ABOUT GUANAJUATO





Guanajuato, the capital of Mexico’s state of Guanajuato, is one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a charming colonial-era city situated in a picturesque valley surrounded by the mountains of the “Sierra de Guanajuato”. The region is known as the “Bajío”, the heartland of Mexico.
Founded in 1559, Guanajuato is a former silver mining city and home of the “La Valenciana” mine. Silver was first discovered in Guanajuato in the mid-1600s; “La Valenciana” was opened a century later, and quickly became one of the richest and most productive silver mines in the world. The adjacent “Templo de San Cayetano” (San Cayetano’s Church) stands as a monument to the wealth and riches extracted from the mine.
The historical downtown of Guanajuato has a distinct European flavor with hundreds of narrow cobblestone “callejones”,  alleyways that run up and down the hillsides. Shady “plazas” are dotted with sidewalk coffee shops, museums, theaters, markets and historic monuments. The buildings throughout the city are fine examples of neoclassical- and baroque-style colonial architecture. An underground network of tunnels runs beneath the city, helping to control the flow of traffic.
Known as the birthplace of Mexican Independence, Guanajuato is an important stop along Mexico’s Independence route, which also visits the nearby towns of Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende in the same state.
Guanajuato is a city of legends and legendary places. One of the best known is the famous “Callejón del Beso” (Alley of the Kiss), an alleyway so narrow that couples could kiss from opposing balconies. Take part in a “callejoneada”, a walking serenade led by student musicians who strum guitars, serenade bystanders and recite local tales.
The city hosts the annual Cervantino Festival, a festival of performing arts that is named in honor of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, author of Don Quixote. You will also find a museum dedicated to Don Quixote, and statues of him and his sidekick, Sancho Panza, in the Allende Plaza just outside “Teatro Cervantes” (Cervantes Theater).
Famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato, where his former home has been converted into an excellent museum. The city is also home to a large student population, many of whom attend the “Universidad de Guanajuato” (Guanajuato University), one of the oldest universities in the state.