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COLONIAL MEXICO
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
HIDDEN GEMS AWAIT DISCOVERY
Queretaro, San Miguel de Allende,
Guanajuato, Morelia, Patzcuaro & Guadalajara
While the Spanish conquistadores searched for silver and gold and their priests converted the indigenous populace to Christianity, they left behind treasures of their own which have become known as “Colonial Mexico”. Often the Spaniard’s colonial cities were built upon the foundations of temple ruins such as magical Patzcuaro with its stucco edifices painted red and white topped by red tiled roofs. Each colonial city was laid out following a grid pattern with a central square around which were built the mansions and palaces to house the ruling officials and privileged gentry. Local beliefs, deities and symbolism were combined with Christian beliefs and symbolism creating a unique blend that is still evident today. “The Day and Night of the Dead” observances in early November in Patzcuaro are one such blending of beliefs.
Each colonial square was crowned by a Cathedral, many of which today are recognized as world renowned magnificent works of art such as the lacey stone of the Cathedral in San Miguel de Allende or the pink stone baroque Cathedral in Morelia. Many of these charming, picturesque colonial cities have been declared by UNESCO as World Heritage sites waiting to amaze and delight each new visitor.
One of the hidden colonial gems is Queretaro with its monumental aqueduct begun 1726 and downtown area sprinkled with beautiful fountains and whimsical statues. Another gem is San Miguel de Allende with narrow cobbled streets whose old buildings have been converted to homes, galleries, cooking schools and language institutes for many Americans and Canadians. A unique event in San Miguel is their celebrated “Pamplona” running of the bulls in September. Their annual Chamber Music Festival and Jazz Festival feature well known artists and San Miguel de Allende even hosts a St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The surrounding hills and honeycomb traffic tunnels which follow ancient riverbeds of the once booming mining town of Guanajuato with its plazas and passages create an interesting blend for this very elegant and delightful colonial lady. Each year their beautiful Juarez Theater begun in 1873 and opened in 1903 hosts the famous international Cervantes Festival in October drawing performers and audiences from all over the globe. On one of Guanajuato’s hills stands the colossal statue of “El Pipila” who became a folklore hero during Mexico’s struggle for independence from Spain.
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