Guanajuato

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Colorful street scene, Guanajuato, Mexico

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Overview

The extraordinary Unesco World Heritage city of Guanajuato was founded in 1559 due to the region's rich silver and gold deposits. Opulent colonial buildings, stunning tree-filled plazas and brightly colored houses are crammed together on to the steep slopes of a narrow ravine where excellent museums, handsome theaters and a fine marketplace punctuate cobblestone streets. The city's main roads twist around the hillsides and plunge into long dank subterranean tunnels, formerly rivers.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Museo y Casa de Diego Rivera

Guanajuato

Diego Rivera's birthplace is now an excellent museum honoring the famous artist, who was persona non grata here for years. Rivera and his twin brother…

Teatro Juárez

Guanajuato

Don’t leave Guanajuato without visiting the magnificent Teatro Juárez. It was built between 1873 and 1903 and inaugurated by the dictator Porfirio Díaz,…

Templo La Valenciana

Guanajuato

On a hill overlooking Guanajuato, 5km north of the center, is the magnificent Templo La Valenciana. Its facade is spectacular and its interior dazzles…

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato

Guanajuato

The attractive orange-yellow Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato contains a jewel-covered image of the Virgin, patron of Guanajuato. The wooden…

Museo de las Momias

Guanajuato

This famous museum is one of the most bizarre (some might say distasteful) sights in Mexico. The popular attraction is a quintessential example of Mexico…

Monumento a El Pípila

Guanajuato

The monument to El Pípila honors the hero who torched the Alhóndiga gates on September 28, 1810, enabling Hidalgo's forces to win the first victory of the…

Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas

Guanajuato

Built between 1798 and 1808 as a grain storehouse, the Alhóndiga became a fortress in 1810 when 300 Spanish troops and loyalist leaders barricaded…

Callejón del Beso

Guanajuato

Narrowest of the many alleyways in Guanajuato's streets is this callejón, where the balconies of two houses practically touch. In a local legend, a fine…

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