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| León, Guanajuato, México – @María O. Baum |
León, Guanajuato – Called the World
Footwear Capital because of the large number of factories that produce
shoes and high quality leather for national and international markets.
Special Events – Cultural Forum, Head
of International Balloon Festival, MotoFiesta, Cervantes Festival, Feria
de León, Teatro del Pueblo, Lake Forum, etc..
Archaeological Sites
The Toltec, Chichimeca and
Guamares, among others, settled in the vicinity of what is now León.
Near the city you can visit the archaeological sites of Alfaro and
Ibarrilla dating from the Pre-classical era.
Ibarrilla archaeological
zone is extensive with more than a dozen pyramids in an oval structure.
It’s a shame to see these areas as they have been neglected. A few
years ago some kids playing soccer found a skull and played with it as
if it was ball untiel they destroyed it completely.
The Chupícuaro, (meaning blue from
the Tarasco language) settled on this area and pottery, various
instruments, pre-Hispanic objects, ceramic with geometric shapes,
figures and skeletal remains were found. In the small museum there are
pieces of the Otomi, Mazahua and Tarascan civilization. Along the Río
Lerma these ancient civilizations settled growing corn, beans and
squash.
The archaeological site of Peñón de
Alfaro is completely abandoned by the authorities. Years ago summer
courses were offered but today is covered with trash, graffiti and a
football field. The site that is similar in size to that of the Cañada
de la Virgen near San Miguel de Allende, was inhabited by Tarascan, Teotihuacán and
Chichimeca.
The area was used for rituals and instruction. Bones,
pottery, figures and a tunnel have been found in what was once a sacred
place. Other archaeological sites in Guanajuato have been destroyed by
urbanization.
With the arrival of the Spanish, the
Indians that were peaceful were grouped into two communities;
the Otomí in what is now San Miguel de Allende, the Purépecha, Mexica
and Chichimeca were sent to Coecillo. The Chichimeca who resisted were
killed along with other Indians who could represent danger. Many of the
Indians were used as slaves, raped women and the other men were
destroyed. At that time the Indians were considered ‘less than animals’ for not believing in the God of the Spanish.
According to INAH, Mexico has
registered nearly 37,000 archaeological sites, although it is estimated
that there may be more than one hundred thousand.
In recent years in Guanajuato skeletons along with various instruments and pre-Hispanic objects have been found.
The Villa de León, now León was
founded in 1576 by the Viceroy Don Martin Enriquez Almaza to create a
defense against attacks by the Chichimeca that were the ones that
resisted more than the other groups. In 1830 the official name
was León de los Aldama.
During the War of Independence, Guanajuato mines
were abandoned and many workers settled in León being agriculture the
main economic activity. Later on, on the XVIII C. century craftsmanship
and shoe-making were the main activities.
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| León, Guanajuato |
Main Sites:
- Parque Metropolitano de León: 337 hectares – recreational and ecological park 85% of the dam of El Palote is inside the park.
- Galería de Arte Sacro: Sacred Art Gallery is an annex of the Metropolitan Cathedral which shows the history of the evangelization in the Diocese of León.
- Ruta Del Peatón en León, Guanajuato – Pedestrian Route
You can take a walking tour along
the Pedestrian Route to visit the main tourist and cultural centers of
the city. This route goes from León Polyforum, Guanajuato Cultural
Forum, via La Calzada, Madero Street, Centro Histórico (downtown) up to
the Plaza del Mariachi.
- Museo de Arte e Historia de Guanajuato – Art and History Museum
- Biblioteca Central Estatal – State Library
- Teatro Del Bicentenario – Theater
- Departamento de Estudios Culturales de la Universidad de Guanajuato – Cultural Department of the University of Guanajuato
- Auditorio Mateo Herrera – Auditorium
- Jardín De Las Esculturas – Sculpture Garden
- Calzada de Los Héroes
- Puente del Amor – Lovers Bridge
- Paseo de La Calzada
- Monumento Torero Rodolfo Gaona
- Arco de la Calzada
- Calle Madero
- Templo Expiatorio
Centro Histórico
Casa De La Cultura
San Miguel de Allende to León – 157 Km./97 miles – 2 hours
From León to:
Aguascalientes – 129 Km./80 miles – 1 Hr. 30 min.
Cuernavaca – 477 Km./296 miles – 4 Hrs. 50 min.
Guadalajara 226 Km./140 miles – 2 Hrs. 20 min.
México D.F. 390 Km./242 miles – 4 Hrs.
