. The event is named in honor of Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. The festival began in 1972, as short plays performed by University of Guanajuato students based on the works of Cervantes. In 2010, special guests included the state of Querétaro and the country of Colombia. The 2010 edition of the festival included performers such as Tangokineses from Argentina, Cumbia Cienaguera from Colombia. In total there were 424 events over 26 days.

The festival hosts events such as opera, theater productions, film showings, art exhibitions, academic conferences and talks, concerts and dance recitals. The performances occur in 70 venues over most of the month of October. Events are held throughout the city, with some in other locations such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and San Miguel de Allende. The most important venue in Guanajuato for the festival is the Juárez Theater, which is on the Jardín de la Unión (Union Garden). Other important venues in the city are the Teatro Principal, the Cervantes Theater and facilities of the University of Guanajuato. Events are also held in area churches, plazas and even on the streets. The Festival International Cervantino Callejero is a parallel event sponsored by the Centro Libre de Experimentacion Teatral y Artistica (CLETA). In 2010, this event featured 300 performances with social themes. This annual event was begun in 1975, in part inspired by The Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

During its heyday, the massive estate boasted its own railroad station and post office.

The remains of the Hacienda del Jaral de Berrios, one of the largest in Mexico, still hint at its former grandeur. The old buildings beckon explorers willing to brave buckling floors and crumbling walls to step inside an estate rich with history.

The hacienda was appointed to the then-Mayor of Mexico, Miguel de Berrio y Zaldívar, in 1774. It housed several generations of the Berrio lineage. Among them was Juan Nepomuceno de Moncada y Berrio, who was considered the richest man in Mexico during the 1830s.

During its heyday throughout the 19th century, the estate housed somewhere around 6,500 people and boasted its own railroad station, post office, parish church, and two primary schools.

The main building featured frescoed walls and lavish furniture and was surrounded by numerous buildings with massive rooms and grand staircases.

One of the horses kept on the estate was called El Tambor. He was used as the model for the famous equestrian statue of King Carlos IV of Spain, which spent some time in the area before being moved to Manuel Tolsá Square in Mexico City.

The dilapidated estate that sits in what is now Guanajuato is still considered among the area’s most beautiful buildings. It’s currently a hotspot for paranormal investigators. The main building now houses a tequila factory.

To reach Hacienda del Jaral de Berrios in San Felipe (Guanajuato), follow these instructions:

Rent a car to reach the hacienda. The approximate driving distance from Guanajuato City to Hacienda del Jaral de Berrios is around 85 km, which can take around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic and road conditions.

If you prefer public transportation, you can take a bus to the municipality of San Felipe, Guanajuato. Once you arrive in San Felipe, you may need to take local transportation or a taxi to reach the hacienda.

It’s recommended to inquire about the specific directions to Hacienda del Jaral de Berrios from locals or at information centers once you’re in the San Felipe area. These directions might include landmarks, road names, or other cues to help you find the hacienda.

Contact local tourism offices or visit their websites for up-to-date information about visiting Hacienda del Jaral de Berrios. They can provide guidance on transportation options, tours, and any special events that might be taking place.

Consider joining a guided tour to Hacienda del Jaral de Berrios. Many tour operators provide transportation and knowledgeable guides who can offer historical and cultural insights about the hacienda and its surroundings.

Always make sure to check for any travel advisories, road closures, or other factors that might impact your journey. It’s a good idea to plan ahead and have a map, GPS, or navigation app to ensure a smooth trip to this historical site.

Irapuato experiences a semi-arid climate with distinct seasons.

Summers tend to be warm and dry, with average temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C. The city receives most of its rainfall during the summer months, making it a critical period for agriculture.

Winters are mild, with temperatures averaging between 10°C to 22°C. While frost is rare, it can occur during the coldest nights.

The best time to visit Irapuato

The best time to visit Irapuato largely depends on your preferences.

If you enjoy outdoor activities and want to witness the region’s agricultural abundance, consider visiting during the spring (March to May) when the orchards are in full bloom, and the weather is pleasantly warm.

For those who prefer milder temperatures and fewer crowds, the fall (September to November) is an excellent choice. The weather remains comfortable, and you can enjoy the harvest season without the summer heat.

In the pre-Hispanic era, the site was inhabited by the Chichimecas (c. 1200 AD), a group of semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers.

Later on, the Purépechas conquered the region and initiated the establishment of a permanent settlement. They constructed buildings in the Purépecha architectural style, produced pottery, and practiced agriculture.

The Purépechas called the settlement Xiriquitzio (or Iriquitzio), which the Spanish conquerors pronounced “Jiricuato” (or Jiricuicho), which meant “the place with houses (or low dwellings)”.

The initial growth period, however, was short-lived. The downfall of the Purépecha Empire led to the abandonment of the settlement, at which point it was once again inhabited by the Chichimecas.

In the 16th century, vast amounts of silver ore were discovered at the present-day site of the capital city of Guanajuato. This discovery led to a massive migration of Spanish settlers to the area.

Fountain of Dancing Water (Fuente de Aguas Danzarinas)

The fountain, which was inaugurated on December 21, 2004, stands in the central plaza of Irapuato. Every night there is a light, music and water show. The fountain is lit up in a rainbow of colors, and the jets provide a choreographed show accompanied by music.

Irapuato Zoo (Parque Zoológico de Irapuato)

The Irapuato Zoo is located on the outskirts of the city.

It is home to 103 mammals, 271 birds, and various species of fish. The zoo was established in 1992 by engineer Emilio Tome Elias and architect Vicente Cázares Rodriguez, with the support of the then-state governor, Carlos Medina Placencia.

Plaza Cibeles Mall (Plaza Cibeles)

This is the newest and largest mall in the city of Irapuato.

The mall contains many stores such as the Liverpool chain and a Cinépolis movie theatre.

The mall was named after the famous Plaza de Cibeles, a famous square in Madrid, Spain, which features a beautiful sculpture and fountain that have been adopted as a symbol for the city of Madrid.

John Paul II Monument (Monumento al papa Juan Pablo II)

Bronze statue of Pope John Paul II, located in the Miguel Hidalgo Square next to the Irapuato Cathedral.

The statue was made out of keys that were donated by all of the people of Irapuato. The bronze sculpture has a steel skeleton and a weight of 300 kg. It was unveiled on February 15, 2006.

Irapuato Cathedral (Catedral de Irapuato)

The cathedral was built in the 16th century in the Baroque style. The outside facade is also baroque. The interior is in the neoclassical architectural style. The cathedral is laid out in the traditional Latin Cross style.

Miguel Hidalgo Square (Plazuela Miguel Hidalgo)

A large public square in the historical center of Irapuato.

The square contains the Fountain of Dancing Water as well as the Irapuato Cathedral. The square is named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the father of the Mexican Independence movement.

Little Hospital Church (Templo del Hospitalito)

This was the first church built in Irapuato. The interior was completed in 1713 and the facade in 1733. It is baroque in style and dedicated to the Lady of Mercy (Señora de la Misericordia).

The church is built in the traditional Latin Cross style.

The main altars contain images made from corn paste. The church was originally built as a chapel for the Indians’ Hospital (in Spanish: Hospital de Indios), which was built two centuries earlier by Vasco de Quiroga in 1550.

Dolphin (or Florentine) Fountain (Fuente de los delfines (o Florentina)

In 1864, Maximilian I of Mexico donated three bronze Florentine fountains to the state of Guanajuato. These fountains are located in Irapuato, Léon, and the city of Guanajuato.

Sun Clock (in Spanish: Reloj del Sol)

The clock is over a century old and it is located in Juan Alvarez Square. The clock is elevated on a pedestal and column.

Canyon of the Bats (in Spanish: Cañon de los Murciélagos)

It is located outside the city of Irapuato in the Sierra de Pénjamo.

It is home to thousands of bats, but it is open to the public for hiking and other activities. The terrain is rugged and depending on elevation, vegetation varies from low evergreen rainforest to rainforest that loses its leaves each year.

The area also contains waterfalls and natural pools.

Airport

Located just 25 minutes from the city of Irapuato the Del Bajío International Airport (its correct name (Guanajuato International Airport) is located in Silao, Guanajuato, close to Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

It handles national and international air traffic in the area which includes the city of León, the city of Irapuato, and the state capital, Guanajuato. This airport is an important connecting point for flights from Mexico City to the USA.

Major highways

Major highways in Irapuato and their starting and ending points:

• Carretera federal 45.svg Mexican Federal Highway 45 Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua – Panales, Hidalgo
• Carretera federal 90.svg Mexican Federal Highway 90 Irapuato, Guanajuato – Zapotlanejo, Jalisco
• Carretera federal 43.svg Mexican Federal Highway 43 Salamanca, Guanajuato – Morelia, Michoacán
• Carretera federal 110.svg Mexican Federal Highway 110 Armería, Colima – Xoconostle, Guanajuato

León is part of the macroregion of Bajío within the Central Mexican Plateau.

Leon generally has a humid subtropical climate with summer rainfall that closely borders on a semi-arid climate.

The average annual temperature is 19.9 °C (67.8 °F), the warmest month is May with a maximum average of 31.7 °C (89.1 °F), and the coolest month is January with a minimum average temperature of 7.7 °C (45.9 °F).

Outside the city microclimate island, the ranges tend to be higher, with maximum averages reaching 2 °C (3.6 °F) higher than in the city, and minimum averages lowered by 3 °C (5.4 °F) or more.

In the villages located in between the northern mountains the climate changes; it is considered highland subtropical oceanic climate (Cwb according to Köppen climate classification), the average annual temperature is around 16 °C (61 °F).

Leon averages 681 mm (26.8 in) of precipitation annually, which mainly occurs during the summer and early autumn (from late May through October) generally with thunderstorms in the evening.

There is usually a discrepancy about whether Leon’s valley is either subhumid or semi-arid. Depending on the methodology, it can be considered as being either one or the other.

Snowfall is extremely rare. The latest snowfall recorded in Leon was in 1997, although there have been other years of registered slushy snow since 1997.

In the León area there are ten distinct archeological zones, dating from the pre-classic Mesoamerican period. Most of these are identified with the Chupícuaro culture. By the Classic period, the area was under Teotihuacan and Toltec influence. In the 13th century, the Chichimecas, mostly of the Guamare and Guachichil subgroups, overran the area, migrating from an area of what is now San Luis Potosí. They remained through the Colonial period.

In 1530 Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán arrived with allied Tarasco Indians to the area, naming it Nuestra Señora. Homesteads were granted by the governor of Nueva Galicia Francisco Vásquez de Coronado to Spaniards Rodrigo de Vázquez and Juan de Jasso. Farming and cattle-raising was introduced here around 1546 by the Spaniards but these settlers were under constant threat by the Chichimecas, who recognized the Spanish as invaders. These settlers requested assistance from the viceregal authorities in Mexico City.

As a response, viceroy Martín Enríquez de Almanza ordered the founding of a city here, with the name of León in 1575. To carry out the order, Juan Bautista de Orozco founded the village of León on 20 January 1576, creating its first town council and laying out its initial streets. In 1580, it attained the rank of “alcadía mayor” meaning it has governing authority of much of the land and smaller towns surrounding it from the Sierra de Comanja to the Lerma River. For example, two other towns founded in the area were San Miguel and Coecillo. In San Miguel, the Spaniards settled the Otomi peoples and in Coecillo were settled the Purépechas, Mexicas and the Chichimecas that did not oppose Spanish rule. As the population of the area grew, a number of municipalities would eventually break off, such as San Francisco del Rincón, Purísima del Rincón (Purísima Concepción), Cd. Manuel Doblado (San Pedro Piedra Gorda), Huanímaro, Abasolo, Cuerámaro and Pénjamo.

In 1582, the first hospital of San Cosme y San Damián was established by Father Espino.

The Jesuits arrived to León in 1731, founding the “Compañía Vieja” which is now the site of the Temple of the Immaculate. They also constructed the Temple of the New Company, which would become the Cathedral, however they never finished it as they were expelled from Mexico in 1767. On 2 July 1732 arrived an image of Our Most Holy Mother of Light. She would later be declared the patron saint of the city, in 1849.

The population of the area suffered epidemics in 1643, droughts in 1630 and 1712–1714, famines in 1714 and 1786, and flooding in 1637, 1749, 1762 and 1803.

Independence forces under José Rafael de Iriarte arrived to the town on 4 October 1810. However, two months later royalist forces under Felix Calleja retook the locality, with insurrectionist sympathizers facing reprisals. About 2,000 insurgents on horses attacked the town but were repulsed by Count Pérez Gálvez. Royalist forces were attacked here in 1817 by Francisco Javier Mina without success. The town remained in royalist hands until the end of the Mexican War of Independence, when Agustín de Iturbide arrived. The town did not celebrate its first Grito de Dolores to mark independence until 1825. In 1827 it became one of the four “departments” of the newly created state of Guanajuato, and in 1830, it gained city status.

In 1840, Father Ignacio Aguado founded the College of San Francisco de Sales and the College of La Madre Santísima was founded in 1844.

During La Reforma War, the city changed hands various times between Liberal and Conservative forces between 1858 and 1860. The most notable battle of that war here was when General José Iniesta attacked the town on 18 February 1859. In that same year, León even separated for a time from the rest of the state of Guanajuato.

In 1862 the bishopric of León was founded, separating the city of León and nine other municipalities such as Irapuato, Guanajuato and Dolores Hidalgo from the bishopric of Michoacán. Bishop Diez de Sollano opened the Conciliar Seminary in 1864. This bishop consecrated the Basilica Cathedral in 1866, even though it was not completed, giving the image of the Virgin of the Light a permanent home.

From 1863 to 1866, the French occupied León during the French Intervention, with Emperor Maximillian visiting the city in 1864. His arrival was much celebrated here, with fireworks and a hot air balloon exhibition put on by the Alemán brothers. However, when Liberal forces finally had permanent control over the town, two incidents occurred. On 30 September 1867, Coronel Cecilio Delgado Estrada ordered his men to shoot over the heads of people who prayed in the streets, causing some to be wounded. Another incident of this type occurred in 1877. The second was more permanent. The Liberals decommissioned the convent and college of Saints Peter and Paul, converting it into offices for city government. It remains such to this day.

On 2 January 1946 a mob gathered in the plaza in front of the municipal palace to protest elections seen as illegitimate. These protesters were fired upon, killing many. This plaza has been named the “Plaza of the Martyrs” in their honor.

Cathedral

The main church is called the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Light and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Leon. Construction of the church was begun in 1746 by the Jesuits and is a combination of Baroque and Neo Classic architectural styles. Construction was halted only eight months after it began when the Jesuit order was expelled from Mexico by the Spanish Crown. The Obregon family, however, took over its construction, continuing into the 19th century. The Archdiocese of Leon was created in 1864, with its first bishop, José María de Jesús Diez de Sollano y Dávalos helping to get the towers and cupola completed as he chose the church as the seat. It was finally completed and consecrated on 16 March 1866.

Expiatorio

Its full name is the Santuario Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Expiatory Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). Construction of this shrine was begun in 1920 by Bernardo Chavez with the support of Bishop Emeterio Valverde y Téllez. It is neo-Gothic in design, based on the old European medieval cathedrals but much of the outside wallspace is without decoration. Its work was halted by the Cristero Wars. Since then construction has continued off and on and it is considered 90% complete. An important source of income for the shrine’s construction is the sale of crypts. This practice was begun in 1924. A chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Lourdes was begun in 1935 and later a chapel dedicated to the Virgen of Guadalupe, which is separate from the main building, built between 1935 and 1939. A beautiful shrine with Stained glass windows include local allegories.

Municipal Palace

The current Municipal Palace is of Ionic architectural style and occupies part of the site of the old “Colegio Grande del Seminario de los Padres Paulinos” (Grand Seminary College for Pauline Priests) who had to abandon the city in 1860.

From 1861 to 1867 it was a military barracks. After the French Intervention, it was remodeled to conserve its original architecture by Coronel Octaviano Rosado to become the seat of government on 21 March 1869. The patio of the building contains a bronze statue of Benito Juarez to commemorate the centennial of his death in 1972. Since then, the building has had a number of additions such as the dome that now covers this patio, and a number of murals. These murals were painted in 1972 and 1973 by Jesus Gallardo covering the walls of the main stairwell and the hallway of the upper floor around the patio.

Portal of the Millennium

This monument was built to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium and has become a landmark for arrival into the city. There was some concern that the monument would not be ready for New Year’s 2000, however the 45-meter tall tower on five plinths was completed on time. It was built in a 5,400 square meter plaza, planted with trees. The project cost 4.5 million pesos.

Heroes’ Causeway Arch

This arch (Arco de la Calzada de los Héroes, in Spanish), topped by a bronze lion, began construction in 1896 and has been modified a number of times since then. The first lion was added in 1943 by Francisco Lozornio Castillo made of bricks and mortar. This was replaced by the bronze one in 1958. The idea for a bronze lion was that of famous matador Antonio Velázquez, a native of Leon, whose bravery in the ring earned him the nickname of the “Heart of Leon” (“Corazón de León”, in Spanish). Not long before his death in 1959, he complained that the brick lion should be replaced with a better work of art, causing something of a commotion in the Leon community. This caught the attention of sculptor Humberto Peraza Ojeda who made the one that sits atop the arch today.

The Lovers Bridge (Puente de los Enamorados)

This bridge is located on Calle Calzada de Los Heroes 552, Andrade, 37370 León, Gto., Mexico.

Del Bajío International Airport

The Del Bajío International Airport (Guanajuato International Airport) serves the city, although it is located in the neighboring city of Silao.

Cycling

The city’s bicycle paths are extensive. Leon is one of the most bicycle-friendly large cities in Latin America and has an extraordinary track record in active transport, keeping the biking and walking share above 39% of the total trips, one of the highest values in Latin American cities.

Integrated Transportation System

Integrated Transportation System (ITS) (Sistema Integrado de Transporte in Spanish) refers to the development and implementation of a Bus rapid transit system named “Optibus”. Since September 28, 2003 the Integrated Transport Optibús began to operate despite an existing need for a subway system “Metro”, which originally was planned construction with two lines.

The system was the first of its kind in Mexico. Leon being the first city in the country with a BRT system, before it was implemented in Mexico City as Metrobus and Guadalajara as Macrobus.

Optibús System The current route system is divided into four categories. These are:

• Trunk routes: They consist of eight main lines that cross the city from end to end. The buses are also known as Orugas (caterpillars in Spanish) due to its articulated midsection. They have capacity for 175 passengers. The Optibus transit system consists of 52 stations located in the central area of the main avenues of the city.
• Feeder and Auxiliary Routes: These are urban bus routes that were integrated into the regular system, as a stop as they have one or more transfer stations. Are identified by the letter A (Feeder route / yellow decals) or X (Auxiliary route / blue decals).
• Conventional Routes: These routes that circulate through most of the city and are distinguished by having the corporative colors from its owners: orange, red, pink, purple and green.
• Suburban Roads: Roads are circulating outside or on the city edge communities as Comanjilla, Duarte, Loza de los Padres, La Hacienda, etc.

There are currently three permanent transfer stations (San Jeronimo, Delta de Jerez and San Juan Bosco), two micro-stations (Santa Rita – Parque Juarez), which are the endpoints for trunk routes, feeder routes and auxiliary routes. Passengers at these stations are allowed to transfer without cost from any of these lines.

In addition, as a control measure, the “PagoBus” system has been instituted; this is an electronic card system that allows users to streamline their access to stations and bus and thus save money. There are 2 types of cards: Preferential and General, cost rates with 50 and 15% lower total cost.

The environmental benefits of the system are also high, not least because the system introduced articulated buses using Euro IV technology and ultra low sulfur, resulting in 5,600 tons of CO2 reduction annually.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

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Road Emergency: 074

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Pre-Hispanic period and conquest

The area where is located Mineral de Pozos did not have significant settlements, it was inhabited by nomadic Chichimec tribes, Huachichiles, Copuces, Guaxabanes and Pames.

The Europeans came here in 1576 when the first Jesuits arrived to evangelize the local population. At that time the area received the name of Palmar de Vega.

In 1590 the viceroy Don Luis de Velasco y Castilla, sent Gonzalo de Tapia, missionary of the Society of Jesus to subdue the local population. The religious had knowledge of language and local customs. He was credited with the founding of the Parish of San Luis Rey.

After living two years among indigenous he managed to convince them to convert to Catholicism and subjugate the Spanish crown. In this way the pacification and the consequent Spanish dominion was definitively consolidated.

After independence

Once the independence was consummated, President Santa Ana decreed the “Federal Territory of the Sierra Gorda”, which was the head of the city of San Luis de la Paz. Once the territory was divided into two districts, five parties and ten municipalities, Mineral de Pozos (then City Porfirio Diaz) became part of the District and Party of San Luis La Paz, being one of the 9 municipalities.

Once this territory was fragmented, due to its high maintenance costs, Mineral de Pozos became part of the municipality of San Luis de la Paz definitively.

From San Luis de la Paz by taxi ($7-$9) just 15 minutes.
From Dolores Hidalgo by taxi ($35-$45) less than 1 hour.
From San Miguel de Allende 1 by taxi ($35-$45) 1 hour.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about

tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs

and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

SNational Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Salamanca’s cuisine is very diverse because, thanks to the oil refinery, it is a city that has people from all over the country, from cities such as Veracruz, Oaxaca and Mexico City. Each of these cities has its own variety of food, so one can find enchiladas, wheat gorditas, pambazo, hamburgers, its famous carnitas (pulled pork), arrachera, cabrito(goat), birria, barbecue, cecina, and pizza. There are food stands on virtually every street corner. Many types of locally made icepops & ice cream are also popular in the city.

Road links

It is possible to get to Salamanca by Mexican Federal Highway 45, which links the cities of Querétaro, Celaya, Irapuato, Silao and León; as well as Mexico City through Mexican Federal Highway 57. Also Mexican Federal Highway 43 links south to Morelia and Lazaro Cardenas.

Air transportation

While the city itself doesn’t have an airport, it can be served by the Bajío International Airport (BJX), which serves all Guanajuato state; the airport itself is about 50 kilometers away.

Rail transportation

Mexico hasn’t had any long-distance rail passenger service since 2000 (except for a tourist line in the northwest), however there are plans to build a statewide Interurban Railway linking the same cities currently linked by Highway 45, in addition to the state’s capital. However, this project has been stalled for at least 10 years.

The city has a rich craft industry, especially statues of wax, bronze, and pewter, and is also the location of the headquarters of the Center for the Arts of Guanajuato.

The former convent of San Juan de Sahagún and its church (with 12 monumental altarpieces artistically carved with 24 carat gold-plated sheet), and the former parish of St. Bartolmé Apostol are located within the city.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

SNational Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

In pre-Columbian times the area was known as Guatzindeo or “Place of beautiful vegetation” by the mostly Purépecha inhabitants.

The first inhabitants of valley of Huatzindeo belonged to the Chichimeca culture, who by the 12th century were found in many communities across the valley. The Chichimeca were eventually conquered by the Purépecha people, along with most of the lower region of the present-day state of Guanajuato.

The first Europeans to arrive to the valley of Huatzindeo were Franciscan friars who came to the region with the intent of converting the native populations to Christianity. The Franciscan friars built and ran the first Spanish “hospitalillo,” hospital, in the indigenous village of Huatziendeo (located to the left of the Lerma river) between 1535 and 1550.

The Franciscan friars were soon joined by caciques and other Spanish pioneers who settled in the valley of Huatzindeo and built haciendas. Much of the hard labor at the haciendas was provided via encomiendas by the indigenous population.

By 1600 typhoid fever, smallpox and other diseases had almost wiped out the native population who lacked the needed antibodies since these diseases were alien to the native population at the time, and the village of Huatzindeo ceased to exist. Many of the Spaniards already in the area relocated to Yuririapundaro, while others remained and founded San Andrés Chochones. San Andrés Chochones was built on the right side of the Lerman river – directly across from where the village of Huatzindeo had once stood.

San Andrés de Salvatierra was founded under the order of Spanish viceroy Don Garcia Sarmiento de Sotomayor, 2nd Count of Salvatierra and Marquis of Sobroso, on February 9, 1644. In 1646 the town was granted the title of city, becoming the first city in the state of Guanajuato.

Due to its rich soil and strategic location (midway between the three most populated areas, namely Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey) for most of the next three centuries the city was one of the most prosperous in the state of Guanajuato.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

SNational Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

The climate in San Felipe Torres Mochas is influenced by its elevation and geography. It enjoys a temperate climate with distinct seasons. Here’s a breakdown of the seasons:

Spring (March to May): Spring brings pleasant weather with mild temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C. This is an ideal time for outdoor activities and exploring the town’s surroundings.

Summer (June to August): Summers in San Felipe Torres Mochas can be warm, with temperatures reaching up to 30°C. It’s a great time to experience local festivals and cultural events.

Autumn (September to November): Autumn brings cooler temperatures, making it a good time for hiking and outdoor adventures. The foliage also takes on beautiful fall colors.

Winter (December to February): Winters are relatively chilly, with temperatures dropping to around 5°C to 10°C. If you don’t mind the cooler weather, this can be a peaceful and less crowded time to visit.

The best time to visit San Felipe Torres Mochas

The ideal time to visit San Felipe depends on your preferences. If you enjoy milder weather and want to explore the outdoors, spring and autumn are your best choice. Summers have cultural events, but it can get a bit warmer.

Winter is perfect for those who prefer a quieter, chilly atmosphere.

• The city was founded with the name of San Felipe in honor of King Phillip II of Spain.
• In 1889 the name of the city was changed to “Ciudad González” in honor of the then-governor of Guanajuato, Manuel González.
• The name of the city was again changed in 1938, this time to “Ciudad Hernández Álvarez”, after Governor Enrique Herández Álvarez.
• In 1948 the city’s name was reverted to the original name of “San Felipe”.

Regardless of the several official names the city was given through time, it was always colloquially known as “San Felipe Torres Mochas” (“San Felipe stub-towers”), a nickname that persists to this day.

Various groups of nomadic Chichimecas are recognized as the first settlers of the region that now forms San Felipe. The vast majority of these groups were hostile to Spanish colonization.

San Felipe was established as a prison in 1554 and later founded by Francisco de Velasco on January 21, 1562, by order of Viceroy Don Luis de Velasco, giving it the name of Villa de San Felipe in honor of King Philip II of Spain.

The purpose of the founding of the town was to protect the Mexican Silver Route. After the conquest of the area where the municipal seat is now located, the construction of the town began following the traditional Spanish urban plan.

In 1563 King Felipe II granted the title of Villa de la Comunidad to San Felipe, leaving it in charge of Francisco de Velasco.

Development and viceroyalty

The Villa was divided into two towns for more than 300 years; the Spanish village and the Pueblito de Analco for the indigenous inhabitants of the region. Both villages were separated by the stream now known as Río Cocinero.

The authority of the Town of Analco resided in an Indian governor, imposed by the Spanish mayor, who governed the town. Both leaders also recognized the parish priest as the authority and ecclesiastical Judge of the Villa.

The parish of the town began to be built after the foundation of the Villa, the construction was finished almost in its entirety in 1641, although the tower and bell tower were finished in 1884, during this time the temple of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, located in the Town of Analco.

Several important haciendas arose around San Felipe during the 16th century, including San Joaquín de la Quemada, which originated in the second half of the century, and San Diego de Jaral de Berrio, which was established towards the end of the century, and which stood out for its agricultural and livestock production.

The priest Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla arrived at the parish of San Felipe on January 23, 1792.

Tradition says that since his arrival Hidalgo began to work with the settlers, teaching crops, and pottery, and spreading new libertarian ideas. , arose as a consequence of the French Revolution.

The house where the priest lived during his stay is now known as Casa Hidalgo.

The parish of the town was burned and looted by insurgents during the War of Independence, its reconstruction was directed by Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras at the request of the priest Manuel Tiburcio Orozco, the main altar and several chapels were almost completely rebuilt, although many images managed to be rescued from the flames.

Post-Independence

In 1863, during the Second French Intervention, on his way to the city of Monterrey, the President of Mexico Benito Juárez García stayed in the building now known as Casa Juárez, at that time called Hotel Casino.

Returning to Mexico City in 1867, the president once again stayed in San Felipe.

The towns of San Felipe and Ocampo benefited in the mid-19th century thanks to the construction of the Guanajuato-Tampico highway.

The economy of both populations was substantially improved by increasing trade as a result of improved communications and facilitation of vehicular circulation through the city of San Felipe after the installation of the highway.

In 1884 on January 31, the construction of the tower of the parish temple was finished.

During 1885 San Felipe faced problems of territorial limits with the municipalities of San Diego de la Unión and Ocampo and with the state of Jalisco. The political limits of the municipality were delimited after the intervention of the State Congress.

During the Porfiriato, large estates reappeared in San Felipe, such as El Cubo and San Diego de Jaral de Berrio, (the case of the Jaral hacienda is currently a tourist attraction in the municipality).

In 1892 by decree of Congress, San Felipe was elevated to the rank of the city under the name of Ciudad Manuel González, on December 24, 1939, the name of the city was again changed to Ciudad Hernández Álvarez.

On December 22, 1948, the original name was finally restored. The municipalities of San Felipe and Ocampo were the scene of various armed confrontations and religious persecution during the Cristero War.

Despite its relatively small size, San Felipe Torres Mochas offers a variety of activities and experiences for visitors:

The town’s architecture reflects its historical past, featuring colonial-style buildings and structures that showcase its cultural heritage. Take a leisurely stroll through the streets to admire the traditional facades, charming squares, and local craftsmanship.

Visit the San Felipe Parish Church, a centerpiece of the town’s cultural and religious life. This historic church features beautiful architecture and artwork that offer insights into the town’s spiritual and artistic history.

Indulge in authentic Mexican cuisine at local eateries. Enjoy traditional dishes that offer a taste of the region’s flavors, including various street foods and market stalls that serve up delicious Mexican treats.

Experience the town’s vibrant festivals and traditions, which often include colorful parades, traditional dances, and lively music. These events provide a window into the local culture and offer a chance to connect with the community.

The surrounding natural beauty of San Felipe Torres Mochas invites outdoor enthusiasts to explore its surroundings. Consider hiking or taking nature walks in the hills, enjoying the fresh air and panoramic views.

San Felipe Torres Mochas also serves as a starting point to explore the wider region of Guanajuato. You can consider visiting nearby attractions such as other charming towns, historical sites, and natural landmarks.

The climate in San Francisco del Rincón is classified as semi-warm and sub-humid, with pleasant temperatures throughout the year. The rainy season occurs in the summer, creating lush landscapes that surround the city.

This climate makes it an ideal destination for outdoor exploration and walks.

San Francisco del Rincón was officially founded on January 20, 1607, by a group of families of the Purépecha and Otomi settlers who had been granted land in the region.

Originally established near the Hacienda de Santiago, the town relocated in 1613 due to frequent flooding from the nearby river. During the colonial era, it functioned as a República de Indios, where locals managed their internal affairs under Spanish administrative oversight.

It was declared a villa (town) on September 6, 1865, and a city on March 27, 1867. Throughout its history, San Francisco del Rincón played a significant role in Mexico’s independence movement and the Cristero War.

The city also boasts a rich architectural heritage, with landmarks such as the Parish Church of Saint Francis, which was constructed over a century starting in the late 17th century, and the elegant Municipal Palace, completed in 1907.

Places to visit in San Francisco de Rincon

• Municipal Palace
• Parroquia de San Francisco
• Central Square
• Anillo de Hierro (Iron Ring)
• Plaza Peatonal (Pedestrian Plaza)
• St. Michael’s Square
• Atanasio Guerrero Market
• Glorieta del Obelisco
• Ex Glorieta del Tejedor (Weaver’s Roundabout)
• Train Station
• House of Culture

Stroll through the Central Square

The heart of the city is a picturesque central square surrounded by colonial architecture. Relax under the shade of its trees, admire the historic kiosk, and enjoy a traditional caramel-filled popsicle from a local vendor.

Parroquia de San Francisco

The construction of the San Francisco de Asís church began in 1694 and was completed in 1783, taking nearly 90 years. The iconic main tower, however, was not added until the 19th century.

Explore the hat and leather markets

San Francisco del Rincón is known as the “Hat Capital of Mexico”. Visit stores offering high-quality cowboy hats, dress hats, and leather goods. Don’t leave without picking up a handcrafted sombrero as a unique souvenir.

Visit the Iron Ring Museum (Museo Anillo de Hierro)

This small museum showcases the city’s rich history and cultural traditions, with exhibits highlighting local crafts, historical artifacts, and the region’s transformation over the centuries.

Dine at local eateries

After exploring the city, treat yourself to delicious Mexican cuisine.

The Plazarella shopping center offers dining options from pizza and wings to fresh salads. For seafood lovers, the city boasts restaurants, where visitors can enjoy shrimp cocktails, octopus dishes, and octopus popsicles.

The ex-hacienda and nearby Ojo de Agua are rich with history and charm, reflecting the area’s agricultural past.

Camino Viejo (Old Road) is a historic road with tales of the past etched into its stones, linking old towns and traditions.

The neighborhood of Guadalupe is a charming neighborhood known for its unique character and welcoming community.

Jalpa de Cánovas is a “Pueblo Magico”, located just 30 minutes away. Jalpa de Cánovas features a serene environment with charming streets, beautiful gardens, and historical landmarks like the old dams and walnut groves.

Hotel Hacienda San Cristóbal once was the family estate of former President Vicente Fox. This hacienda now serves as a luxury hotel and restaurant, offering a buffet and a glimpse into Mexico’s past.

Centro Fox is a museum and library focused on leadership and history, located near the Hotel Hacienda San Cristóbal.

Purísima del Rincón is another nearby town known for its ecological park, charming streets, and seasonal events like La Judea during Holy Week.

The Sombrero capital of the world. San Francisco del Rincón is the home of a tradition that is nearly two centuries old, justifying the claim by hat-makers that it’s the hat-making capital of the world.

The town has been a hat-making center for over 180 years. The product that was intended to shelter farm laborers from the noonday sun is now sold in stores throughout the American continent, Europe, and Oceania.

Sombreros are sometimes made out of straw but in San Francisco, they are made out of palma. The Palma was originally brought in from Michoacan but is now readily available in the area due to its cultivation there.

To this day, that production remains a mostly artisanal process. While machinery is employed in some steps, the skilled hands of the people of San Francisco, called San Pancho for short, are still a crucial part of the operation.

It is just a short 25 minutes minute drive from Leon.
Taxi price $10-$20

From Guanajuato city by bus will take 1 hour, and will cost $3-$12.
A shuttle bus will last just 47 minutes but will cost $65-$100.
By taxi: 47 minutes and $30-$45

Nearest towns are: Silao, Irapuato, Salamanca, Lagos de Moreno.

Before the Spanish conquest, its territory was inhabited by Chichimeca Indians, fearless nomad warriors who were never completely militarily defeated by the European intruders.

It was home to the first Jesuit mission in Mexico, under whose administration it became a thriving mining, agricultural, and cattle raising centre during Colonial times.

Its mining support services reached their height during the Mineral de Pozos bonanza at the end of the 19th century.

During the first half of the 20th Century it suffered from the instability of the Mexican Revolution and Cristero War.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the economy was reactivated due to a new agricultural boom. At present, however, San Luis de la Paz is undergoing a recession and is seeking ways to diversify its economy.

With deep-rooted customs and traditions, San Luis de la Paz distinguishes itself by preserving its ancestral cultural heritage.

The main festivities and events include The Encounter Ceremony, the Regional Fair, the Virgencita Celebration, and the Processions to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Mineral de Pozos, the sister community, offers a variety of interesting celebrations like: The Festivity of Our Lord of Labor, the Toltequidad Party, and The Mariachi Festival.

Gorgeous and resourceful hand-crafted products, like wool articles and Pre-Columbian musical instruments, are made in San Luis de la Paz and Pozos respectively.

Moreover, the Chichimeca Mission, the last of this ethnicity in Mexico, in spite of the globalization, has undertaken to safeguard its language, Chichimeco-Jonaz, as well as the elaboration of the symbolic chimal.

San Luis de la Paz, with its colonial elegance and narrow streets, preserves to date unique places and buildings that speak of its fascinating past. They range from native rock paintings in nearby hills, the remains of antique cobblestone Spanish roads, to forgotten chapel ruins and old structures.

Mineral de Pozos, the most important mining town in the state of Guanajuato, dating back to between the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th, is just like a film set. It is amazing to see the deserted and rundown remains of ancestral constructions everywhere, like the Jesuits’ Mining Ovens and the Modelo Schools.

Vergel de Bernalejo is an Eden: it’s a place with wonderful natural scenery and caves that house marvellous stalactites and stalagmites.

There is also a forest with many varieties of trees such as pine and fir, home to wildlife such as deer and eagle. It is surrounded by many mountains and rock formations, like the Bernalejo hill and the Bridge of God.

The Paso de Vaqueros Canyon is 30 minutes outside the town of San Luis de la Paz. Here, the Manzanares and San Juan Rivers cross the landscape having not only carved the canyon giving it its characteristic steep walls, but they are also subsidiaries to a number of waterfalls along the canyon.

Paso de Vaqueros is sought for rappelling, bungee jumping, swimming, rock climbing and hiking. In the municipality of San José Iturbide, on the highway to Tierra Blanca, the El Salto Hacia la Libertad (Leap Toward Freedom) adventure park is located, in a small valley with a lake in an arid area with desert vegetation.
Visitors can rappel, hike, parasail and more.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

The municipality is located in the far eastern side of the state of Guanajuato. It has an average altitude of 1,870 meters above sea level.

It has a territory of 1,537.19 km2. The altitude varies from between 850 to 2,700 meters above sea level, with the town of San Miguel at 1910 masl.

The municipality extends over two of the state’s natural regions: the Sierras Volcanicas and the Cuencas Lacustres del Sur, with most of the territory over the latter. The entire municipality belongs to the national Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Prominent elevations include Cerro La Silleta, Cerro Prieto, Cerro La Piena, Cerro La Campana, El Cerro de El Picacho, Tambula, El Maguey, Palo Colorado, Mesa el Peñón, Loma Cuacuato, Mesa la Junta, Loma La Trinidad, Cerro El Común, La Loma, El Cuache and El Carmen. These have an average altitude of 2,200 masl.

The main river in the area is the Laja, which crosses from north to south before finally emptying in the Lerma River in the municipality of Salamanca. The river currently has serious pollution issues because it is used for discharge of wastewater without prior treatment. Most of this discharge is from the residential areas of San Miguel and Dolores Hidalgo. In addition to the river, there are four principal arroyos that pass by the municipal seal, the La Cañadita, El Atascadero, Las Cachinches and El Obraje. The last receives most of the area’s runoff during the rainy season which feeds the Las Colonias and El Obraje dams. The most important dam in the area is the Ignacio Allende dam, located in the west of the municipality. While this dam controls flooding along the Laja River, local residents say that the water collected in its reservoir goes to the area around Guadalajara, far to the west of San Miguel, due to the provisions of the federal act creating the dam and reservoir. Other dams in the area include La Cantera and Bordo Grande located in the south and north of the municipality respectively along with the aforementioned Las Colonias and El Obraje, which are mostly used for irrigation. The municipality also has fresh water, thermal and alkaline springs, many of which are used as ecotourist attractions such as the El Chorro, Montecillo, El Cortijo, Cieneguita, Atotonilco and Taboada spas. One other spa is the El Xoté, which has sulfur-laden waters. The climate in the area is mostly temperate and semi-arid, with average temperatures varying between 16 and 22 °C. Summers are moderately hot with a rainy season that generally producing sporadic thunderstorms. Winters are moderate. The temperature varies between 16 and 22 °C with cool winters. One exception to this is the extreme west of the municipality where the climate is wetter. Ecosystems include shrublands, forests of oak, and areas where nopal cactus and/or grass dominate.

Climate

San Miguel’s weather is typical of central mountainous Mexico. It varies little, and even in the hottest months (May and June) when daytime temperatures can reach 35°C, the dry air makes it tolerable and cool mountain breezes tend to make evenings delightful. Winter evenings (from December to February) can get cold, even down to freezing overnight, but it warms up quickly in the morning. The rainy season extends from June to September when days are pleasant for sightseeing until heavy downpours (usually late in the afternoon and evening) cool and freshen the air. The climate has the same lazy, quiet air and temperance as Palm Springs, encouraging long hours of swimming and pool-side tanning, reading or napping, or just lying in a hammock and forgetting the world exists.

The official name is Protective town of San Miguel de Allende and Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco.

The city has been known by various names since the Spanish founded the settlement. It was called Izcuinapan by the indigenous peoples. The Spanish originally called it San Miguel el Grande and sometimes San Miguel de los Chichimecas. San Miguel refers to the founder of the city, Father Juan de San Miguel. The name of the town was changed in 1826 to San Miguel de Allende in order to honor Ignacio Allende, who was born here. The surrounding municipality is officially called Allende, both seat and municipality are called San Miguel (de Allende). The municipality has a coat of arms that was designed by a group called Amigos de San Miguel, but it has not been officially recognized.

Before the arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century, there had been an indigenous settlement at Izcuinapan (place of dogs). A small chapel was built and a village started near the indigenous village by Juan de San Miguel. He decided to dedicate the Spanish town to the Archangel Michael. However, the arrival and colonization provoked the locals. The Chichimecas began attacking Spanish travelers in the area and in 1551, the Guamare people attacked the village proper. This and continuous water supply problems caused the original location to be abandoned and moved.

The village was officially re-established in 1555 by Juan de San Miguel’s successor, Bernardo Cossin and indigenous leader Fernando de Tapia. It was refounded both as a mission and as a military outpost. The new site was just northwest of the old one at a place with two fresh water springs (called Batan and Izcuinapan) and with terrain better suited for defense. The two springs supplied all of the town’s water until the 1970s. Today, this second site is occupied by the Santa Escuela Church, which colloquially became known as the “old parish” by the 18th century.

The most noted one is the Biblioteca Publica, which has the second largest English language book collection in Mexico, located in the former convent of Santa Ana. It acts as the community center for foreigners. There is also a chapter of the Lion’s Club (est. 1987). A post of The American Legion and The Veterans of Foreign Wars is located there, and Mexico’s only Audubon Society chapter.

Outside of the main town and in these smaller communities are the municipality’s indigenous groups, mostly Otomi and Nahuas. The Otomi are the largest group, accounting for just under 38% of the municipal population. The Nahuas follow at about 20%. Other groups include the Mazahua, Huasteca and Purépecha. However, according to the 2005 Census, only 355 people speak an indigenous language.

Colonial period

By the mid 16th century, silver had been discovered in Zacatecas and a major road between this area and Mexico City passed through San Miguel. Indigenous attacks on caravans continued and San Miguel became an important military and commercial site. To quell these attacks as well as rebellions against Spanish rule, the viceroy in Mexico City granted lands and cattle to a number of Spanish to have them settle the area. He also gave indigenous groups limited self rule and excused them from taxation. The location of the town would make the town a melting pot as Spanish, indigenous peoples and later Criollos would exchange cultural influences.

Eventually, major roads would connect the town with the mining communities in San Luis Potosí as well as Zacatecas and the rest of the state of Guanajuato. Serving travelers’ needs and providing supplies to mining camps made the town rich. One particular industry was textiles. Locals claim that the serape was invented here. By the mid 18th century the city reached its height, when most of its large mansions, palaces and religious buildings were constructed. Most still remain. The town was also home to the area’s wealthy hacienda owners. At that time, it was one of the most important and prosperous settlements in New Spain with a population reaching 30,000. In comparison, in the mid 18th century Boston had a population of only 16,000 and New York 25,000. The town’s apogee came during the transition period between Baroque and Neoclassical architecture and many of the mansions and churches have both influences. Mansions are larger than normal for a settlement of this size.

Independence

The prominence of the city declined at the beginning of the 19th century, mostly due to the Mexican War of Independence. However, it played an important early role in this conflict. It is the birthplace of two significant protagonists, Ignacio Allende and Juan Aldama. Both were involved in a conspiracy against the colonial government in Mexico City, along with Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. When this conspiracy was discovered, the warning to Hidalgo and Allende passed through this town and onto Dolores (Hidalgo) just to the north. This prompted Hidalgo’s “Grito de Dolores” assembling the insurgent army on 15 and 16 September 1810. The new insurgent army first came to San Miguel, stopping at a religious sanctuary in Atotonilco just outside. Hidalgo took a standard bearing an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe from here to use as a symbol. This standard is now in the Museo del Ejercito in Spain. Then the army entered San Miguel proper, to name officers and to free prisoners in the local jail. San Miguel is considered to be the first municipality to be freed from Spanish rule.

While there was no other military action in the area, economically the town waned as agriculture suffered and the population declined. This continued for most of the rest of the 19th century as the country was torn between Liberal and Conservative factions vying for power . After the war, the town was declared a city by the state congress in 1826 and its name was modified to San Miguel de Allende in honor of Ignacio Allende.

There was some economic recovery near the end of the 19th century during the rule of Porfirio Díaz. During this time, dams, aqueducts and railroads were built. Agriculture made a comeback with the introduction of fruit orchards. However, decline returned with the end of mining in almost all of the state of Guanajuato. Between this and the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, San Miguel almost became a ghost town. What remained would stay frozen in time, as the new Mexican government, under the INAH, declared San Miguel a “Historic and Protected Town” in 1926, establishing guidelines and restrictions aimed at keeping its colonial appearance.

20th century to the present

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the town began to attract artists and writers. One prominent artist and writer was Stirling Dickinson, an American, who came in 1938. Dickinson met Peruvian intellectual, author and painter, Felipe Cossio del Pomar who had the idea of establishing an art colony in the heart of Mexico. The first art school was established in 1938 in an old convent which Cossio del Pomar secured from then Mexican president Lazaro Cardenas, it was called Bellas Artes, today in existence and locally known as Bellas Artes or Centro Cultural El Nigromante. In the 1940s, Dickinson would also assist Cossio del Pomar and Enrique Fernández Martinez the former governor of the state of Guanajuato to establish what became the Instituto Allende. Despite their rural location, both schools would find success after the Second World War. U.S. veterans studying under the G.I. Bill were permitted to study abroad, and these schools took advantage, attracting former soldiers as students. Enrollment at the schools rose and this began the town’s cultural reputation. This attracted more artists and writers, including José Chávez Morado and David Alfaro Siqueiros, who taught painting at the Escuela de Bellas Artes. This, in turn, spurred the opening of hotels, shops and restaurants to cater to the new visitors and residents. Many of the American veterans who came to study in San Miguel would later come back to retire, and have been credited with saving the town.

The town’s cultural, foreign and cosmopolitan nature has continued since that time. In the 1960s, Cantinflas promoted the area among his friends in the film industry. The city took on a Bohemian quality in the 1960s and 1970s as counterculture hippies moved in. The growing attraction of the town and its colonial buildings created a vibrant real estate market, which until recently has not been affected by Mexico’s economic ups and downs. Many of the old “ruins” of colonial houses have sold for more than a house in Mexico City. This is because many of San Miguel’s buyers are foreign. Between 2006 and 2009, 34 projects constructed 405 housing units. The last peak of real estate sales came in 2007, with 180 units sold with a median price of 250,000 USD totaling 45 million.

The city and nearby sanctuary were declared a World Heritage Site when UNESCO met in Quebec, Canada in July 2008. It was chosen both for its well-preserved Baroque colonial architecture and layout as well as its role in the Mexican War of Independence. The area which has been inscribed includes 64 blocks of the historic center and the sanctuary of Atotonilco with the title of “Villa Protectora de San Miguel el Grande y el Santuario de Jesus Nazareno de Atotonilco”.

Due to the world economic crisis the housing market dropped in 2010, with prices falling between 20 and 40 percent compared to two years earlier. The Asociacion de Profesionales Inmobilarios, a real estate group, blames news articles of Mexico’s problems with drug related violence as the principal cause of keeping foreign buyers away. However, many Mexican buyers, mostly from large urban areas like Mexico City, Guadalajara, Queretaro, etc., have picked up the slack and are currently creating a new construction boom in the city.

Historically, the town is important as being the birthplace of Ignacio Allende. After the War of Independence from Spain in the year 1826, San Miguel was elevated to a city status and given the name San Miguel de Allende in honor of Ignacio Allende y Unzaga, the first Mexican soldier and a native of the city.

However, the town waned during and after the war, and at the beginning of the 20th century was in danger of becoming a ghost town. Its Baroque/Neoclassical colonial structures were “discovered” by foreign artists who moved in and began art and cultural institutes such as the Instituto Allende and the Escuela de Bellas Artes. This gave the town a reputation, attracting artists such as David Alfaro Siqueiros, who taught painting.

The main attraction of the town is its well-preserved historic center, filled with buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. This and the nearby Sanctuary of Atotonilco have been declared World Heritage Sites in 2008.

At the entrance of the city are statues of Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, Miguel Hidalgo and Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, with one of the Archangel Michael in the center. While the outlying areas of the town and municipality have changed over time, the historic center remains much as it was 250 years ago. The layout of the center of the city is mostly a straight grid, which was favored by the Spanish during colonial times. However, due to the terrain, many roads are not straight. There are no parking meters, no traffic signals and no fast food restaurants. These roads are lined with colonial era homes and churches. With a few exceptions, the architecture is domestic rather than monumental, with well-tended courtyards and rich architectural details. The houses have solid walls against the sidewalks, painted in various colors, many with bougainvillea vines falling down the outside and the occasional iron-grated window. Many of the larger structures have large front doors which used to be used by horses and carriages.

In the historic center, there are an estimated two thousand doors, behind which there are at least two thousand courtyards of various sizes. Many of these have been restored to their former colonial state, with façades of ochre, orange and yellow, windows and doors framed by handcrafted ironwork and made of hewn wood. The interior roofs are flat, of heavy mortar supported by large beams. Very few structures have atriums or front yards; instead, open private space is behind the main façade in courtyards. These courtyards are where the private gardens were, protected from dust, excess water and crime.

The town is noted for its streetscapes with narrow cobblestone lanes, that rise and fall over the hilly terrain, and occasionally defy colonial attempts to make a straight grid. It is still a small city, and at night, many wander the narrow streets with relative safety. The people on the streets are a mix of Mexicans, foreigners and indigenous. Its cultural and artistic reputation has brought many people from Mexico and abroad here to live. Several publications have named it one of the top 10 places to retire. The town has attracted famous people such as Jose Guadalupe Mojica, Pedro Vargas and Cantinflas to have homes here. Additionally, indigenous peoples, mostly Otomis and Nahuas (Chichimecas) can be seen on the streets, as they come to sell and buy from rural communities as well as to attend church.

Since the 1920s, steps have been taken to preserve the historic center’s charm. The first set of protections was put into place by the INAH when it was declared a national monument. This required that all restorations and new construction conform to the area’s colonial architecture. To preserve the city’s trademark colonial look, a civil society regulates the renovation and maintenance of the city, especially its historic center. This includes aspects such as traffic, garden spaces and even the kinds of social events that may be held. The town has also put much effort into preserving the cobblestone streets. The most recent designation is that of a World Heritage site, along with the religious sanctuary in nearby Atotonilco, which also puts restrictions and protections into place.

About half of the colonial buildings have been partially or fully converted into businesses such as stores, restaurants, galleries, workshops and hotels. Since there is no zoning, residential and commercial establishments are well-mixed. Although it is small and rural, it has a wide variety of upscale and ethnic restaurants, specialty shops and art galleries. All around the historic center there are over 80 bars and cantinas as well as various nightclubs. To compete, many offer two-for-one drink specials. Others rely on gimmicks such as the frontier themed bar on Mesones Street called “El Gato” with swinging cantina doors like those seen on “Old West” movies.

In September 2010, the first contemporary architectural structure arrived in the historic colonial center with the opening of Hotel Matilda. The hotel’s four buildings have a modern design, with public areas decorated with the art works of contemporary Latin artists, many of them very large pieces. Only the exterior street wall, along Calle Aldama, reflects the colonial style.

Landmarks

The oldest part of the town is the El Chorro neighborhood. This is where the village of San Miguel was moved to in 1555. The Nahuatl name for the area was Izcuinapan or “place of dogs,” and according to legend, dogs led Juan de San Miguel to this area to find this spring. This area is the home of the Parish of San Miguel, the Jardin Principal or Main Garden and an earlier church called the San Rafael or Santa Escuela Church.

La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, the current parish church of San Miguel, is unique in Mexico and the emblem of the town. It has a Neo-gothic façade with two tall towers that can be seen from most parts of town. It is one of the most photographed churches in Mexico. The church was built in the 17th century with a traditional Mexican façade. The current Gothic façade was constructed in 1880 by Zeferino Gutierrez, who was an indigenous bricklayer and self-taught architect. It is said Gutierrez’s inspiration came from postcards and lithographs of Gothic churches in Europe; however, the interpretation is his own and if more a work of imagination than a faithful reconstruction. In front of this façade is a small atrium, which is guarded by a wrought iron fence. There is a monument in the atrium dedicated to Bishop José María de Jesús Diez de Sollano y Davalos. The San Rafael or Santa Escuela Church is located to the side of the parish. It was founded by Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro in 1742. The main façade has two levels with arches, pilasters, floral motifs and a frieze on the first level. The second level has a choir window framed by pink sandstone. The bell tower is Moorish. According to legend, this older chapel was the site of the first Christian ceremony in San Miguel.

At the entrance of the main church, there is an inscription that states that Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his brother Jose Joaquin served as priests here. There is another one acknowledging Gutierrez’s work on the façade. The interior of the church still has the original 17th-century layout and interior design, but the church was looted several times during Mexico’s history so much of its decoration is lost. However, one significant image here is the “Señor de la Conquista”, which was made of cornstalk paste by indigenous people in Michoacán. The sacristy contains a painting depicting the founding of the town in 1542 and its subsequent move to Izcuinapan in the El Chorro neighborhood.(finsenana) There is a small crypt under the altar with access through a small door to the right. This crypt contains the remains of former bishops of the church and other dignitaries, including a former president of Mexico. It is opened to the public one day each year, on November 2, Day of the Dead.

In front of the church complex is the Plaza Allende, popularly known as Jardin Principal or Main Garden, but most often referred to simply as el jardin. It was designed in French style, with wrought iron benches and filled with laurel trees. It is a popular place to sit and relax and bands often play in the kiosk on weekends. In addition to the parish, other important structures, such as the Ignacio Allende House, the Canal House and the municipal palace overlook the garden.

The Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez, also called the Escuela de Bellas Artes or El Nigromante, is housed in the former Hermanas de la Concepción (Sisters of the Conception) convent. The Concepcion convent and adjoining church were founded by a member of the De la Canal family, María Josefina Lina de la Canal y Hervás in 1775. In the latter 19th century, the convent was closed by the Reform Laws and it remained empty from then until the mid 20th century. The Escuela de Bellas Artes, was established in 1938 by Peruvian Felipe Cossío del Pomar and American Stirling Dickinson. This and other art institutions began to attract American exchange students who came to study and live. The cultural center today is part of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA) and is often referred to by locals as “Bellas Artes.” It is a two story cloister surrounded an extremely large courtyard with large streets with a large fountain in the middle. It houses art exhibits, classrooms for drawing, painting, sculpture, lithography, textiles, ceramics dramatic arts, ballet, regional dance, piano and guitar.

One hall of the old convent is dedicated to a mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros along with students from the art school, but it was never finished. The complex has a museum, an auditorium, two art galleries and the Las Musas restaurant, which serves both inside and outside in the courtyard area. Next to the cultural center is the Inmaculada Concepcion Church, locally known as Las Monjas (The Nuns). It was originally constructed as part of the convent. The church was constructed between 1755 and 1842 with an elegant cupola added by Zeferino Gutierrez in 1891, inspired by the Les Invalides in Paris. The cupola is octagonal decorated with Corinthian columns in the lower area and the upper area has a window with a balustrade and statues of saints. Topping the cupola is a lantern window with a statue depicting the Immaculate Conception. Inside, there are paintings by Juan Rodriguez Juarez.

The Casa de Allende (Allende House) Museum was the home of Ignacio Allende, who was a principal protagonist in the early part of the Mexican War of Independence. The structure was built in 1759 with Baroque and Neoclassical elements, located next to the San Miguel parish church. The museum it houses is officially called the Museo Histórico de San Miguel de Allende, and it is one of many “regional museums” of Mexico. This kind of museum focuses on the history of the local area from the prehistoric period to the present, especially the area’s role in Mexico’s national history. The lower floor contains exhibits about the founding of the town, its role in protecting the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Road and more. The upper floor contains exhibits related to Ignacio Allende and some of the rooms are preserved as they looked when he lived there. There are 24 rooms that chronicle the history of the area from the foundation of the town to the Ruta de la Plata (Silver Route), the genealogy of Ignacio Allende and the Mexican War of Independence. It remodeled as part of the preparations for Mexico’s Bicentennial. The restored museum was re-inaugurated by President Felipe Calderon in 2009.

The Casa del Mayorazgo de la Canal dates from the 18th century, constructed by Mariano Loreto de la Canal y Landeta. During the late colonial period, this house was the most important secular building, being home to the De la Canal family, one of the richest in New Spain. The original construction was inspired by French and Italian palaces of between the 16th and 18th centuries. The house is considered to be a transitional work between Baroque and Neoclassical, as its façade was redesigned by Manuel Tolsá in the early 19th century. The façade is Neoclassical with the coat of arms of the family. The main portal has two levels with an arch with a relief of an eagle on the keystone. The main door is profusely decorated with high reliefs. Today, it houses the Casa de Cultura de Banamex (Banamex Cultural Center) which houses a collection of historic paintings and offers diverse expositions during the year.

On the north side of the Jardin Principal is the municipal palace. It was first constructed in 1736 and called the Casa Consistorial. However, this building was heavily damaged several times since then and little of the original structure remains. The current building has two floors. It is home to what is considered to be the first “independent” or modern municipal government formed after the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. This reestablishment of the city government under Liberal principles was done by Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende and Ignacio Aldama on 17 September 1810.

The Oratorio de San Felipe Neri Church was built by Juan Antonio Perez Espinosa in 1712. This church was partially built by incorporating a former chapel used by the mulatto population of the town. That church became the chapel on the east side. The façade is of pink sandstone in Baroque style with profuse vegetative ornamentation. The decorative work of the portal also contains indigenous influences. The interior of the church has a number of paintings by Miguel Cabrera, including one of the Virgin of Guadalupe which is signed by him. The sacristy contains this last painting along with others depicting the life of Philip Neri. This room is cordoned off by a grate covered with leather from Córdoba, Spain. At the back there is a Baroque chamber/chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto. This chapel was sponsored by Manuel Tomás de la Canal in 1735. It is richly decorated with three altars covered in gold leaf and is a replica of the Holy House found in Loreto, Italy.

The Nuestra Señora de la Salud Church was built by Luis Felipe Neri in the 18th century. The main portal is in Churrigueresque style with two levels and a crest in the shape of a large seashell. The first level has an arch flanked by pilasters and niches with sculptures of the Sacred Heart and John the Evangelist. The interior has a layout of a Latin cross covered with vaults with side walls covered in oil paintings done by Agapito Ping between 1721 and 1785. One altar contains an image of Christ, the Good Shepherd, defending his sheep from various dangers including a group of unicorns. The church served as the chapel of the Colegio de San Francisco de Sales next door. The Colegio de San Francisco de Sales was as important as the college of San Ildefonso in Mexico City in the 18th century. Both Ignacio Aldama and Ignacio Allende attended school here.

Very close to the Nuestra Señora de la Salud and Oratorios de San Felipe Neri churches is the Plaza Civica or Civic Plaza. This plaza was originally constructed in 1555 and was supposed to be the original center of the town. It is next to the Plaza de la Soledad and served as the main marketplace. Today, it has a equestrian statue of Ignacio Allende which dominates it.

The San Francisco Church was begun in 1778 and was finished more than twenty years later, when architectural styles were changing. The façade is pure Churrigueresque with stone figures and fine columns. The later bell tower was constructed in 1799 in Neoclassical style by architect Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras.

The Biblioteca Pública or Public Library serves as the community center for San Miguel’s large foreigner population. This library was established by Helen Wale, a Canadian, who wanted to reach out to local children. It is the largest privately funded, publicly accessible library in Mexico with the second largest English language book collection. The library has a café, sponsors tours and prints a bilingual newspaper. While self supporting, it also sponsors educational programs for local youth including scholarships, donations of school supplies and free English and computer classes for children. The library offers free English classes for children and the “Club de Amigos” so that Mexicans and foreigners can know one another.

To the far south of the historic center is Parque Juárez or Juarez Park. This park was established at the beginning of the 20th century on the banks of a river in French style with fountains, decorative pools, wrought iron benches, old bridges and footpaths. There is an area for children with playground and basketball. The garden area is filled with plants and trees of the region, chirimoyos, various berries and walnuts. The water areas host a large number of herons. After dark on many days, it is possible to catch a impromptu concert by local amateur musicians. Nearby there is a small commercial center on Zacateros Street where typical of the area such as objects made of brass and glass can be found. Near here there is a fountain dedicated to Ignacio Allende.

Another important market is the Mercado de Artesanias, which sells a wide variety of items such as those made from wool, brass, paper mache and blown glass. There are also piñatas, tin lanterns, silver jewelry and more. One figure that features prominently on merchandise is that of a frog, as the state’s name of Guanajuato means “place of frogs”. The market is located in a narrow alley filling three blocks behind the city’s main fruit and vegetable market. The merchandise here is more authentic and cheaper than that found around the main square.

The Institute Allende is located in an enormous complex, which the De la Canal family built as a retreat and hacienda. The old house is filled with various courtyards, a private chapel with colonial era frescos, modern art gallery and restaurant. In 1951, it was converted into an art institute which offers courses in silverwork, ceramic and Spanish, attracting hundreds of students each year.

Other important churches in the town include the Santo Domingo church, the Santa Cruz del Chorro Chapel, Tercera Orden Church and the San Juan de Dios Church. The Santo Domingo church was part of a monastery complex. The church has a sober façade and dates from 1737. The Santa Cruz del Chorro Chapel is one of the oldest religious buildings. The Tercera Orden Church dates from the beginning of the 17th century. The San Juan de Dios Church and San Rafael Hospital are attributed to Juan Manuel de Villegas in 1770. The complex has a main portal in sandstone with two portals. The first has an access arch and a door made of mesquite wood, with reliefs of geometric shapes, fish and more, along with a hand with pomegranate in sandstone. These symbolize the Archangel Raphael and John of God.

The Casa de Inquisidor (Inquisitor’s House) is located between Hernandez Macias and Hospicio streets. It was built in 1780 with an elaborate French façade and was the seat of the inquisition in the late 18th century.

The Angela Peralta Theater was originally designed to host opera. It was inaugurated in 1873 with a performance by the most famous soprano of Mexico at that time, Angela Peralta. Today, it still hosts a variety of musical events such as the Jazz Festival and the Chamber Music Festival.

Other cultural venues include the Otra Cara de Mexico, the bullring, the old train station, the casa de Marqués de Jaral de Berrio, the Casa de los Condes de Loja and the Museo de la Esquina and Museo Interactiveo Fragua de la Independencia. La Otra Cara de Mexico (The Other Face of Mexico) is a small private museum sponsored by Bill Levasseuro, which has a large number of masks from Mexico’s traditional cultures. On Calle de Recreo is the bullring that was constructed at the end of the 19th century. The old train station was part of the Mexico City – Laredo (Tamaulipas) line of the Ferrocarril Nacional Mexicano. This line was constructed in the 1880s with service beginning in 1888. The Casa del Marqués de Jaral de Berrio was constructed at the end of the 17th century as well as the Casa de los Condes de Loja. The Museo de la Esquina (Corner Museum) is dedicated to traditional Mexican toys. Its collection comes from all parts of the Mexican Republic, which was gathered over 50 years’ time. The Museo Interactivo Fragua de la Independencia (Fire of Independence Interactive Museum) is dedicated to the Mexican War of Independence and San Miguel’s role in it.

“Stirling Dickinson is without doubt the person most responsible for San Miguel de Allende becoming an international art center,” says John Virtue, author of Model American Abroad, a biography of Dickinson. Although only an amateur painter himself, Dickinson became co-founder and director of the Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes, an art institute that he opened in a former convent only a few months after his arrival.

Due to its growth as a tourist destination, some of the most obvious culture seen on the streets of the town relates to visitors, both foreign and Mexican. To cater to these visitors, the town contains organic cafes, boutiques, art galleries, upscale restaurants and hotels, and a wide variety of bars and nightclubs. Bars and nightclubs range from DJs or loud bands catering to young people, to jazz clubs, sports bars and even those that specialize in traditional Mexican music such as mariachi. Some were founded by foreigners and reflect that ownership, for example the Berlin Bar & Bistro. Shops around the Jardin Principal sell art, handcrafts, furniture and decorative items. The Fabrica La Aurora is an old textile mill that has been converted into galleries and shops selling art, furnishings and antiques; it has a lot of open space along with a café and restaurant. San Miguel has several schools for learning Spanish, most catering to foreign visitors. These include the Instituto Allende (with credits transferable to U.S. or Canadian colleges), Language Point and Warren Hardy Spanish. Some universities such as the University of Texas-Pan American offer study abroad programs in the city, not only in Spanish but also in arts and literature, and creative writing.

Many of the festivals here are purely Mexican, combining social activity with religious expression. Throughout the year there are pilgrimages, all-night vigils, ringing church bells, processions and fireworks. The largest celebration of the year is that of the town’s patron saint, the Archangel Michael. The angel’s feast day is 29 September, but festivities take place for an entire week. Activities include private parties, sporting events, cultural events, indigenous dance and more. The week is popularly called the Fiestas de San Miguel de Allende. An event, now discontinued for safety concerns, was the “Sanmiguelada”, a running of the bulls event similar to that in Pamplona. Youths fill the streets showing off their “matador” talents in front of the bulls. The finale is a parade through the street in honor of Michael and a fireworks “castle” competition to see who can build the most elaborate frame from which fireworks are lit.

Holy Week begins with a exhibition of altars dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows and end with the Procession of Silence. Prior to the Procession of Silence, there is a reenactment of the judgment of Jesus by Pontius Pilate, on one side of the San Miguel Parish. Then the procession begins, which represents the fourteen scenes of the Passion before his crucifixion. Many of the townspeople participate in the event, with children dressed as angels and adults in period clothing carrying statues of Jesus. The procession winds its way along the main streets of the historic center completely in silence. Another large religious celebration is the feast of Nuestro Señor de la Columna

There are also secular, cultural festivals during the year. The annual Festival de Música de Cámara or Chamber Music Festival occurs each year in August in the city’s historic center. One of the purposes of the event is to bring this type of music to streets and other public venues as well as traditional concert halls such as the event’s home of the Angela Peralta Theater. The 2009 edition had over 100 singers invited to various events, three major conferences, and instrument exhibition and ten classes taught by prominent persons in the field. Some of the groups invited that year included Yale Glee Club, the Cuerdas Amernet Cuartet, the Alientos de Bellas Artes Trio, soprano Guadalupe Jimenez and pianist Natasha Tarasova . Other events include the Jornada de Cultura Cubana in March, the Festival de Tìteres in April, the Festival de Convivencia y Hermandad Universal in May, the Desfile de Locos in June, the Festival Expresiones Cortos in July, the Feria Nacional de Lana y Latón and the festival de Jazz y Blues in November and the Festival de San Miguel de Allende in December. The most important political celebration is the reenactment of the “Grito de Dolores”, as the original occurred in the nearby town of Dolores Hidalgo, marking the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. As the birthplace of Ignacio Allende, the town was a focal point of 2010’s Bicentennial celebrations, with reenactments of events such as the arrival of the message from Queretaro from Josefa Ortiz. Bicentennial celebrations also included events such as the Ballet Mazatl. Festivities were concentrated in and around the Jardin Principal, the Ignacio Allende House and the Centro Cultural.

SMART is a multi-media cultural festival, held annually in May, that combines exhibits by Mexican artists with a variety of culinary and social events at local hotels, including the festival founder Hotel Matilda, Dos Casas Hotel and L’Otel.

Arts, literature & films

San Miguel de Allende has long had a reputation as a haven for visual artists. Since the 1950s, when Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros worked there, it has attracted professional and amateur painters, sculptors and printmakers to the classes and workshops frequently held. In addition to two major art institutions (Instituto Allende and Bellas Artes), artists and art venues can be seen in various parts of the town.

One notable art gallery is the Galería Manuel Chacon, which carries contemporary art.

On the streets, it is not unusual to see someone sketching people on the street or selling their own work.

Some notable ex-pat painters associated with San Miguel are Canadians Leonard Brooks, Toller Cranston, Marion Perlet, Gary Slipper, and Andrew Osta. More recently, the town has been attracting writers, film makers, and musicians as well.

The town annually hosts an important free of charge film festival, the GIFF.

One annual event that caters to the writing community is The Writers’ Conference which brings together authors, editors and literary agents.

The 2009 event attracted names such as Erica Jong, Todd Gitlen and Josephine Humphreys.

Writers have lived here since the mid 20th century. Beat poet Neal Cassady died on the railroad tracks just outside town. Other writers who have lived or spent time here include W.D. Snodgrass, Beverly Donofrio, Sandra Gulland, Tony Cohan, Joe Persico, Gary Jennings, Vance Packard, Lynette Seator, Richard Gabrio and Dianna Hutts. Some have written books about the town, such as Elisa Bernick who wrote The Family Sabbatical Handbook: The Budget Guide To Living Abroad With Your Family and Rue who wrote “My Favorite Second Chance” (Book 2 of The Lake Effect Series).

Another writing event is Poetry Week, which began in 1997. Barbara Faith, a well-known author of romance books lived in San Miguel with her husband Alfonso Covarrubias.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico and And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself were filmed almost entirely in San Miguel.

As the municipal seat, the town of San Miguel de Allende is the local government for about 950 other communities, many of which have fewer than 50 people. As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 139,297 with 62,034 living or about 44.5% living in the town proper. The largest communities outside of the municipal seat include Los Rodriguez (2,795 people), Corral de Piedras de Arriba (1,841 people) and Los Galvanes (1,402 people). Officially, the municipality is called Allende to distinguish it from the town of San Miguel de Allende, but as they are governmentally the same unit, both are generally called by the town’s name.

Landmarks in the municipality:

Atotonilco

With only 597 people as of 2005, Atotonilco (formally Sanctuary of Atotonilco) is not the largest community in the municipality, but it is the best known due to its religious sanctuary, which has World Heritage Site status along with the historic center of San Miguel. The sanctuary is located fourteen km outside of the main town and dates from the 18th century. The church building itself has plain, very high walls on the outside, and consists of one large church, with several smaller chapels. It is officially called the “Santuario de Dios y de la Patria” (Sanctuary of God and Country), but it is better known as the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco. It is the church from which Miguel Hidalgo took the Virgin of Guadalupe standard for his army.

The Atotonilco sanctuary has plain high fortress-like walls. However, the inside is completely covered in murals with a large number of personages and scenes from the Bible without much overall structure in how these images were placed. All of the wall and ceiling space is completely covered with little empty space. This mural work was done by Miguel Antonio Martínez de Pocasangre over thirty years. The style of the painting imitates Flemish painting which was known through Belgian prints that the Spanish brought over from Europe. The World Heritage Organization calls it an “exceptional example of the exchange between European and Latin American cultures” and “one of the finest examples of Baroque art and architecture in the New Spain.” The structure and the mural work reflect the doctrine of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and the church has been called the “Sistine Chapel of America.” Atotonilco has been a pilgrimage site since the colonial period. The complex still functions as a religious retreat for people who come from all over Mexico for prayer, penance and mortification, but all are done in private.

El Charco del Ingenio

El Charco del Ingenio is located outside of the town is an ecological reserve and botanical garden which is privately funded. It is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Mexican flora and propagates species in danger of extinction. The reserve is centered on a canyon, at the bottom of which is a fresh spring which forms a natural pool. The canyon was the center of a number of myths and legends during the pre-Hispanic period. There are the remains of a colonial era aqueduct and other waterworks on the property. An old dam still holds back stream waters in a part of the park. Areas of the reserve are crisscrossed with walking paths. There are opportunities for mountain biking, rock climbing, bird watching, camping and horseback riding. There is a gift shop, a juice bar and a cafeteria.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

SNational Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

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In its original Nahuatl, it was called Tzinacua by the Otomi and Purépecha natives. Tzinacua loosely translates into ‘place of dense fog’, derived from the quantity of thermal waters surrounding the area. In the Otomi language its name is Tsinäkua that also means ‘place of dense fog’.

In the place where Silao now sits, there was an Otomí settlement that was conquered by the Purépecha tribe. It then received the name Tzinacua, that in English means “place of dense fog”, because in the area of Comanjilla, there were columns of water vapor rising from thermal springs. The name evolved to ‘Sinaua’, ‘Silagua’ and finally ‘Silao’.

The territory of Silao is almost planar formed in by the Bajío, between its few important elevations, one can find the ‘Cerro del Cubilete’ whose altitude is 2,570 meters above sea level and is considered the geographic center of the country.

The Silao River, crosses the major part of the municipal territory. It is fed by the Magueyes, Pascuales, Hondo, and Tigre streams, as well as the Gigante River, which is its major tributary. Within the municipality are some streams of importance, like those of the Agua Zarca, San Francisco, El Paraíso, Pabileros, and Aguas Buenas.

Climate

The climate of the city is semi-arid in the majority of the territory, with rains in the summer and an average annual temperature of 28 °C. Temperatures can rise as high as 34 °C in the month of June, and a minimum of 0 °C has been reached in the months of December and January. However, in the northeastern zone the climate varies to semi-dry with a temperature predominantly in excess of 28 °C. Precipitation varies between 600 and 800 millimeters per year.

According to the results presented by the second ‘Conteo de Población y Vivienda’ (census) of 2005, the municipality counts a total of 147,123 inhabitants.

Ethnic Groups

The indigenous population of Silao is limited to 203 inhabitants that represent 0.15% of the total municipal population. The principal native languages are Mazahua and Nahuatl.

According to the second ‘Conteo de Población y Vivienda’ (Census) of 2005, there are a total of 187 persons who speak some indigenous language.

The municipality has a density of 250 persons per square kilometer and an average population increase of 1.6%.

Religion

95.8% of the population of Silao (as of 2000) are Roman Catholic.
Approximately 1.8% are Protestants and Evangelicals, and 1.4% are other religions.
The last 1% either stated they don’t have a religion or it wasn’t specified.

Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol, construction was started in the end of the 17th century and ended in the year 1728. Its style is neo-classical.

Templo del Santuario, constructed at the end of the 17th century.

Templo de la Casa de Ejercicios, built in 1834.

Palacio Municipal, formerly functioned as city jail and headquarters.

Mercado González Obregón, main market in Silao.

Monument to Cristo Rey (Christ the King), started construction on December 10, 1945, and completed on August 17, 1949. The monument itself stands 20 meters from foot to head and is in the ‘cerro del Cubilete’, which is considered the geographic center of the country of Mexico.

Casa de Mauricio Ruiz, historic house, home of the Mexican artist Mauricio Ruiz Chávez

Some of the attractions in Silao are:

Here one can find the ‘Cerro del Cubilete’ that is considered the geographic center of the country. In the highest part of the mountain (at 2,500 meters) stands a monument to Cristo Rey or Christ the King. It represents the unity of the people of México in the Catholic faith. Construction started on December 10, 1945, and was completed on August 17, 1949. The monument itself measures 20 meters from its feet to its head. Its location dominates the scenery of the ‘Bajío’ region surrounding Silao.

Museum of the Chávez Morado Brothers (muralists and sculptors).

Silao has 27 parochial churches and innumerble buildings rich in architecture and history.

Building of the ‘Casa de la Cultura’ (House of Culture), previously the military quarters of Silao.

Silao is also central to other cities and towns of interest to tourists. The cities of Guanajuato and Romita are approximately 25 minutes by highway. León and Irapuato are about 35 minutes by highway.

This District is located at Guanajuato Puerto Interior The business district is development at this time. This District is designed to lodge: hotels, financial and commercial buildings

This city is served by the Del Bajío International Airport. It functions as the central airport for the cities of Irapuato, Guanajuato, León, and Salamanca.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

SNational Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

When the spaniards and the indigenous allies arrived to this valley – precisely on July 25, 1562, the day that Santiago Apóstol was celebrated in the Catholic liturgy – the area was inhabited by “a mixture of Otomíes, Chichimecas and Purépechas”. The predominant group, apparently, was that of chichimecas-pames.

The settlement was founded on May 28, 1607. Its founders were Pedro Martinez Rincon, Pedro Rivera, Diego Tamayo, Francisco Gomez, Francisco Santoyo, Silvestre de Aguirre, Luis Fonseca, Antonio Estrada, Andres Cuéllar and Juan Martinez. Cristóbal Martín and Juan Fernández deserve special mention.
They came from the recently founded town of Salamanca.

Its autochthonous name was Camémbaro that in purépecha means “place of absinthe or estafiate”. By the way, the europeans used to say to the estafiate the “Mexican wormwood” because of the resemblance to that one but, really, it is not absinthe. Another name that this plant receives is altamisa and is used in traditional herbal medicine mainly against digestive diseases: diarrhea, dysentery, parasites and colic.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

SNational Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Yuriria’s elevation plays a role in its climate. Higher elevations generally contribute to more temperate conditions compared to lower-lying areas. Yuriria has a generally temperate climate, with variations within the region.

Microclimates may exist, influenced by local topography and other geographical factors.

Yuriria, located in the state of Guanajuato, generally experiences a temperate climate. The climate is influenced by its elevation and geographical location. Here are some key features of the climate in this region:

Summers tend to be warm to hot, with daytime temperatures often reaching well above 30 C. Winters are relatively mild, with cooler temperatures. Nighttime temperatures may drop, but it is not as cold as in some other parts of the country.

Yuriria typically experiences a distinct wet and dry season. The rainy season usually occurs during the summer months, with increased precipitation from June to September. This is when the region receives the majority of its annual rainfall.

The dry season, which spans the remaining months of the year, is characterized by lower precipitation levels. During this period, the weather tends to be drier, with sunny days and less cloud cover.

The rainy season in this region usually lasts from June to September.

The best time to visit Yuriria

The best time to visit Yuriria and surrounding areas is during the milder months of December to February if you prefer cooler weather or in the spring for a balance of pleasant temperatures and outdoor activities.

Yuririhapundaro is also known as Yuriria. Formerly this small town was known as San Pablo Yuririhapúndaro. The word Yuririhapundaro comes from the Purepecha language and means “Place of the Bloody Lake”.

The first indigenous population of Yuririhapúndaro was located on the slopes of the hills that surround the city and extended without any symmetry to the surroundings of the crater lake.

Some vestiges of archaeological ruins of a pyramid and indigenous rooms were found in these places, where pieces of ceramics, necklaces, and carved stones have been found.

In 1540, on February 12, the Augustinian missionary Fray Diego de Chávez founded and blessed the town of Yuririhapundaro.

The official date for the Spanish foundation of Yuririhapundaro is February 12, 1540. By a royal decree issued in the year 1560 on February 19, it is given the legal name of San Pablo Yuririhapundaro.

Yuriria, is one of the oldest municipalities of the State of Guanajuato, in this place the first mine of the State with the name of San Bernabé was registered because here it was the closest place to 20 leagues around, where there were public offices and registry of mines and mortgages.

Said registry of the mine was made on July 11, 1548, before the mayor of justice Don Pio González y Gómez, the old building where the correctional facility was located in the current Portal “Corregidora”, located towards the west side of the market.

September 16, 1548, is the date on which the missionary “Fray Diego de Chávez y Alvarado” arrives at this place, according to data in the Parish Archives, he stayed in some Jacales de Zacate built next to the chapel of Santa María, which had been built in 1537 by Fray Alonso de Alvarado, the first conqueror of the natives in this place.

Fray Diego de Chávez, upon his arrival, took on the task of studying how to combat malaria, an endemic plague that decimated the inhabitants of Yuririhapúndaro due to the existence of large swamps that were found to the north of the town, being breeding grounds for the mosquito that transmits said plague.

He had great knowledge of architecture, and he began to study the topography of the place, finding that the Grande de Toluca River now called Lerma River passed not far from the place, he requested the cooperation of the inhabitants and built the Taramatacheo canal, which would lead the waters that flooded these marshy lands.

On Thursday of the corpus of 1550, the floodgates of the said channel were opened, forming what we now know as Lake Yuriria with its Islands that are: San Pedro, Peñón de Vargas, Mario, Tindaro, El Patol, Sacopúndaro, Puranque, Characo, Las Cabras, and El Fuerte.

This Lagoon is considered the first hydraulic work in Latin America.

On November 1, 1550, on the feast of all saints, R.P. Fray Alonso de la Vera y Cruz, from the Michoacán province of San Nicolás de Tolentino, solemnly blessed the first stone of the magnificent work that is the ex-convent of Yuriria, and nine years later on corpus Thursday of 1559 the missionary Fray Diego de Chávez, celebrated the first mass in his own work.

The thousand and one islands of the Yuririhapúndaro Lagoon are also part of the history of this town, for example on the island of San Pedro, the R.P. Fray Elías de Socorro Nieves on September 21, 1882, died a victim of the Cristero War on March 10, 1928, and because of his sanctity, he is considered the pride of the people of Yuri.

People gather in that place to drink and socialize, it is also known as the city’s Arrumaco Reef.

El Fuerte and Las Cabras are two islands, which together form the Fuerte Liceaga archipelago, which was used by General Liceaga to confront Don Agustín de Iturbide during the 400 days of resistance in the struggle for the independence of the country that took place in this place from September 9, 1812.

On June 6, 1852, by decree number 235 of the H. State Congress, the town of Yuririhapundaro is elevated to the category of Villa, on January 1, 1914, by decree No. 46 of the H. XXV State Congress it is granted City title.

Yuriria’s Defense

On August 30, 1913, at 5 in the morning, on a Saturday, this city suffered an attack by the revolutionary forces of the Fusileros de Coahuila brigade, under the command of General Joaquín Amaro and subordinate generals, Alfredo Elizondo, Cecilio García and another nicknamed El Chivo, Anastasio, Abundio and Tomás García.

The Attackers managed to infiltrate many of the streets of the place in the western and southern parts of the area in the early hours of this day, placed a machine gun on the roof of the Esquipulitas temple, and began a horse-race attack along Calle “De Carreras” (Today May 5th Street).

The city had no garrison, only 5 residents enrolled as defenders were above the vaults of the Convent.

Jesús Juárez, police commander, and his son Jerónimo, Don Anselmo Juárez, Albino Rodríguez and Epifanio N. “El Pifas”; On the roofs of the houses were the wealthy neighbors who had weapons, among whom Pastor Castro Tinoco stood out.

The Attack was vigorous, but they managed to repulse it, the thrust being greatest from eight to eleven o’clock; At three o’clock in the afternoon the withdrawal of the attackers began and at five o’clock everything was over.

Of the defenders, the following were killed: Jesús Tinoco Corona, Francisco Álvarez Guzmán, Salvador Gómez Jaramillo, Francisco Ruiz Ramírez, Aurelio Soto “El Culebro”, Felipe Flores Villagómez, J. Jesús N.”Macuás”, a bolero named J. Jesús N. “Ojitos”, Leandro Parra, Antonio García and a baby daughter of Mr. J. Jesús Martínez Ledesma.

Of the attackers, 10 corpses and 2 prisoners were collected who was shot by the triumphant neighbors.

In this action, the attackers set fire to the houses of Mr. J. Sacramento Guerrero, who was a cigar factory; of Don J. Trinidad Villagómez, the girls’ school located on Victoria Street, which is now the hospital, and the house adjoining the latter.

Most of the neighbors, on the night of this day of combat, concentrated in the Convent.

At about nine o’clock at night, doctor Francisco Orozco arrived to provide assistance, accompanied by José Ma. Galván, Enrique Lozada, Porfirio Orozco, and eleven other residents of Valle de Santiago; bells tolled and guns were fired into the wind.

Yuriria has various places as geographical and architectural icons that have become tourist sites in the state of Guanajuato, such as its Parish and Ex-Convent, these being the best-known emblem of Yuriria.

Its construction dates back to November 1550 and its completion in 1559. There is also an artificial lagoon, known as Laguna de Yuriria, which currently receives drainage from the cities of Moroleon and Uriangato.

Another of the main attractions is the Crater Lake known as “La Joya” It is an Extinct Volcano, and within it the Virgin of Guadalupe is venerated in an image that appeared on one of its rocks, it is advisable to go accompanied since the level of crime is severely high.

Also, you can visit the boardwalk, where people meet to hang out, and its Old Chapels and Churches dating from 1538, such as the Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for the Poor better known as Santa María, which is located a few meters from the Lagoon, located within the so-called Santa María neighborhood where the upper social classes of the municipality of Yuriria reside.

In Yuriria there are churches of great importance, such as the temple of Santa Marìa, which was built in 1537.

The temple of the Lord of Health, in which the holy Lord of Health is venerated, was given to the indigenous people of Yuriria in 1639.

The Esquipulitas chapel was built in 1867 by Fray Tomás de Villanueva.

The precious blood of Christ is one of the most important, it began to be built on December 14, 1884.

The sculpture of the Divine crucified that is venerated there, coming from Spain, is the feast of San José on March 19 in San Jose Otonguitiro.

There is also an artificial lake that is called “Yuriria Lagoon”.

Ex-Convento

The Parroquia of Yuriria, an important cultural icon of the state The ex-Convento or cathedral is probably the most important architectural structure in Yuriria, as well as an important icon in the state in general.

Since its construction in November 1550, and its culmination in 1559, its massive size and dazzling structure captured the attention of generations and ultimately put Yuriria on the map.

Its construction was started by Fray Diego de Chavez, nephew of the conquistador Don Pedro Alvarado, and was designed by the famous architect Pedro del Toro.

Here are some nearby places worth to visit from Yuriria:

• Yuriria Lake
• Convento Agustino de Yuriria
• Templo de San Pedro y San Pablo
• Presa de la Purísima
• Moroleon (a nearby small town)
• Santa Ana Maya Archaeological Site
• Cristo Rey del Cubilete
• Celaya (a nearby small town)

Among the Main Traditions of this place is the party in honor of the “Lord of the Precious Blood of Christ” on January 4, there is a night parade of Allegorical Cars with religious passages accompanied by Wind Bands, Local Dances, and other regions of the state.

Another of its main festivities is on August 28, when “San Agustín” is celebrated, its patron saint as they are completely evangelized by Augustinians.

Also, every August 31, the Lord of the Precious Blood is taken from his temple and a tour of the city is made accompanying the image until reaching the city’s Parish, where it lasts until September 30, the day on which He returns to his temple.

Among them is also the day of the dead in which deceased relatives are worshiped and mats are placed in the main garden.

In the municipality the traditional carnival parade is carried out in which rhythmic tables, stilt walkers robotic figures, the queen and her princesses, and the “Garatuzos” also participate, with their characteristic black clothing, who at the end of the tour carry out the traditional burning of bad humor in front of the convent of San Agustín and some young people break shells full of confetti, putting an end to the bad mood placed in a mortuary box, while they set it on fire and celebrate in the midst of the people.