Mexico: Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Even school campuses can make it to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Ciudad Universitaria (University City) of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City was inscribed in 2007.


According to UNESCO, "The ensemble of buildings, sports facilities and open spaces of the Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), was built from 1949 to 1952 by more than 60 architects, engineers and artists who were involved in the project. As a result, the campus constitutes a unique example of 20th-century modernism integrating urbanism, architecture, engineering, landscape design and fine arts with references to local traditions, especially to Mexico’s pre-Hispanic past. The ensemble embodies social and cultural values of universal significance and is one of the most significant icons of modernity in Latin America."



Since we had time in transit between bus trips, we decided to rush over to UNAM to check out the famous campus. The most iconic buildings include the Rectorate Tower and the Central Library, decorated with murals made by David Alfaro Siqueiros (Rectorate Tower) and Juan O'Gorman (Central Library).

Also in the heart of the campus is the 1968 Olympic Stadium which was also used during the 1986 Soccer World Cup. The mosaic at the entrance of the stadium and reliefs in the stands were done by Diego Rivera.


Other attractions in UNAM include the Centro Cultural Universitario (CCU) where plays, film-showings and concerts are held and the Cuicuilco Archaeological Zone. Yes, the campus has ruins of what is believed to be the largest central settlement in Mesoamerica before the rise of Teotihuacán.

How to get to UNAM
Take the Metro to Universidad. Take exits D or F to access the free shuttle buses around campus. Bus No. 1 will take you to the center of the campus where the Rectorate Tower and Central Library can be found. From there you could walk to the Estadio Olympico. Bus No. 3 takes you to the CCU and Cuicuilco. The free shuttle buses don't run on weekends and during the summer break from late June to August.

Mexico: Historic Centre of Morelia and Good Friday Procesión del Silencio

After spending the night in Queretaro, we took an early morning bus at 4 a.m. to Morelia, the capital of Michoacán. The state of Michoacán covers the former territory of the Purépechas, a people of skilled artisans and warriors that was never conquered by the Aztecs. Morelia, when it was established in 1541, was called Valladolid. It was renamed after the Mexican War of Independence in honor of José María Morelos, one of Mexico's national heroes.


As soon as we arrived in Morelia, we left our stuff at the guarda equipaje (baggage storage) at the bus station and took a cab to the centro historico. Like many of Mexico's old cities, the centro historico of Morelia was easy to explore and we gave ourselves half a day to walk around the Historic Centre of Morelia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The cab dropped us off at the massive Catedral, built between 1660 and 1744. Flanked by two plazas, the three-nave sandstone cathedral dominates the skyline of Morelia's centro historico with its two 70 meter-high bell towers.



We got to visit several churches including the Templo de San Agustin, Templo de la Merced, Templo de las Rosas, Templo del Carmen, Templo de San Jose, Templo de San Francisco, Templo de las Monjas and the Templo de la Cruz. Talk about church overload! But unfortunately, we missed the best one, the Santuario de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe which is a further away from the cathedral, near the historic aqueduct. The lavish decorations inside the church created in the early 20th century were molded from clay and combine Art Noveau and Baroque elements.

For those with a sweet tooth, you can pass by the Mercado de Dulces y Artesianas, a sweets market behind the Centro Cultural de Clavijero.

Walking around Morelia was quite straightforward and easy as long as you have a map. After an early lunch, we found ourselves hopping on a bus again, this time to Mexico City for a brief transit to the south of Mexico. More photos in the Ivan About Town Facebook page.


Procesión del Silencio on Good Friday
During Semana Santa, Morelia is famous for its Procesión del Silencio which departs from the Calzada Fray Antonio de San Miguel at 7:30 p.m. and goes through Avenida Madero, Catedral, Quintana Roo, Allende, Plaza Valladolid and ends at the Templo de Capuchinas.

Mexico: Walking around Querétaro's centro historico

After spending the morning exploring San Miguel de Allende, we proceeded to Querétaro in the afternoon. The Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The sun was above us when we arrived and we decided to wait for things to cool down a bit before we started walking around the centro historico. So we went to the neighborhood lavandería to get our clothes ready for another round. Since it was nearing summer, days were longer. So we had more than enough time to explore later in the afternoon.


According to UNESCO, "The old colonial town of Querétaro is unusual in having retained the geometric street plan of the Spanish conquerors side by side with the twisting alleys of the Indian quarters. The Otomi, the Tarasco, the Chichimeca and the Spanish lived together peacefully in the town, which is notable for the many ornate civil and religious Baroque monuments from its golden age in the 17th and 18th centuries."


We began our walk around Querétaro at Plaza de la Constitucion. On one side is the Templo de San Francisco, which you can't miss because of its bright red orange facade. It served as the cathedral of Querétaro for two centuries. The church is decorated with tiles imported from Spain. Some of the smaller Baroque altars are still there. But the main altar was replaced with the current Neoclassic altar.



Walking along one of the streets beside the church, we found ourselves at Plaza de las Armas where one can find the Casa de la Corregidora. A very significant historical site of Mexico, it was in this building that Dona Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez (wife of the local corregidor), planned the initial stages of the Mexican War of Independence together with Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende and other intellectuals. For her role in the conspiracy, she was put on house arrest and later executed.



Of course, like many old cities in Mexico, there are many interesting churches. My favorites were the Templo de Santa Clara with its magnificent Baroque interior, and the Templo y Convento de Santa Rosa de Viterbo. Outside the Templo de Santa Clara, you would immediately notice its inverted flying buttresses with gargoyles and Mudejar-style cupola. Just like Santa Clara, the interior is a masterpiece of Baroque altars. Notice the pulpit with inlaid with ivory, nacre, turtle shell and silver. This is one church you've got to see when in Queretaro.


I really like walking around old Mexican cities. The plazas are well-maintained and kept open. If we had more time, it would have been a good idea just to sit down in those plazas and do nothing. After we visited most of the major sites, we proceeded back to the hostel and retired for the night. We had a 4 a.m. bus to Morelia to catch.

If you were wondering why it's called a historic monuments zone, the inscription includes an extensive archaeological site known as El Pueblito or El Cerrito, dominated by a 30-meter high pyramid, and situated seven kilometers from the centro. We didn't have time to get to it though. More photos in the Ivan About Town Facebook page.

Mexico: Walking around San Miguel de Allende

It was a bit dark when we arrived in San Miguel de Allende, also in the state of Guanajuato. The bus ride from the city of Guanajuato was just a little over an hour. We had decided to spend the night in the Protective Town of San Miguel, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, so that we could begin our walking tour of the centro historic first thing in the morning.


Our hostel was behind the Templo de San Francisco which we could see from our balcony window. The rooftop gave us a good view of the old quarter with several bell towers hovering above the low structures that dominate the city. It's a good thing they have strict height limits and building codes in Mexico's old towns. Well, for whatever it's worth, the town sleeps quite early. So we did too.


The next morning, we made our way around San Miguel's centro historico. According to UNESCO, "San Miguel de Allende is an early example of a rational territorial and urban development in the Americas, related to the protection of one of the main Spanish inland roads. The town flourished in the 18th century with the construction of significant religious and civil architecture, which exhibits the evolution of different trends and styles, from Baroque to late 19th century Neo-Gothic. Urban mansions are exceptionally large and rich for a medium-size Latin American town and constitute an example of the transition from Baroque to Neo-Classic."


From our hostel, we made our way to the Templo de San Francisco and the adjacent Templo de la Tercera Orden. It reminded me of the same churches in Intramuros which shared the same plaza. I noticed that all structures were in various earthen colors from ochre, orange, yellow, brown and brick red which was a stark contrast to the bolder palette we saw in nearby Guanajuato.


In the center of town is the Parroquia de San Miguel de Arcangel, Templo de San Rafael and Torre del Reloj. The Neo-gothic San Miguel Parish Church has become a symbol of San Miguel de Allende.



The adjacent San Rafael Church seems to be a memorial to the passion of Christ owing to the many tableau altars depicting scenes from Semana Santa, including an elaborate one featuring the events at Golgotha.


Outside the church, I noticed several women sewing together muneca de trapo (traditional rag dolls) which are quite popular all over Mexico.


We also got to visit the Templo de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Oratorio de San Felipe and the adjacent Templo de la Nuestra Senora de la Salud.


San Miguel de Allende is quite easy to explore. In fact, we saw most of the major attractions before lunch. From San Miguel, we took a bus to Queretaro which we planned to visit for the afternoon.

More posts on Mexico here. Photos of San Miguel de Allende in the Ivan About Town FB page.

Mexico: Historic mining town of Guanajuato

The Historic Town of Guanajuato, another old mining town and UNESCO World Heritage Site, was our next stop. We took an early morning bus from Zacatecas to Guanajuato which was about 5 hours and arrived late in the morning. Like in most towns of Mexico, the bus terminals are outside the city center and we had to take a cab into Guanajuato. We actually didn't know where to go and we just told the cab to drop us off in the centro historico.



Several minutes later, we found ourselves in front of Mercado Hidalgo, Guanajuato's old market. And just at the right time since it was nearing lunch and we were sure the market had some great local fare. We were attracted to a stall selling carnitas, a choice we did not regret at all. We tried out both the tacos and torta de carnitas.


After getting maps from the nearby tourism kiosk, we made our way to the Guanajuato Basilica. From where we started, we thought Guanajuato was going to disappoint. After seeing a good number of Mexican towns already, we were yearning for something new.



As we moved further from Mercado Hidalgo towards the basilica, the interesting character of Guanajuato started to emerge. Its winding roads kept producing surprises at every turn, charming colonial buildings or old churches with pocket plazas with neatly-trimmed trees which looked like tall hedges forming a natural perimeter around the squares.



Then appeared the Plaza Mayor and Guanajuato Basilica or the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, painted in a vibrant yellow and red. Guanajuato definitely had a different architectural vibe which we very much appreciated.



There were actually more churches to visit nearby including the Templo de la Compania de Jesus and the Templo de San Francisco among many others. Behind the Templo de San Diego and Teatro Juarez is a funicular which takes you up a mountain that overlooks Guanajuato. A monument to local hero El Pipila was built with a commanding view of the city. Seeing the grand view of Guanajuato was definitely worth the trip up.



After taking photos, we took the funicular down again and continued walking around, making our way back to Mercado Hidalgo for a late afternoon snack before returning to the bus terminal.



We explored more of the market and enjoyed the colorful local culture that one can experience when visiting markets.



Although our plan was to eat in the market again, we ended up eating at a taqueria across the street called El Paisa. Those were among the best tacos I had during the trip. Of course, the best taquerias have a complete set of condiments which includes tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime, guacamole and salsa rojo.

If you get a chance to visit Guanajuato, and have time to spare, you might want to visit the Museo de las Momias since Guanajuato's mummies are very famous; and the Casa Diego Rivera, the birthplace of Diego Rivera among other museums. The mines are also part of the UNESCO inscription and a tour there would be very interesting as well.

Guanajuato was literally a day trip for us since we decided to spend the night in San Miguel de Allende.

Mexico: Around the Centro Historico of Zacatecas

The sun was just making its appearance and the morning was chilly as we stepped out of our bus in Zacatecas. We had endured an eight hour bus ride from Mexico City to reach this former mining town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the bus terminal, we took a cab to our hostel, driving through deserted cobbled streets which would later be bustling with activity. Since it was too early to check-in, we left our bags at the hostel and decided to walk around the centro historico a bit.

The Historic Centre of Zacatecas is about 2,400 meters above sea level. According to UNESCO, "With Guanajuato, Zacatecas is among the most important mining towns of New Spain. It was a major centre of silver production, and also of colonization, evangelization and cultural expansion. The townscape of the ancient centre is moulded to the topography of the steep valley in which it is situated and is of outstanding beauty."



Our first stop for the day was the Catedral Basilica de Zacatecas. The highlight of the church was its richly-decorated red stone facade, an explosion of Churrigueresque ornamentation which appears like a huge stone retablo or altarpiece. The cathedral was open for earlybirds who were there for their morning prayers. The interiors were more austere. The main altar is in fact a modern one, but very tastefully done.


After that short walk around the vicinity of our hostel and getting some hotdogs at a convenience store for a really quick breakfast, we checked-in, freshened up and rested a bit. We actually had a grand view of the centro from our balcony window. And the hostel rooftop was a perfect place to chill.

We explored more of the town later in the morning. The Festival Cultural de Zacatecas, a music festival, was ongoing that month. Good coincidence you would think. But for architecture enthusiasts, it was quite unfortunate since stages and bleachers were set up in the charming plazas of Zacatecas, covering some iconic heritage buildings.


In front of the cathedral is an alley which leads up to the Templo de Santo Domingo, another significant church in Zacatecas. Built by the Jesuits from 1746 to 1749, it has an interesting Baroque facade and exquisite gold wood-carved Churrigueresque altars inside.



After lunch, we took a taxi to Cerro de La Bufa, a hill overlooking Zacatecas, to enjoy a panoramic view of the city. An equestrian statue of Pancho Villa greets you at the site of his greatest victory, the Battle of Zacatecas. Also on top of the hill is the Capilla de la Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio. Beside the church is an arcaded balcony which offers a grand view of Zacatecas and the surrounding hills.



From the hill, we took the teleferico or cable car down to La Mina El Eden, another major attraction of Zacatecas. We were a bit tired and since there were no English explanations inside the mine and we felt it was not worth the cost, we decided not to enter anymore. The chilly morning had transformed into a really hot afternoon. So instead, we walked back to the hostel for an afternoon siesta.



We continued our walking tour of Zacatecas late in the afternoon and the crowds started to grow. Bands and singers started performing in the designated stage areas around the centro historico. But nothing beats street performers churning out traditional Mexican music. I wish we had these in Manila. Our night ended early since we had to catch an early bus to Guanajuato. But at least we got to enjoy the sunset from our balcony window.

How to get to Zacatecas from Mexico City
Zacatecas is approximately 8 hours by bus from Mexico City's Terminal Central del Norte (MX$540). You can also opt to fly from Mexico City to the Zacatecas International Airport. The airport also has direct flights to international destinations such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, and Houston.