Zacatecas

Zacatecas is the principal city within the municipality in Mexico of the same name, and the capital and the largest city of the state of Zacatecas. Located in north-central Mexico, the city had its start as a Spanish mining camp in the mid-16th century.

Due to the wealth that the mines provided, Zacatecas quickly became one of the most important cities in New Spain, with much of its silver enriching the Spanish crown.

Today, the colonial part of the city is a World Heritage Site, due to the Baroque and other structures built during its mining days. Mining still remains an important industry.

CITYSCAPE

The city was built near the mines on very rough terrain at the foot of the Cerro de la Bufa in which was one of the greatest silver mines in the world. Instead of having an orderly plan of streets, the Spanish settlement followed the old Indian neighborhoods with narrow streets and alleys squeezed into a large ravine or "cañada".

Around the city are the Brittany hills or small mountains that contain silver and other minerals such as the Cerro de la Virgen, Cerro de Clérigos, Cerro del Grillo, Cerro del Padre and Cerro de la Bufa. These hills are starkly barren of vegetation, due to the semi-desert climate.

This city, along with Guanajuato and Taxco are along a route called the "Ruta de la Plata" or Silver Route. These cities are distinguished not only for silver but for the conservation of their colonial façades and narrow streets.

Zacatecas conserves many of its original structures from the colonial period such as churches, colonial government buildings and monasteries and mansions built by rich miners in pink stone.

ATTRACTIONS

The El Edén mine began operations in 1586 and principally produced gold and silver. According to legend the devil is supposed to be found in this parts due to the sound made when the wind whistles around the rocks. In 1975, the mine was converted into a tourist attraction.

Today, visitors can take a small train which leads into the mountain for about a half a kilometer, then walk with a guide along some of the narrow passages. One of the things to see is an altar to the Santo Niño de Atocha. At night, the former rock crushing room of the mine has been converted into a nightclub.

The Toma de Zacatecas Museum is located on Cerro de la Bufa. The museum was opened in 1984 and contains many articles from battle for Zacatecas as well as some from the Cristero War. Inside are clothing and uniforms, arms such as shotguns, mousers and cannons, historic maps of Zacatecas and newspaper and photographs from the era.

Next to the museum is the Chapel of Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio, an old hermitage from the 16th century.

Between Cerro de la Bufa and Cerro del Grillo is an aerial tramway or cable car that provides panoramic views of the city below. This cable car extends for about 650 meters, is called "El Teleférico" and was constructed in 1979. The ride lasts about eight minutes.

In the city proper just south of the main plaza, is the Cathedral, which is located over the ruins of pre-Hispanic temples. The current structure dates from 1752 and has a façade of sculpted pink stone. The best time to appreciate the façade is in the late afternoon when the sun shines directly on it.

The main square is called the Plaza de Armas, with the most important buildings such as the State Government Palace, the State Congress, the Cathedral and others surrounding it. What is now the State Government Palace was constructed at the beginning of the 18th century as the residence of the Count de la Laguna.

One of the mansions that line the main plaza is called the "Palacio de la Mala Noche", which belonged to a miner named José Manuel de Rétegui in the 18th century. Today it houses the state supreme court.

Another prominent mansion is the old house of González Ortega, which stands next to the cathedral and today is part of the governor's mansion.

MARKET

On the other side of the cathedral is the González Ortega Market, which was constructed in 1889 and still conserves its original façade. Originally, it was a traditional Mexican style market but has since been modernized into a mall with stores selling crafts, silver, leather, Zacatecas wine, antiques, charreada gear, Huichol needlework and regional sweets.

Another market for crafts is the Casa de Artesanias in front of the Temple of San Agustín, which sells wool serapes, masks, Huichol figures, wood boxes, ceramics and more.

CHURCHES

The former Temple of San Francisco was founded in 1568 as first monastery in Zacatecas, the monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with the primary function of evangelization. Today the monastery complex houses a museum but the church is in ruins.

The church of St. Agustine (ex-templo de San Agustín) was built by the religious order of San Agustín which arrived in the City of Zacatecas in 1575; was consecrated in 1617 and was refurbished and re-consecrated in 1782. It is now the Bishop's palace. Only part of the monastery complex survives and is home to the Rafael Coronel Museum.

The Temple of Santo Domingo Jesuit church of Santo Domingo, built between 1746 and 1749 by Cayetano de Sigüenza. It is known locally as the Parish of the Inmaculada Concepción.

THEATER

The Calderón Theater was built to replace a theater which had burned in the late 1880s (where the González Ortega Market is now). The theater has been in operation since then. The building is built in a Renaissance revival style and has a hall with large mirrors made in Venice.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

There are also a number of lesser known structures in the city. The first city park is the Alameda Trinidad García de la Cadena, which was built in the early 19th century. The Enrique Estrada General Park contains an enormous kiosk.

MUSEUMS

In relation to its population, Zacatecas is one of the cities with the most museums in the nation.

The Pedro Coronel Museum is located in the old monastery of the Santo Domingo church, which also housed the former Jesuit college of San Luis Gonzaga. There are also halls dedicated to works from Africa, India, Egypt, China and Greece.

The Rafael Coronel Museum is housed in eight halls of the monastery complex which was part of the Church of San Francisco. This museum is dedicated to historic relics with the main collection being 5,000 masks made of wood, leather and clay coming from many of Mexico's regional cultures, past and present.

The Manuel Felguérez Museum contains a large collection of abstract art by the namesake and other artists covering three generations. One exhibition is the "Murals of Osaka" created in 1969 when Fernando Gamboa was commissioned to archive Mexico's pavilion at the World's Fair in Osaka in 1970.

The Zacatecano Museum is on Doctor Hierro Street and houses a collection of Huichol art, folk retablos (ex-votos) (folk paintings giving thanks for a miracle) and wrought ironwork. This building used to be the Casa de Moneda (coin mint) between 1802 and 1905.

The Museo de la Ciencia (Science Museum) is located in the old central building of the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas and contains collections documenting the advances of physics, mathematics and natural sciences.

EVENTS

The Festival Cultural de Zacatecas is held each year in the city during Holy Week, which unites artists of different genres from classic to rock and offers visitors more than 130 attractions. There are also theatrical events and events for children.

The Feria Nacional de Zacatecas is held during the month of September at the foot of the Cerro de la Bufa. It includes concerts, bullfighting, events at the Foro Infantil, crafts expositions as well as exhibitions of livestock, autos and culture.

The Festival Zacatecas del Folclor International takes place the first week of August.

Religious events include the feast of the Virgin of Zacatecas and the feast of the Virgin del Patrocinio. Activities associated with these events include parades with floats, musical concerts, bullfighting, processions and other religious events. The Virgin of Zacatecas is housed in a chapel built in 1728 and regularly receives visitors from the city and other areas.

The Virgin of Patrocinio, whose day is September 14, celebrates one of the most celebrated images in the Zacatecas area. This event lasts for ten days with traditional dances, processions and more. This feast coincides with the Feria Nacional de Zacatecas and Mexico's Independence Day. On Good Friday, a large procession called the "Procession of Silence" is held.

The last three days of August are dedicated to an event called Morismas de Bracho. This event involves approximately 5,000 people in costume who commemorate the decapitation of John the Baptist and the struggle of Christians against the Moors, with the principal players representing Charlemagne, Mohamed and John the Baptist.

On June 23, the town commemorates the Battle of Zacatecas at the Cerro de la Bufa and the Plaza de Armas with cultural events and fireworks.

Needing no date or special reason for celebration are the "callejoneadas" or alleyway parties. These are considered to be a traditional form of nightlife in which one can dance, sing and drink mezcal or beer-based punch called "heribertas" for free.

The city's chamber music festival has been held annually since 1993. It is organized by the Instituto Zacatecano de Cultura with support from the Escuela de Musica of the Universidad de Zacatecas as well as other local and national entities.

ROADS & HIGHWAYS

By highway, Zacatecas is connected to Aguascalientes via Fed 45, to San Luis Potosí via Fed 49, Fed 23 to Guadalajara and Torreón and Fed 54 to Guadalajara and Saltillo.

BUSES

Intercity busses connect the city with other regional cities such as Fresnillo as well as national destinations such as Guadalajara, Ciudad Juárez and Mexico City. There is also public transportation intra-city as well.

RAILWAYS

There is a rail line called the "Ferrocarril Central" that still connects the city with other parts such as Ciudad Juárez and Mexico City.

AIRPORTS

The city is served by the General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport, which connects the city with Tijuana, Morelia, Leon, and Mexico City.