International Travel Guide

Historic Places To Explore In Mexico

For many travelers, Mexico offers recreation and beautiful sunsets to enjoy while on vacation South of the border. Jesse Henson discovered there's more to Mexico than sandy and sun; many historic sites that offer travelers a new way to experience the Mexican culture.

Guanajuato and Morelia Guanajuato, capital of Guanajuato State, is a city in central Mexico that is over a mile above sea level. It is surrounded by mountains whose rich gold and silver veins have been mined by Native Americans for over 500 years.

Originally built in 1325 by the Aztecs, the nation's capital known as Distrito Federal, is today - Mexico City-Ciudad de Mexico, and is defiantly one of the historic places to visit. Known as Tenochtitlan, it was nearly destroyed in the Spanish siege of 1521. Subsequently rebuilt according to Spanish urban design and standards, it got its modern name in 1585.

City of kings and conquerors the golden Angel of Independence is arguably the most famous icon in Mexico City. It is located on the broad and elegant Paseo de la Reforma, which was modeled on the Champs-elysees in Paris on the order of Emperor Maximilian. this boulevard was built over the city's 19th century passage connecting the seat of the government, the National Palace, with the imperial residence, the Castle of Chapultepec.

The Paseo runs through today's important financial district, where the Mexican Stock Exchange and various corporate headquarters are located. the Avenida de los Insurgentes is another historic roadway, extending some 18 miles, making it one of the longest continuous avenues on Earth. the city's Chapultepec Park contains the Castle of Chapultepec in a museum on a hill, and it overlooks numerous monuments, museums, the national zoo and the National Museum of Anthropology that houses the famous Aztec Calendar Stone.

With tourism ads drawing people from around the world to such Mexican resorts as Cancun, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, a wealth of historical sites are underrepresented on vacation itineraries. Some of these lesser-known spots offer the richest historical treasures, and should be considered by any serious traveler. Queretaro, in central Mexico, is the capital of Queretaro State. Today the region is famous for textile manufacturing, cotton milling and food processing, as well as a center for the trade in Mexican opals.

In the center of this colonial city is the magnificent Plaza de la Independencia, but the city's aqueduct, built between 1726 and 1735, is widely recognized as the city's symbol. It began delivering water to the area in 1738, supplying the local convents and filling public fountains. the dedication of the aqueduct turned into two weeks of public celebration.

San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo the Parroquia, a pseudo gothic church, is in the center of San Miguel de Allende. Old tales say the builder of the church facade, which was constructed in 1888, had never seen a gothic church and based his plans on picture postcards of European gothic cathedrals. Evidently he was not a good draftsman, and is said to have drawn pictures in the dirt to show the workmen the building plans. Today, however, San Miguel de Allende is a vibrant and productive community of artists, writers and musicians, offering a culturally compelling mix of Mexican fiestas, folk traditions and religious celebrations.

On September 16, the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costillo delivered his famous Grito, or "Cry for Freedom" in the city of Dolores. Along with Ignacio Allende, Hidalgo sparked Mexico's struggle for freedom from Spain, a war that dragged on to 1824 and claimed over 600,000 lives. their ragged army was defeated in Guadalajara, and Hidalgo was beheaded on July 30, 1811. His head, along with Allende's and those of other revolutionary leaders, was hung in Guanajuato. Eventually, the state of Hidalgo was named for him, with town of Dolores becoming Dolores Hidalgo. September 16 is now celebrated as Independence Day.

Morelia, a city in western Mexico, is the capital of Michoacan State. It sits at an altitude of 6190 feet, putting it well over a mile above sea level. the market and distribution center for the surrounding area's crops and livestock, Morelia has flour mills, chemical factories and food-processing plants working almost round-the-clock. Its university was founded in 1540 and Morelia is also home to a modern institute of technology. Named Valladolid in 1541, the city was renamed to honor patriot Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon in 1828.

In the highlands west of Morelia and Lake Patzcuaro, and north of Uruapan, live the Tarascan, a tribe of Native Americans living in Mexico whose language is of entirely independent linguistic stock. their ancient history is largely unrecorded, but evidence indicates that theirs was an independent civilization by the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. their capital of Tzintzuntan was built right on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro.

Known for brilliant mosaics fashioned from hummingbird feathers, the Tarascan are now noted for their intricate weaving and fine lacquer work, and their music has been a strong influence on Mexican folk songs. In the modern era as in time past, agriculture and fishing are principal industries. Many of the Tarascan live in conditions as primitive, but also as simple and fulfilling, as their ancestors did many centuries ago. A visit to this region is truly a travel through time.

By Jesse Henson

Learn More: To discover more about the Mexico's historic sites to explore, attractions, events, and plan your trip visit the Mexico Tourism Board at http://www.visitmexico.com.