Guadalajara It is the capital of the state of Jalisco, and it is a super cultural city that does not disappoint any traveler. It offers a lot to those who choose to visit it, so if you like Mexican culture or want to know it in depth, you cannot miss its streets.
Guadalajara, what you can't miss in the Mexican city.
Guadalajara
It is located in the western region of the Pacific and It is one of the ten largest cities in Latin America and the second in terms of population in Mexico. Valley or river of stones, that means its name, derived from Arabic, and it was named by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, a Spanish conquistador, in honor of the Spanish city where he was born.
Under the viceroyalty of New Spain It was the capital of New Galicia. In times of independence it was very important and always had its role throughout the turbulent Mexican history. It is considered the birthplace of mariachi, tequila and cherrería and has many treasures to discover.
It enjoys a temperate humid subtropical climate, with dry winters and rainy summers.
What to see in Guadalajara
The first is the Hospice Cabins, a building built in the nineteenth century to house and care for people with disabilities, the elderly, adults and children or chronically disabled people. It was built with the needs of these patients in mind and is a very large complex, something unique for the time in which it was built.
The harmony between the closed and open spaces, the simplicity of its design and its size are striking, considering that it was built more than a century ago. It has a beautiful chapel, decorated with some beautiful murals which are considered works of art of Mexican art.
They bear the signature of José Clemente Orozco, one of the great Mexican muralists of that period. Hospicio Cabañas is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
El Libertad covered market, also known as Mercado de San Juan de Dios, is one of the largest markets of its kind in the country. Covers an approximate area of 40 thousand square meters and there is a little bit of everything: silverware, ceramics, crystals, leather and many typical crafts such as guayaberas, bags, jorongos and others that come from all over the country.
On the second floor of the market there are also some small restaurants where you can taste the classic Mexican "antojitos". Calculate that there is like 2800 positions in total. The market is open all year round every day.
La Guadalajara's cathedral It is one of the most beloved churches in the country. It has a neo-Gothic architectural style, especially its towers, which were built after an earthquake that collapsed the originals in the mid-19th century.
The construction of the cathedral started in 1588 and was consecrated in 1618, and it can be said that It is as old as the city itself. Its colorful stained glass windows are beautiful, depicting the Last Supper, and if you are lucky you will be able to hear the organ play. Inside the Gothic also shines, you will see gilded Tuscan style pillars and eleven richly decorated altars that were gifted to Guadalajara by King Ferdinand VII.
El crystal relic which is at the north entrance is a very popular treasure, containing the hands and blood of the martyr Saint Innocence. In the sacristy, where someone can always open it for you, is the Virgin of La Asunción, painted by Bartolomé Murillo in 1650. You will see other styles here and there, some neoclassical, baroque... The church is open from 8am to 8pm.
La Zapopan Basilica It was built in 1730 and houses a small, beautiful statue of Our Lady of Zapopan, which is visited by pilgrims all year round. Especially during the October Festival when they arrive from all corners of Jalisco, on their knees, while it is taken from here to the Guadalajara Cathedral. It is a procession worth seeing. The basilica opens from 9am to 8pm.
El Throat cut theatre It is a neoclassical-style construction, headquarters of the Guadalajara Philharmonic. It began to be built in 1856 and it was finished 30 years later. Above its Greek columns is a frieze of Apollo and the Nine Muses, and inside The interior abounds in red velvet and 23 carat gold, crowned by a mural by Gerardo Suarez based on Dante's Divine Comedy. The theater can be visited from Monday to Friday from noon to 2 pm.
El Museum of Arts It is an institution of French Renaissance architectural style. It was the headquarters of the local university, but today it houses a large collection of classical and modernist art. It has a beautiful auditorium with murals by Orozco and if you want to see contemporary mexican art It is the best place. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, and admission is free.
El city Hall It was completed in 1952 and inside you can see murals that refer to the founding of the city, all painted by Gabriel Flores, a local artist. The Plaza de Armas It is rectangular in shape and has an Art Noveau style kiosk brought from Paris in the 19th century. It is also decorated with four bronze sculptures representing the four seasons of the year, and if you go on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday nights the kiosk becomes a beautiful cultural scene.
The call Mariachi Square o Patio Tapati is another place to fall in love with the culture of Guadalajara. Because? Because from Thursday to Sunday from 3:30 to 9 pm there are karaoke nights and from Monday to Wednesday the show is from 9:30 pm to 3 am. Violins, trumpets, guitars… Another popular square is the Founder's Square, with a sculpture 21 meters long and 3 meters high.
Following in the historical Center, where your steps are going to take you whole hours, you will be able to see the government palace Built in the second half of the 18th century, with a stone façade with gargoyles and murals by Clemente Orozco inside, the Pantheon of Bethlehem, from 1848, with its various tombs converted today into a kind of museum, and the Courthouse, a building that dates back to 1588 and used to be part of a convent.
We can continue with the Rotunda of Illustrious Men, with 17 fluted columns that pay tribute to the most important characters of Jalisco, and last, but not least these sites: the Guadalajara Zoo, one of the best in Mexico, with aviaries, reptiles and an interactive museum, the Los Colomos Forest, inaugurated in 1902 to be a cultural center and the craft house with many samples of local artisans.
In religious terms, the Metropolitan Tabernacle with its lead stained glass windows, the Jesus Mary Temple from 1722, and other temples such as that of Santa Monica from 1733, that of San Agustín from the XNUMXth century or that of San Francisco de Asís, with a very beautiful baroque style façade. Just to name a few, because like every Mexican city Guadalajara abounds in religious sites.
And finally, point out these museums: the Museum of Journalism and Graphic Arts, the Government Palace Museum, the City Museum, the Casa López Portillo Museum, Regional Museum, Museum of the Arts of the University of Guadalajara, Museum of Wax and Incredibles, the Museum of the History of Medicine and the Museum of Sacred Art, behind the cathedral.