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Gay Guanajuato County Capital |
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Guanajuato County Capital main attractions |
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Guanajuato
County Capital
main attractions |
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The
Teatro Juárez is considered as one of the most
beautiful theaters in all of Mexico. Since its inauguration by
General Porfirio Diaz in 1903, it has been the center and venue
for most of the important artistic events in the city of
Guanajuato and the entire region. The roof is crowned with eight
large bronze statues representing the muses of Greek mythology:
Caliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Thalia,
Terpsichore, and Urania. Its portico is in Roman Doric style
and in its interior there is a beautiful smoking lounge in Art
Nouveau style. Thanks to an ambitious remodeling project between
municipal authorities and the Philips Mexicana Company, the
Teatro Juarez and other historic buildings in the center of
Guanajuato look more beautiful than ever, with special lighting
that embellishes the facades and reduces the energy consumption
of the town.
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Many years ago,
Guanajuato constantly suffered from flooding in the city. It was
necessary to find a solution to this problem, and one that would
adapt to the surrounding terrain of the hills, mountains,
valleys, and deep ravines. Thus, construction began in 1883 of
the project which would give answer to this problem: underground
tunnels. The first tunnel that was completed was called "The
Cuajin", which connects from the Hacienda de San Agustin to the
Mercado de Embajadoras. Later, due to the steady growth of the
population and cars, it became necessary to find a solution to
the traffic problem. Curiously it was these same tunnels that
became the solution also to the second problem that arose. Today,
the tunnels are a unique icon that represent what Guanajuato is,
a city of cobblestone alleyways and underground streets.
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This building of great historical value was formerly
used as a grain warehouse for the city of Guanajuato. Today it serves as proof
of the economic boom that reached this mining center towards the last quarter of
the 18th century. It was the setting for the beginnings of the War of
Independence of Mexico. The rooms have important collections that tell about the
evolution of the state, from pre-Hispanic times up to the past century. |
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The history of the
Universidad de Guanajuato
began in the 18th century, in 1732, upon the initiative of Doña
Josefa Teresa Busto and Moya. They created a college in the
house of Doña Josefa and the former chapel of the Otomi, where
today the Patio de Estudios of the main building can be found.
In 1744, at the request of the City of Guanajuato, King Philip V
issued a Royal Decree that recognized the educational efforts of
the founders, and decreed that the College would be under the
order of the Society of Jesus. The expulsion of the Jesuits in
the territories of New Spain in 1767, was the reason that the
college remained closed for 18 years. It was later reopened as
the Royal College of the Immaculate Conception, then run by
Filipino priests. With the triumph of the Reformation, the
College experienced significant changes. In 1870 the college
changed its name to the State University based on the decision
of the then governor Florencio Antillon. In 1945 the College
name was changed again into the Universidad de Guanajuato, and
became the first University Council on May 16 of that same year.
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With
over 100 years of history, the Mummies of Guanajuato are an important part of
the culture and traditions of this town. In 1865 the removal of the first
mummified body lying in the cemetery of Santa Paula occurred. Over the years
other bodies were discovered under the same conditions, due to the
characteristics of the soil where the bodies rested. Currently there are over a
hundred mummies that make up the museum. These mummies are the subjects of
careful scientific studies by specialists in forensic medicine and anthropology
from the U.S. Thanks to these studies, it will be possible to know the probable
cause of death, approximate age, social environment and even the facial
reconstruction of the mummified bodies. The mummies have been inspiration to
countless movies that during the seventies made famous the images of these
bodies to other countries. In 2007 the municipal government redesigned the old
Museum of the Mummies, and made the exhibit with a thematic feeling, for an
exposition of this nature that annually attracts thousands of visitors. |
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