Guanajuato Real Estate: Buy on Impulse or Rent and Have a Look Around!
 Doug Bower - PVNN
| Quick Facts
Guanajuato is located in a narrow valley in central Mexico
Guanajuato is located in the colonial heartland of Mexico.
Guanajuato started as a merger of four mining camps
Guanajuato was a major city in Mexico's 1810 War of Independence
Guanajuato is now a state capital
Guanajuato is a tourist destination
Guanajuato is known for its gardens, plazas, Cervantino festival, and underground roads
Guanajuato is a UNESCO world heritage site
In 1995, Guanajuato had a population of 128,171 (INEGI) | |
Guanajuato, the capital of the State of Guanajuato, has long been a Mexican tourist destination that is just now becoming popular for Gringo tourism.
Guanajuato is the capital of the State of Guanajuato. It has long been a Mexican tourist destination that is just now becoming popular for Gringo tourism. During the early-1500's, it was a mountainous canyon or ravine. It was uninhabited, though there were settlements to its south. But, in the mid-1500's, the discovery of silver led to the masses pouring into the area. More than half of the world's silver supply was being produced here by the 18th-century.
Four mining camps formed the proto-Guanajuato. In 1554, these camps were merged to create the city. The name was derived from the Tarascan Indian word meaning "The Place of the Frog." Being close to a river, as were many mining towns of that era, was vital. The river that ran alongside the city was used for power to turn the water wheels that crushed the ore.
The state of Guanajuato, located in the geographical center of Mexico, is surrounded by the states of San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Jalisco, and Michoacan. Forty-five minutes west of Guanajuato's capital, also named Guanajuato, is the Guanajuato International Airport (BJX). Other cities in the state include San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo, and Leon.
The name, Guanajuato, originally spelled "Guanaxuato" or "Quanaxjuato," is the Tarascan Indian word for "Hill of Frogs." No one knows exactly why the tribe gave the area this name. One story is that, on looking at the terrain, they decided nothing could live here except frogs. Another story is that some of the rocks on the mountain peaks around the area looked like frogs.
Founded in 1548 close to the Rio Guanajuato, the city is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. Standing in the downtown area is like being in the bottom of a bowl. Breathtakingly beautiful Baroque and Neoclassical buildings, many of which were homes during the Spanish occupation, fill the bottom of the bowl.
The discovery of rich silver mines in the area provided the wealth to produce the grandeur that is still evident today. Some consider the architecture of Guanajuato to be the most beautiful in Central and South America.
Looking up from the downtown area, you witness a remarkable feat of engineering skill. In Guanajuato, the residential areas surrounding the heart of the city had nowhere to go but up the sides of the mountains. It seems the builders used every available inch of the mountainsides. Houses stair-step up the sides and follow the terrain in undulating rows. In some places, the roof of one house is at the next house's foundation.
Many of these houses are not accessible by car. The only way to gain access to them is by narrow, twisting Callejσns. These are cobblestone alleyways, some containing steps carved into the rocky mountainside, which snake up to the summits.
The city of Guanajuato has been called the crown jewel of Mexico's heartland. In 1988, UNESCO declared Guanajuato "Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad" (Cultural Legacy of Mankind.) Since it is a World Heritage Site, any new construction or remodeling in the historic center must conform to strict rules. Also, they must build gas stations and other modern buildings outside the city center. For these reasons, the city keeps its historic charm.
The silver mines discovered here put Guanajuato on the map. At one point, silver made Guanajuato the commercial and financial center of central Mexico. The silver mines once supplied the world with one-third of its silver wealth, much of it going into the coffers of the Spanish royalty. Most of the mines stopped producing in the 1800s, but a few continue to be active today.
Guanajuato played a unique role in Mexico's struggle for independence from Spain. The mines made many of the Spanish overlords wealthy at the expense of the Mexican workers. Finally, the people rebelled. And, the rest is, as they say, history.
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