Location:
Zacatecas State, north central Mexico
Distance from Mexico City: 392 miles
north
Population: 300,000
Closest major airport: Leobardo C.
Ruiz Intl. aka Zacatecas Intl. (ZCL)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time
Zacatecas is one of Mexico’s three main
colonial cities. It currently has 300,000
inhabitants and is located in the northern
part of Mexico, 8,200 feet above sea level,
between the beautiful hills of El Cerro and
La Bufa. Following the discovery of silver
deposits, the city of Zacatecas was founded
and soon declared a World Heritage site,
with stunning religious and civil buildings
built by the church.
Zacatecas is a place where centuries of
history meet modern-day elegance. It offers
everything from fascinating museums and
cobblestone streets to villages where
traditional silversmiths still live and
work. The mine located at Cerro del Grillo
is a great place to visit for a historic
introduction to the city’s former silver
industry. It features a gallery with guided
tours showcasing how miners worked during
the Colonial era and how techniques kept
changing until the mine shutdown in 1964. At
night, the mine serves as one of the cities
most popular state-of-the-art discotheques.
The city’s splendid architecture alone is
worth a visit. The Cathedral with its pink
stone facade, as well as the former convent
of San Francisco and the baroque church of
Santo Domingo are some of the most
architecturally stunning buildings in the
region. Renowned museums also surround the
city, including the Rafael Coronel, the
Viceregal Museum of Guadalupe, exhibiting
sculptures and paintings from the Greek and
Picasso eras, and the Zacatecas museum,
featuring masks from every region.
Given its devout history, Zacatecas also has
a profoundly religious nature, traditionally
expressed during Holy Week in a massive
procession with candles that ends in the
Cathedrals. Today, the high-spirited and
folkloric celebration has grown to a series
of popular and artistic cultural activities
held in its gardens, theaters, museums and
even in former bullrings, where paintings
are auctioned.
Other activities unique to Zacatecas range
from visiting archaeological sites like La
Quemada, discovered in 300 AD, to shopping
for traditional Zacatecas handicrafts like
silver and leatherwork. Participating in its
vibrant celebrations and tasting its
eccentric cuisine are also local favorites.
The customary Zacatecas menu includes
anything from asado de boda and
chiles rellenos to enchiladas and the
famous molcajate. Several places
throughout the city, like El Malacate, Casa
de Sueños and Cactus are perfect for drinks,
dancing or listening to music.
The Zacatecas culture thrives on Mexican
cowboys, silver pieces and leatherwork and
is home to some of the most important
museums in the country, a perfect
destination for travelers interested in
exploring a genuine colonial jewel. |
