A UNESCO World Heritage Site like Guanajuato, Querétano and Morelia, Zacatecas is an interesting mix of Spanish expansion and local character, marked by natural beauty and mestizo pride.
The Spanish arrived in the area of Zacatecas in 1531, but the development of the city did not begin until fifteen years later, when important deposits of silver were discovered. In 1585, King Philip II. gave the city the name City of Our Lady of Zacatecas (Ciudad de Nuestra Señora de los Zacatecas). At the beginning of the colonial era, various monastic orders settled in the city (Franciscans, Augustinians, Dominicans, Jesuits and others), their magnificent monasteries and churches competed with the wealth and luxury of the residences of the wealthy "silver aristocracy".
A perfect irregularity
The religious and secular heritage of the brilliant colonial era can be felt on a walk through the streets, alleys and squares. All the mining cities, both Zacatecas and the rest of the cities, for example Taxco or Guanajuato, which grew up along the ore veins, most often in mountainous and inhospitable areas, have preserved an unusual network of streets that intersperse the cities and at first glance seems incredibly complicated, but the cities on the other hand, it gives a special charm and variety, and above all, new surprises await us at every step. Urban irregularity is thus transformed into an unprecedented aesthetic advantage. Reddish buildings with sunny plazas, artfully designed metal balcony railings and cobbled streets smoothed by time show the old-fashioned face of colonial opulence.
One of the most important buildings is the cathedral, whose beautiful facade leaves everyone speechless when they find themselves in front of it for the first time. The church, which was built in the middle of the eighteenth century, rises above the other buildings and turrets with its facade like a huge altar. The columns, full of ornaments, are made of silver down to the smallest detail and merge together with the rest of the facade into a mighty relief. The cathedral is a witness to the mining boom in the heart of Mexico in the middle of the 17th and 18th centuries, during which most of the important colonial buildings in the city were built. While visiting the richly furnished churches, one should not miss the church of St. Augustine with an interesting side relief, which is a typical example of construction in the style of the eighteenth century, called churrigueresco. Also interesting is the 17th-century church of Saint Dominic, which houses eight beautiful gilded altars inside. The 19th-century Teatro Calderón, with its neoclassical style, seems modest compared to the exuberant facades of the churches, but its interior, full of precious wood and artfully designed iron railings and staircases, is a testament to the city's glorious past.
Zacatecas also surprises with an abundance of excellent museums: the Pedro Coronel Museum houses the best collection of works by the famous painter from Zacatecas, and the Rafael Coronel Museum displays an extensive collection of 5,000 masks from Mexican, African and Australian tribes and drawings by Diego Rivera. Since mining has long represented the main branch of the economy, a visit to the El Edén mine is particularly interesting and informative. A train with narrow carriages, similar to those that transported precious metals during the Spanish rule, today transports visitors who can observe the incredible colors of the minerals. After visiting the tunnels, we have to get to know the city from the air, and the best thing is to sit in the cabin of the pendulum, which takes us above the main streets of the city to the top of the Cerro de la Bufa hill.
Different gastronomy
Among the wide range of delicious typical local dishes, Asado de Boda is probably the most famous, which translates as wedding roast meat. Pork cut into pieces, with the addition of chili, cinnamon, bay leaf, a piece of chocolate and orange peel, earned its name because it is traditionally served at local weddings. In addition to the aforementioned dish, we will be able to satisfy our hunger with lamb stew, local versions of ricetta or enchiladas. The typical Zacatecas drink is mescal, an alcoholic drink made from agave, but let's not forget that Zacatecas is a wine-growing area where you can taste excellent wines.
Colonial Treasures
Zacatecas can also be a starting point for exploring the sprawling network of Mexican colonial cities that are the legacy of the Spanish conquistadors and today are considered original architectural gems. During the first ten years of the Spanish conquest, the cities of Mexico (1521), Oaxaca (1521), Puebla (1531), Villa Real, today San San Cristóbal de las Casas (1528), Querétaro (1532), Pátzcuaro (1534), Valladolid were founded , today Morelia (1541) and Mérida (1542). The remaining settlements were the result of the new economic arrangement; this is how mining cities such as Taxco (1534), Zacatecas (1548) and Guanajuato (1557) were born. The emergence of coastal cities such as Veracruz and Campeche was the result of the need for overseas communication with the motherland of Spain, as they sailed across the Pacific to the Philippines, which was the reason for the creation of ports such as Acapulca. One of the cities closest to Zacatecas is Aguascalientes, founded in 1575 as a refuge and refuge for travelers who embarked on the famous Silver Route (Ruta de la Plata). Even a short walk through the old town will convince us of the wonderful architectural gems and numerous historical monuments of the venerable past. As the name of the town (hot water) suggests, there are also many thermal springs. Not far away is Guanajuato, which was also founded in the sixteenth century, and its name means something similar to "frog down".
An inhospitable dry landscape surrounds the narrow valley in which the city lies, and its inhabitants had to adapt the city's streets and their residences to the topography, giving the city the appearance of being built entirely by chance, without any urban plan. The city is also known among art lovers as the birthplace of the Mexican painter and husband of Frida Khalo, Diego Rivera. Today, his birthplace has been turned into a museum, where you can see the original furniture and some of the Mexican painter's works. Not far from Guanajuato, there is another interesting museum where you can see the rather creepy images of mummies that were discovered during the excavation of the local cemetery in 1856. The remains of the deceased mummified naturally due to the mineral-rich soil and dry air.
Guanajuato will impress us with its beauty, and we will be even more enchanted by its hidden corners, such as the famous Alley of the Kiss, which owes its name to a romantic legend from colonial times. The legend tells of Doña Carmen, the only daughter of a violent father, who fell in love with Don Luis, which was not to her father's liking, who chose a husband for her daughter, an old aristocrat who would significantly improve the family budget, in distant Spain, and Carmen locked in a small room with a single small window onto a narrow street. Carmen had a good friend, Doña Brigida, who conveyed the terrible news to Luis. He wanted to talk to his love one more time in every way, so he bought an apartment opposite her window for a real fortune. Because the alley was so very narrow, the two lovers could talk through the window, they were even so close that they could hold hands. But when Carmen's father discovered what was going on in the small room, he pushed Brigitte, who was guarding the entrance to Carmen's room, away, burst in and stabbed his own daughter in the chest with a knife in a fit of rage. Don Luis was shocked as he still held Carmen's arm, but it was motionless and cold and the last thing he could do was place a gentle kiss on the pale hand of his love.
Information:
OFFICIAL SITE: www.zacatecas.gob.mx
Stay
HOTEL QUINTA REAL, Ave Ignacio Rayon No 434, Zacatecas, www.quintareal.com
HOSTEL VILLA COLONIAL, Primero de Mayo y Callejon de Mono prieto, Centro Historico, www.hostelworld.com
HOTEL CASA TORRES, Calle Primero de Mayo #325, Centro Historico, www.hotelcasatorres.com
Restaurants
LOS DORADOS (Plaza 450) is an excellent choice for a traditional dinner.
CAFÉ NEVERIA ACROPOLIS (Av. Hidalgo and Rinconada de Catedral) near the cathedral used to be a popular meeting place for politicians, artists and other important people, but today it is mainly enjoyed by tourists with coffee and breakfast.
MI PUEBLITO is a cozy traditional Mexican restaurant near the cathedral, recommended mainly by local residents.
EL BARRETERO is a restaurant outside the center with excellent food, especially famous for its deliciously prepared goat (cabrito), and the events are often livened up with live music.
LAS COSTILLAS DE SANCHO (Sanch's Ribs) serves mainly beef, but also has a well-stocked bar.
Other attractions:
TEATRO CALDERÓN, Avenida Hidalgo 501
CERRO DE LA BUFA HILL rises 2,700 meters above the city and is 4 kilometers from the center.
CHURCH OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, Plaza Miguel Auza
CHURCH OF SAINT DOMINICO, Plaza de Santa Domingo 601
MERCADO GONZALES ORTEGA – the former central market building was converted into a modern shopping center in 1982.
PEDRO CORONEL MUSEUM (Colegio San Luis Gonzaga), Plaza de Santa Domingo
RAFAEL CORONEL MUSEUM, open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Wednesdays
EL EDÉN MINE (Mina de el Edén): Cerro Grillo, Zacatecas
CENTRO PLATERO ZACATECANO – the Mexican state of Zacatecas is still one of the world's largest suppliers of silver,
but the mines beneath the city are abandoned for safety. In the center, they show the extraction of silver from silver ore. The center is located a few kilometers from the city in the direction of Guadalupe.
Other information:
INFORMATION ABOUT GUANAJUATO: www.aboutguanajuato.com
INFORMATION ABOUT AGUASCALIENTES: www.aguascalientes.gob.mx
THE LEGEND OF KISS ALLEY: www.donquijote.org/guanajuato (in English)
