Guanajuato
Capital of the State of Guanajuato,
the City of Guanajuato (population about 55,000) is located in the heart of the
Mexican republic. Its name means “mountainous place for frogs” in the Tarascan
Indian language. Nestled in a narrow canyon between two huge mountains,
Guanajuato is a singular and perfectly preserved colonial city. Its origins in
Mexico’s central highlands date back as early as 1552 when Spanish explorers
struck silver in the neighboring Sierra Madre mountains; it quickly became the
richest city in Mexico and for centuries Guanajuato flourished as the silver
capital of the world, producing more than a third of the world’s silver by the
turn of the 18th century. The
city’s heritage of wealth is reflected in the elaborate mansions and baroque
churches that give Guanajuato the most purely Spanish/European feeling of all
the Mexican colonial cities. It was declared a national monument by the
government in 1973; all restorations and new construction must conform to the
old style architecture in order to retain its medieval appearance. It was also
named a “World Heritage Zone” in 1988 by the United Nations.
 Most visitors find Guanajuato’s
true charm in the amazing web of winding streets and alleys, called callejones,
that twist through the core of the city. Colonial buildings crowded together and
perch one atop the other, lining the alleyways, their balconies almost touching.
This architectural feature is immortalized in the legend of the Callejon del
Beso (Alley of the Kiss), an alley so narrow that two ill-fated lovers, kept
apart by their families, were still able to kiss each other from their balconies
on opposite sides of the alley! So haphazard are the patterns of these
callejones that the people of Guanajuato have long been practitioners of the
fine art of callejonear, a verb taken from the word callejon which simply means
meandering through the streets with no particular destination in mind. Wear
comfortable walking shoes in order to fully appreciate and admire the beauty of
the city’s colorful buildings made from cantera stone or explore its ancient
subterranean tunnel, originally built to prevent flooding, but currently used as
a kind of medieval-looking bypass as it zig-zags under the city; part of the
tunnel follows the original course of a dry river bed, other parts were added
later to alleviate traffic jams in the city’s narrow streets.
 Though small, the wedge-shaped
plaza called Jardin de la Union is an excellent place to sit and relax while
enjoying band concerts; although Guanajuato doesn’t have a main plaza or square,
in the manner of other Mexican towns, the Jardin is the favored gathering spot.
Shaded by ancient trees, it features a charming old-fashioned bandstand where
concerts are frequently held, and a few bustling sidewalk cafes. In the
evenings, estudiantinas (strolling musicians from the state university) perform
in the surrounding streets. Other pretty plazas include Jardin de la Reforma,
Plaza San Roque and Plazuela San Fernando. Plaza de la Paz, in front of the
basilica, is surrounded by the former mansions of local silver mining magnates.
The city’s rich history is filled
with fabled landmarks, as the city played an important role in Mexico’s War of
Independence—like the Alhondiga de Granaditas, where rebel priest Padre
Hidalgo’s insurrection against Spanish rule had its first major siege in 1810;
it’s now a regional museum. A famous patriot from that battle, a young miner
nick-named El Pipila, is memorialized in a huge hilltop statue and lookout that
offers a magnificent view of the city and its mazelike layout spread out below.
And of course there are the silver mines to see, the most famous of which is La
Valenciana, first excavated in 1558.
If you’re planning to visit
Guanajuato in October or November, make sure you book a hotel room far in
advance, for this is the time of year when the city hosts the Festival
Cervantino, Mexico’s largest cultural event of the year. The centerpiece of the
festival is the performance of the Entremeses, or short theatrical sketches
written by Cervantes. These are a very popular tradition in Guanajuato, and
their unusual outdoor stagings use the city’s own plazas, haciendas, parks and
streets as sets.
The Teatro Juarez (Juarez Theater)
is a magnificent and very ornate building named for Mexico’s most famous
president, Benito Juarez; it’s an interesting mixture of several architectural
styles and is still used for special events. Also of interest are the Templo de
San Diego, a Franciscan church built in 1663, the San Diego Church with its
impressive ornate doorway, the Templo de la Compania de Jesus, the grandest
church in Guanajuato, which was built in the 17th century and has an impressive
dome and pink stone façade. And anyone visiting the city should not miss seeing
La Valenciana, a very beautiful church situated outside of town, with a
hand-carved gold altar styled after a Chinese pagoda. It perches atop the
Valenciana Silver Mine, which is still being mined! Here, one may purchase
fascinating geodes and quartz crystals. The Casa del Conde de la Valenciana
(house of the Count of Valenciana) houses a gallery of Mexican arts and crafts
as well as one of the city’s leading restaurants. Fine food is served in a
lovely colonial setting with a great panoramic view (open for lunch only). To
see what life was like for the wealthy mine owners, visit the Ex-Hacienda de San
Gabriel de la Barrera. The former hacienda of Captain Gabriel de la Barrera, a
descendent of the first Count of Valenciana, was restored and opened as a museum
in 1979. Set amidst magnificent gardens, the mansion is furnished in colonial
antiques and period European furniture and art, and has a private chapel
featuring an ornate gold-covered altar. There’s a lovely outdoor café and wine
bar, as well as a handicrafts shop in the grounds.
 Ten miles west of the city, a huge
monument of Christ, Cristo Rey, crowns a 9,442-foot mountain peak. Visible to
travelers miles before they reach Guanajuato, the statue is 82 feet high and
marks what is said to be the geographical center of Mexico.
Also worth visiting is the 17th
century Museo del Pueblo de
Guanajuato, which is housed in the former mansion of a mining magnate and
features an art collection that ranges from colonial to modern times, including
a powerful mural by Chavez Morado.
Guanajuato is the perfect place to
begin a tour of colonial Mexico. The very essence of colonial living can be
experienced as you stroll through the city’s 15 plazas and numerous cathedrals,
including the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, which boasts the oldest piece
of Christian art in Mexico, a gift from Spain’s King Philip II, and has a coral
and gold façade. The Museo Diego Rivera, birthplace of the great muralist Diego
Rivera, displays his work. And the Museo Iconografico Cervantino exhibits
popular art inspired by Cervantes. The Teatro Principal, located next to the
University on Calle Cantarranos, is very popular for all cultural events, and
fine performances can be enjoyed for a very small fee. A definite focal point
for ongoing cultural events, the University of Guanajuato, which many students
still attend, was built by the Jesuits in 1732, and offers special summer
programs that include subjects of interest to outside visitors and locals alike.
Both tourists and natives love to
visit the huge two-story market, which is open daily, where one can find
everything from handmade clothing and crafts to fresh fruits and vegetables. And
not to be forgotten is the Mummy Museum, a very popular tourist attraction
located at the entrance to the Panteon Municipal (Municipal Cemetary). Here, in
glass cases along the wall are displayed about 100 mummified bodies that are
perhaps hundreds of years old; they’re most likely preserved by the dry mountain
air and the mineral salts in the cemetary’s soil. The museum recently decided to
play up its ghoulish side by incorporating some haunted-house-style displays.
And the list goes on! The days you
spend wandering Guanajuato’s cobblestone callejones will take you back in time
to the romance of Mexico’s colonial past more than any other place, but at an
altitude of 6,700 feet, average temperatures hover in the mid-60s, making
sweaters or jackets necessary in the evenings. Mode of dress is
casual.
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