San Miguel de Allende, the glorious bastion of viceregal art

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The Mexican city is a Cultural Heritage of Humanity for its incomparable beauty and cultural richness

For some people, traveling means visiting the great cities of the world, shopping and walking through its famous streets, but for others it means entering into the culture of places without traffic, without pollution and above all, places for resting. San Miguel de Allende is the best place to relax and nourish the soul. Located in Guanajuato, one of the most prosperous states in Mexico, the city has seen its importance grow exponentially as a cosmopolitan tourist center without losing its viceregal essence.

Leer en español: San Miguel de Allende, el glorioso bastión del arte virreinal

San Miguel el Grande, as it was known, changed its name to San Miguel de Allende in honor of Ignacio Allende, hero of independence. The region in which it is located has been prosperous since colonial times. Therefore, it is close to important cities such as Guanajuato, León, Querétaro and Mexico City, places where you will find transportation to San Miguel. Also, thanks to the migration of foreign retirees, it has been described as "the Mexican dream", which is why, according to the newspaper El Correo, it has become a cosmopolitan place, with an abundance of cafés, restaurants, hotels and artists that combine perfectly with the architectural beauty of the city.

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What to visit in San Miguel de Allende?

The first thing that comes to mind is the architecture, heritage of the colony and independent Mexico. Undoubtedly, one of the emblems of the city is the Parish of San Miguel Arcángel, whose origin dates from the 17th century, but a drastic modification at the end of the 19th century gave it its current appearance, a beautiful neo-Gothic facade inspired by the cathedral of Colonia, Germany, as the Mexico Unknown magazine insists.

The Sanctuary of Jesus Nazareno is in itself a Cultural Patrimony of the Humanity, it is called "the Sistine Chapel of Mexico" by the Union Guanajuato website. It was built in the 18th century and houses paintings on ceilings and walls, a work that took 30 years to complete.

The pre-Hispanic past is also found in San Miguel. Just 16 km away from the city is the Cañada de la Virgen, an archaeological site built by the Toltec culture. It is considered an astronomical and religious site, among its groups can be found pyramidal bases already restored.

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Culture, its greatest attraction

The outstanding architecture is a product of the culture of San Miguel, because each year the city attracts thousands of tourists who come to all its activities, among which we highlight:

• Music Festivals of which three very important ones stand out: chamber music, jazz and baroque music, which bring together musicians from all over the world to present the best of their repertoire.

• The handicrafts can be found in the Handicraft Market of the city, a historical place where the products made with brass and copper, the hallmark of this area of the country, stand out.

• The "Parade of the crazy people" is held every year for the festivities of San Antonio de Padua. It is a colorful caravan framed by hundreds of costumes of all kinds, in which the goal is to have fun and applause from the public who receive candy in exchange from the parade members.

• The Cervantino International Festival that, although it is not performed directly in San Miguel, takes place in the nearby city of Guanajuato. It is one of the most important cultural events in Latin America, where there are shows of dance, theater, cinema, music, literature, opera, rock, pop, jazz, etc. so artists of all kinds attend, with a guest country every year. This year is Canada honored with this invitation.

LatinAmerican Post | Luis Hernández

Translated from "San Miguel de Allende, el glorioso bastión del arte virreinal"