tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43301145857548847582024-03-15T10:32:57.823-06:00Jim & Carole's Mexico AdventureCarole and I live in Ajijic, a village on the shore of Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest natural lake. During our travels in Mexico, we have found a startling cultural mix from ancient pre-hispanic to the 21st Century.This is a land of vivid colors and contrasts, a country which provides us with fascinating new perspectives. We hope you enjoy this photographic journal as much as we have enjoyed creating it.Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.comBlogger503125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-32435791904445385782024-03-12T19:35:00.000-06:002024-03-12T19:35:29.033-06:00The Silver Mines of Hostotipaquillo Part 5: Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic (the silver refinery)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUahgXqaWQI69KTxCZX0vfme4oRXOrepzLdnF5tdwYWwyQT7CvYSkEPbtXLbAUiqkDv3qySqASJaDI54kCBD_HjOcK8f6JfST91-nWw7BsGP5pkeMNBQoFo21xUdabtJKXaPT6maP3x2ltK8t7GFInxkg-rl1I86d521_AnUr2Z5UbQDendTCoLZWBUBr3/s720/LVM-%20cg%20arch&%20mts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUahgXqaWQI69KTxCZX0vfme4oRXOrepzLdnF5tdwYWwyQT7CvYSkEPbtXLbAUiqkDv3qySqASJaDI54kCBD_HjOcK8f6JfST91-nWw7BsGP5pkeMNBQoFo21xUdabtJKXaPT6maP3x2ltK8t7GFInxkg-rl1I86d521_AnUr2Z5UbQDendTCoLZWBUBr3/w480-h640/LVM-%20cg%20arch&%20mts.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A view toward the mountains through the arches next to the refining operation</b>. In this posting, I will continue with my exploration of the ruins of <i>Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic</i>. Last time I focused on the <i>casa grande</i> and <i>capilla</i>, but in this one we'll look at the aqueduct, the water wheel, the great furnaces, and the patio where the mercury amalgamation process occurred.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This <i>hacienda</i> had a 300 year history, beginning in the 17th century and ending in the early 20th. Most of the historical references I have found are from the 18th century. They refer to its function as a <i>hacienda de ganado y agricola</i> (livestock and grain). The owner, <i>Juan Fernández de Ubiarco</i>, used the food, leather, and livestock it produced to supply his mines and <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> (ore refineries). </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Then, sometime later, structures were added which transformed <i>Mochitiltic</i> into a <i>hacienda de beneficio</i>. The food and livestock operations may have continued, but that is not clear from the available information. Today, the whole operation is in ruins, but there is more than enough left to deduce how the refinery operated.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ_-xHQIqXKcMtRWiNlDTIqa2yDND5zqmBg49erM8Q_U4F0vn02sXCH8ESW4iilP5-KUAcYSXdA-5xun3jFAcuHKTnA7XX2IjY1uZORUeGJ8tl1Zt5FJYQWHk9FTrQHdbXOFaeYwbX98eawPGzB-RsMAn-3rK5jUfDyCQk-gqGcXXkB_HsrUXqMg95UBp/s1596/Googe%20Sat%20view-Hda%20Mochitiltic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1596" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ_-xHQIqXKcMtRWiNlDTIqa2yDND5zqmBg49erM8Q_U4F0vn02sXCH8ESW4iilP5-KUAcYSXdA-5xun3jFAcuHKTnA7XX2IjY1uZORUeGJ8tl1Zt5FJYQWHk9FTrQHdbXOFaeYwbX98eawPGzB-RsMAn-3rK5jUfDyCQk-gqGcXXkB_HsrUXqMg95UBp/w640-h620/Googe%20Sat%20view-Hda%20Mochitiltic.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Google satellite view of </b><b>the <i>ex-hacienda</i></b>. The <i>pueblo</i> of <i>La Venta de Mochitiltic </i>is to the north, or top, side of the photo. For information on how to find this site, refer to Part 4 of this series. The road through the pueblo leads down a hillside through the clump of trees in the top center. Just below the trees is an open area which contains the arches seen in the first photos of this posting. The ruins are located on either side of the road. The casa grande structures, shown in Part 4, are located diagonally across the bottom-right quarter of this photo. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Just left of center is a large open square that was the patio of the refinery. The left side of the square is bordered by the water wheel. This was fed from an aqueduct that can be seen running from the upper left corner of the patio to the top center of the photo. The furnace room is located on the south side of the patio and the furnaces are along the south wall of this room. The <i>capilla</i> (chapel) from Part 4 borders the right side of the patio and furnace room. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Aqueduct</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBV7jqSAuXWvRZP5rsyiqJLuBOAzFOPQXa1rgNS8BPERWIRFBf2vbXGum99dH2dYKii7GeSXrgacUT-KqddgPV-c6H7UsmPeKcGCcqcF9iZZL70wJqjvgjz4jRtHWfQmxTdlhqWM9ewbnVR4M8fhSnHIQu9Ed91ge2bmbWRFvD8zd8lHgLXmdVAt-y2OX/s720/LVM-%20aqueduct%20long.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBV7jqSAuXWvRZP5rsyiqJLuBOAzFOPQXa1rgNS8BPERWIRFBf2vbXGum99dH2dYKii7GeSXrgacUT-KqddgPV-c6H7UsmPeKcGCcqcF9iZZL70wJqjvgjz4jRtHWfQmxTdlhqWM9ewbnVR4M8fhSnHIQu9Ed91ge2bmbWRFvD8zd8lHgLXmdVAt-y2OX/w480-h640/LVM-%20aqueduct%20long.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The aqueduct runs downhill to the water wheel </b></span><b>from a holding pond fed by a spring.</b> It is a rough stone structure about 1m (3ft) high for much of its length, although it gets much higher as it stretches down the hill (toward the top of the photo). You can see the trough, now full of leaves, where the water once flowed. Water was always a necessity for food and livestock haciendas, but it was also a critical element in silver refining. It provided both a source of power and a key element in the chemical process used in refining the ore. Consequently, <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> were always built near an <i>arroyo</i>, a river, or some other ready source of water.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrauTVrbVD51JEbYmOtObWTJh2_8GPI1MuZuC47RYSRVs6IWVMK3ARD3Sa-YmXX7LcRw8PfLCKA7n-4Vd9FiqrI9SKns3hI6gJC8Y_bOKqmZ0ZxGUe-wwPiq_AYX44Rxdf8OZtjj4hDAYU3z_I2Vw1d942VK9b9K8pumRmSso6MXNQSIbn77rIBmUsxAwu/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20aqueduct%20arch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrauTVrbVD51JEbYmOtObWTJh2_8GPI1MuZuC47RYSRVs6IWVMK3ARD3Sa-YmXX7LcRw8PfLCKA7n-4Vd9FiqrI9SKns3hI6gJC8Y_bOKqmZ0ZxGUe-wwPiq_AYX44Rxdf8OZtjj4hDAYU3z_I2Vw1d942VK9b9K8pumRmSso6MXNQSIbn77rIBmUsxAwu/w640-h480/HacMochitiltic-%20aqueduct%20arch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><b>This arch forms an opening in the aqueduct to allow people and animals to pass</b>. At this point, the aqueduct is about 4m (12ft) high. A few meters to the left, it spills onto the water wheel, which turned the machinery to crush the ore. Aqueducts have a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_(water_supply)#:~:text=Aqueducts%20were%20used%20in%20ancient,path%20through%20tunnels%20constructed%20underground.">very long history</a>, having been used </span>by ancient people in the Indus Valley, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome. This method of transporting water actually dates back as far as the 7th century BC, when the Assyrians built a 300 mile aqueduct to bring water to </span>Nineveh, their capital city. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipNvcbi4QR2hsM9CAbh3Eal6bG6JIyEa2bsKgYzlT5pK9G7XvZeRGeSrTQShQ4OvZhV-OLlePi2MelF_08Edtp9xKO97C7FyxEjn9zSpBwZ1RU9t3W5DlvzJ2KwnnQOD-VYAGRQPQ0LqfRrcM0h3KK_kXSfkQB0y43UETq3AEF2MIXCmvuy3UgHzoJMGB/s540/LVM-%20fab%20aqueduct.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipNvcbi4QR2hsM9CAbh3Eal6bG6JIyEa2bsKgYzlT5pK9G7XvZeRGeSrTQShQ4OvZhV-OLlePi2MelF_08Edtp9xKO97C7FyxEjn9zSpBwZ1RU9t3W5DlvzJ2KwnnQOD-VYAGRQPQ0LqfRrcM0h3KK_kXSfkQB0y43UETq3AEF2MIXCmvuy3UgHzoJMGB/w640-h480/LVM-%20fab%20aqueduct.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The trough of the aqueduct is lined with mortared bricks to prevent leakage. </b>At the point above, the aqueduct is very near where it ends at the water wheel. The wall that supports the trough was built with rough stone, probably gathered from the stream bed at the bottom of the hill. I have often found old aqueducts (although not this one) which are still carrying water even when the rest of a hacienda lies in ruins. They were built to last, which indicates their importance. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Water Wheel</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjU3WKxpJsZtvWOXwbIQMhJ9NkbURde-qd59bw7Zg-bwYLKWd5jekNRtdBf7KC-Yy7V-l2v3HWwBf6lOSfsd1it86tHHTecs3HunJxBOQlzAC2scrTOD90IhM0Jn_353EQ2-F-SeDRS8SfCG5ALmOrJauR4c3-DfOhYpq5-OSXA01xzMOmj0jPOUyf4MS/s720/Hda%20Mochitiltic-Jim%20at%20waterwheel%20by%20Marilyn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjU3WKxpJsZtvWOXwbIQMhJ9NkbURde-qd59bw7Zg-bwYLKWd5jekNRtdBf7KC-Yy7V-l2v3HWwBf6lOSfsd1it86tHHTecs3HunJxBOQlzAC2scrTOD90IhM0Jn_353EQ2-F-SeDRS8SfCG5ALmOrJauR4c3-DfOhYpq5-OSXA01xzMOmj0jPOUyf4MS/w480-h640/Hda%20Mochitiltic-Jim%20at%20waterwheel%20by%20Marilyn.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The huge water wheel turned between two high walls</b>. A friend took this shot of me as I photographed the interior space between the two walls. It is not my most flattering pose, but it does show the opening through which the wheel could be inspected as it turned. The wheel is long gone, but it must have been very large, given the height of the walls and the depth that the turning space extends into the ground</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Harnessing the power of water through the use of wheels also has a very ancient history. The <a href="https://www.fuergy.com/blog/the-early-history-of-water-power#:~:text=The%20earliest%20known%20version%20of,in%20southern%20Europe%20and%20China.">earliest-known water wheels</a> were invented in Mesopotamia in the 4th century BC. The basic concept didn't change until the mid-19th century when engineers discovered they could produce electricity through water power. Modern hydro-electric dams still use water power to produce electricity by turning turbines.</span><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8AKHTGp1f5f0XbkogLfXlkgaSOTn77CDiqT9NPxEqJiSGoyM5RMZpHCFoeDdQqWHIRuYe0az2KZlf8evaWvwrfZpjuc9VJgmI0hxR3xagdQoqLdUdGTKtxGC_ievnE5kR4s9pWLrK6woZdvre2GtcIvhcymy_j3HFIozTuk8Vr2r_I8yXN_ELb9YFwUV/s720/HacMochitiltic-%20ctyd%20waterwheel%20spillway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8AKHTGp1f5f0XbkogLfXlkgaSOTn77CDiqT9NPxEqJiSGoyM5RMZpHCFoeDdQqWHIRuYe0az2KZlf8evaWvwrfZpjuc9VJgmI0hxR3xagdQoqLdUdGTKtxGC_ievnE5kR4s9pWLrK6woZdvre2GtcIvhcymy_j3HFIozTuk8Vr2r_I8yXN_ELb9YFwUV/w480-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20ctyd%20waterwheel%20spillway.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Interior of the water wheel's support structure</b>. As the wheel turned, water flowed off its paddles and out through this spillway to the stream below. The two walls stand about a meter apart and the slot extends into the ground about 2 meters below the opening through which I was looking. Even after a couple of centuries, the walls still appear to be solid and relatively smooth. As I said, the colonial engineers built to last.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiUQeEHlZOjzhuLvRBKWQrpY-eyVyhmXETDfPXHzEL_KCSpl1aOIBY4yp0y1S-w_F1Llty5RSD-Weba21reVnQ1ViDu1GGsBF9mYEn2z1qxIDZ5As0nE5UBlVM58NJEKV3wWGuKOARAv7uYqnftQrx0nHC8f9o03bvNXsiMLsmgocGD8-wC5dcQ1ZWyEX/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20ctyd%20machinery%20&%20waterwheel%20hole2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiUQeEHlZOjzhuLvRBKWQrpY-eyVyhmXETDfPXHzEL_KCSpl1aOIBY4yp0y1S-w_F1Llty5RSD-Weba21reVnQ1ViDu1GGsBF9mYEn2z1qxIDZ5As0nE5UBlVM58NJEKV3wWGuKOARAv7uYqnftQrx0nHC8f9o03bvNXsiMLsmgocGD8-wC5dcQ1ZWyEX/w640-h480/HacMochitiltic-%20ctyd%20machinery%20&%20waterwheel%20hole2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The support base for the equipment powered by the water wheel. </b>The axis of the wheel would have extended out from the opening in the wall to the ore-crushing machinery mounted on the base. Originally, the machinery would have been made of wood and leather and seated on the stone foundation. This would have included a grind stone to crush the ore. The metal base you see above is a product of the late 19th or early 20th centuries. It probably supported a generator to transform water power into electric power. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Patio</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93qav_iM_RfDiAKF9NfypNvqzxFnxSDoD4DJ2_Uiy_hruEMCN44MXNif2jzortOsBavE_SVJ-v9D5zOPrfApzfT0hlAUKyU2AQK8Y5sduD1TYlM2rlt_d960k4R0MXd9XdMkXZgkPhTSUSOpYi0-eIlEkP_G515xE548aGtiS0_i41zsFyk1HHnSfYdIG/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20ctyd%20doorway%20north.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="540" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93qav_iM_RfDiAKF9NfypNvqzxFnxSDoD4DJ2_Uiy_hruEMCN44MXNif2jzortOsBavE_SVJ-v9D5zOPrfApzfT0hlAUKyU2AQK8Y5sduD1TYlM2rlt_d960k4R0MXd9XdMkXZgkPhTSUSOpYi0-eIlEkP_G515xE548aGtiS0_i41zsFyk1HHnSfYdIG/w640-h490/HacMochitiltic-%20ctyd%20doorway%20north.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The doorway of the north wall, viewed from inside the patio looking out. </b>Like the <i>casa grande</i>, the lower part of this wall was made with rough stone, while the upper was made with adobe. The door was trimmed with brick. The whole structure was once covered with plaster, the remains of which can still be seen on and around the door frame. This wall borders the north side of the patio. A few meters on the other side of the door is the set of arches I have shown previously.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span>Today, the ground slopes upward toward the north wall, but the area within the patio was originally level. The slope was likely created by erosion from uphill which swept earth and debris down into the patio. This was an area where </span></span></span>one of the most important stages of silver ore refining occurred, called<span><span> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patio_process">"the patio process"</a>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tdHXZwkcGRqibdmfVdue5qv_aMH30mo0h9mxdB3fgP2001zpQDxZTK0d0avOcSPR2eE8HxaXDOBXzbWstnNSau86waRurEPDIFcghQ0HhE2RqhT5455Ai4wKvM2I1fTlscP2al4xlN5PmkVI8zo1KcxlIlW37dx_mZdSSzloVMA8WvpP17DvJOhZjvpV/s540/LVM-%20fab%20ctyd1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tdHXZwkcGRqibdmfVdue5qv_aMH30mo0h9mxdB3fgP2001zpQDxZTK0d0avOcSPR2eE8HxaXDOBXzbWstnNSau86waRurEPDIFcghQ0HhE2RqhT5455Ai4wKvM2I1fTlscP2al4xlN5PmkVI8zo1KcxlIlW37dx_mZdSSzloVMA8WvpP17DvJOhZjvpV/w640-h480/LVM-%20fab%20ctyd1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>View of the northeast corner of the patio.</b> The patio's area is approximately 30m (98ft) square. </span><span>After it was extracted from the mine, the ore was broken up into smaller pieces, sometimes by women and children. It was then hauled down to the <i>hacienda de beneficio</i> by pack-trains of mules. Once here, it was further crushed by the water-wheel's machinery. This gave the ore a consistency that was somewhere between fine gravel and a coarse powder. It was then spread out in the patio in the shape of a huge pancake a few centimeters thick.</span></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Next, mercury was sprinkled over the pancake along with a salt-water brine. This was mixed into the pancake using the feet of horses or mules. Even human feet were sometimes used. The highly toxic nature of mercury was not known at that time, so both animals and humans no doubt suffered negative health effects. However, the life-spans of workers and draft animals in the mining industry were already short due to accidents and the effects of mine dust. It is possible that the cumulative effects of mercury poisoning were not that noticeable in those days.<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Furnaces</span></b></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDTydHEiYcHu1ZsaBMlCK7vvBJQiUGe1hpel4g44ao_AHQJoxDWBObtKFsC2uFgFl-2X94id648G5ZifvwMBpnI3YG9_GeWcTXajmaibsbbZ212nNmqtjrwp0OiLX6WY0IX_QYVVsAyDonO5ONERM9xu3UGvV0_GCJRNUvGEj5h6FWudhM7PDZO7zIqDi/s540/HacMochitiltic-Vinnie%20&%20Jim%20C%20by%20Marilyn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="540" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDTydHEiYcHu1ZsaBMlCK7vvBJQiUGe1hpel4g44ao_AHQJoxDWBObtKFsC2uFgFl-2X94id648G5ZifvwMBpnI3YG9_GeWcTXajmaibsbbZ212nNmqtjrwp0OiLX6WY0IX_QYVVsAyDonO5ONERM9xu3UGvV0_GCJRNUvGEj5h6FWudhM7PDZO7zIqDi/w640-h522/HacMochitiltic-Vinnie%20&%20Jim%20C%20by%20Marilyn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Vinnie and I inspect the lower end of the ruins</b>. Vinnie (left) is not only a fellow Hacienda Hunter, but my next door neighbor and an excellent photographer. The arch you can see over Vinnie's shoulder is the opening of one of several furnaces that were used as part of the refining process. The long wall extending behind me is part of the <i>capilla</i> seen in the Part 4 of this series. (Photo by unknown Hacienda Hunter).</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Key7wBGn0LRhWnSjeYDgI0a0Au5XJd1G2MlrmqIruKw9IgUbOl3lVZBHc2kvXVFqUF3Nq2P5pzsGg7Sj6madfaVr0zluSJxcIezPdOqX7OOA2jLuwcskQrXKgdGsfcRWDBpHwcsCCHG7NNP9tkbtmScrS4qFqn8Jk_rN0_MuJ-q9bzFWJXOs1KPvfHs5/s614/HacMochitiltic-%20fr%20rear%20chimneys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Key7wBGn0LRhWnSjeYDgI0a0Au5XJd1G2MlrmqIruKw9IgUbOl3lVZBHc2kvXVFqUF3Nq2P5pzsGg7Sj6madfaVr0zluSJxcIezPdOqX7OOA2jLuwcskQrXKgdGsfcRWDBpHwcsCCHG7NNP9tkbtmScrS4qFqn8Jk_rN0_MuJ-q9bzFWJXOs1KPvfHs5/w562-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20fr%20rear%20chimneys.jpg" width="562" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The south wall of the furnace room, showing one of several chimneys</b>. The walls on this end of the ruins are 4-5m (12-15ft) hight. A few meters behind me when I took this shot is the stream into which the water wheel once emptied. Thorny underbrush covers much of this part of the refinery ruins. We had to move carefully through here while taking photographs lest we get thoroughly scratched. I have often found the thorny plants in Mexico to be actively hostile. Consequently, I always advise participants in these adventures to wear long pants and boots. </span><div><br /><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1vbTzf6dCd1w8tVaNoXJzlu7qGHbpnP8qPBtIZ9anaTx13XUv0HZiQcyzT4iaXlLnZoXLJCo3CfZgbdHj44k6T8Y8aGQh5D0JkGlUvf33NdQA_ylEFF68-NPbYelFeM76Z9oNM802C0cbK1yuFMcMGuKUdsX28_SFh56VPTKXAyjROfE3vcAmVCXnExN/s720/HacMochitiltic-%20fr%20rear%20ovens%20&%20windows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1vbTzf6dCd1w8tVaNoXJzlu7qGHbpnP8qPBtIZ9anaTx13XUv0HZiQcyzT4iaXlLnZoXLJCo3CfZgbdHj44k6T8Y8aGQh5D0JkGlUvf33NdQA_ylEFF68-NPbYelFeM76Z9oNM802C0cbK1yuFMcMGuKUdsX28_SFh56VPTKXAyjROfE3vcAmVCXnExN/w480-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20fr%20rear%20ovens%20&%20windows.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View of one of the furnaces</b>. Like water, heat was important to the process of silver refining. In the very early days, heat was used to melt silver from ore. However, this only worked well with high-grade ore and, as that was exhausted, silver production began to decline. Then, in 1554, a man named <i><a href="https://www.miningfoundationsw.org/Bartolome_de_Medina">Bartolomé de Medina</a></i> immigrated to <i>Nueva España</i> (Mexico). He brought with him a new refining process called amalgamation, which used mercury and salt brine on lower-grade ore and allowed it to be refined into high-grade silver.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After it was mixed into the pancake, the mercury and silver amalgamated and then sank to the bottom where it could be recovered. Next. the amalgam was heated to evaporate the mercury, leaving nearly pure silver. Over time, this "patio process" revived the colonial mining industry and allowed the re-opening of mines that had been closed as unprofitable. However, the heat process continued well into the 18th century at some of the<i> haciendas de beneficio </i>around <i>Hostotipaquillo</i>. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0VMPXqzGLS3nrX4tsg048CEUokaGlpXFfywr-u7CCNMNfNsS0EBpW3R01utBXpedOTd7Cr5bLeizIE35hHFfF7V6MkQATmSDeEOHxKV0wQjhVlgRYGfmZ_-uQzjQAwvUlbviJPe80dTDmUfZn2RQrsfwGOVHOkEMu68TVyDh0RRV1RxDSWRywvwCnKQN/s540/LVM-%20fab%20furnace%20vent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0VMPXqzGLS3nrX4tsg048CEUokaGlpXFfywr-u7CCNMNfNsS0EBpW3R01utBXpedOTd7Cr5bLeizIE35hHFfF7V6MkQATmSDeEOHxKV0wQjhVlgRYGfmZ_-uQzjQAwvUlbviJPe80dTDmUfZn2RQrsfwGOVHOkEMu68TVyDh0RRV1RxDSWRywvwCnKQN/w640-h480/LVM-%20fab%20furnace%20vent.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Vent hole in the wall between two of the furnace openings</b>. The furnaces, chimneys, and a good part of the south wall are made of bricks. This means that they were built fairly late, probably in the 19th century. Before then, bricks were too expensive to be used on a large scale. This fits with the hacienda being converted from an agricultural and livestock operation to a refinery in about that time frame. However, this is only my informed speculation, based on my knowledge of what building materials tended to be used in different periods.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Furnace Room</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmIoS9WbfcfMdTjG2_Jr9bX3PLM-G6k1etl0JfljL3P7L_Kr0FuUTBFsToYvy5h4erVgMqpv4mz78s81AuKSWJ8XgVoiQyCaVrzaUOUS9G8g6M7FWkSX3RYiJq2EYI1CD9LesCXhUr7RAYeadeaesbjw4e8HGbZgLe-qE_3yzHyVLZ0Qv5v8V9dIAlh1_/s540/LVM-%20fab%20furnace%20rm%20w:Jim%20B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmIoS9WbfcfMdTjG2_Jr9bX3PLM-G6k1etl0JfljL3P7L_Kr0FuUTBFsToYvy5h4erVgMqpv4mz78s81AuKSWJ8XgVoiQyCaVrzaUOUS9G8g6M7FWkSX3RYiJq2EYI1CD9LesCXhUr7RAYeadeaesbjw4e8HGbZgLe-qE_3yzHyVLZ0Qv5v8V9dIAlh1_/w640-h480/LVM-%20fab%20furnace%20rm%20w:Jim%20B.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Jim B explores the furnace room</b>. The door behind him faces the wall with the water-wheel. The room is one-story with a tall ceiling. I concluded this from the absence of a line of rafter holes in the walls. Such holes are always present when a room had two or more stories. The triangular windows above the door are unusual. I don't recall seeing any like this before. The wall behind Jim B and the one on the right are still mostly covered by the original plaster.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The silver-mercury amalgam would have been recovered on the patio and brought into this room to be heated. After the mercury burned off, the molten silver would be cast into ingots. When they cooled, the ingots would then be loaded on to mule pack-trains for shipment to Guadalajara and then on to Mexico City. From there, it would have either been shipped to Vera Cruz and on to Spain, or to one of Nueva España's Pacific ports for shipment to Manila and from there to China. Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic was one part of an international trade network.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QMZsv4NMBdtbshHjXOZCzLftD23NKY_-jlSUCf_Hcr9Ti5t3beSADhI8uq6LthVv4ZKmr2Pc-KHrM8fXB_W6TIrRL-Q-vgUlxISlj0Kb9JDWp6j_rCLLm_QDFB8_Iyx2Nr7dCR_hnRnk4z-f415C9gPugEAJlRZL0p2JIM7CRchLFJj1q8bXUhOslPj0/s418/HacMochitiltic-%20face%20on%20wall%20by%20Bette.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="418" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QMZsv4NMBdtbshHjXOZCzLftD23NKY_-jlSUCf_Hcr9Ti5t3beSADhI8uq6LthVv4ZKmr2Pc-KHrM8fXB_W6TIrRL-Q-vgUlxISlj0Kb9JDWp6j_rCLLm_QDFB8_Iyx2Nr7dCR_hnRnk4z-f415C9gPugEAJlRZL0p2JIM7CRchLFJj1q8bXUhOslPj0/w640-h564/HacMochitiltic-%20face%20on%20wall%20by%20Bette.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>An eerie face is carved into the window support on the south wall</b>. Somehow, I missed this odd feature while photographing the furnace room. Two of my fellow Hacienda Hunters each spotted it and took their own shots, one of which appears above. The face seems vaguely pre-hispanic, but how it ended up in this room remains another of <i>Mochitiltic's</i> mysteries. Perhaps it was a piece of old pre-hispanic masonry that was lying about. It also could have been the product of some 19th century mason's sense of humor. (Photo by Bette Brazel)<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pqwLdM_k6ObhPHjViDracraVXy3nJ198W-ReojB1veWQACb5zpw-k1RoKVx3vIEXMS1OqkKrsQb5HK4WJHGhc_HABhYUrD1NJFxyXrOA4UQw7AfbSky7URQWvA07Nm7rm2mfENXDrhXknJgMayZ5rNz2ZbbkFV1_Aq8W9MGzm66Dt4TvhKz8w2Y84yLD/s720/LVM-%20fab%20furnace%20rm%20stairs%20&%20Jim%20B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pqwLdM_k6ObhPHjViDracraVXy3nJ198W-ReojB1veWQACb5zpw-k1RoKVx3vIEXMS1OqkKrsQb5HK4WJHGhc_HABhYUrD1NJFxyXrOA4UQw7AfbSky7URQWvA07Nm7rm2mfENXDrhXknJgMayZ5rNz2ZbbkFV1_Aq8W9MGzm66Dt4TvhKz8w2Y84yLD/w480-h640/LVM-%20fab%20furnace%20rm%20stairs%20&%20Jim%20B.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Jim B, his exploration finished, mounts the stairs leading to the patio</b>. Notice how thick the walls are in the doorway. Across the patio you can see the door in its north wall that I showed previously. The walls here are constructed of large unfinished stones, indicating that this part of the furnace room may have been constructed in the 18th century or even the 17th. In that case, the room may have originally had some function that preceded its use for silver refining.</span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvtmn9O5Xri26JWc8Jq1xPBa38-xmmAOhS7CHZdOfJtNF_5NCqcxFI1UEGXsc0H72fDPjKxCNLkAZ4BwjPILjyVSsFWkFwJxL729lHKO5BygJGjwsbzOdNMV-ps9LdXWkt5sShQgrmVOrx7GWjNl-KiG-J0_OPQRYOnlL8cDuBSM3dADqvZw2SDqGQRil/s540/LVM-%20horse%20face.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvtmn9O5Xri26JWc8Jq1xPBa38-xmmAOhS7CHZdOfJtNF_5NCqcxFI1UEGXsc0H72fDPjKxCNLkAZ4BwjPILjyVSsFWkFwJxL729lHKO5BygJGjwsbzOdNMV-ps9LdXWkt5sShQgrmVOrx7GWjNl-KiG-J0_OPQRYOnlL8cDuBSM3dADqvZw2SDqGQRil/w640-h480/LVM-%20horse%20face.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A curious horse came over to inspect our group</b>. He was very friendly and obviously happy for a break in his usual routine. This shot was taken during my first visit in 2016, when several horses were present. When we visited in 2023, none were around, although they may have been somewhere else at the time. Behind the horse you can see part of the aqueduct.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 5 of my <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> series and the last part of my two postings on <i>Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic</i>. I hope you have enjoyed visiting this old site. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Hasta luego</i>, Jim<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-76495515298897026912024-03-04T19:39:00.002-06:002024-03-07T15:08:49.752-06:00The Silver Mines of Hostotipaquillo Part 4: Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic (main house, chapel and arches)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVvxLO3H4dqzjF7acXitUPtTi9sbbcomxH9LEOIVLutOdZ6VxZv-90SXImJOaOKAOZPLeWlrpc77K916xNkFL6nm3sELQUy9nMwRQqwYPLxssTw0hFnPrU9eMFL7NMwLmkz4KLfSiNWD1T3hQM51BJok4nIjHJ4gV8ki5kWR5DER4lPx9U2TPbh-Hd9-i/s554/HacMochitiltic-Jim%20B%20&%20Catherine%20by%20Anne%20KIlroy%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVvxLO3H4dqzjF7acXitUPtTi9sbbcomxH9LEOIVLutOdZ6VxZv-90SXImJOaOKAOZPLeWlrpc77K916xNkFL6nm3sELQUy9nMwRQqwYPLxssTw0hFnPrU9eMFL7NMwLmkz4KLfSiNWD1T3hQM51BJok4nIjHJ4gV8ki5kWR5DER4lPx9U2TPbh-Hd9-i/w624-h640/HacMochitiltic-Jim%20B%20&%20Catherine%20by%20Anne%20KIlroy%20.jpg" width="624" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Two Hacienda Hunters walk away from some ruined arches</b>. Jim B and Catherine are two of my fellow <i>hacienda</i> addicts. The arches are the first clear indication that you have reached <i>Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic</i> (Mo-chi-til-tic). In March of 2023, I guided a group of friends to this site, but I had previously visited in May of 2016. While most of the photos will be from the 2023 trip, a few are from the earlier adventure. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, I will focus on the <i>casa grande</i> (big house) and its <i>capilla</i> (chapel). In the next posting, I will show the remains of the aqueduct, the waterwheel, and the patio where the silver ore was processed. Unfortunately, my information about this old site is somewhat limited. I will have to fill in the blanks with what I already know about how these <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> functioned during the colonial period and early Republic . (Photo by Anne Kilroy)</span></div><div><p><b style="font-size: x-large;">Overview:</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjECvFQ4ij1vs8xh4vZO_8-_eY_rcSQvpbY6FC9kvXDUOkkJoLATlKPuE-IfPvw9i0NYH1ogVif9lTT5lystJsJc_-gj3Awvm0NZU-93VUZCt5bYAi9bx6NqvZ75tTGGWYLTWV8QEFL-6ZYnbAQfxU_r5zr5KUeFgaUv8xS35XBltdg3rlATtcqVIW6qHg/s1596/Google%20map-%20La%20Venta%20de%20Mochitiltic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="1596" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjECvFQ4ij1vs8xh4vZO_8-_eY_rcSQvpbY6FC9kvXDUOkkJoLATlKPuE-IfPvw9i0NYH1ogVif9lTT5lystJsJc_-gj3Awvm0NZU-93VUZCt5bYAi9bx6NqvZ75tTGGWYLTWV8QEFL-6ZYnbAQfxU_r5zr5KUeFgaUv8xS35XBltdg3rlATtcqVIW6qHg/w640-h554/Google%20map-%20La%20Venta%20de%20Mochitiltic.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>How to get there</b>. Take the <i>Chapala-Guadalajara</i> <i>carretera</i> north to the <i>Macrolibramiento</i> (a toll road) and head west until you connect with the 15D <i>cuota</i> (another toll road). Again head west until you reach <i>Magdalena</i> where you exit and take Highway 15 (a free road) through town. Continue on Highway 15 past the turnoff to <i>Hostotipaquillo. </i>About 10km (6.2mi) past the turnoff, you will reach the small pueblo of <i>La Venta de Mochitiltic</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Look for a store on the left selling<i> Corona</i> Beer and one next to it called "<i>Minisuper Las Cuates</i>". Pass the stores and take your next left (a dirt road called <i>Lopez Mateos</i>). If, while still on the highway, you come to a small bridge over an <i>arroyo</i>, you have missed your turn. Follow <i>Lopez Mateos</i> 1.5 blocks until it forks. Take the right fork (a dirt road called <i>Francisco Villa</i>) and follow it downhill to the arches. The ruins are on both sides of the road as it heads down the hill. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">La Casa Grande</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1l5Gc0am5yvCZlckBOsPZATSzVpbrJRmITnFP3LhnwWuZfrM2l9_v38li4vC6f1tn10V5u8Sz5C-gPxjNCPDjyym7fPYNA_wbuXAv8Fw5WSDWVXbBS51B7om4ZWUDHH3nbpbZ6_ZW7oIEF_BkpFzTQPnNfG8Xng0ftUKyvlxGCWDZpKzx2tm0BTBy4LsO/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20fr%20front%20left.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1l5Gc0am5yvCZlckBOsPZATSzVpbrJRmITnFP3LhnwWuZfrM2l9_v38li4vC6f1tn10V5u8Sz5C-gPxjNCPDjyym7fPYNA_wbuXAv8Fw5WSDWVXbBS51B7om4ZWUDHH3nbpbZ6_ZW7oIEF_BkpFzTQPnNfG8Xng0ftUKyvlxGCWDZpKzx2tm0BTBy4LsO/w640-h480/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20fr%20front%20left.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The <i>casa grande</i> sits back from the road on the left, across from the arches.</b> To reach it, you have to pass through a gate. Unless the gate is already open, please close it behind you. The two-story structure is long and fairly narrow and the outer walls are all that remain. </span><span>This photo only captures the middle section of the house. There are wings extending off to the left and right.</span><span> All the rooms inside are full of underbrush and nothing remains of the original furnishings.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Hacienda Mochitiltic</i> was founded during the 1600s, but I have very little information about its early history. However, sometime during the first half of the 1700s, it was acquired by <i>Juan Fernández de Ubiarco. </i>He and his two brothers, <i>José Maria</i> and <i>Francisco</i>, began as merchants and then invested in mining. They also extended loans to other miners, acted as purchasing agents for buying mercury, and became public officials. <i>Juan</i> and his brothers typified the entrepreneurs of their time.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcruG25JSOyt7pl9_MwC6MMCy94ob-DcV3ILaSAIgLNofprT6NWnY1yCwmZAKQ1IfhcC9qhxQjwUwFW-VDu0yaNOwJRf1WIhSrZQBGHr19LKB7lF91C2eLKUpgxczp2bFfT2RJ63TAz7-vT3lkjIcsgE3Bmb6_-pSqIKMDsr6f-yooKu7UQz2-8eF15id3/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20fr%20rt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcruG25JSOyt7pl9_MwC6MMCy94ob-DcV3ILaSAIgLNofprT6NWnY1yCwmZAKQ1IfhcC9qhxQjwUwFW-VDu0yaNOwJRf1WIhSrZQBGHr19LKB7lF91C2eLKUpgxczp2bFfT2RJ63TAz7-vT3lkjIcsgE3Bmb6_-pSqIKMDsr6f-yooKu7UQz2-8eF15id3/w640-h480/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20fr%20rt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The <i>casa grande</i>, viewed from the right wing</b>. You can clearly see the materials used in the outer walls. </span><span>The lower part of the structure was constructed with rough stone. The second story, primarily made of adobe, has brick trim around the windows and doors.</span><span> </span><span> These materials indicate that the construction was probably done in the 17th or early 18th centuries. It is likely that t</span><span>here was originally a balcony or a porch under the upper door. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The following are some examples of <i>Juan Fernandez de Ubiarco's</i> multifaceted activities. In 1712, he purchased </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>mercury for <i>Capitán </i></span><i>Nicolás de Zertucha, </i><span>owner of</span><span> </span><span>the </span><i>Hacienda de beneficio Santa Maria, </i><span>(see Part 2 of this series). Then in 1714, he loaned </span><i>Zertucha</i><span> 4000 pesos to purchase the mine called </span><i>Nuestra Señora de los Remedios</i><span>. Later, in 1733, he loaned 21,000 pesos to the <i>Capitán's</i> widow <i>Josefa María Leal</i> so she could finance the various mining operations she had inherited.</span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxhxX4whYbcbrt6MtP_UR9c6V5J-oNA-ri9o_MK1qE3B7QUc1tMhR9VckLICnuQYOdkR84TbAMRcssCqWRwAkkJnK8oAEUW-3SqYOAam45PeNUlAZiJABvCCsJhqmUW6GGnoxN2o-Neq9ZTNOamXlRjeZjLK0FBBLiJgk9fpiQEneXue1pDayV3gmEMQw/s720/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20side%20door%20&%20mts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxhxX4whYbcbrt6MtP_UR9c6V5J-oNA-ri9o_MK1qE3B7QUc1tMhR9VckLICnuQYOdkR84TbAMRcssCqWRwAkkJnK8oAEUW-3SqYOAam45PeNUlAZiJABvCCsJhqmUW6GGnoxN2o-Neq9ZTNOamXlRjeZjLK0FBBLiJgk9fpiQEneXue1pDayV3gmEMQw/w480-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20side%20door%20&%20mts.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span>An empty doorway looks out onto the countryside</span></b>. This door once led into a room in the left wing of the casa grande. All the interior structures of the room are gone, leaving only this view. The tree-line in the background borders the <i>Rio Mochitiltic</i>. The mountains beyond were once full of silver mines. The doorway itself is trimmed with brick, while the walls around it are made of <i>adobe</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Fernández de Ubiarco</i> found another lucrative opportunity by acting as a <i>fiador</i> (co-signer) for other miners at various times. In 1734, using the profits from his mercantile operations, as well as all of the fees and loan interest he collected, </span><i>Fernández de Ubiarco </i><span>bought a half interest in a mine called </span><i>San Nicolas Obispo</i><span>. Eventually he came to fully own several mines and <i>haciendas de beneficio</i>, as well as other <i>haciendas de ganado y agricola </i>(livestock and grain) besides <i>Mochitiltic</i>.</span></span><br /><div><br /><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMQjZf8TfzIiI9lNBGJ6BTbXq4wV8RIjCKTt-1JgOIHs9A1qegtM1Cp6lRIA6vrYlzmG2ff_aqCc1RoXeET35mhZgOc4mAxBtwsW9BESn0_wMefCDX0SYiDvvVzAphYhWYpzkFBjPuT0KoKupe9cgbbEoR8dZPn3iDTNgnitIdIzJzQF07qRrwNiW3CKM/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20struct%20adobe,%20brick,%20cement.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="540" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMQjZf8TfzIiI9lNBGJ6BTbXq4wV8RIjCKTt-1JgOIHs9A1qegtM1Cp6lRIA6vrYlzmG2ff_aqCc1RoXeET35mhZgOc4mAxBtwsW9BESn0_wMefCDX0SYiDvvVzAphYhWYpzkFBjPuT0KoKupe9cgbbEoR8dZPn3iDTNgnitIdIzJzQF07qRrwNiW3CKM/w640-h458/HacMochitiltic-%20struct%20adobe,%20brick,%20cement.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ruins of the end of the right wing of the <i>casa grande</i></b>. When the <i>casa grande</i> was built, probably at the end of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century, brick was expensive. Consequently, it was usually reserved for architectural trim. <i>Adobe</i> is building material made from earth mixed with straw or dung. All these materials were free and readily available in colonial times. The earth was mixed with water and the binding material. The adobe was then packed into wooden frames and left out to dry in the sun. It is still made this way today.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>When <i>Fernandez de Ubiarco</i> acquired <i>Hacienda Mochitiltic</i>, his object was to supply his mining and refining operations with grain, meat, leather, and mules. He turned this into one of the area's largest <i>haciendas de ganado y agricola </i>and integrated its operations into his growing business empire. Some of the agricultural products and livestock produced at this <i>hacienda </i></span>were also sold to the owners of other mines and <i>haciendas de beneficio.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnku05lSYSCBl9QxWXsEFq2wjxU7NxRgHXPDA1htCk9Om45S2KAOU6iXlzJAxVITvVsKKthh92Cdn2az8q5FZ6_8jOpTVJzL8x_GGQsFVvBf_x6ZnQcwzK5btLpZcH2GcuOn5BRMxraDM69v20KISHP0lroVYD6XZ9AieH1q9bql_DzFBDTSN_97P3w9Q9/s720/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20side%20wall%20door.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnku05lSYSCBl9QxWXsEFq2wjxU7NxRgHXPDA1htCk9Om45S2KAOU6iXlzJAxVITvVsKKthh92Cdn2az8q5FZ6_8jOpTVJzL8x_GGQsFVvBf_x6ZnQcwzK5btLpZcH2GcuOn5BRMxraDM69v20KISHP0lroVYD6XZ9AieH1q9bql_DzFBDTSN_97P3w9Q9/w480-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20side%20wall%20door.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Another empty doorway leads into a room in the center of the casa grande. </b>When visiting some of these old sites, it is necessary to use my imagination to visualize what they may have looked like when they were functioning. I have visited more than a hundred <i>haciendas</i> in various states of repair, from intact to complete rubble, so I am usually able to figure out what I am looking at and how it fits into the overall layout. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Juan Fernández de Ubiarco </i>entered<span> the mining business in 1712 and retired in 1754. After his retirement, he occupied various public offices in Guadalajara, including <i>alcalde ordinario</i> (municipal court justice) and <i>aguacil mayor</i> (sheriff). However, even during his retirement, he continued to be involved in mining until he became ill and finally died in 1786. This extraordinary span of activity over 74 years is unequalled in the history of<i> Hostotipaquillo's </i>mining business. </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The <i>Casco</i> wall</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nQjYsHoxnlb-9CPHOZRB6NHGopgPxWn8C3-2_0usQZQ1GABkfq3wgLx-UmTtoj2l70GzGquAuz-WdrxSdTkoHsr8vVKtV6ppHIcE6f3pKiOvKDR0aPCGWsMbNhmG7w9K1zLG4hSVGV2G9BLVglotm4X8I0Fe9EiD6_3jUAPhA8DSGFhriL2w4qjcuhL4/s720/HacMochitiltic-%20wall%20thru%20brush.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nQjYsHoxnlb-9CPHOZRB6NHGopgPxWn8C3-2_0usQZQ1GABkfq3wgLx-UmTtoj2l70GzGquAuz-WdrxSdTkoHsr8vVKtV6ppHIcE6f3pKiOvKDR0aPCGWsMbNhmG7w9K1zLG4hSVGV2G9BLVglotm4X8I0Fe9EiD6_3jUAPhA8DSGFhriL2w4qjcuhL4/w480-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20wall%20thru%20brush.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A high adobe wall once surrounded the <i>casco</i></b>. The <i>casco</i> is the center of operations of a <i>hacienda</i> and usually includes the <i>casa grande, capilla</i>, stables, and the <i>bodega</i> where the most valuable products are stored. The <i>casco</i> wall protected these facilities from raids by bandits, hostile natives, and rogue military units.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4FBeWjyEgk1ebJj1VAY0xPKO__aYcoBy23wU1hxf_S29L0KsFIVQSQ0IlnVKeE3T8h652qV_PRLpCwwujAqQ0WRvJBbb6dw_EW-xFVln2fLe7sUj6SMNaqa4FQuFWrNPgAioJhjNGEZfY_x2rJXemhFbrYKbmGsBALEtsJ13JZp8EgPHlZq4vwOZ1hnq/s660/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20carriage%20gate2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4FBeWjyEgk1ebJj1VAY0xPKO__aYcoBy23wU1hxf_S29L0KsFIVQSQ0IlnVKeE3T8h652qV_PRLpCwwujAqQ0WRvJBbb6dw_EW-xFVln2fLe7sUj6SMNaqa4FQuFWrNPgAioJhjNGEZfY_x2rJXemhFbrYKbmGsBALEtsJ13JZp8EgPHlZq4vwOZ1hnq/w524-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20cg%20carriage%20gate2.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View out of the carriage gate of the <i>casco</i> wall</b>. I was looking out from the yard in front of the <i>casa grande</i> when I took this shot. Notice the remains of the gate's arch, which covered an opening big enough for a horse-drawn carriage. Until the advent of railroads in the last half of the 19th century, the <i>hacendado</i> would often travel by horseback. When traveling a long distance, or accompanied by his family, a carriage was used. <br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">La Capilla</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzGkwJ8ws8tAmCko_AcriEAlhd-4EbRPH-i8LIY_PHZ9p8W9IIKNJaDtCs5oeYwHP3IMCWwEzT6AtC4pRYhaDlSq_HpUVHqyCiNQ4qdQ8k8y51HX_LZooP4Dka_7LSnyBSZ3t7wrvWi8G0d8AynErrhQefc7-Wc4AI4xV4QSCMeIYc4NGBcj9z4-7pxAF/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20chapel%20nave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzGkwJ8ws8tAmCko_AcriEAlhd-4EbRPH-i8LIY_PHZ9p8W9IIKNJaDtCs5oeYwHP3IMCWwEzT6AtC4pRYhaDlSq_HpUVHqyCiNQ4qdQ8k8y51HX_LZooP4Dka_7LSnyBSZ3t7wrvWi8G0d8AynErrhQefc7-Wc4AI4xV4QSCMeIYc4NGBcj9z4-7pxAF/w640-h480/HacMochitiltic-%20chapel%20nave.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A long narrow <i>capilla</i> is attached to the side of the refining facility</b>. A <i>capilla</i> (chapel) is a standard feature at most of the haciendas I have visited. Usually they are attached to the <i>casa grande</i> or are closely adjacent to it. However, in this case, the <i>capilla</i> is next to the work area. The <i>capilla</i> was primarily for the use of the <i>hacendado, </i>his family, and the employees who lived on the property. If the <i>hacienda</i> was in a remote location, a priest might be one of its residents.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddBuY5Z1T24lK8j6YRpqNjk7BUEYU_IZ93DcPeJJ-821zgh09mYkdhOLV9zmjN06k41g2N3cWj9lwKKMYR9oS9glttfAmOoOBAKtss6wW9UmTGxgtzv_XRqM3Ge1-weSi8eje2vc6nRB0Bas_YPHP1Fhq5nejM6qFf8EGyMoLWh-Aj_XpIb1DZHIs1YIM/s720/HacMochitiltic-%20chapel%20cross.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddBuY5Z1T24lK8j6YRpqNjk7BUEYU_IZ93DcPeJJ-821zgh09mYkdhOLV9zmjN06k41g2N3cWj9lwKKMYR9oS9glttfAmOoOBAKtss6wW9UmTGxgtzv_XRqM3Ge1-weSi8eje2vc6nRB0Bas_YPHP1Fhq5nejM6qFf8EGyMoLWh-Aj_XpIb1DZHIs1YIM/w480-h640/HacMochitiltic-%20chapel%20cross.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A cross on the wall revealed the room's purpose</b>. When I first visited, I didn't pay much attention to this room. On my second visit, one of our party remarked upon the cross and I immediately checked it out. The dimensions of the room and the cross almost certainly mean that this was the old <i>capilla</i>. The fact that the room is in ruins is a bit unusual. In many <i>ex-haciendas</i>, even if the rest of the structures are in ruins, the <i>capilla</i> will usually be intact. Local people often keep them neat and tidy and continue to use them for religious purposes. </span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoViUS5D564BH9tyikjjqfJvnExcNO1NxJ3AkZddI2GsadNft0otbiawOlf5BDwlNccI2IcqsAcqss2wQZOq7WzFHhZo2D5wb6V9ezYZJy-2OU9pxRiJqiu5CF9tAF0iOjRMYT2LeG04NlVvodmtOCwoWnbh_3JAjA8nY3fMBcJG0DIGFX5FjrGzritVi/s540/HacMochitiltic-%20arches%20fr%20front%20&%20Peter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="540" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoViUS5D564BH9tyikjjqfJvnExcNO1NxJ3AkZddI2GsadNft0otbiawOlf5BDwlNccI2IcqsAcqss2wQZOq7WzFHhZo2D5wb6V9ezYZJy-2OU9pxRiJqiu5CF9tAF0iOjRMYT2LeG04NlVvodmtOCwoWnbh_3JAjA8nY3fMBcJG0DIGFX5FjrGzritVi/w640-h500/HacMochitiltic-%20arches%20fr%20front%20&%20Peter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Peter, one of my fellow Hacienda Hunters, walks by the arches. </b>These are the same ones seen in the first photo. Just beyond the arches, you can see the metal bars of a modern corral. The grounds of <i>ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic</i> are now used to hold livestock. On my first visit we saw some horses but they were not around when we came the second time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 4 of my series on <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> and its silver mines. In the next part, I will continue with <i>ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic</i>, focusing on the industrial parts where the ore was refined. I hope you enjoyed this posting and, if so, will please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below, or email me directly.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-37795660691484920362024-02-14T19:24:00.002-06:002024-03-05T15:08:02.129-06:00The Silver Mines of Hostotipaquillo Part 3: Ex-Hacienda Labor de Guadalupe<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WEJnezSW_K0CqdfCofHL-mo4585o-Ru7CE6y5t4Wji2wF8pfz5VGi7jeeOffaCDSdcJ3H952U-jr-JVOFiMPaC8E7RtbvELx22euR3DUvaXclp1ccG3OueAyvaA7pjd33bLAKgzkeysUMqcofGq5inKiM9Fj84BaVoRKaE44ylpFseHx6G7JFCWdaxh9/s720/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20entr%20stairs%20&%20bell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WEJnezSW_K0CqdfCofHL-mo4585o-Ru7CE6y5t4Wji2wF8pfz5VGi7jeeOffaCDSdcJ3H952U-jr-JVOFiMPaC8E7RtbvELx22euR3DUvaXclp1ccG3OueAyvaA7pjd33bLAKgzkeysUMqcofGq5inKiM9Fj84BaVoRKaE44ylpFseHx6G7JFCWdaxh9/w480-h640/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20entr%20stairs%20&%20bell.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The <i>Casa Grande</i> and <i>Capilla</i> overlook a small but attractive <i>Plaza</i></b>. <span>The bell on the roof is rung by the rope hanging down from it. A mural of the <i>Virgen de Guadalupe </i>can be seen through the arch of the arcade, just under the bell<i>. </i></span></span>While the Big House and its Chapel appear to be in good shape, the structures behind them are in ruins. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The remains of <i>Ex-Hacienda Labor de Guadalupe</i> and the <i>Plaza</i> sit on a slope just above the main road that passes through the <i>pueblo</i>. They are another example of the many <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> (silver refining operations) that once dotted the rugged mountains around <i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-silver-mines-of-hostotipaquillo.html">Hostotipaquillo</a></i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In the previous two parts of this series, I showed you other <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> and outlined the organization of the colonial mining industry. I also explained the refining processes and described a number of the problems afflicting miners in this tough and unforgiving frontier country. In Part 3, I'll tell you about the owners of the mines and refining operations and how they acquired their properties. But first, I'll tell you how to find this old hacienda.<br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyXWpVHcgrwZ2_QZBJQeyEom_lSR3_tBWKpjcaxvbJ0hPNTpNJDWqgnvz_r1ufPkvdZJwv6oEhgvaXtyPQTJKF8F-NyQfJOBFYmucjmguVfwCsj4m23qOhk7S6NwgVEV6FDU0VMNe5boGJIloaca8MWkCv1XQr3qf_JQZWSxYN3GE2DnxZYNbNy-peFuV/s2296/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-10%20at%204.09.44%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="2296" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyXWpVHcgrwZ2_QZBJQeyEom_lSR3_tBWKpjcaxvbJ0hPNTpNJDWqgnvz_r1ufPkvdZJwv6oEhgvaXtyPQTJKF8F-NyQfJOBFYmucjmguVfwCsj4m23qOhk7S6NwgVEV6FDU0VMNe5boGJIloaca8MWkCv1XQr3qf_JQZWSxYN3GE2DnxZYNbNy-peFuV/w640-h398/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-10%20at%204.09.44%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Route from <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> to the <i>hacienda</i></b>. </span>For the route to <i>Hostotipaquillo, </i>please refer to Part 1 of this series. As you approach the outskirts of <i>Hostotipaquillo</i>, the road splits. In the middle of the fork is a statue of the Virgin Mary with the pueblo's name beneath it in colorful letters. Take the right fork and drive approximately 800m (875yds) to another fork. Again, go right until you reach the "T" intersection with <i>Camino Hostotipaquillo</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Turn right and follow the <i>Camino</i> approximately 6.7km (9mi) to <i>Labor de Guadulape</i>. Follow the road into the town and over a small bridge. After a short distance, you will encounter the <i>Plaza</i>, marked by a line of trees on your right. Park and walk up a stairway and you will find the <i>casa grande</i> and its <i>capilla</i> just above the <i>Plaza</i>. For an interactive Google map of the area, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Ajijic,+Jalisco,+Mexico/Labor+de+Guadalupe,+46455+Jalisco,+Mexico/@20.6700048,-103.5444408,10z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x842f414c90a728b5:0xb8d60a7105a49d63!2m2!1d-103.2637074!2d20.2996995!3m4!1m2!1d-103.4356597!2d20.4216325!3s0x842f50d922446583:0xecf8eb1e27635472!1m5!1m1!1s0x84264431ec9d9cef:0x2fe1b6c7c34ce58e!2m2!1d-104.0202902!2d21.0284449!3e0?entry=ttu">click here</a>.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xQqNctJ7y2oxSxa9-iuOVyoIxM8-kRynRmLwsOJpEklybgLwikZW1TxpPIaato5EzUgtNWO95rSjWf5Dejk0fJgHYATZY3oUxBULJ8sBFHitHRYl_AYubDKQNnHDLMnn7fGuokjnz0LTU94LoJJ9cjwgGJzb-kf_2vMbQjwaoHviNISvKyc43AELMoMd/s540/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20fr%20front%20right.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xQqNctJ7y2oxSxa9-iuOVyoIxM8-kRynRmLwsOJpEklybgLwikZW1TxpPIaato5EzUgtNWO95rSjWf5Dejk0fJgHYATZY3oUxBULJ8sBFHitHRYl_AYubDKQNnHDLMnn7fGuokjnz0LTU94LoJJ9cjwgGJzb-kf_2vMbQjwaoHviNISvKyc43AELMoMd/w640-h480/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20fr%20front%20right.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Casa Grande</i>, viewed from the right</b>. There are two <i>campanarios</i> (bell towers). The right one, over the <i>Capilla,</i> was used for religious purposes. The one on the left was for announcing the workday's beginning and end. Either one or both might be used for emergency alerts in case of fires or bandit raids. At the top of the left end of the Casa Grande is a bastion with gun slits and another sits atop the right end. Today, in more peaceful times, the Casa Grande is occupied by several local families.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The mines and <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> originally belonged to prospectors who arrived in the early 17th century. They discovered the ore and built the facilities to refine it. The chronicles of <i>Real de Etzatlán</i>, a nearby mining district, describe such early prospectors as "unscrupulous and eager for wealth." The ore they discovered was at or near the surface and easy to mine. However, as this ore ran out, they found it necessary to dig deeper. This required costly equipment, especially when they reached the water table and flooding occurred. As a result, many mines were abandoned or were taken over by men who had the necessary investment capital.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uRXD7cdJoRPjPn3iaSLweMKK6_xxuYKKDTr7OmNcsuKKYxiQI6Z17QpkJ0rpHMgHD2pJIEQYNdf2CXITRn7FwTBBVkpt5g2dlnvtyQ34dQhuPlYxTVVIF7LDT-TCR2LEZH9plFznSZmKx4_wia3CtAdWIKVarLGId-MD_23Um-49H5q1I4sjFWXJes40/s625/HacLaLabor-%20calendars%20in%20zaguan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uRXD7cdJoRPjPn3iaSLweMKK6_xxuYKKDTr7OmNcsuKKYxiQI6Z17QpkJ0rpHMgHD2pJIEQYNdf2CXITRn7FwTBBVkpt5g2dlnvtyQ34dQhuPlYxTVVIF7LDT-TCR2LEZH9plFznSZmKx4_wia3CtAdWIKVarLGId-MD_23Um-49H5q1I4sjFWXJes40/w552-h640/HacLaLabor-%20calendars%20in%20zaguan.jpg" width="552" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Two calendars hang in the <i>zaguan</i> (entrance foyer) of the <i>Casa Grande.</i> </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cowboys and deep religious faith are part of the culture of Jalisco, especially in rural areas. Mexican cowboys (<i>vaqueros</i> in Spanish) long pre-date those in the US. In fact, key elements of cowboy culture, such as cattlemen's associations, livestock brands, and long distance cattle drives originated in medieval Spain. The second calendar displays the <i>Virgen de Guadalupe, </i>who is the patron of Mexico and particularly of its poor and indigenous people. The <i>hacienda</i> and the <i>pueblo</i> which grew up around it were named for the <i>Virgen de Guadalupe</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Merchants were the largest investors in </span><i>Hostotipaquillo's</i> mining industry. Many small merchants, as well as a few larger ones from Guadalajara, set up shop at the mines and <i>haciendas de beneficio </i>to sell the mine owners and their workers everything they needed. In spite of all the silver production, actual cash was always in short supply. The merchants offered credit and the debts the mine owners incurred often resulted in foreclosures. Direct investment was another avenue to merchant ownership. By the 18th century nearly every merchant in Guadalajara was involved in the mining business.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt_wVCluMU3cpnRO8E_QmqJc5iw9GUwWaYOh4-qO6_kspwRq9Y5N00u0l7i52HyPlHECvCxZCxeF5cUCfM7EkiI8vshA0nD4oVXmZrguLe9-HeKpJ4x2Bf_0KzGb03Ha_4gz5GypkcSYISpFnhgV1UC2AiUWMEGhm69PhlMeE8uEMdj-6vbtOjLmxK5h2/s721/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20ruined%20stairs3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt_wVCluMU3cpnRO8E_QmqJc5iw9GUwWaYOh4-qO6_kspwRq9Y5N00u0l7i52HyPlHECvCxZCxeF5cUCfM7EkiI8vshA0nD4oVXmZrguLe9-HeKpJ4x2Bf_0KzGb03Ha_4gz5GypkcSYISpFnhgV1UC2AiUWMEGhm69PhlMeE8uEMdj-6vbtOjLmxK5h2/w480-h640/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20ruined%20stairs3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Behind the Casa Grande, we encountered these old ruins</b>. A set of steps leads up to a second story made of plaster-covered <i>adobe</i>. Near the base of the steps is a square opening that may be part of a wood-fired oven. The structures located behind the <i>Casa Grande</i> are all in ruins and their original functions are hard to discern. The </span><i>Casa Grande's</i> architecture is from the 19th century. However, it may have been built later than the ruined buildings behind it. It is possible that this <i>ex-hacienda</i> originated in the 18th or even 17th centuries, with remodeling occurring in later periods. My information is too limited to say for sure. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Many of the great estates around <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> and other parts of <i>Jalisco</i> originated from the work of a merchant who set up shop at a mine. Often the merchant would establish a monopoly on goods sold at the property through special arrangements with the owner. The merchant might also arrange to buy silver ingots directly from a <i>hacienda de beneficio's</i> owner at a discount and then resell it at a profit. This allowed him to accumulate capital which could then be loaned or invested in <i>barras</i> (shares) of the mine. Over time, he would establish full ownership. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Next, the merchant/miner might purchase a <i>hacienda de beneficio</i> to avoid paying someone else to refine the ore from his mine. Having integrated these operations, he would then buy a <i>hacienda de ganado y agricola</i> so that he could supply his other operations with food, leather, and mules. Some of these mules would power his machinery and pumps and others would haul the ore from the mine to the mill and then take the ingots to Guadalajara. With all parts of his organization supporting each other, the owner could profit mightily, as long as the silver veins held out and he could obtain the mercury to refine it.</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-l8YXYtm045ttC9-DLALCoT4jWGvxUUqE-KC1O3bB0mKPmsYbHanMkJV4QhdczFMGAXCb3IThmauXF9xfmBBDgVDc6_JfuiYakUbwgi_tFeSQJT_rZjEP9oG30YBA_ZrsxIE7dFG_XduGlebNrmI-vFPg1x5yt2qwEnxpH653NnxBa1yMTR9DOX4ZgFXV/s720/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20ruined%20walls%20adobe2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-l8YXYtm045ttC9-DLALCoT4jWGvxUUqE-KC1O3bB0mKPmsYbHanMkJV4QhdczFMGAXCb3IThmauXF9xfmBBDgVDc6_JfuiYakUbwgi_tFeSQJT_rZjEP9oG30YBA_ZrsxIE7dFG_XduGlebNrmI-vFPg1x5yt2qwEnxpH653NnxBa1yMTR9DOX4ZgFXV/w480-h640/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20ruined%20walls%20adobe2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>More of the ruined structures</b>. The walls in the foreground are of brick, covered with plaster. Because of their cost, bricks weren't widely used in rural Mexico until the 19th century, so this structure was probably built in that time period. The brick wall is up against another structure made of rough stone, which is probably from the 18th century, or even the 17th. The structures follow the rise of the slope behind the <i>Casa Grande</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Church organizations and individual clerics were also heavily involved in the mining business. This was in spite of a royal decree in 1642 explicitly forbidding it. The Crown was worried about the Church amassing too much economic and political power. However, this prohibition was widely ignored because Crown officials were far away in Guadalajara or Mexico City. In addition, many of those officials were related to the clerics who became mine owners, or had ties to Church organizations with mining interests.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In the absence of a formal banking system, convents and other ecclesiastical organizations often functioned as investment banks. If the owner of a mine or refining operation defaulted, the Church became the owner. Ownership was also achieved through <i>donaciones</i> (gifts) or through the wills of mine owners who were apparently attempting to buy themselves a "stairway to heaven." A individual cleric who obtained a mine ownership through a family inheritance was expected to divest himself of it over time, but many did not. </span></div></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA2jKIfwweaGvTVgHc3sfX9bmOXYBpSXsCF6YpQGajIZOxRoF6nYIpY9AJLT-1MZm9amjvEk5TTi_o-XKv1SiqSmKso2G2xrMcxSEktVPKhNjNB9RF7X1R8UbmLtwREdIRpTYwlhmG_oMuZpaRoOiNEUNT-Pni_1SIKhdf_vMXeA9iiuiU2x4RRHl4KGS/s540/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20ruined%20wall%20&%20agave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA2jKIfwweaGvTVgHc3sfX9bmOXYBpSXsCF6YpQGajIZOxRoF6nYIpY9AJLT-1MZm9amjvEk5TTi_o-XKv1SiqSmKso2G2xrMcxSEktVPKhNjNB9RF7X1R8UbmLtwREdIRpTYwlhmG_oMuZpaRoOiNEUNT-Pni_1SIKhdf_vMXeA9iiuiU2x4RRHl4KGS/w640-h480/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20ruined%20wall%20&%20agave.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A spiky agave grows in the middle of what was once an adobe room</b>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Other owners/investors in the silver mining industry were government officials. Like members of the clergy, officials were forbidden by Crown decree from participation in mining. And, like the clergy, many officials ignored the prohibition. Their public duties resulted in direct contact with owners of mining businesses and official decisions could have significant impacts those businesses. For example, some officials acted as agents for the sale of mercury, vital to the refining process. Others were assayers of silver quality. Still others were tax agents for the Royal Treasury.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In the performance of their duties, government officials could grant favors, overlook transgressions, and affect the course of lawsuits. In return, they might receive a <i>donación</i>, such as a part ownership of a mining property. In some cases, when the favor was great and an owner was particularly wealthy, they might even receive a whole mine. Nepotism was also a factor. Officials would often obtain jobs in the mining business for their relatives or friends. All this was expressly prohibited by the royal decree, but it was impossible to enforce given the distances involved and the greed of the officials.</span></div></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW-RfwjaiRaXrnPV2V_EfqcaLRijowx5hhdVAsFJwn5z1As0XylJe0I5HgT3NVztIonOjy7wuADhKMDlFz8acPtoUwvynN0Rca3FjO_JVQB8C4T4cO5497PWSMlJgrwOIE0RcBJ_cYOclUCizt5j6HCByUYLnEmLZRzZYevk4r-9v4POxlqfxQiuoVDMM/s674/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20adobe%20wall%20&%20woodpile.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW-RfwjaiRaXrnPV2V_EfqcaLRijowx5hhdVAsFJwn5z1As0XylJe0I5HgT3NVztIonOjy7wuADhKMDlFz8acPtoUwvynN0Rca3FjO_JVQB8C4T4cO5497PWSMlJgrwOIE0RcBJ_cYOclUCizt5j6HCByUYLnEmLZRzZYevk4r-9v4POxlqfxQiuoVDMM/w512-h640/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20adobe%20wall%20&%20woodpile.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Firewood stacked against an <i>adobe</i> wall</b>. While electricity and natural gas are available in much of rural Mexico, cooking and heating with firewood are still used in many households. Although it requires more work, firewood is cheaper than the other two energy sources. It is sometimes said in Mexico "things are expensive, but labor is cheap."</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Members of the military were yet another important group of owners/investors. A study of <i>Hostotipaquillo's </i>18th century mining industry shows that at least 38 military officers were owners of mining properties. These included 3 colonels, 31 captains, and 3 sergeants. In many cases, it appears that these military men were primarily doing business with each other rather than with outside parties.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">How did they acquire their mining properties? Of the 38 military men, 20 received ownership through <i>donaciones. </i>What may have been given in exchange for these "gifts" is not clear. By contrast, existing records show that only 5 properties were directly purchased by someone in the military. Another 3 were obtained through <i>herencia</i> (inheritance), <i>embargo</i> (foreclosure), or <i>denuncio</i> (claiming an abandoned property). The method of acquisition is unknown for the remaining 15 properties.</span></div></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnR3b0VuvuWbTXadmTGL27m8SFhwOfoejqubpf0yp170UwQFpbP_cPG-6Of5ZTgaSt9u7hBMuI4ILRaR2KbAaowFgqOxx_faqB0vhXXHGNmV8L3dBx9YlugQj2_QQxJcsA4uwPFUG23wdMvhSlgmHr9Kr2uLVihyWGOukRNNMn-NwxGcefV7FrXDfrM4r/s720/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20outbldg%20rustic%20int.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnR3b0VuvuWbTXadmTGL27m8SFhwOfoejqubpf0yp170UwQFpbP_cPG-6Of5ZTgaSt9u7hBMuI4ILRaR2KbAaowFgqOxx_faqB0vhXXHGNmV8L3dBx9YlugQj2_QQxJcsA4uwPFUG23wdMvhSlgmHr9Kr2uLVihyWGOukRNNMn-NwxGcefV7FrXDfrM4r/w480-h640/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20outbldg%20rustic%20int.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A rough shed stood next to the firewood</b>. I have always admired how rural Mexicans use whatever is at hand to solve a problem, often with considerable ingenuity. In this case, the shed's builder eschewed cut lumber or some other manufactured support in favor of a forked log. No doubt the lower fork will be useful when the owner of the shed wants to hang something to keep it off the floor. Except for the corrugated metal roof covering the rough branches used for rafters, this could have been a structure from early colonial times.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The merchants, clerics, government officials and military men did not usually run their mining operations themselves. They each had their own professional duties to perform, so they employed relatives or professional administrators to operate the business. In some cases, they simply rented out the properties. The resulting income, whether it was direct or through rentals, enabled the owners to live comfortable lives in <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> or even as far away as <i>Guadalajara</i>.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneRsxPzRK2xUZOToezeka-EZSroJTlaopR0Rys4k8mhdaVJ9UnRnbBmZ9YExte3TgPDBJKXHnquoQw9_cGmLF_KKwZ3KM04WU5SffXK5rq7GGZeRgew9QZ3DP9ttLbLy8FNwgdDvrCgWdf490_yJq6Vmz2UrUA7Zqfc7F11SUQpCVcMO_XIFl69E8CGIJ/s540/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20stone%20trough.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="540" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneRsxPzRK2xUZOToezeka-EZSroJTlaopR0Rys4k8mhdaVJ9UnRnbBmZ9YExte3TgPDBJKXHnquoQw9_cGmLF_KKwZ3KM04WU5SffXK5rq7GGZeRgew9QZ3DP9ttLbLy8FNwgdDvrCgWdf490_yJq6Vmz2UrUA7Zqfc7F11SUQpCVcMO_XIFl69E8CGIJ/w640-h498/HacLaLabor-%20cg%20rear%20stone%20trough.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I found this old stone trough inside one of the ruined buildings</b>. It is impossible to say whether this is an artifact of a bygone era or a more modern creation. Such troughs have been in use for watering animals for hundreds of years and still are. I didn't see any livestock in the ruins, but it is possible that they were somewhere else at the time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 3 of my Hostotipaquillo series. I hope you have enjoyed it. Please leave any questions or thoughts in the Comments section below. If you leave a question, please remember to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-71110212681765933972024-02-02T19:30:00.000-06:002024-02-02T19:30:16.614-06:00The Silver Mines of Hostotipaquillo Part 2: Ex-Hacienda de Santa Maria<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GfCXzl2wmkLMCCy6bDwAhedHdOMZ8LZGK98MWVa5BzceZ1cdZo8mY1G5uV8dKOWIlxQt08omoQJYzxBqaJoYzf3pTjFY5CJJqeYtQL3RL39awt_ujnfy_x0qYaaBWsuRcZydR2-jhOjJIOw0WU7o3Tt2D0CL5qhWcxFW-X55sgcYek83iOcIrkppzk3F/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20columns%20w:one%20fallen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GfCXzl2wmkLMCCy6bDwAhedHdOMZ8LZGK98MWVa5BzceZ1cdZo8mY1G5uV8dKOWIlxQt08omoQJYzxBqaJoYzf3pTjFY5CJJqeYtQL3RL39awt_ujnfy_x0qYaaBWsuRcZydR2-jhOjJIOw0WU7o3Tt2D0CL5qhWcxFW-X55sgcYek83iOcIrkppzk3F/w640-h640/HacSantaMaria-%20columns%20w:one%20fallen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A row of columns bisects the ruins of the old <i>hacienda</i></b>. The column in the foreground has fallen from its base. <i>Ex-Hacienda de Santa Maria</i> is one of numerous <i>haciendas </i>that dot the former <i>Real</i> (mining district) of<i> Hostotipaquillo. </i></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This <i>hacienda de beneficio</i> (ore refining operation) was established in 1680 to service mines in the area. It also functioned as a <i>hacienda de ganado y agricola</i> to produce livestock and agricultural products for the mining community. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1712, <i>Hacienda Santa Maria</i> was owned by <i>Nicolás Zertucha</i>, a military officer. Two years later, in 1714, he bought the <i>Nuestra Señora de los Remedios</i> mine to provide ore for his refining operation. It was not unusual for the same person or family to own a mine, a refining operation, and a food and livestock property.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, I will show you the ruins of <i>ex-Hacienda de Santa Maria</i> and tell you a bit about colonial silver mining and some of its problems. I'll also introduce you to some of the current residents--human and animal--of this picturesque site.</span><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Overview</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJrGOmX-qZs5AGd8ABgXFuo4fyzXjK1O2kTX_0LZCDHt5ZJaRwP_F701SIny_Wgty2x9sHFvafnUJDilVdFuMGWG-FggwNhP2PlbY8AfpUssxQaOKCJm5QnVa9LoDuCX2RNkWhhqk5Mn2-E3uComZW9y_wLAfdyXc_W0dtCFJ65ZYBbc2SZUrsTItcq3w/s1518/Route%20to%20Hda%20Santa%20Maria,%20google%20map.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1518" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJrGOmX-qZs5AGd8ABgXFuo4fyzXjK1O2kTX_0LZCDHt5ZJaRwP_F701SIny_Wgty2x9sHFvafnUJDilVdFuMGWG-FggwNhP2PlbY8AfpUssxQaOKCJm5QnVa9LoDuCX2RNkWhhqk5Mn2-E3uComZW9y_wLAfdyXc_W0dtCFJ65ZYBbc2SZUrsTItcq3w/w640-h514/Route%20to%20Hda%20Santa%20Maria,%20google%20map.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The route from <i>Ajijic</i> to the <i>Ex-Hacienda de Santa Maria</i></b>. From <i>Ajijic</i>, you head east and take the <i>Libramiento</i> (free road) to the highway that links <i>Chapala</i> to <i>Guadalajara</i>. Just north of <i>Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos</i>, you head west on the <i>Macrolibramiento</i> (a toll road). Continue on the toll road until you connect with the 15D <i>cuota</i> (another toll road). </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Then, you head west, past <i>Tequila</i> to <i>Magdalena</i>. Exiting at <i>Magdalena</i>, you continue west through the town on Highway 15 (a free road). About 2 km past the western outskirts of <i>Magdalena</i>, a road branches off to the right at the sign for <i>Santo Domingo</i>. Follow this road until you reach the third road branching off to the right. </span>There is no sign for <i>Santa Maria</i> so the turn is easy to miss. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The road to the pueblo of <i>Santa Maria</i> heads to the top of a hill where you reach the outskirts of the pueblo. The main road curves sharply to the right, but you should continue straight on a side road on the left that heads down hill. Turn left at your first intersection and you have reached the <i>hacienda's</i> ruins. Click on this <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ex+Hacienda+De+Santa+Mar%C3%ADa/@20.9480341,-103.997605,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x84264166f44cf5cb:0xe3ddc563711700ae!8m2!3d20.9591155!4d-103.9987208!16s%2Fg%2F11c6f03yp7?entry=ttu">Google map</a> for the final stage of the journey.</span></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehgqhSiznQx_ZNo6gCT6A6B5yvpFS52KaFDI245OcILFtuowREjx99S_vDXR7wyaq3dKmDsFX2_YHFQiohbUu5PIXyj35tZyYweyJ6v5NrRgI6c4YZ-W3-C0GHu5SuOCIDyItex11BYVmpI-heiVM08ioZK1IHajvC3dovVPahXYOMMF1znANsA5bqTQt/s1017/HacSantaMaria-%20Jim%20C%20with%20group%20by%20Marilyn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1017" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehgqhSiznQx_ZNo6gCT6A6B5yvpFS52KaFDI245OcILFtuowREjx99S_vDXR7wyaq3dKmDsFX2_YHFQiohbUu5PIXyj35tZyYweyJ6v5NrRgI6c4YZ-W3-C0GHu5SuOCIDyItex11BYVmpI-heiVM08ioZK1IHajvC3dovVPahXYOMMF1znANsA5bqTQt/w640-h418/HacSantaMaria-%20Jim%20C%20with%20group%20by%20Marilyn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Before touring the <i>ex-hacienda</i>, I briefed our group on colonial silver mining</b>. The ruined <i>adobe</i> structures on the left are part of the hacienda complex. The search for silver and gold were top priorities for the Spanish conquistadors. At the time of the Spanish arrival, precious metals were obtained through simple panning methods, but those sources were quickly exhausted. In the 1540s, after the fall of the Aztecs, the Spanish found major deposits in <i>Zacatecas</i> and then in <i>Guanajuato</i> and <i>Taxco</i>. </span><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <a href="https://www.sutori.com/en/story/spanish-colonial-america-and-silver-mining--NqdqZdmDPzmMypuoWsnfGa5j">flood of silver</a> (and to a lesser extent gold) had massive world-wide effects. Spain, then a part of the Holy Roman Empire, became rich overnight. The money funded a series of European dynastic wars, as well as further conquests in the Americas. All this made Spain a world power. The silver monetized the European economy and international trade, helping launch the early stages of capitalism.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The silver flowed toward Asia as well as Europe. The Spanish established a trading post in the Philippines and used the silver to obtain Chinese silks, fine ceramics, and other luxury items. The famous Manila Galleons carried these goods to <i>Acapulco</i> and <i>San Blas</i> for trans-shipment to Spain. Mexican silver also helped monetize the Chinese economy. The search for new mines soon became intense. Then, at the start of the 17th century, silver was discovered in the rugged mountains around <i>Hostotipaquillo</i>. </span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Hacienda de Beneficio Santa Maria</i></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSauFsjea5zbotrXkcb_9sthKMEtmTFHQ_g7XwYEwYJxHHQqRc0dNYbpd6M4nAwjbouos_BXIvATyDGLJ3vTNzbW_v3cXzBgjoeBTB06wte_ZXJweG8y5Icjn0hEgkauQ4mTopfBLKHskM5pUgPl4wjDR8tkgWw34qddKnkWeXeEr1-X3mnLdqQen7GKrn/s720/HacSantaMaria-%20gate%20post.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSauFsjea5zbotrXkcb_9sthKMEtmTFHQ_g7XwYEwYJxHHQqRc0dNYbpd6M4nAwjbouos_BXIvATyDGLJ3vTNzbW_v3cXzBgjoeBTB06wte_ZXJweG8y5Icjn0hEgkauQ4mTopfBLKHskM5pUgPl4wjDR8tkgWw34qddKnkWeXeEr1-X3mnLdqQen7GKrn/w480-h640/HacSantaMaria-%20gate%20post.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Remains of the gate post at the old entrance of the <i>hacienda</i></b>. There would have been a massive gate here to protect the refining operation and its store of newly poured silver ingots. Only one of the two gate posts remains. Although mining could be immensely profitable, there were a number of problems that had to be surmounted in order for these operations to pay off.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.cucea.udg.mx/include/publicaciones/coorinv/pdf/Libro_mineria_201_20.pdf">In the early days</a>, rich deposits could be found near the surface. As time went on, however, this "low-hanging fruit" became exhausted. Mines had to be dug deeper to follow the veins. As the depth grew, so did the danger of cave-ins. Even worse, when the water table was reached, massive flooding could occur. This often caused mines to be abandoned. Only those mine owners with the ability to pay for pumping could continue.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Until the invention of large steam pumps in the 19th century, the only recourse was to winch up buckets of water by mule power. The equipment, the mules, and the men to operate the system were expensive. Mules were also needed to haul the ore down to the <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> and to then haul the finished ingots to <i>Guadalajara</i>. Producing a steady supply of mules was one of the functions of the <i>haciendas de ganado y agricola</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQI-qJuuePZf817edmWLV4Yei44ZoJoummnQF2cOhY3QY-ZnI-iwUexLoTqhHXKbIuyb7eAtMNfQXKbzSxuJxVrbqz4TIhxRF7pJEpBf7DIzQ_RFGlCa4cdiMhNFfWabShkAhkYrfhn-q69kgtYaN1Rv9_UvalTLgQYhMaxbGqx4vQgeU6s8mWPo0xEBoY/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20wall%20&%20fields.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQI-qJuuePZf817edmWLV4Yei44ZoJoummnQF2cOhY3QY-ZnI-iwUexLoTqhHXKbIuyb7eAtMNfQXKbzSxuJxVrbqz4TIhxRF7pJEpBf7DIzQ_RFGlCa4cdiMhNFfWabShkAhkYrfhn-q69kgtYaN1Rv9_UvalTLgQYhMaxbGqx4vQgeU6s8mWPo0xEBoY/w640-h480/HacSantaMaria-%20wall%20&%20fields.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This high adobe wall once surrounded the operation</b>. On a <i>hacienda</i>, the structures within such a wall were called the <i>casco</i>. This translates as "helmet" and the term is apt since those structures were the nerve center of the hacienda. The walls protected the valuables and the people inside from attackers. Who were these attackers? Their identities changed over the centuries, but they always presented a danger.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">During the early days, the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichimeca">Chichimeca</a></i> were the primary threat. The name is a catchall for several different nomadic tribes who had inhabited northern and western Mexico for centuries. They were fierce warriors and, having no fixed villages, were extremely difficult to find and conquer. Attempts to use them as slaves in the mines usually failed because they simply refused to work. <i>Chichimeca</i> raids finally ended when peace was negotiated at the end of the 17th century.<br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu0jilGWJeSXvI4JrBiMm_o9P0gWypESCOJy-GKirbomvKs9-VUSv1VmsYQeNmj9UG1UdouMC-Ib7TJEiE4bnG29jP_LwTS7eQqng-llqUHDSAZB0YOH1GmxDyidLLYU3r1RV14gdabbT9MBKLWCXeZZ0DIJ9F9cqS0OKK6u-r7D4sPIUaQpaQVCldi1Q/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20Peter%20&%20columns.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu0jilGWJeSXvI4JrBiMm_o9P0gWypESCOJy-GKirbomvKs9-VUSv1VmsYQeNmj9UG1UdouMC-Ib7TJEiE4bnG29jP_LwTS7eQqng-llqUHDSAZB0YOH1GmxDyidLLYU3r1RV14gdabbT9MBKLWCXeZZ0DIJ9F9cqS0OKK6u-r7D4sPIUaQpaQVCldi1Q/w640-h480/HacSantaMaria-%20Peter%20&%20columns.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Peter walks through the ruins</b>. Peter and his wife Marilyn have become regulars on our Hacienda Hunts. He is surrounded by some interesting features, including the columns seen before, some circular pits on the left and an oven with an arched top on the right. We will examine these features in some detail a bit later.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Bandit gangs were a problem that grew during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Until the start of the 18th century, ordinary people did fairly well. Full-blooded Spaniards had the most social and economic opportunities, of course. However, the great die-off of the native population in the 16th and 17th centuries (almost 90% in many areas) created a severe labor shortage, so the <i>mestizos</i> (mixed blood) and the surviving natives could generally live decently and even prosper.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">However, when the population recovered, cities grew and productive land became more valuable. As a result, life for ordinary people became progressively worse. <i>Haciendas</i> expanded, squeezing small <i>mestizo</i> farmers and native villagers off their lands. The <i>tiendas de raya</i> (company stores) on the <i>haciendas</i> turned workers into debt-slaves. The increased availability of mine labor also meant stagnant wages and worse working conditions. As a result, many young men turned to banditry. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9e62xXBhu_HATgUrefrl81lxlS8K6lggXU84qNA5LXBftA-S9YHz8ofqKpMUX9mpUkQRAScwZecCx563LuUhDUvkWxOTl2Y8qzN9InK6jqOFvABtZB9suWUjS-HQwmN9KB2I44UcSZjk37_XLaC5eg_UPY3HE4HVsK20XOtI0I_XTzhmMKIK5VNKUjPBz/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20grindstone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="540" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9e62xXBhu_HATgUrefrl81lxlS8K6lggXU84qNA5LXBftA-S9YHz8ofqKpMUX9mpUkQRAScwZecCx563LuUhDUvkWxOTl2Y8qzN9InK6jqOFvABtZB9suWUjS-HQwmN9KB2I44UcSZjk37_XLaC5eg_UPY3HE4HVsK20XOtI0I_XTzhmMKIK5VNKUjPBz/w640-h522/HacSantaMaria-%20grindstone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>An old grindstone was set upright in the ground</b>. It was not clear whether the stone was used to grind ore or possibly agave in the tequila-making process. It may also have served to grind corn or wheat into flour. Possibly the grindstone served all of these purposes over the centuries.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When the War of Independence broke out in 1810, the <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/208909358?sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals">danger to haciendas</a> like <i>Santa Maria</i> soared. Either insurgent forces or those of the royalists might show up and demand food, horses, conscripts, and silver. If either side thought the other might get control of the area, a <i>hacienda de beneficio's</i> equipment might be destroyed. As the war ground on for a decade, many insurgent bands became little more than gangs of bandits who often raided <i>haciendas</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Following the end of the Independence War in 1821, internal warfare continued through most of the 19th century. This included an almost unending series of </span>military coups and uprisings, civil wars, and foreign invasions. The effect on <i>haciendas</i> was similar to what happened during the Independence War. After the French occupation ended in 1867, things did settle down a bit. However, the demobilized soldiers often joined or formed bandit gangs, which continued as a threat to<i> haciendas</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj374U6vB4g-Uki9O_kG38OHG7wkKEkHFHzrmgzBnFvim1GIUJNIOu8mtxFCdRcq1799WXc45yowvOAUcvOaoJEY4bR9w5cGU4uw9rp5iuw-pG__snK50HzMGy82FbPErA77e5vbcipOQHZ_LK1Knz1ABBWoBVDcz0dHTuHb-f4jLNUqPpU98Zezbwo8prq/s720/HacSantaMaria-%20oven%20open.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj374U6vB4g-Uki9O_kG38OHG7wkKEkHFHzrmgzBnFvim1GIUJNIOu8mtxFCdRcq1799WXc45yowvOAUcvOaoJEY4bR9w5cGU4uw9rp5iuw-pG__snK50HzMGy82FbPErA77e5vbcipOQHZ_LK1Knz1ABBWoBVDcz0dHTuHb-f4jLNUqPpU98Zezbwo8prq/w480-h640/HacSantaMaria-%20oven%20open.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This is one of a series of open ovens along the base of a wall</b>. As with the grindstone, it is not clear whether these ovens were used in the ore refining process or to cook ground up agave to make tequila. One use may have succeeded the other as the economics of <i>Santa Maria</i> changed over time. Both the <i>fuera</i> and <i>azoque</i> processes for refining silver used heat (<a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-silver-mines-of-hostotipaquillo.html">see Part 1 of this series</a>). </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Still another <a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/hahr/article/50/4/665/152577/Mexican-Silver-Mining-in-the-Eighteenth-Century">big problem was with the refining itself</a>. While the <i>fuera</i> process was sufficient for high grade silver, that quality of ore eventually ran out. The ore dug from deeper levels was of lower grade and often unprofitable, causing some mines to be abandoned. The <i>azoque</i> </span><span>(</span><span>mercury amalgamation) process </span>was developed in Europe and brought to <i>Nueva España</i> in the late 16th century. By the 18th century, it was widely used to produce high quality silver from low grade ore.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The problem with the <i>azoque</i> process was that the Spanish Crown held a monopoly on mercury. This was very profitable to the Crown but expensive for mine owners. In addition, from the 16th through the early 19th centuries, Spain was embroiled in a series of European wars which often included naval blockades. These, in turn, periodically inhibited the transport of mercury to <i>Nueva España</i>. Lack of mercury prevented refining and this to led mine shutdowns. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkAGEv2PcvloMNWCJIa47SkOJPnTzq7f9ad07tDFTPTdRkYPPihjA5KuTpzTmts2rK3TFJfbH79rZfINWP-nFSTVQZ_RHdQ_JdQmhQIZOvNqCaN5q76wYy6FnCezyqqTDp6g-ZJIVcVTqxe4zuJy3a2S90RIqIWZ28nrOaetP2bIenQUa6PmaV7Jyuyml/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20distill%20pits.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="540" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkAGEv2PcvloMNWCJIa47SkOJPnTzq7f9ad07tDFTPTdRkYPPihjA5KuTpzTmts2rK3TFJfbH79rZfINWP-nFSTVQZ_RHdQ_JdQmhQIZOvNqCaN5q76wYy6FnCezyqqTDp6g-ZJIVcVTqxe4zuJy3a2S90RIqIWZ28nrOaetP2bIenQUa6PmaV7Jyuyml/w640-h424/HacSantaMaria-%20distill%20pits.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We found a number of circular pits that had been used for making tequila. </b>Over the centuries haciendas changed, or added to, what they produced. When they arrived, Spanish conquistadors observed that the native people used the wild <i>maguey</i> plant to make a mildly alcoholic beverage called <i>pulque</i>. The Spanish Crown had another monopoly on liquors like rum and brandy, so local Spaniards began to <a href="https://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-rise-of-tequila-in-18th-19th.html">distill the juice of the <i>maguey</i></a> to make a hard liquor. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At first, the liquor was only made for those living on remote <i>haciendas</i> where rum and brandy were too expensive and difficult to obtain. However, by the beginning of the 18th century, the <i>maguey</i> liquor had became so popular that <i>haciendas</i> began to produce it commercially. During this time, <i>José Cuervo</i> began large-scale planting of <i>agave azul</i> (a cultivated version of the wild <i>maguey</i>) on his <i>hacienda</i> near the <i>pueblo</i> of <i>Tequila</i>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmrNvgnyTAaU9Wq1wpm3JdicrIevfT3UcuusGK1KoMFHJRDJ7mhSBKND56SLLuXTfV9Fu4AtH74s5kqw8sKFiY0TWPdspXGrJlkpoYwk4pQmkJC8GhZsKKPsvYQ6wGNHJmcVY0IW_gQ9bUQLlxamZXVDfsfVCWpr_IMlGoW3Xbnuiv0pxgbavjpsjlKcW/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20structure%20w:cactus%20on%20top.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmrNvgnyTAaU9Wq1wpm3JdicrIevfT3UcuusGK1KoMFHJRDJ7mhSBKND56SLLuXTfV9Fu4AtH74s5kqw8sKFiY0TWPdspXGrJlkpoYwk4pQmkJC8GhZsKKPsvYQ6wGNHJmcVY0IW_gQ9bUQLlxamZXVDfsfVCWpr_IMlGoW3Xbnuiv0pxgbavjpsjlKcW/w640-h480/HacSantaMaria-%20structure%20w:cactus%20on%20top.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This ruined structure is made of <i>adobe</i> covered with plaster</b>. The arched doorway is partially bricked up so that animals can be penned up inside. Notice the <i>nopal</i> cactus growing on the top. It is not uncommon to find this on old buildings because adobe is just dirt mixed with straw. The original use of this structure is not clear. It may have contained machinery for crushing ore or possibly it served administrative purposes. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinxi7U-Dp2aUbmULa5iB-3B1UlxWbdj27ueZzJIGnsiqgLkYzjDazTF6X7TU98-KS_55cgL_M3DIchySeqQy4jJCd4cX6qA22h9n7xNv_LC1XU_syqyxDI7Jjyybm8LUwgZcnbFI7mtyYzvuXJs6XY71DSsR6e4NlGElSj0CdhzW6VRwgcRft8LmVPfvi/s720/HacSantaMaria-%20aqueduct1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinxi7U-Dp2aUbmULa5iB-3B1UlxWbdj27ueZzJIGnsiqgLkYzjDazTF6X7TU98-KS_55cgL_M3DIchySeqQy4jJCd4cX6qA22h9n7xNv_LC1XU_syqyxDI7Jjyybm8LUwgZcnbFI7mtyYzvuXJs6XY71DSsR6e4NlGElSj0CdhzW6VRwgcRft8LmVPfvi/w480-h640/HacSantaMaria-%20aqueduct1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>An old water channel runs along the base of an <i>adobe</i> wall</b>. This was part of the aqueduct that provided water for the mining operation and later for tequila distillation. Water was always a key consideration in decisions about where to establish a hacienda. Both livestock and cultivated products need it and water is also essential to many industrial processes such as refining and distillation. Litigation between haciendas over water rights, or between them and native villages, was common in the colonial court system. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEMhKwxhMxDKB0S5J_NNpftnQ70iUZQGpoXF9zppdhKaoNeY_06dK7nprpwGUNineueUfrhBAMruxbeEs8DuxhZhrJy2nxFOu1Mnr3imzDbIiHttgBoiHlqcs58aY2Bh9EybSQCJCcOY-HLxP8Z3uqFKfLboOSOgWtFn5XP2fYFdrO8dq1jEDQwUM7FzL/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20structure%20low%20w:door.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEMhKwxhMxDKB0S5J_NNpftnQ70iUZQGpoXF9zppdhKaoNeY_06dK7nprpwGUNineueUfrhBAMruxbeEs8DuxhZhrJy2nxFOu1Mnr3imzDbIiHttgBoiHlqcs58aY2Bh9EybSQCJCcOY-HLxP8Z3uqFKfLboOSOgWtFn5XP2fYFdrO8dq1jEDQwUM7FzL/w640-h480/HacSantaMaria-%20structure%20low%20w:door.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This structure is partially underground</b>. The brick building uses a natural rock formation for part of its foundation, with the entrance cut directly through the rock. The semi-subterranean nature of the building was puzzling to me at first. Then it occurred to me that this would be a good way to maintain a stable temperature. I believe that this structure may have been used to store barrels of tequila. However, this is only speculation, since the structure was completely empty when I visited.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Current Residents</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5S3z-EUN5hJuS-DSMlXZp4PXrhXqVJt8zaYOPIzazFnQE7xJI-M15xiwLJ1KN_5QTZCFPDcpC4WN_crYaa46_53xZlZxrGQ7wL-Yltnq4mOupR5c0BHnQTwntH2MuGK3yppx62WvkrGuQROcWNpzmlXXE5Tmgi4kjobg1PN7St0XJPgaiU53_ZQPXMFcr/s560/HacSantaMaria-%20children1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5S3z-EUN5hJuS-DSMlXZp4PXrhXqVJt8zaYOPIzazFnQE7xJI-M15xiwLJ1KN_5QTZCFPDcpC4WN_crYaa46_53xZlZxrGQ7wL-Yltnq4mOupR5c0BHnQTwntH2MuGK3yppx62WvkrGuQROcWNpzmlXXE5Tmgi4kjobg1PN7St0XJPgaiU53_ZQPXMFcr/w618-h640/HacSantaMaria-%20children1.jpg" width="618" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Some members of the family who live on the former <i>hacienda de beneficio</i></b>. The little girl on the right was too shy to show her face, but her mom and siblings seemed to enjoy being photographed. There were several more kids, along with a matriarchal <i>abuela</i> (grandmother), but I didn't get good photos of them. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">We never encountered any adult males, but they may have been working elsewhere. The family was curious but easy-going about our visit, which is not unusual in rural Mexico. To show we appreciated their tolerant and hospitable attitude, we left some money with the <i>abuela</i> "for the kids", which she gravely accepted.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_KiwyflzGdWYbA4TqkPMh7DTxFFYlHOl5rvpQZy0LU_5cUGoh-lZFkxTE7lsuV7bOuyeZYD8nPit2JDjC6vDUS0WQp4FB7TAwyFw2ysMWz1a9qoUokMransoHRkbyP8yBV2ML_vB0M0Ojink3JtRhUYkrW-lH4l_FvVOGZyygjYFslMZAlYczy1KuyjS/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20horse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="540" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_KiwyflzGdWYbA4TqkPMh7DTxFFYlHOl5rvpQZy0LU_5cUGoh-lZFkxTE7lsuV7bOuyeZYD8nPit2JDjC6vDUS0WQp4FB7TAwyFw2ysMWz1a9qoUokMransoHRkbyP8yBV2ML_vB0M0Ojink3JtRhUYkrW-lH4l_FvVOGZyygjYFslMZAlYczy1KuyjS/w640-h586/HacSantaMaria-%20horse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Just inside the <i>casco wall</i>, we encountered this beautiful horse</b>. Mexican horses are generally very well cared for, even in the poorest pueblos. Although I am no horse expert, this one appeared to be in very good condition. The horse culture runs very deep in the state of <i>Jalisco,</i> which is the birthplace of the <a href="https://www.equineinfoexchange.com/recreation-lifestyle/mexico-s-charros-de-jalisco-celebrates-its-100th-anniversary#:~:text=Charros%2C%20a%20pillar%20of%20Mexican,Intangible%20Cultural%20Heritage%20of%20Humanity."><i>charro</i> (Mexican rodeo performer)</a>, and <i>charrería</i> (rodeo). Almost any day, you may encounter <i>vaqueros</i> (working cowboys) driving a herd of horses or cattle.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyG6XRMuEmib_L7eCDHk0SKWgvm1ckzm_7sQzhRSWvbhtGWLwyxjbijHmR8U4f6lEdkMUY44mfCmg0eyMpGvZNortgKe4dNgNSJdQ23SBKiMomrLCY-p2_PWEfyAkAtvy83NjMALtZPvgNRG3pa3HxxLnKQ8BGeaaTak7DkuUJyOKc78tKxW_ZFfIT7QI/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20goat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="540" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyG6XRMuEmib_L7eCDHk0SKWgvm1ckzm_7sQzhRSWvbhtGWLwyxjbijHmR8U4f6lEdkMUY44mfCmg0eyMpGvZNortgKe4dNgNSJdQ23SBKiMomrLCY-p2_PWEfyAkAtvy83NjMALtZPvgNRG3pa3HxxLnKQ8BGeaaTak7DkuUJyOKc78tKxW_ZFfIT7QI/w640-h568/HacSantaMaria-%20goat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A goat came out to greet us</b>. He was very curious and not at all frightened by our sudden appearance in his small world. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_goat#:~:text=The%20Spanish%20goat%2C%20also%20called,widely%20in%20the%20United%20States.">Goats</a> are very hardy and can eat a wide variety of plants, including some that other animals wouldn't even consider. Consequently they are very common in rural Mexico. From them, Mexicans can obtain meat, hides, and milk. A popular rural dish is <i>pozole</i>, a stew made with the meat of a <i>cabrito</i> (a kid or young goat). It's quite tasty!</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6sHvz69drfm58rDpQ4tAsdbLQF27byExhyydrmX0b1-zpMFnc5mnSrugUDpTAhEt3VUxIOTZxntLNTXD6_r486F25c5ToVTk1p1oujD_Qshezu3-S7glnqkpNDZ9uaZtIGGgN6NNqxCAhXTdGy4SYIRr40qW-J1nrHfza8B3PUIGsOXeR6UQl90fR-ZA/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20cow%20&%20arch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="540" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6sHvz69drfm58rDpQ4tAsdbLQF27byExhyydrmX0b1-zpMFnc5mnSrugUDpTAhEt3VUxIOTZxntLNTXD6_r486F25c5ToVTk1p1oujD_Qshezu3-S7glnqkpNDZ9uaZtIGGgN6NNqxCAhXTdGy4SYIRr40qW-J1nrHfza8B3PUIGsOXeR6UQl90fR-ZA/w640-h580/HacSantaMaria-%20cow%20&%20arch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Mexican brahman stands in front of a bricked up oven</b>. This was one of two that I saw during our visit. <a href="https://huastecasranch.com/mexican-division/#:~:text=Brahman%20cattle%20have%20short%2C%20thick,in%20areas%20of%20high%20temperature.">Brahman cattle</a> were imported to Mexico from India during the 19th century. They were sought because of their ability to withstand hot humid weather and resistance to insects and disease. The cows are very fertile and are good mothers to their calves. They also produce milk under conditions that are unfavorable to European breeds.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZc9p940w3IPrePqN6c2qA7r2_e5SiX7GTiOxVTOnpz9tpZlzrM6CmgZt0mu3JKYMyQ1Fdw7MfNPX_PcGZZ2t66FTZO6P7b6qFKv1XW9lTei298-HMg1JQgC2Smk9GLoBu81i1-KGgxuThkJR3wh_VsDWjeBMa4qLHCw38lKO-buR5VR6bYkmGrCah25t/s540/HacSantaMaria-%20Turkey%20profile.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="540" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZc9p940w3IPrePqN6c2qA7r2_e5SiX7GTiOxVTOnpz9tpZlzrM6CmgZt0mu3JKYMyQ1Fdw7MfNPX_PcGZZ2t66FTZO6P7b6qFKv1XW9lTei298-HMg1JQgC2Smk9GLoBu81i1-KGgxuThkJR3wh_VsDWjeBMa4qLHCw38lKO-buR5VR6bYkmGrCah25t/w640-h594/HacSantaMaria-%20Turkey%20profile.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This turkey wandered about with a rather disdainful attitude</b>. He seemed to think he owned the place. Turkeys are native to the Americas and are one of the few animals that were <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3414452/#:~:text=Late%20Preclassic%20(300%20BC%E2%80%93AD,in%20the%20ancient%20Maya%20world.">domesticated by the indigenous people of pre-hispanic Mexico</a>. Horses, goats, and cattle were all imported by the Spanish. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 2 of my <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> series. I hope you enjoyed it and, if so, that you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, please include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-27462072229529304522024-01-18T19:21:00.000-06:002024-01-18T19:21:24.078-06:00The Silver Mines of Hostotipaquillo Part 1- Ex-Hacienda La Herencia<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9Ha-T8gf7ocijn2lssME_3Bn099y_CpVg4C-T6kfqVF9Oa4GZTzxMfD3QKJnnAw39c1-fCd0bW1g5-l0JUvmoI5TCEJOrWJFa3xMCbgSDOMNDmiPChLufssnAU4Y4BKnC0QtQzl88uxwKoAbzw06xX65g8P9LUr2edMlgKri1VyHurYdT0J8-UIhQuJE/s443/CNCMR5wUsAANL-r.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="443" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9Ha-T8gf7ocijn2lssME_3Bn099y_CpVg4C-T6kfqVF9Oa4GZTzxMfD3QKJnnAw39c1-fCd0bW1g5-l0JUvmoI5TCEJOrWJFa3xMCbgSDOMNDmiPChLufssnAU4Y4BKnC0QtQzl88uxwKoAbzw06xX65g8P9LUr2edMlgKri1VyHurYdT0J8-UIhQuJE/w640-h480/CNCMR5wUsAANL-r.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Templo Virgen del Favor</i> overlooks <i>Hostotipaquillo's Plaza</i></b>. <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> is pronounced hos-toti-pak-ee-o. It comes from the <i>Nahuatl </i>word "<i>Ostotipac"</i>, which means "above the cave". It is the <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostotipaquillo"><i>cabecera</i> (chief town) of a <i>municipio</i></a> (equivalent to US county) which has the same name. The Spaniard <i>Cristóbal de Oñate </i>conquered the area in 1530, but it remained a frontier outpost for the next 75 years.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Hostotipaquillo's</i> native people rebelled twice, in 1538 and 1543. The second uprising was the most serious. It involved 5,000 warriors and required <i>Diego de Collo</i> to bring an army over from <i>Guadalajara</i> to put down the revolt. Silver was discovered in the area in 1605 and the wealth the mines produced enabled the construction of </span><i>Templo Virgen del Favor</i> a decade later in 1615. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This posting begins a series on the mining haciendas that sprang up after 1605. I will show you some of the old sites and explain how their operations functioned over the centuries. In Part 1, we will travel into the high-desert country north of <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> to visit <i>ex-Hacienda La Herencia</i>, also called <i>ex-Hacienda</i> <i>Santo Domingo</i>. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgEZDWVARNUdF1Xeo_HABx2tdSFGTwB0vBDNAzDBhi-xJ_FebbfAl_xNiCGtDuaT7nIyh8jc605QDgxZ7ORRBNGbHRSLoXYgd_AmAGDRq_XBwgmXXyzywJL4dWwrS67_w5QMe_kAYN3kRyIi-8jh7A6mKWdKPauPrAWEbpwAKoAfaOO_6vgAeNsqeZfJt/s1350/Hostotijalisco.gob.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1350" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgEZDWVARNUdF1Xeo_HABx2tdSFGTwB0vBDNAzDBhi-xJ_FebbfAl_xNiCGtDuaT7nIyh8jc605QDgxZ7ORRBNGbHRSLoXYgd_AmAGDRq_XBwgmXXyzywJL4dWwrS67_w5QMe_kAYN3kRyIi-8jh7A6mKWdKPauPrAWEbpwAKoAfaOO_6vgAeNsqeZfJt/w640-h308/Hostotijalisco.gob.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Plaza</i> of <i>Hostotipaquillo</i>, viewed from the steeple of the <i>Templo</i></b>. It is an attractive and well-kept plaza, surrounded by colonial-era buildings and shaded by ficus trees. Even without the various old haciendas in the area, the town would be worth a visit. However, although there is a well-paved road leading to the town itself, those planning a visit to the outlying areas should consider traveling in high-clearance vehicles. The roads leading to those places are mostly unpaved and some are maintained better than others.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After silver was discovered, mills to refine the ore were built. These were called <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> and the initial operations were set up by a women named <i>Isabel Pérez</i> and two brothers named <i>Diego</i> and <i>Francisco Rodriquez</i>. Many others followed over the centuries. Although the boom-and-bust cycle of silver mining meant some mines were abandoned, many were reopened later when economic conditions improved or new technologies were developed. </span><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Overview</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3etrjd9QAim-yH2quI-YoaVIzlWqNO_zYmP1FXvGGetwy-F-8T4KL4WD9Ez8Z3DN9lds8pOSH_TP01JkRvtSo86YlS5ZHNwu4_3X8QLenDezTJTEC9MIYlS7ZQduVaIaOYusQzfEtZg-BPrCJs0RS2BNiYLJtS4jUrm18w7RDg5rn_psX9zQVcbA6R4C/s1606/Screenshot%202024-01-13%20at%202.33.17%E2%80%AFp.m..png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="1480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3etrjd9QAim-yH2quI-YoaVIzlWqNO_zYmP1FXvGGetwy-F-8T4KL4WD9Ez8Z3DN9lds8pOSH_TP01JkRvtSo86YlS5ZHNwu4_3X8QLenDezTJTEC9MIYlS7ZQduVaIaOYusQzfEtZg-BPrCJs0RS2BNiYLJtS4jUrm18w7RDg5rn_psX9zQVcbA6R4C/w590-h640/Screenshot%202024-01-13%20at%202.33.17%E2%80%AFp.m..png" width="590" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Google map of the area around <i>Hostotipaquillo.</i></b> To reach the town, take the 15D <i>cuota</i> (toll road) west past <i>Tequila</i>. Exit at <i>Magdelena</i> and take the 15 <i>Libre</i> (free road) west through <i>Magdalena</i>. After approximately 10.5 km (6.3mi), turn off to the right at the sign for <i>Hostotipaquillo</i>. This road will take you directly into the town and to its <i>plaza</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Many of the <i>pueblos</i> on the map above originated as either <i>haciendas de beneficio</i>, or farming/ranching <i>haciendas</i> that serviced the mining industry. </span>These include <i>Santo Domingo de Guzman</i> (top right quarter of the map) where <i>ex-Hacienda La Herencia</i> is located. Also included are <i>Huajacatlán, Labor de Guadalupe, Santa Maria, La Quemada, Ojo Zarco, San Andrés, San Nicolas, Santo Tomás</i>, and <i>La Venta de Mochitiltic</i>. There are others in the area which I have not yet located.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZpX1Fz1R0ZmVhZVtODP0JXgMDQJtMLCVnwXMqzWLSTXsd4ENNBvIi2huou4TXreZejVtN9AsYvSVKRGwpZFpQFJPrkNrxLZ6DJH7IJCBrJmDVK4Q9StJ_hJrvvuENk6bB6JJagVdWP2NIxa6qy1NgiMXBvP2PBVvm4NYRL2K1WFdjwNvQHFPuT6Hp-WC/s540/Hdas%20de%20beneficios,%20Hostotipaquillo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="540" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZpX1Fz1R0ZmVhZVtODP0JXgMDQJtMLCVnwXMqzWLSTXsd4ENNBvIi2huou4TXreZejVtN9AsYvSVKRGwpZFpQFJPrkNrxLZ6DJH7IJCBrJmDVK4Q9StJ_hJrvvuENk6bB6JJagVdWP2NIxa6qy1NgiMXBvP2PBVvm4NYRL2K1WFdjwNvQHFPuT6Hp-WC/w640-h500/Hdas%20de%20beneficios,%20Hostotipaquillo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><span>Colonial-era map of <i>Real de Hostotipaquillo</i> and its <i>haciendas de beneficio</i></span></b>. </span>North is to the left and south to the right. The map shows a kind of lop-sided wheel with the town in the left center and various roads branching out like spokes to the various mines and <i><a href="https://www.cucea.udg.mx/include/publicaciones/coorinv/pdf/Libro_mineria_201_20.pdf">haciendas de beneficio</a></i>. While there is still some mining in the area, in colonial times the mines and other sites were as thick as flees on a junk-yard dog. Some Spanish terms relating to the colonial mining industry include:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Real</i>-</b> (pronounced ray-all) A mining district designated by the Spanish Crown. <i>Real de Hostotipaquillo</i> was one of these and at one point was a <i>Real </i>of<i> Reales</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Haciendas de beneficio</i></b><span>- Ore-processing operations. They might be owned independently or by the same person or family who owned one or more of the mines.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Haciendas de ganado y agricola-</b></i> these produced livestock and/or grains like corn or wheat. Often, the owner of this kind of hacienda would also own a mine and a refining operation. The idea was to create a fully integrated business.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Refining processes:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Proceso de Fuera</b></i>- an early refining process which used fire to melt the silver out of the ore. This worked fine for high quality ore found near the surface, but this eventually became scarce. Mines were then dug deeper but the ore was of lower quality and the deeper levels sometimes caused flooding, which often resulted in abandonment.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Proceso de Azoque-</i></b> Developed in the 16th century, it was not widely used until the 17th and 18th centuries. Crushed ore was spread out like a giant pancake and then mixed with mercury and water by the feet of horses or humans. This caused the mercury to amalgamate with the silver and leach to the bottom, where it was collected and heated to burn off the mercury, leaving nearly pure silver. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Hostotipaquillo's</i> high-desert back country</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzH41TDLImupWqBr6Xkw4XUSqxqvMT7Ez_H5jHaH0IgLzFYhsTHu42N2zuEkdH5dc7NvLunCBQhY0I2eEgY4ViJmsCERu-rn7eO13CZ7VxiETTIN0QhkCUyiUsUh29ru5AyvDV62hKZo7CEn8SP6ddkq69omCvlW9EXdsNKOyTaHUhz4f7g9dcrcKcgJI/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20agave,%20pond,%20mts2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzH41TDLImupWqBr6Xkw4XUSqxqvMT7Ez_H5jHaH0IgLzFYhsTHu42N2zuEkdH5dc7NvLunCBQhY0I2eEgY4ViJmsCERu-rn7eO13CZ7VxiETTIN0QhkCUyiUsUh29ru5AyvDV62hKZo7CEn8SP6ddkq69omCvlW9EXdsNKOyTaHUhz4f7g9dcrcKcgJI/w640-h480/HacLaHerencia-%20agave,%20pond,%20mts2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Rows of blue agave stretch off toward the mountains</b>. </span>The clear, sunny, winter day produced grand vistas. <span>The country north of the city of <i>Hostotipaquillo</i> is a series of hills, valleys, and broad plateaus. Much of this area is planted with blue agave, from which tequila is made. The <i>Rio Santiago, </i>which </span>originates at Lake Chapala, runs through a deep gorge at the base of the mountains you see in the background before heading west to the Pacific Ocean. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>Mines were generally located high in the mountains but, </span></span><span>because water was needed for the refining process and for the people who worked there,</span><span> </span><span><i>haciendas de beneficio</i> were built near <i>arroyos</i> (creek beds) or rivers, </span><span>The ore was initially broken up near the mine, then loaded on mules and taken down mountain trails to a </span><i>hacienda de beneficio</i><span> for further crushing and refining. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">These facilities were generally remote from towns, so small pueblos tended to grow up around them to provide services and places for the mine-workers' families to live. That is the origin of many of the small pueblos in the area, including <i>Santo Domigo Guzman, </i>our goal<i>.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyWjUQMlnpALOwyexfRo4dgM9RuUQUL9X11n09aXGh2OT2onMZ09NMKs63hHhCmiNXNC1l-5ESv92KyyV_t4m5OqoWEP4afHyXNoT2nNzvrqmkHjrJ8JOTem_iOKte9x7-s2pXKbnDA8U9jS5TF5BRWnzrK2-aTbkprXLmZMkr1CDy-WQQzDI-8yMFgo_/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20motorcycle%20guy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="540" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyWjUQMlnpALOwyexfRo4dgM9RuUQUL9X11n09aXGh2OT2onMZ09NMKs63hHhCmiNXNC1l-5ESv92KyyV_t4m5OqoWEP4afHyXNoT2nNzvrqmkHjrJ8JOTem_iOKte9x7-s2pXKbnDA8U9jS5TF5BRWnzrK2-aTbkprXLmZMkr1CDy-WQQzDI-8yMFgo_/w640-h520/HacLaHerencia-%20motorcycle%20guy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A friendly motorcylist gave us directions</b>. Once you leave the paved roads of the town, things can get pretty confusing. There are few markers or directional signs and roads head off in every direction. When I plotted our route, I used Google satellite maps to identify any possible landmarks, but there were few. At this point we had stopped to figure out if we were on the correct road. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As luck would have it, this friendly young guy came putting along from the direction we were heading. He seemed amused by this encounter with bewildered foreigners. I doubt that he sees many, since this area is definitely "off the beaten track". However, he assured us that we were going the right direction. In rural Mexico, the locals are nearly always friendly and helpful.</span></div><div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Ex-Hacienda La Herencia / Santo Domingo</span></i></b><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIRVc1IbuD-nNlBw7nuiT3yD0FH0cbeps6iwQycuXaiuQN3rD0WqMtVrEMqkEdLGqVD3TJX9zgTY6wffcDsJv7OfRbFFCNxL4KoRxVRyYhis2bBSu5Y8VWh39yzMMtCSbTbP4QO0NwgpS8l24OJTRRVoM3UL2zIcG1lrBFylrqiOphmyRaERSc2A4uxpj/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20fr%20above2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="540" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIRVc1IbuD-nNlBw7nuiT3yD0FH0cbeps6iwQycuXaiuQN3rD0WqMtVrEMqkEdLGqVD3TJX9zgTY6wffcDsJv7OfRbFFCNxL4KoRxVRyYhis2bBSu5Y8VWh39yzMMtCSbTbP4QO0NwgpS8l24OJTRRVoM3UL2zIcG1lrBFylrqiOphmyRaERSc2A4uxpj/w640-h468/HacLaHerencia-%20fr%20above2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><b>The<i> ex-hacienda</i> is on the northern edge of <i>Santo Domingo Guzman</i></b>. At first, </span>I wasn't sure this was the right place. My research hadn't turned up any photographs and the structures above didn't conform to the architectural pattern with which I was familiar. The buildings were definitely old, but I just wasn't sure. The road past it continued up a steep gravelly hill that looked a bit daunting. </span><span>In fact, two of our three drivers were very reluctant to try it. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">However, the third driver, Jim B, is always game for a challenge. He and I left the others in the shade of a big tree and headed out to determine if the hacienda was further up the hill. The road was very steep and filled with hairpin turns around precipitous drop-offs that made even Jim B a bit nervous. We didn't find any alternative sites, but when we got to the top of the ridge, we were rewarded with a stupendous view.</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOIQTj3EzU7jc8_qnmf0r3BtuZ0d1W2voS0LPAg1vBLbNunXD-MM5UKQb26t34AL0naOGxtqEHY_1KIGwAeSPaV0g818ZbjynIVBMnC-9TcoRA62t9FBdlaNQ5WLL1TfnTr73PP4xV5fPdNbK0WG3V5ZsP1awB_v1Tpr-29us6ogRXYzZ5wwAZkcq3F0P/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20barranca%20&%20river2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOIQTj3EzU7jc8_qnmf0r3BtuZ0d1W2voS0LPAg1vBLbNunXD-MM5UKQb26t34AL0naOGxtqEHY_1KIGwAeSPaV0g818ZbjynIVBMnC-9TcoRA62t9FBdlaNQ5WLL1TfnTr73PP4xV5fPdNbK0WG3V5ZsP1awB_v1Tpr-29us6ogRXYzZ5wwAZkcq3F0P/w640-h480/HacLaHerencia-%20barranca%20&%20river2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Rio Santiago</i> gorge runs through steep mountains</b>. This was the sight that greeted us when we topped the ridge. The rugged mountains rolled away for many miles. Far below us, we could see sections of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%ADo_Grande_de_Santiago">Rio Santiago</a></i>. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Although I had seen parts of the river near where it drains <i>Lake Chapala</i> and also up near <i>Guadalajara</i>, I had never seen it in this area except on maps. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In fact, the area is so remote that there is only one bridge that crosses the river anywhere near here and there are very few pueblos close to its banks. As my father used to say, country like this is "out where God buried his bicycle."</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vbVkUpnfl1qOpAnTP_EeQCxAo5Vua1DKrT-d458L_S1TK3MAto9FG2VWIjGQPti2MlHQP9WtlaiOs4vtQGCd9Hk0Htb_9S37hdGJCPc7x4E_st_S6Oa-OOdWqydVcxDU8w6Gtz456pNc_rEuIjgSYWel6IcQ8v4e1s9oHMOo50h-hR0poB08UY4ZhL0Q/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20cattle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="540" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vbVkUpnfl1qOpAnTP_EeQCxAo5Vua1DKrT-d458L_S1TK3MAto9FG2VWIjGQPti2MlHQP9WtlaiOs4vtQGCd9Hk0Htb_9S37hdGJCPc7x4E_st_S6Oa-OOdWqydVcxDU8w6Gtz456pNc_rEuIjgSYWel6IcQ8v4e1s9oHMOo50h-hR0poB08UY4ZhL0Q/w640-h438/HacLaHerencia-%20cattle.jpg" width="640" /></b></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Cattle hung out near where our friends waited</b>. One of them was enjoying a snooze in the warm sun. Mexican cattle are generally quite docile, but you never can be sure. They are large, heavy, and are equipped with very respectable horns. While hiking, a friend of mine once got trampled when she got in between a cow and her calf. She wasn't badly hurt, but she could have been. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The cattle were near the entrance gate of a crumbling old structure that we now believed to belong to the </span><i>ex-Hacienda La Herencia. </i>In Spanish, <i>Herencia</i> means "inheritance" and that is the name used on the Google map of the area. I have since found a Mexican government <a href="https://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=4672260&fecha=03/08/1987&print=true">document from 1987</a> showing a different name. The area around Santo Domingo Guzman was once part of <i>Hacienda Santo Domingo,</i> which is also the name of a nearby and <a href="https://stroudsilver.com/santo-domingo-property/">still-functioning mine</a>. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyKoifV_fuDwprwAM6AbDAIK6hfjA45BOzj8j1t0pJ6YjR5d0nLydWBuoeFE3AWfvEmeXyJv4mIn2ikZPbJAO6EPI7G2ulZGK1npzE4yCEtKeHa68b4PDxULb1ywP3UangassrClxaANZXU7nj_NDA5zEqGAYL7Zg_p9jef9bmylo_nKEE_F6bmXEkhBJ/s588/HacLaHerencia-%20Juan%20&%20Jim%20G.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyKoifV_fuDwprwAM6AbDAIK6hfjA45BOzj8j1t0pJ6YjR5d0nLydWBuoeFE3AWfvEmeXyJv4mIn2ikZPbJAO6EPI7G2ulZGK1npzE4yCEtKeHa68b4PDxULb1ywP3UangassrClxaANZXU7nj_NDA5zEqGAYL7Zg_p9jef9bmylo_nKEE_F6bmXEkhBJ/w588-h640/HacLaHerencia-%20Juan%20&%20Jim%20G.jpg" width="588" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Jim G chats with the <i>dueño</i> of the old property</b>. After we hooted and helloed for some time outside his gate, this fellow appeared from around the side of the building. His name was <i>Juan</i> and he was the <i>dueño</i> (owner). He confirmed that it was part of the old <i>hacienda de beneficio</i> now called <i>La Herencia</i>. <i>Juan</i> is in his eighties and he told us his family has tried to persuade him to move, but this is his home and he is determined to stay.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Juan</i> invited us onto his property and showed us around. I have always been charmed by the old Mexican custom of hospitality embodied in the phrase "<i>mi casa es su casa</i>" (my house is your house). I have encountered it everywhere and with people of every social class, from the very poor to the wealthy. It is one of the things I like best about Mexico.<br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UCcBLh0iiX4UfwZ5xQEzkGhqJboa0Eo0QAzZQs-ul1cGm3Am2L-_vCVTFkBAHrpiCCgh43nMYKfeu4QFeTVbs8_DcQ5H06U45HzUJ9WQ2-NBfhpKgMyc1DBNpV08aPe16dILSD087KFa6nsMaiAUDOUqK7MQUeSV9HLNMkLJE3Mp-heUSaIjT-akXkc6/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20cg%20fr%20rear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="540" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UCcBLh0iiX4UfwZ5xQEzkGhqJboa0Eo0QAzZQs-ul1cGm3Am2L-_vCVTFkBAHrpiCCgh43nMYKfeu4QFeTVbs8_DcQ5H06U45HzUJ9WQ2-NBfhpKgMyc1DBNpV08aPe16dILSD087KFa6nsMaiAUDOUqK7MQUeSV9HLNMkLJE3Mp-heUSaIjT-akXkc6/w640-h478/HacLaHerencia-%20cg%20fr%20rear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The walls of Juan's house were a mixture of rough stone and <i>adobe</i></b>. It was hard to say if this was originally the <i>casa grande</i> (big house) of the property or had served some other function. The materials of the outer walls seemed quite old, although the roof was made of modern corrugated metal. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Construction styles change over the centuries and you can often see this through the materials used. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe">Adobe</a> is generally the oldest, although </span>I have seen new structures built with it. Rough stone followed adobe, then cut stone, then brick. Many old haciendas are a mixture of these, the result of remodeling over time. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDmcyt_ran7SX8132XUrTRr5GcHex5AHzjAhzaq_NwAHw9WBmWm59L8qAGgVoIPvi9IEzDZ3s-JHju4U3mGnjdxSHuSeP_qHIPaMkpoUGjbj9GnSsYeYymvt_k3yOV5to1r2o47QD5e-Tz2AOc7HLhxMjQdA1I-DyMsXuzH0mfKMjthnTaeihB096nKSq/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20cg%20entr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="540" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDmcyt_ran7SX8132XUrTRr5GcHex5AHzjAhzaq_NwAHw9WBmWm59L8qAGgVoIPvi9IEzDZ3s-JHju4U3mGnjdxSHuSeP_qHIPaMkpoUGjbj9GnSsYeYymvt_k3yOV5to1r2o47QD5e-Tz2AOc7HLhxMjQdA1I-DyMsXuzH0mfKMjthnTaeihB096nKSq/w640-h596/HacLaHerencia-%20cg%20entr.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Be it ever so humble...</b> This is the main entrance to Juan's home. The rough stone of the wall probably indicates 17th century construction. There were a number of other structures attached to the main house, including tool sheds or places for animals like the cattle we encountered near his gate. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In the yard in front of this door was a group of trees that appeared to be a small orchard, although I didn't see any fruit at the time. Even though Juan is in his later years, between the cattle and the orchard, the place still seemed to be a going concern. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHEliMN_1ZCg_MX_kNBogaGHTUNTeAF7qDzwlrVKGJwLQziwRIuExrHg3-8M87lVKbqtLgRVaMt5Z6WF7IAu2zyFM2Y8npwEq8anmA3rK0AFLJMvl8dJhyphenhyphen3IEEwORJoKACcJUSpo62rnRX2Vwu-ztfbjU-BXWA4pM0wO8lzPExb8UETru7FV0y2zPEYLv/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20Juan%20at%20home%20by%20Vinnie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHEliMN_1ZCg_MX_kNBogaGHTUNTeAF7qDzwlrVKGJwLQziwRIuExrHg3-8M87lVKbqtLgRVaMt5Z6WF7IAu2zyFM2Y8npwEq8anmA3rK0AFLJMvl8dJhyphenhyphen3IEEwORJoKACcJUSpo62rnRX2Vwu-ztfbjU-BXWA4pM0wO8lzPExb8UETru7FV0y2zPEYLv/w640-h480/HacLaHerencia-%20Juan%20at%20home%20by%20Vinnie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Juan</i> in his home</b>. He graciously allowed us to walk through and take a few photos, including this one. <i>Juan</i> lives a simple, quiet, but apparently comfortable life in this remote pueblo. The fan indicates that the house has electricity and it has a solid concrete floor rather than dirt. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I have been unable to discover much information about <i>ex-Hacienda La Herencia. </i>However<i>,</i> the government document says that <i>ex-Hacienda Santo Domingo </i>encompassed much of the area around the pueblo of <i>Santo Domingo Guzman</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The document detailed a series of land transfers from the <i>ex-hacienda</i> to the <i>ejido</i> (communal farmers' organization) of <i>Santo Domingo Guzman</i>. It also mentioned several of the former owners of the ex-hacienda. These transfers were part of the land reform that occurred as a result of the Revolution. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuOtJTaq_zpmxyAfhGaD4onJyin1ecBNHfloOpKBbw83FOGoxqp6-wTytTjqAvDHKbOeDTP2rtPI7iPFhGE7_jeAJrkdK3SZEIIKYvPaxvpvWAx6c1z9yFZbnBW94QzYvMdjCm1zLY9_THJXzI-QnjbXfX_eTLexT9kwMR7jkHC8hsJ6Jg_z3ak-cbMTp/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20Juan%20returning%20home%20by%20Vinnie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuOtJTaq_zpmxyAfhGaD4onJyin1ecBNHfloOpKBbw83FOGoxqp6-wTytTjqAvDHKbOeDTP2rtPI7iPFhGE7_jeAJrkdK3SZEIIKYvPaxvpvWAx6c1z9yFZbnBW94QzYvMdjCm1zLY9_THJXzI-QnjbXfX_eTLexT9kwMR7jkHC8hsJ6Jg_z3ak-cbMTp/w640-h426/HacLaHerencia-%20Juan%20returning%20home%20by%20Vinnie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>With great dignity, <i>Juan</i> returns to his home</b>. After our brief tour, we decided that we had imposed on <i>Juan</i> enough and that it was time to leave. He walked us out to the gate and bid us goodbye with a polite <i>adios, que las vaya bien</i> ("goodbye, may it go well with you"). Then he turned and walked slowly back to his house. (Photo by Vinnie Heptig)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Following the <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/search?q=mexican+revolution&updated-max=2015-11-19T19:02:00-06:00&max-results=20&start=3&by-date=false">Revolution of 1910-1917</a>, <i>ex-Hacienda Santo Domingo</i> was owned for a time by a woman named <i>Hermelinda Orozco</i>. In 1937, at the height of the land reform era, she sold the property to another woman, <i>Petra Hernandez Medina</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>When <i>Petra</i> died in 1966, the property was inherited by a man named <i>C. Refugio Hernandez Camacho</i>, who continued to own it during the land reform transfers leading up to at least 1987. </span><span>This inheritance may be the origin of the name </span><i>ex-Hacienda La Herencia </i><span>(The Inheritance). </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Over the decades between 1939 until 1987 (the last date I have), several substantial parcels of land were transferred from the <i>ex-hacienda</i> to the <i>ejido</i>. Now, 37 years later, I doubt that very much of the original hacienda land remains.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Our Return</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGLQ7zXlFDUMKEmVckuSXhoAMj_nBclQ_a9apJ8nm_0bHLZ72kjOLfNTcMUy466Y1cT2kvc4vmQvaDz5OfDfnwRiPDlrDagK8s7Nucx43HBopYfSVdo2sPc7d20P7-OLI4DWMYJ2VLm0eTKfMKi-7BVg6k93pwu4lPZHBQUeIxZk9onAH1be7GsqzqjQu/s540/HacLaHerencia-%20saint%20on%20rock%20by%20Vinnie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="540" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGLQ7zXlFDUMKEmVckuSXhoAMj_nBclQ_a9apJ8nm_0bHLZ72kjOLfNTcMUy466Y1cT2kvc4vmQvaDz5OfDfnwRiPDlrDagK8s7Nucx43HBopYfSVdo2sPc7d20P7-OLI4DWMYJ2VLm0eTKfMKi-7BVg6k93pwu4lPZHBQUeIxZk9onAH1be7GsqzqjQu/w640-h620/HacLaHerencia-%20saint%20on%20rock%20by%20Vinnie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The roots of a ficus tree surround a large stone with a mural</b>. We found this tree on the road leading away from <i>Santo Domingo Guzman</i>. It was so striking that we stopped for a photo. There was no sign to indicate who the figure on the boulder might be. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">However, the patron saint of the pueblo is <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dominic">Santo Domingo</a></i>, so there is a good chance that this little mural was done to honors him. <i>Santo Domingo</i> (St. Dominic) was the founder of the Dominican Order, one of several groups of friars that evangelized the native people after the Conquest. (Photo by Vinnie Heptig)</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0QruWnfUKDB0aghHbTTyFxFVhdrVbj3cqiWCJhrvuq1qYnMisoHTtmat-wuIxQZyWwBVv-LLDb5UYnrzajHhuYCV4fphcBtJHxrQ_hlJlOcknMSIsmp7c6eNeyqsrYCQTBzY6Kn3iW4mGoGQ8hiz0ds4yHJQ5qxLI7xqa397-DOO8Z4_x5l5ZCgbCLa_/s540/Hostotipaquillo%20picnic%202:24:23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0QruWnfUKDB0aghHbTTyFxFVhdrVbj3cqiWCJhrvuq1qYnMisoHTtmat-wuIxQZyWwBVv-LLDb5UYnrzajHhuYCV4fphcBtJHxrQ_hlJlOcknMSIsmp7c6eNeyqsrYCQTBzY6Kn3iW4mGoGQ8hiz0ds4yHJQ5qxLI7xqa397-DOO8Z4_x5l5ZCgbCLa_/w640-h480/Hostotipaquillo%20picnic%202:24:23.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Hacienda Hunters picnic by a lake near <i>Hostotipaquillo</i></b>. We often stop for a picnic on these adventures. It is less expensive than stopping at a restaurant and takes up less time. The picnic food is always tasty and there is always more than we can eat. When we picnic at an <i>hacienda</i> site where there is a caretaker, we often invite him and his family to share in the feast.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 1 of my series on <i>Hostotipaquillo's</i> <i>haciendas</i>. If you enjoyed it and have a question or would like to make a comment, please do so in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I may respond in a timely fashion.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-43793658035906481602024-01-02T18:52:00.001-06:002024-01-12T14:09:43.777-06:00Mexicans love dancing!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7mqOLY5bX6KVU-6W30iZWlFHKRky_zsHpPlAFLSc_Sw8Oeak57dusqxDRseB1ERQPCjKVC_4WwPyhNST-xlXaBR6sUE7lHgflc-0LtPa30zSgNeH9R0C2adtfZ66dFd1tCMYNY23VzV0dM0ESEO6SB1cuTLJ5shR5eFmdEFU3C3otmQNhc-TEvI99xwB/s640/Owll%20Man%20full.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="496" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7mqOLY5bX6KVU-6W30iZWlFHKRky_zsHpPlAFLSc_Sw8Oeak57dusqxDRseB1ERQPCjKVC_4WwPyhNST-xlXaBR6sUE7lHgflc-0LtPa30zSgNeH9R0C2adtfZ66dFd1tCMYNY23VzV0dM0ESEO6SB1cuTLJ5shR5eFmdEFU3C3otmQNhc-TEvI99xwB/w496-h640/Owll%20Man%20full.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The "Owl Man" at the Ajijic Center for Culture and Arts. </b>This fellow was part of a group whose musicians played replicas of pre-hispanic instruments. I nicknamed him the "Owl Man" because of his headdress. His wings were attached to his arms so that he could extend them fully and the total effect was definitely bird-like. I later found out from a friend that his real name is <i>Sergio</i> and he is from <i>San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas</i>. On Facebook he is called <i>Xiu Ocelotl</i>. For more on this performance, <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2016/07/indigenous-dancers-their-traditional.html">click here</a>. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, I will show you some of the dance performances we have witnessed during our travels around the country. Some were connected to important religious fiestas, while others celebrated national holidays. Still others, like the one with the Owl Man, were performances in local cultural centers. All of them were wildly colorful and full of deep cultural meanings.<br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa8JALYtP2FYUEEN7jXSksdMDPAXAzFeDljLcCSnYaxx6YPJ4CtJOshkQeGCtMMcjbg-G_WhNiOKEWPxVPizzUmKi363U_zZmxMaNOmpNUf1CoubeGE6qK-t-NsaxcxIqcHftawoeWajwFDqDmp9eqyKwMlkTAP6Ai6AbhovS5nXtT97s8UOw1jF526sR/s640/Son-%20line%20dancing%20hatless2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="492" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa8JALYtP2FYUEEN7jXSksdMDPAXAzFeDljLcCSnYaxx6YPJ4CtJOshkQeGCtMMcjbg-G_WhNiOKEWPxVPizzUmKi363U_zZmxMaNOmpNUf1CoubeGE6qK-t-NsaxcxIqcHftawoeWajwFDqDmp9eqyKwMlkTAP6Ai6AbhovS5nXtT97s8UOw1jF526sR/w492-h640/Son-%20line%20dancing%20hatless2.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Sonajeros</i> at the Candelaria Fiesta, <i>Tuxpan</i></b>. <i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-sonajero-chayacate-dancers-of.html">Sonajeros</a></i> get their name from the rattles they carry. A long piece of wood is embedded with metal disks similar to miniature cymbals. Holding the handle at one end, the dancer shakes the instrument and the disks clash together. When hundreds of these are rhythmically shaken by large troupes of dancers, the sound is impressive. The <i>Sonajeros</i> dance in formation, and I was struck by the similarity of their movements to the close-order drill I learned in the military. It turned out that there is a reason for this. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Sonajeros</i> originated in pre-hispanic times. Their vests, made of braided ribbons, mimic the cotton armor worn by <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/search/label/Aztecs?updated-max=2012-12-02T11:53:00-06:00&max-results=20&start=7&by-date=false">Aztec warriors</a>. The <i>Sonajero</i> rattle resembles the basic Aztec hand-weapon, called a <i>macuahitli</i>. It was about the same size as the <i>Sonajero</i> instrument, but instead of small metal disks to make music, it was edged by razor-sharp obsidian blades. The <i>macuahitli</i> was a fearsome weapon, capable of cutting off a man's arm with one swipe. However, it could do little damage against Spanish armor and the cotton vests were no protection against steel swords or cross-bow arrows, much less bullets from the early firearms carried by the Spanish.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46sF84P9lVN-vEAnTRx-zRtHeT0Yqw4ZLuSKtk3fktN8mGao70p9r_LY6QQeY13zs1aZ2dFY2SJkcEpH8TX-z9Lx8q47dELF5g3iLEivk8dczoI69HdgeYv1beQ7e7HAFj7hKCvvlH7QNB5jZVdUJNFERSbZaK82xEHLmyFNqj1AN-OMViJjYZ-2UTBqf/s540/Chay-%20purple%20dancing%20w_banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="540" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46sF84P9lVN-vEAnTRx-zRtHeT0Yqw4ZLuSKtk3fktN8mGao70p9r_LY6QQeY13zs1aZ2dFY2SJkcEpH8TX-z9Lx8q47dELF5g3iLEivk8dczoI69HdgeYv1beQ7e7HAFj7hKCvvlH7QNB5jZVdUJNFERSbZaK82xEHLmyFNqj1AN-OMViJjYZ-2UTBqf/w640-h600/Chay-%20purple%20dancing%20w_banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><i>Chayacates </i>at the Candelaria Fiesta, <i>Tuxpan</i>. </b><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2012/02/masked-dancers-of-tuxpans-candelaria.html">Chayaca</a></span><span><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2012/02/masked-dancers-of-tuxpans-candelaria.html">tes</a> wear masks that mimic the appearance of colonial-era Spaniards, but their antlered headdresses are indigenous. Their rattles are made from gourds filled with pebbles or seeds. Like the </span><i>Sonajeros</i><span>, there were hundreds of them. Both sets of dancers were composed of people from the various neighborhoods of Tuxpan. After suiting up, they all danced through town and converged into a huge parade which ended at the Plaza.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Chayacate</i> tradition arose separately from the Sonajeros.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> In 1774, a great epidemic hit <i>Tuxpan</i>. The local priest called everyone together and asked that they pray to <i>San Sebastian</i>, the patron saint for those afflicted by epidemics. They did and, miraculously, the epidemic subsided. To celebrate this, a great fiesta was established to coincide with Candalaria (Februrary 2). The <i>Chayacate</i> tradition has been handed down through the generations and <i>San Sebastian's</i> statue is carried during the parade to honor his intervention on behalf of the people of <i>Tuxpan</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia349uJHcwL387HvGbufE5CIGAIGpZpRcznBX4exP6XuJFZ3MeqHE3faz4Sio1j17_-WKLjNDkAfeKQnaHTizCOkJJ_C2RP_qIApzYvsKFXQjMJodfX6mYXJkfcSIivUBYALUW2t2hGmtTkt2ayamikveq853V0RR2AtYHwTTqSedmpwRSdeS-a8ZPXKf2/s540/OldManDancers-%20Patzcuaro%20&%20musicians.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="540" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia349uJHcwL387HvGbufE5CIGAIGpZpRcznBX4exP6XuJFZ3MeqHE3faz4Sio1j17_-WKLjNDkAfeKQnaHTizCOkJJ_C2RP_qIApzYvsKFXQjMJodfX6mYXJkfcSIivUBYALUW2t2hGmtTkt2ayamikveq853V0RR2AtYHwTTqSedmpwRSdeS-a8ZPXKf2/w640-h414/OldManDancers-%20Patzcuaro%20&%20musicians.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Danza de los Viejitos</i> (Dance of the Little Old Men), <i>Patzcuaro</i></b>. This is now performed in many parts of Mexico, but it <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danza_de_los_Viejitos">originated in <i>Michoacan</i></a> during the colonial era. There are various stories about the origin of the dance, but the one I like best was given to us during our first visit to <i>Michoacan</i>. It seems that the Spanish conquistadors and their descendants viewed any kind of physical labor as below their status as hidalgos (gentlemen). In fact, even the lowliest soldier with a peasant background considered himself an hidalgo in relation to the indigenous people. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>As the story goes, the Spaniards would sit on their horses and watch while the indigenous people did all the actual work. Consequently, the lack of exercise weakened the Spaniards and turned them into <i>viejitos</i> at a fairly early age. The natives were forced to provide free labor as a form of tribute under the oppressive <i>encomienda</i> system. </span><span>The indigenous folks invented this dance to mock the Spaniards covertly because</span><span> </span><span>any overt mocking would have resulted in immediate and severe punishment. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LiztVUt_ZorXP5dYTjkmHrGrWSBdOBoBKeWlPG5nHIdh1uYmyXS4k3RsvMozrI3gQ5GxNNo2LMLVcIs-GnwskiD7XVfq4OhvGZGY1Hv74gNiMT-1ZoV_d7rYgJCD972j7qg8B0g95WpDmb8dOHy5vObmOaogtcaUXEsOyDZAqmSug6GyBT1i-qex6x-y/s872/OldManDancers-%20Patzcuaro,%20one.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LiztVUt_ZorXP5dYTjkmHrGrWSBdOBoBKeWlPG5nHIdh1uYmyXS4k3RsvMozrI3gQ5GxNNo2LMLVcIs-GnwskiD7XVfq4OhvGZGY1Hv74gNiMT-1ZoV_d7rYgJCD972j7qg8B0g95WpDmb8dOHy5vObmOaogtcaUXEsOyDZAqmSug6GyBT1i-qex6x-y/w396-h640/OldManDancers-%20Patzcuaro,%20one.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A <i>Danzante</i> struts his stuff, <i>Patzcuaro</i></b>. The dancers are known as <i>Danzantes</i>. They wear <br />white cotton shirts and pants, sometimes embroidered. Over this, they wear colorful blankets called <i>serapes</i>. On their heads, they wear straw hats adorned with ribbons of various colors. Their sandals have wooden soles to create a tapping sound. This is accompanied by taps from the dancers' canes as they mimic the hobbling of an arthritic old man. However, the performance is really quite athletic, so the <i>Danzantes</i> are usually young men wearing masks which imitate the faces of old Spaniards.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPHGktMPDywnBpDJi5s8DKYQgaKgonMxsKfqtMC9i_7YKUrFkMvNz6NfXQ8WINglG4gKISKx5j1DJ2q7JQyv3O7z0yxnpfomJrYCnge6NcICRhdQ2_y31l8r58TFTtEgQ2WJKVOged46DcIKIZFaG65eFxtMAr625QYcOn073IONn3749EbU70vFe_RZ0/s495/Dance,%20man%20tips%20hat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="378" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPHGktMPDywnBpDJi5s8DKYQgaKgonMxsKfqtMC9i_7YKUrFkMvNz6NfXQ8WINglG4gKISKx5j1DJ2q7JQyv3O7z0yxnpfomJrYCnge6NcICRhdQ2_y31l8r58TFTtEgQ2WJKVOged46DcIKIZFaG65eFxtMAr625QYcOn073IONn3749EbU70vFe_RZ0/w488-h640/Dance,%20man%20tips%20hat.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A male expat tips his hat to his female partner at the <i>Ajijic Plaza</i>.</b> The woman was one of several who performed at the <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2012/12/purepecha-fiesta-at-ajijic-plaza.html"><i>Michoacan</i> crafts market</a> that is held each December in the <i>Plaza</i>. The crafts people travel up to Lake Chapala to sell their beautiful wares to people who are looking for presents to give for Christmas. The dancers often entice members of their audience to join them. The confetti on the expat's head is contained in the hollow eggshells sold during fiestas. People have great fun cracking them over the heads of unsuspecting friends, relatives, or even random bystanders.</span><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tuQL7UzyuyGpcl6QTuQ7acRTKzgd1OQpvkvficLk2kaUOvOXkQvdG23OduOxcJJUR1muc2SZLcaBZtOoAsXrSC6M5oy49_PBdaIsqFGXtehZlWFiS2B_p4YNkGYbRFzbsJoz5o2-BKhp_AdxJ7jPrQgy3_1Z3O3EomaHXcRAnyqY2c-T5uCyecKNl33A/s434/Dance,%20monster%20&%20senorita2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="434" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tuQL7UzyuyGpcl6QTuQ7acRTKzgd1OQpvkvficLk2kaUOvOXkQvdG23OduOxcJJUR1muc2SZLcaBZtOoAsXrSC6M5oy49_PBdaIsqFGXtehZlWFiS2B_p4YNkGYbRFzbsJoz5o2-BKhp_AdxJ7jPrQgy3_1Z3O3EomaHXcRAnyqY2c-T5uCyecKNl33A/w640-h638/Dance,%20monster%20&%20senorita2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A <i>Güegüe </i>dances with his female partner at the <i>Michoacan</i> crafts fair</b>. <i>Güegües</i> (pronounced "gway-gway") wear horrific masks. They are usually found dancing on the fringe of the main performances. Their purpose is to scare away evil spirits. They must be successful at this because I have never seen any such spirits at fiestas where <i>güegües</i> are present.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-4YffevFMhFyoU-CFfyQi5KAVYt1tezuH3gCgkdurJyDaSZHdY3BJ2uIdespA3GkRfyXe-l9EfcHdYo4L5W6X8hUKbKOO9y0LqXKXxLj-rULX5t6judfPAihTbaWJv8gSfLz1aKK3c-2ebB0L0XrYXi1Xw_yJTJRslwPnhnc4D6UfoIXmeyXJ5BCoKwD/s540/DofD08-%20two%20couples.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="540" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-4YffevFMhFyoU-CFfyQi5KAVYt1tezuH3gCgkdurJyDaSZHdY3BJ2uIdespA3GkRfyXe-l9EfcHdYo4L5W6X8hUKbKOO9y0LqXKXxLj-rULX5t6judfPAihTbaWJv8gSfLz1aKK3c-2ebB0L0XrYXi1Xw_yJTJRslwPnhnc4D6UfoIXmeyXJ5BCoKwD/w640-h494/DofD08-%20two%20couples.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Traditional dancers at<i> Dia de los Muertos</i></b>, <i><b>Ajijic Plaza</b></i>. They wear clothing which approximates the 19th century attire of Jalisco's haciendas. The style above is probably recognizable to north-of-the-border folks, who may think it is typical of all of Mexico. However, traditional clothing styles vary greatly from one part of Mexico to another. The variety of clothing, food, and cultural traditions is an aspect of Mexico that I find particularly fascinating. To see more of the dancers at the Day of the Dead fiesta,<a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2008/11/day-of-dead-fiesta-in-ajijic-chapala.html"> click here</a>.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxlPcqaUd_ZLVa3Bp3UmHHSPh7DIb3T8-m4Pha7HkeOFnSl8JPKqFWOQIrYRcjLzORTj56g6tJu8J-Jj0fpGOKuTtdVtTAn_yO7b4xAyhNm_ENf10J_XjxNSn5HV3keI52py8XKsnSPRVEkV4IAzbYUobIfT9rHpNS3xjDl2p07IVh0Pc_3Vfwo8NMY1v/s540/DofD08-%20two%20women.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="540" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxlPcqaUd_ZLVa3Bp3UmHHSPh7DIb3T8-m4Pha7HkeOFnSl8JPKqFWOQIrYRcjLzORTj56g6tJu8J-Jj0fpGOKuTtdVtTAn_yO7b4xAyhNm_ENf10J_XjxNSn5HV3keI52py8XKsnSPRVEkV4IAzbYUobIfT9rHpNS3xjDl2p07IVh0Pc_3Vfwo8NMY1v/w640-h502/DofD08-%20two%20women.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Beautifully gowned dancers at Day of the Dead Fiesta, Ajijic Plaza</b>. Gowns like these would have been more typical of Mexico's 19th century upper classes. As they dance, the women whirl and twirl their gowns in a dizzying display of color and movement.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjxNU9qfHZXQBOgWzRWzy25pP5Gmrob-tsiKgTcpWxUY_Dil3BNpxZJsoEyPVX7Y6K24jtaQ7LU4mfqhiwNOZis9-5ieTmVGTXgJE-uhJy0Fyj2BolxvYxqnZCtrSJdrFSpTEmt2qqepmFBkL-ImYkf_TXTFMgI63_bry8h1WcEOfogRQpwbluwZqS0_1/s755/TrainStation-%20male:female%20dancers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjxNU9qfHZXQBOgWzRWzy25pP5Gmrob-tsiKgTcpWxUY_Dil3BNpxZJsoEyPVX7Y6K24jtaQ7LU4mfqhiwNOZis9-5ieTmVGTXgJE-uhJy0Fyj2BolxvYxqnZCtrSJdrFSpTEmt2qqepmFBkL-ImYkf_TXTFMgI63_bry8h1WcEOfogRQpwbluwZqS0_1/w458-h640/TrainStation-%20male:female%20dancers.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dancers at <i>Chapala's</i> Cultural Center.</b> The <a href="https://magazine.velasresorts.com/mexico/typical-costumes-traditional-culture/#Veracruz"><i>jarocho</i> costumes</a> of these dancers are from Veracruz, on Mexico's Gulf Coast. They show a mix of colonial Spanish and indigenous influences. For example, the white color of the costumes is related to the indigenous purification rituals of the area. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcBqAlfzn4z0Hhs3fbHRrFP1EG70cZaJpJT98q2bJATX6RfzrfyfHEqaXFLOY4KlV7Iq4qkGu75s1fPE19brYWkoXy3tMYPgS9hFeehDjHQlZKwhZmySAVRlfqSv6Za-p0Rb5WybwyRO230G_2ro9ytU5dHP9wcNfZGXPuSFjZtK95IUZAFeN8wU3tvH1/s622/TrainStation-%20female%20dancers%20garlands.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcBqAlfzn4z0Hhs3fbHRrFP1EG70cZaJpJT98q2bJATX6RfzrfyfHEqaXFLOY4KlV7Iq4qkGu75s1fPE19brYWkoXy3tMYPgS9hFeehDjHQlZKwhZmySAVRlfqSv6Za-p0Rb5WybwyRO230G_2ro9ytU5dHP9wcNfZGXPuSFjZtK95IUZAFeN8wU3tvH1/w556-h640/TrainStation-%20female%20dancers%20garlands.jpg" width="556" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Female dance troupe at Chapala Cultural Center</b>. The costumes these women wear are from Yucatan. The white, embroidered tops are tunics called <a href="https://naatikmexico.org/blog/huipil-a-traditional-maya-garment"><i>huipils</i></a> and are worn over the red skirts. <i>Huipils</i> are worn by the women of Yucatan for daily activities, not just for "dress up" or for dance performances. In fact, while walking the streets of Mérida, we marveled at the women sitting on the curb and selling vegetables while wearing beautiful white huipils. How they could keep the dresses so clean remains a mystery to us.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-skifMFz6eUHiDkyfV4doBFXE_axcSr9H9xu9QsIxR4I4SSDc4fxK_-hpOCdbwCRa3hM3FrhY3Q3SM40-Gr99_SPIjh4qvvTecP8iFqWoGQPn8IIuIA_hHhKXftocXRaNbannWYbcOR7HUn856WgwW3-M81R4L8JA0JdNSpgUCB1QN2gIMzr2d0HAiC7/s640/VC-%20Stilt%20woman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-skifMFz6eUHiDkyfV4doBFXE_axcSr9H9xu9QsIxR4I4SSDc4fxK_-hpOCdbwCRa3hM3FrhY3Q3SM40-Gr99_SPIjh4qvvTecP8iFqWoGQPn8IIuIA_hHhKXftocXRaNbannWYbcOR7HUn856WgwW3-M81R4L8JA0JdNSpgUCB1QN2gIMzr2d0HAiC7/w480-h640/VC-%20Stilt%20woman.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Cross-dressing stilt dancer at <i>Carnaval</i> (Mardi Gras), <i>Veracruz</i>.</b> When we visited <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2010/03/carnaval-in-vera-cruz_11.html">Veracruz during Carnaval</a>, we never knew what would happen next. I was listening to some street musicians when this person suddenly appeared. S/he was unusual enough in appearance, but the spectacularly vigorous dance performance was entirely on stilts. The only other time I have seen stilt dancers was also during <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2018/09/southern-yucatan-peninsula-part-1.html"><i>Carnaval,</i> but in <i>Chetumal</i></a>, capital of the <i>Yucatan</i> peninsula state of <i>Quintana Roo.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqetFrVbXe-VGQdoYw0Yb1Umx-rnfQyqwJJpz42rWS2UiJ5IXyWO5qlowVuMZb8M4cHYx392kjD1nmtGwDVgosNJ4w0igAkFXH4woP_gaCoUTJxuSueqDN4sZRL74gWFnz6rZiS4LtcJCOi1XYEV1_uIc22ZPLdBymZq4KcFkmMkKDgR6zDXo8Cf-iXqC/s540/VC-%20Fat%20woman%20dancing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="540" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqetFrVbXe-VGQdoYw0Yb1Umx-rnfQyqwJJpz42rWS2UiJ5IXyWO5qlowVuMZb8M4cHYx392kjD1nmtGwDVgosNJ4w0igAkFXH4woP_gaCoUTJxuSueqDN4sZRL74gWFnz6rZiS4LtcJCOi1XYEV1_uIc22ZPLdBymZq4KcFkmMkKDgR6zDXo8Cf-iXqC/w640-h420/VC-%20Fat%20woman%20dancing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Spontaneous dancer at <i>Carnaval</i>, in <i>Veracruz</i></b>. This very large woman lunged into the center of things and began dancing to the marimba music played by these street musicians. Her spontaneous performance soon had the crowd clapping and cheering.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz2b07nO-1tE4dxC9Gph6vcH80r82t7GfNMKG_D2FJ5Yemj25tiBZV4GKSgwcdO8TPCi0N99egV9kZzp4HK2DAmt_GC_ggp7iDSprplTn4NwkRxYGEzQC5pZ4Lu9AI1mxwm5LPUi_Fncq0oH9_-7_fa4gfgqtTJc2f9PwsMSBIAXpHQTUOZBhuAmRe84G/s540/Merida-%20Dancers%20female2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="540" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz2b07nO-1tE4dxC9Gph6vcH80r82t7GfNMKG_D2FJ5Yemj25tiBZV4GKSgwcdO8TPCi0N99egV9kZzp4HK2DAmt_GC_ggp7iDSprplTn4NwkRxYGEzQC5pZ4Lu9AI1mxwm5LPUi_Fncq0oH9_-7_fa4gfgqtTJc2f9PwsMSBIAXpHQTUOZBhuAmRe84G/w640-h526/Merida-%20Dancers%20female2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dancers in Mérida, Yucatan</b>. These young women were performing for our tour group at one of the hotels where we stayed on an early trip through Mexico. The young man who was our tour director had arranged for them to entertain us. I commented to him that working with such lovely young women must be one of the perks of his job. He grinned at me and said "it's a tough job, but <i>somebody</i> has to do it." There was a group of rather severe-looking older Mexican women sitting in the background, obviously the chaperones. No doubt, our young tour director had to handle his arrangements rather carefully.<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes my posting on Mexican dancing. I hope you enjoyed it and, if so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, please include your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /><br /> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-20565178649297189452023-11-26T19:05:00.000-06:002023-11-26T19:05:12.383-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 17 of 17: The pueblo of Santa Rosa de Lima and its Mayólica Pottery factory.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EUjF8RSq8arx_5acX3IdfAAS8qvnwsF1xHcHoLuz_1nNsuKaOk9-hIyteOanDq8zNjt05hJ2NhUX-8LpaVpg3TfTbNnZHfxIw1WVDmqSNOKfR2Z16iqpkMDSxcyONvvFUD0gP0rxSIhyVMz4mzPA1RogJmWVcJaXOY6BbuNcFzGIWBncgrVZ4MoCtUsh/s720/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20fr%20above2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EUjF8RSq8arx_5acX3IdfAAS8qvnwsF1xHcHoLuz_1nNsuKaOk9-hIyteOanDq8zNjt05hJ2NhUX-8LpaVpg3TfTbNnZHfxIw1WVDmqSNOKfR2Z16iqpkMDSxcyONvvFUD0gP0rxSIhyVMz4mzPA1RogJmWVcJaXOY6BbuNcFzGIWBncgrVZ4MoCtUsh/w480-h640/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20fr%20above2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Parroquia de Santa Rosa de Lima</i><b> is located in a deep canyon. </b>The main part of the <i>pueblo</i> is just off Hwy 110. However, an older part, called the Cañon del Silencio (Canyon of Silence), is reached by following a road which winds down into a deep canyon. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, we'll look at both the lower and the upper parts of the pueblo. I'll also tell you about the Mayólica Santa Rosa pottery factory which makes beautiful hand-painted ceramics of all shapes and sizes. In fact, we visited the town on the recommendation of our next door neighbor in Ajijic who had bought some ceramics there.</span><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Overview</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSGXwncwAIECg0FUgOZWT9hqm-OWoLQg6_I76U8D8BD4NTCkWtqBmHwihVcyo65l60e2DySOFg_dJNoa_V08LYtuLlRV22wTzyl2SFT_GJaiIbPGWtJCOkgdebCe2_1H3vvNNr_GtaBwmcm-ZgTaoV1wXhLbgm3Y_4_yqAAOeMs9keetiVyNnSE50r5-J/s1162/Google%20map-%20Santa%20Rosa%20de%20Lima.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1162" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSGXwncwAIECg0FUgOZWT9hqm-OWoLQg6_I76U8D8BD4NTCkWtqBmHwihVcyo65l60e2DySOFg_dJNoa_V08LYtuLlRV22wTzyl2SFT_GJaiIbPGWtJCOkgdebCe2_1H3vvNNr_GtaBwmcm-ZgTaoV1wXhLbgm3Y_4_yqAAOeMs9keetiVyNnSE50r5-J/w640-h610/Google%20map-%20Santa%20Rosa%20de%20Lima.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Santa Rosa de Lima is only a short drive from the city of Guanajuato</b>. Just take Hwy 110 north and follow it 13.9 km (8.6 mi) toward the northeast. Very quickly the road enters heavily-forested mountains. This is where so much of Guanajuato's silver was mined in the colonial era. The drive takes about 25 minutes and would be worth it even without the town and its pottery factory.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The old <i>pueblo</i> of <i>Santa Rosa de Lima</i></b></span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0Uq_l6lFjVWcJuJLOLSIsJLm4qNOuDyOJo4Nsdh237X3QUxaZEiQWKCpEKAZgDg8B6UgLfSCwdwasXCBcpJ6uR0Q4d0szoZl3Kz98AIaegCBadMH-AtHmYnopfPGEkOGwRpx3LUxs7tkKyP7QM_kVRBxfHTFuhfUZJem2e87WnhfsJp3u8IbARF9pXln/s540/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20plaza.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0Uq_l6lFjVWcJuJLOLSIsJLm4qNOuDyOJo4Nsdh237X3QUxaZEiQWKCpEKAZgDg8B6UgLfSCwdwasXCBcpJ6uR0Q4d0szoZl3Kz98AIaegCBadMH-AtHmYnopfPGEkOGwRpx3LUxs7tkKyP7QM_kVRBxfHTFuhfUZJem2e87WnhfsJp3u8IbARF9pXln/w640-h480/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20plaza.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The old pueblo's plaza is small but very clean. </b>The red and white banners draped overhead suggest that a <i>fiesta</i> has either just been completed or that the celebration will soon begin. Even though this place is fairly remote, the age and condition of the vehicles show a good level of prosperity.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Like so much in Guanajuato, the pueblo was a product of the 18th century silver boom. A mine called <i>Santa Rosa de Lima</i> was started by <i>José Mariano Sardaneta</i>, whose family owned the <i>San Juan de Rayas</i> mine (see <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/05/guanajuato-revisited-part-7-panoramic.html">Part 7</a> of this series). He opened the <i>Santa Rosa</i> mine in 1728, after his <i>San Antonio</i> mine flooded and had to be abandoned. The pueblo of <i>Santa Rosa de Lima</i> grew out of the mine's need for services, goods, and homes for the miner workers and their families.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTLtz8Ot7pvlcS77Xbf2KT4LoFcJSKb83bco4u82u4ogBxHsAm3Ta8QYPQzEWuGBm3EuHMvrz8ekY2l0Y4G49C6Z1wUv7_0lr1b6f2Up7Mho7BDNAKgY4RTwAiKrsx388LiHmpIK1PZwOS3cNi5C5qNJM19KwdSP-Qv795YUVtXe1p_6wDd0Lk8tRwlkI/s540/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20fr%20plaza.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTLtz8Ot7pvlcS77Xbf2KT4LoFcJSKb83bco4u82u4ogBxHsAm3Ta8QYPQzEWuGBm3EuHMvrz8ekY2l0Y4G49C6Z1wUv7_0lr1b6f2Up7Mho7BDNAKgY4RTwAiKrsx388LiHmpIK1PZwOS3cNi5C5qNJM19KwdSP-Qv795YUVtXe1p_6wDd0Lk8tRwlkI/w640-h480/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20fr%20plaza.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View of the <i>Parroquia</i> from the plaza</b>. The two steeples each have three levels but are otherwise very different from each other. The left one is shorter and each of its levels is smaller than the one below it. The right one is taller and its levels are all of relatively the same size. In addition, the right steeple's top level has a clock on each of its four sides. Many other clocks on Mexican buildings don't function, but these do and they gave the correct time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i><a href="https://www.strose.edu/2021/05/14/saint-rose-of-lima-1586-1617-the-namesake-of-the-college/#:~:text=She%20is%20the%20patron%20saint,%2C%20India%2C%20and%20the%20Philippines.">Santa Rosa de Lima</a></i> was the first saint born in the New World. <i>Isabel Flores de Olivia </i>was born in</span><span>1586 in</span><span> Lima, Peru. She got her nickname "<i>Rosa</i>" when one of her family's servants had a vision of Isabel's face turning into a rose.</span><span> At her confirmation in 1597, <i>Isabel </i>formally took the name </span><i>Rosa</i><span>. </span>She was extremely pious, severely ascetic, and devoted to the needy. <span>Her parents pressured her to marry but, at age 20, she became a nun in the </span><span>Third Order of Saint Dominic. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>As a method of penance, <i>Rosa</i> sometimes burned her face or hands</span><span>. To remind herself of Jesus' crown of thorns, <i>Rosa</i> wore a heavy crown of silver with spikes which often became entangled with her hair. </span>She sold flowers and made lace and embroidery to raise money for the poor. When she died in Lima in 1617, her funeral was a major event. Miraculously, the whole city smelled of roses that day and many other miracles are reported to have followed. Rosa was canonized in 1671. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdustHHjAUpOYFkzsfV7tfdFL2_OF3pyB9VU8amHLdqHlOePHM6I-mLTrAchN01fyKdDOGWRKQYOpdLN2guhcTjJI0pQvEuT8TzxHAwoUMtEwHAj13vV3Y094kari0XwiYsFBeZQZs0QawRncXWhyEfEpT6mlZ7eB1nemT4BMsYy0_ItbCURLvficOlUl/s720/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20entr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdustHHjAUpOYFkzsfV7tfdFL2_OF3pyB9VU8amHLdqHlOePHM6I-mLTrAchN01fyKdDOGWRKQYOpdLN2guhcTjJI0pQvEuT8TzxHAwoUMtEwHAj13vV3Y094kari0XwiYsFBeZQZs0QawRncXWhyEfEpT6mlZ7eB1nemT4BMsYy0_ItbCURLvficOlUl/w480-h640/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20entr.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Side entrance to the <i>Parroquia</i></b>. The doorway is Baroque, while other parts of the church, including the main entrance, have a Neo-Classic style. When the church was constructed, Neo-Classic was becoming the dominant style in Mexico. Many churches </span>built during this period that I have visited show a similar mixture of styles.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Construction on<i> <a href="https://www.travel-leon.net/2011/10/mineral-de-santa-rosa-de-lima-en-guanajuato/">Parroquia Santa Rosa de Lima</a></i> began in 1735, </span>under the supervision of <i>Padre Francisco Ramírez Rendón. </i>This was only <span>a few years after the opening of the new mine. The work continued for forty-six years until the church was finally inaugurated in 1771. Long periods of construction were not unusual during the colonial period. </span>Money for church construction was often a problem. Difficulties such as mine flooding might cause shutdowns and dry up donations.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS76lNIEon5bTtVFhPlIIMFrfvywdoFPoFH7m1HJcG5PoLAiLorvS6dkRY6vZG4wt9oxoypuhd8c4ymnTGVBUhdKxoYI3cM_e6bfbekdXQUIgLWL8-dBSsHPMnTtXCCQ4nEMI2kzGd5YnCOBXoZlI2XtH2uloxlOV6MXNMk5qlEcF1mCLmj-F9c4SlJIiG/s720/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20side%20alley2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS76lNIEon5bTtVFhPlIIMFrfvywdoFPoFH7m1HJcG5PoLAiLorvS6dkRY6vZG4wt9oxoypuhd8c4ymnTGVBUhdKxoYI3cM_e6bfbekdXQUIgLWL8-dBSsHPMnTtXCCQ4nEMI2kzGd5YnCOBXoZlI2XtH2uloxlOV6MXNMk5qlEcF1mCLmj-F9c4SlJIiG/w480-h640/ParroquiaSantaRosaDeLima-%20side%20alley2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The church's side door faces onto the beginning of an alley.</b> Part way down the alley, several bicyclists push their vehicles toward the edge of town. A small dog lounges on the church steps, watching them as they leave. The bicyclists were clearly not locals and probably came from <i>Guanajuato</i> or elsewhere in Mexico. They face a tough climb up from the bottom of the <i>Cañon del Silencio </i>to Hwy 110. But from there to Guanajuato it is all downhill. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The upper <i>pueblo </i>and the<i> Templo del Sagrado Corozon.</i></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbzxd0orOK4kLl0ycXUf3jPnZFWPUnGuopSAWIZZEWwhKIwwF0pKHR7xeFVGd4c6UjbEFzJBVPV240HsM3vMSvnx199sdkFiPZHT3hbJHBBZg8rT8p97XO7GpQAebgelcAxAEUbx_PwhwAbNyJw7Xm1OFvoT5Tp-wmuZ3x9bsWtmhVmaIp-zO8QbsiyGd/s540/TemploSagradoCorozo%CC%81n-%20fr%20right.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbzxd0orOK4kLl0ycXUf3jPnZFWPUnGuopSAWIZZEWwhKIwwF0pKHR7xeFVGd4c6UjbEFzJBVPV240HsM3vMSvnx199sdkFiPZHT3hbJHBBZg8rT8p97XO7GpQAebgelcAxAEUbx_PwhwAbNyJw7Xm1OFvoT5Tp-wmuZ3x9bsWtmhVmaIp-zO8QbsiyGd/w640-h480/TemploSagradoCorozo%CC%81n-%20fr%20right.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Templo del Sagrado</i> stands on the north side of the <i>Camino Real.</i> </b><i>Camino Real</i> (Royal Road) branches off Hwy 110 at the western end of town and the two roads parallel until 110 turns north while the Royal Road continues east. <i>Camino Real</i> is a name often given to roads built in the colonial period to connect important towns and cities. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZRbNwzu1nF1c2fionUG5I84P4LSdiG8z_cjMyYJM8MeqIeIPDZACL1rqnoCLdmuScgacQeIiIUx0mJ68qfugdD6W6YklffMXAsyMy1XiJdvAqDw7Wz4MDvMzKq5sTA2uor0QoaOEhBPRfbcwV-SIzGnZHBZ8GQ2yaMdFCP2QILNM79pvQen-MrvihG_q/s720/TemploSagradoCorozo%CC%81n-%20entr%20gate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZRbNwzu1nF1c2fionUG5I84P4LSdiG8z_cjMyYJM8MeqIeIPDZACL1rqnoCLdmuScgacQeIiIUx0mJ68qfugdD6W6YklffMXAsyMy1XiJdvAqDw7Wz4MDvMzKq5sTA2uor0QoaOEhBPRfbcwV-SIzGnZHBZ8GQ2yaMdFCP2QILNM79pvQen-MrvihG_q/w480-h640/TemploSagradoCorozo%CC%81n-%20entr%20gate.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The entrance gate was built in Neo-Classic style</b>. The gate was locked so I had to take my shots from outside. The church was constructed toward the end of the 19th century, which was a boom time for <i>Guanajuato</i> and its surrounding mining towns. <i><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porfirio_D%C3%ADaz">Porfirio Diaz</a></i> was President of Mexico during this period and he set about modernizing Mexico, in particular its mining industry. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately, the benefits of the modernization accrued largely to the upper classes and particularly to <i>Diaz</i> and his cronies. The standard of living of the working class declined, including that of mine workers. Unrest spread and intensified over the 3 1/2 decades of what was known as the <i>Porfiriato</i>. Strikes by miners' unions became more frequent, but were often brutally suppressed.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_GwqSxi_bxMbzojjX2MYpC1JoQj461VPxiuGPgaXS0_z31jN59KWKvDGAEUsFDbIk4pcVfa535EX7IBYRuPKZkASUG1y-mpP_0-035cM_9C15FptCAbnWVB_pLYXjtGcrygi41MEOMFBdd3yRfQk3zXSLOl7lQnkSeagxRY4TzqqpqKX7O0TmN3VJ4AE/s720/TemploSagradoCorozo%CC%81n-%20facade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_GwqSxi_bxMbzojjX2MYpC1JoQj461VPxiuGPgaXS0_z31jN59KWKvDGAEUsFDbIk4pcVfa535EX7IBYRuPKZkASUG1y-mpP_0-035cM_9C15FptCAbnWVB_pLYXjtGcrygi41MEOMFBdd3yRfQk3zXSLOl7lQnkSeagxRY4TzqqpqKX7O0TmN3VJ4AE/w480-h640/TemploSagradoCorozo%CC%81n-%20facade.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The facade, and steeples of the church are also Neo-Classic</b>. In front of the church is a broad open area, surrounded by a wall. This feature is called an atrium and is used for processions and events that need more space than can be provided inside the church itself. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2009/11/mexican-revolution-past-and-present.html?m=1">Mexican Revolution</a> broke out on November 20, 1910 and the country exploded like a pressure cooker with no steam outlet. Only a few months after it began, <i>Porfirio Diaz</i> was forced to flee to Europe. Five years later, he died comfortably in bed. Ironically, many of the leaders who drove him from office were assassinated over the next twenty years. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>One of the aftershocks of the Revolution was the <a href="https://blog.oup.com/2015/07/mexican-catholics-cristero-war/#:~:text=The%20war%20had%20begun%20when,Calles%20and%20his%20handpicked%20successors."><i>Cristiada</i>, or <i>Cristero</i> War</a> (1926-29). </span>Some of the provisions of the Constitution of 1917 were aimed at curbing the political and economic power of the Catholic Church. When <span>President </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutarco_El%C3%ADas_Calles"><i>Plutarco Calles</i></a> attempted to enforce them, the Church opposed it and right-wing reactionaries flocked to the cause. They were called <i>Cristeros</i> because their battle cry was ¡<i>Viva Cristo Rey!</i> ("Long Live Christ the King!"). </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The bloody struggle resulted in the execution of many Mexican priests who supported the <i>Cristeros</i>. One of these was <i>Padre Gregorio Gutiérrez</i> of <i>Santa Rosa de Lima, </i>who was known by the nickname "<i>Goyito</i>". He was captured while hiding out in the mountains that surround the pueblo. On May 14, 1928, <i>Goyito </i>was shot by a military firing squad. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Fabrica Mayólica Santa Rosa</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYterpj-9swbRr1UY61eSMJ9IZ_7RZ-_pBcN7B97KWSena2LFwNe-iqn9mdWug4VHxcnYkykCpdxHhxJ7-vpDlj5NEfxiMNHhO1t3VsUTq-zS3a4dgWX6RaeTNGKB8tqqUy3gwjzAKfAEeE2JmVTjfXwi_Ll_rYjA1JjrNyJdbc9zm7yMKxs36PCKR2Ua/s540/Fabrica%20Mayo%CC%81lica%20Santa%20Rosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="540" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYterpj-9swbRr1UY61eSMJ9IZ_7RZ-_pBcN7B97KWSena2LFwNe-iqn9mdWug4VHxcnYkykCpdxHhxJ7-vpDlj5NEfxiMNHhO1t3VsUTq-zS3a4dgWX6RaeTNGKB8tqqUy3gwjzAKfAEeE2JmVTjfXwi_Ll_rYjA1JjrNyJdbc9zm7yMKxs36PCKR2Ua/w640-h474/Fabrica%20Mayo%CC%81lica%20Santa%20Rosa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Fabrica Mayólica Santa Rosa.</span></i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://rusticagift.com/pages/the-artisans">The <i>fabrica</i> (factory)</a> is on the right just as you reach <i>Santa Rosa de Lima,</i> just before the <i>Camino Real</i> branches off to the right. Getting inside was a little confusing. After we repeatedly rang the bell by the door, a woman finally came. She explained that the main entrance is on the back side of the building, facing the <i>Camino Real</i>. A sign on the door might help, but hey, this is Mexico.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The building has three floors, with one used for the factory and the other two as show rooms. The variety of ceramics is overwhelming. They range from very small spoons to very large vases and every other kind of shape you can imagine (and some you probably can't). Every piece is beautifully hand-painted. Unfortunately, the <i>fabrica's</i> owners don't allow photographs in the showrooms, so the only one I have is of the dish you see below.</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56jYgkNxqHBic_J9z-Z5XPMHtHzMV7YK-pqkuLUbeUuq2Qs0FsWWaqKCAlRZOH_AlbmI8KsrjFsMkRTT0bt0yzP4E2CjDrXrAFB63RHjYMt8_NQN4eGF7o-2qaCa7w8Xqwt3z8fsY-pLLQqDbG27TbKUqF6ifzCXoAW5ZNZLWijV8hUwASJc2EarCmz5N/s540/Mayolica%20ceramics.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="540" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56jYgkNxqHBic_J9z-Z5XPMHtHzMV7YK-pqkuLUbeUuq2Qs0FsWWaqKCAlRZOH_AlbmI8KsrjFsMkRTT0bt0yzP4E2CjDrXrAFB63RHjYMt8_NQN4eGF7o-2qaCa7w8Xqwt3z8fsY-pLLQqDbG27TbKUqF6ifzCXoAW5ZNZLWijV8hUwASJc2EarCmz5N/w640-h530/Mayolica%20ceramics.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Hand-painted dish from <i>Fabrica Mayólita Santa Rosa</i></b>. Since the <i>fabrica</i> doesn't allow photos inside the building, I took one of the small dish that Carole and I brought home. Over the last 45 years, <i>Mayólica Santa Rosa</i> has been operated by three generations of the <i>Salazar</i> family. Currently, it is managed by <i>Maria del Carmen Aguilera Salazar</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The pottery is created by a group of artisans who use clay collected locally to make the pottery and local minerals to make the paints and glazes. <i>Maria</i> oversees every step to ensure the craftsmanship is of high quality. The family has another <i>fabrica</i> called <i><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/time-to-look/32102491393">JB Diseno</a> </i>in <i>San Miguel Allende.</i> There, pewter items are crafted.</span></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Tras Lomita Restaurante</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPO5D0s7WZzN0UiiY8vwOHtLF4DRphS1qPR77NdLpkM60PGyFsPIiMiN-XfFqlOmeMUDlF0FMkv6eOV0o12DR7aZ2o0pQlUD0nzT9YEQZbmWC3XQC8Qp2MgZN-s2Q5DODXlpuTzuom8S1HeSB2S_jbg53GwqIwL9gMkTu-tiBGxujNt9ahcXvp9Do1VIp/s540/TrasLomitaRestaurante1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPO5D0s7WZzN0UiiY8vwOHtLF4DRphS1qPR77NdLpkM60PGyFsPIiMiN-XfFqlOmeMUDlF0FMkv6eOV0o12DR7aZ2o0pQlUD0nzT9YEQZbmWC3XQC8Qp2MgZN-s2Q5DODXlpuTzuom8S1HeSB2S_jbg53GwqIwL9gMkTu-tiBGxujNt9ahcXvp9Do1VIp/w640-h480/TrasLomitaRestaurante1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>After leaving <i>Santa Rosa de Lima</i>, we lunched at <i>Tras Lomitas</i> restaurant</b>. It is only a couple of miles back toward <i>Guanajuato</i> on the left side of the road. <i><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=restaurant+tras+lomitas%2C+guanajuato&rlz=1C5CHFA_enMX698MX699&oq=restaurant+tras+lomitas%2C+guanajuato&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30.10742j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#rlimm=13757590033735017445">Tras Lomitas</a></i> ("Behind little hills") is situated up on the hillside overlooking Hwy 110 and the rolling wooded hills beyond.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmQy-SEqUauaB5Vzr9JWXxuLkv0IIiL6AgrggQggkay4WnPTxZjCKfdef7HvngZ-jqPldgZNX9Y5Iek1uRR9a6pznXiFWecabd6NpPV3bR6Vz4HfjFSBg5agK7SS7AvI4Foz7gA-CGgOLx2-6RK7S2ohnatGv2nVdATiGUPa3znnnOCl3hUWZtbUkZL2p/s540/TrasLomitaRestaurante2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmQy-SEqUauaB5Vzr9JWXxuLkv0IIiL6AgrggQggkay4WnPTxZjCKfdef7HvngZ-jqPldgZNX9Y5Iek1uRR9a6pznXiFWecabd6NpPV3bR6Vz4HfjFSBg5agK7SS7AvI4Foz7gA-CGgOLx2-6RK7S2ohnatGv2nVdATiGUPa3znnnOCl3hUWZtbUkZL2p/w640-h480/TrasLomitaRestaurante2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Large windows provide diners with great views</b>. There is also a balcony along the front of the restaurant where you can eat. The fare is mostly traditional Mexican, with some Gringo options. The staff were friendly and efficient and well-deserving of the nice tip we left them. As you can see from the number of diners, the place is popular.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 17 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series and also finishes the series itself (I'll bet you thought it would never end!) I hope you enjoyed the series. If you would like to leave any thoughts or questions, please do so either in the Comments section below or email them directly to me. If you use the Comments section, please remember to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-80603070721956241682023-11-17T17:14:00.002-06:002023-11-20T23:37:48.778-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 16 of 17: Plaza Allende and Jardin Embajadoras<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHum9BFCZBHfTPrZwMehsOb_ftcZtYwVwN8ApBy3kacmnjYt6Az4Dc_rkgDDyO04ft3DKIAIj9mfF8Bf2LhDnPj-ppl7f6F-svC_1alRrHm8iMQ37OzPDzz8UyFSwem1KTehhs84MdoZki-qaEV-AROHeeIE5YZY9m_0qJeNNkOJ5j-U_1E3PyChBOdMD/s720/PlazaAllende-%20statues%20Don%20Quixote%20&%20Sancho.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHum9BFCZBHfTPrZwMehsOb_ftcZtYwVwN8ApBy3kacmnjYt6Az4Dc_rkgDDyO04ft3DKIAIj9mfF8Bf2LhDnPj-ppl7f6F-svC_1alRrHm8iMQ37OzPDzz8UyFSwem1KTehhs84MdoZki-qaEV-AROHeeIE5YZY9m_0qJeNNkOJ5j-U_1E3PyChBOdMD/w480-h640/PlazaAllende-%20statues%20Don%20Quixote%20&%20Sancho.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Don Quixote</i> and his companion <i>Sancho Panza</i> keep watch over <i>Plaza Allende</i></b>. The chief characters from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Quixote">the book "<i>Don Quixote</i>"</a> stand on the rocky hillside above the plaza. You can find many depictions of the protagonists in <i>Miguel Cervante's</i> novel around <i>Guanajuato</i>, but these are the best, in my opinion. <i>Don Quixote</i> is mounted on his trusty steed <i>Rocinante</i>, while <i>Sancho</i> rides Dobby, his faithful donkey.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Don Quixote</i> is pronounced Key-ho-tay, with the accent on the second syllable. "Don" is not a name but title of respect. The book, published in 1605 with a sequel in 1615, is considered the first modern novel. It is also one of the most translated books in the world as well as being one of the best-selling of all time. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Up until then, chivalric romances had been the most popular style of fictional writing. </span><i>Cervantes</i><span> viewed these works as silly wastes of time and his novel spoofs them unmercifully. His chief character is a member of the lowest level of the nobility and </span><i>Sancho Panza</i><span>, the secondary character, is a simple farm laborer. </span><i>Don Quixote</i><span> goes mad while reading chivalric romances and decides he is a famous knight who must set off on a great quest.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, I'll briefly outline the story of <i>Don Quixote</i> and <i>Sancho Panza. </i>I'll also show you both <i>Plaza Allende</i> and the nearby <i>Jardin Embajadoras</i> (Garden of the Ambassadors) and relate some the history of each.<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><p><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Overview of Plaza Allende</span></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinVC7w9sjy8iarq8MYGeEClBPymhH3AqEQIZvVxq2sCnBN2gLzXruiqT1wJ7a09E2JaiZP2sgyILkJ0bb6TeIsB3hOxp_4oy2ozWEvx3-Igz3aJ5J7EuHPcAvaiF9YpXK-MSW0sX65S7PxFCqCXmM5XnivONZcOeS8EtPGAE6Syq-kMTil3CYHBOLlmvF/s1314/Google%20map-%20Plaza%20Allende.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="1314" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinVC7w9sjy8iarq8MYGeEClBPymhH3AqEQIZvVxq2sCnBN2gLzXruiqT1wJ7a09E2JaiZP2sgyILkJ0bb6TeIsB3hOxp_4oy2ozWEvx3-Igz3aJ5J7EuHPcAvaiF9YpXK-MSW0sX65S7PxFCqCXmM5XnivONZcOeS8EtPGAE6Syq-kMTil3CYHBOLlmvF/w640-h456/Google%20map-%20Plaza%20Allende.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Google satellite view of Plaza Allende</b>. </span>In my last couple of postings, I showed the <i>andador</i> (walking street) called <i>Manuel Doblado.</i> If you continue to follow it from <i>Plaza Ropero</i>, it will lead you directly to <i>Plaza Allende</i>. Alternatively, if you follow the <i>callejon</i> (alleyway) called <i>Del Campanero</i> that runs under the pedestrian bridge of the <i>Santo Café</i> (another site from my last posting), it will also take you to <i>Plaza Allende</i>. The Plaza can be found at the bottom center of the photo above.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdjlJHv8lwUcVg3KMq6mPf3bEBfXwrKK7bmwVRebEusvyvXktta1JELJjXkOzJWA5KFMeEajRBhH5812ukRiDvWzNYIzaDhLOOphA_tRRD3N4c8S37b00y31Uu2mzDW5VIfaFm7CJs5EPRazfFoFWxrzouRt2mIVLXXkAegX2tADkUEr6ZF5K4R21O-lp/s643/PlazaAllende-%20Don%20Quijote%20detail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdjlJHv8lwUcVg3KMq6mPf3bEBfXwrKK7bmwVRebEusvyvXktta1JELJjXkOzJWA5KFMeEajRBhH5812ukRiDvWzNYIzaDhLOOphA_tRRD3N4c8S37b00y31Uu2mzDW5VIfaFm7CJs5EPRazfFoFWxrzouRt2mIVLXXkAegX2tADkUEr6ZF5K4R21O-lp/w538-h640/PlazaAllende-%20Don%20Quijote%20detail.jpg" width="538" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><i>Don Quixote</i>, in all his mad glory</b>. I don't know if the sculptor intended it, but <i>Rocinante</i> seems be getting quite a chuckle out of the whole thing. By the beginning of the 17th century, the era of medieval knights was a fading memory. </span>During the previous couple of centuries, fully-armored and mounted noblemen had been repeatedly defeated by common foot soldiers. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>As early as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Years%27_War">Hundred Years War</a> (1337-1453), English archers wielding their long bows had repeatedly slaughtered heavily-armored French knights. In other wars, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_mercenaries">Swiss foot soldiers</a> were able to </span>capture or kill Austrian knights by using hooked pikes to pull them off their horses. When gunpowder use became widespread, the armored warrior's day was over. It took awhile for Europe's nobility to accept that they could easily be killed by the lowliest peasant, if he was armed with gun.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It was in this context that chivalric romances had become popular, somewhat like the 20th century American fascination with 19th century cowboys on their cattle drives and wagon trains fighting off Indian attacks. The works written about those earlier periods were full of sentimental nonsense that ignored hard dirty realities that were sometimes dangerous but mostly filled with boredom. <i>Cervantes'</i> book was an antidote for romantic tales of chivalry.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAlfEiyIdjjY5TqLdG2eTXJDV6PlMzIYDQw-GFfI1TAspKW5QTVBq53_VdQNQaYzPuVIMyksNk_Kekh8k9ZIGkCqRlwVvbLupD_qZfsootpv92W4SfO5xJrBhaUVoeQFPPg2nErKI_GKvfjpS0aYyNob0Gwfc9J2W_-UdX6_ye4yiBkBDdivHbVsXsppb/s540/PlazaAllende-%20Teatro%20Cervantes%20&%20Carole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAlfEiyIdjjY5TqLdG2eTXJDV6PlMzIYDQw-GFfI1TAspKW5QTVBq53_VdQNQaYzPuVIMyksNk_Kekh8k9ZIGkCqRlwVvbLupD_qZfsootpv92W4SfO5xJrBhaUVoeQFPPg2nErKI_GKvfjpS0aYyNob0Gwfc9J2W_-UdX6_ye4yiBkBDdivHbVsXsppb/w640-h480/PlazaAllende-%20Teatro%20Cervantes%20&%20Carole.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Carole walks in the plaza</b>. Behind her is the small stone <i>Teatro Cervantes</i>. The theatre was inaugurated in 1979 by <i>Carmen Romano de Lopez Portillo</i>, the wife of the then-President of Mexico. The <i>Teatro</i> and its plaza is one of many venues in Guanajuato where the activities of the annual <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/2152597711616569356">Festival Cervantes</a></i> are held. Unfortunately, the theatre was locked, so we couldn't get a peek inside. </span>The statues of <i>Don Quixote</i> and <i>Sancho Panza</i> are just out of view on the hillside to the right. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In the book, a minor nobleman from <i>La Mancha</i> named <i>Alonso Quijano</i> goes mad from reading too many chivalric romances. He decides that his real name is <i>Don Quixote de la Mancha</i> and that his duty is to become a knight-errant and serve his nation by reviving chivalry. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Since every knight needs one, <i>Quixote</i> selects the earthy peasant <i>Sancho Panza </i></span>as his squire. Strapping on a rusty suit of armor, <i>Don Quixote</i> sets off on his mighty steed, an old workhorse <i>Rocinante</i>. Chivalry also requires a lady love, so he picks a local slaughterhouse worker named <i>Aldonza Lorenzo</i> and renames her <i>Dulcinea del Toboso</i>.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LkSARvwRRoUt038YfdLSqTjuwufKjr9bTrCbig0pgpeMAVZaGWEJSovZQYqHKxwDjj-KAyRszNYuoYdcXIv71dU0EeF-ch7mfhYE_hbN7Bw1na-uxcdwc38e5Ka_n4nzRZP0JqS5N4F6ebhsE58y7MHKQjCW1A7JQf8w3Ujtlq-Tk-DGw-qIzzJS5meN/s720/PlazaAllende-%20motorcycle%20bar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LkSARvwRRoUt038YfdLSqTjuwufKjr9bTrCbig0pgpeMAVZaGWEJSovZQYqHKxwDjj-KAyRszNYuoYdcXIv71dU0EeF-ch7mfhYE_hbN7Bw1na-uxcdwc38e5Ka_n4nzRZP0JqS5N4F6ebhsE58y7MHKQjCW1A7JQf8w3Ujtlq-Tk-DGw-qIzzJS5meN/w480-h640/PlazaAllende-%20motorcycle%20bar.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A biker bar is located across <i>Calle Sangre de Cristo</i> from <i>Teatro Cervantes</i></b>. Oddly, the sign over its door is in English, giving the bar's name as "The Beer Company". Although small, it is a two story building with an umbrella-shaded deck on top. The line of motorcycles along one side suggests that this is a popular bar for Mexican bikers. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When the newly re-named <i>Don Quixote</i> sets out, his first stop is an inn. He believes it to be a castle, filled with noble ladies, who are actualy prostitutes. <i>Quixote</i> insists that the innkeeper (the "lord" of the castle) must dub him as a knight. The innkeeper is understandably dubious about all of this. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Adhering to one of the classic rituals of knighthood, <i>Don Quixote</i> keeps vigil at the castle's chapel (a horse trough). When some muleteers want to water their animals, he gets into a brawl with them for disturbing his vigil. The innkeeper finally goes through with the knighthood ceremony in order to get rid of this madman.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgswyoMRFh7qO7048cbAZNnuxo2in3LvY0EEXMyh2f-ATuf_2aoxcMxwBJgnuVfc0HYWxcQdsjnXB610NAsoqaikeS_JbpzpkEX9CmVRgfozqmPDZHbeBQb7kn8UjF1_0TTJgQaFIf0AQujviKYTx3UwdGgRmUGzP8hmF_jq4CevA7QcPgUCXJ5uniN_E/s720/PlazaAllende-%20tall%20bldg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgswyoMRFh7qO7048cbAZNnuxo2in3LvY0EEXMyh2f-ATuf_2aoxcMxwBJgnuVfc0HYWxcQdsjnXB610NAsoqaikeS_JbpzpkEX9CmVRgfozqmPDZHbeBQb7kn8UjF1_0TTJgQaFIf0AQujviKYTx3UwdGgRmUGzP8hmF_jq4CevA7QcPgUCXJ5uniN_E/w480-h640/PlazaAllende-%20tall%20bldg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A group of foreign tourists walks along the length of the plaza</b>. Beyond them, a six-story apartment building faces the plaza and its statues. The apartments on the second through the fourth stories have French doors and balconies, features which probably make them popular. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After leaving the inn, Don Quixote encounters a servant being beaten by his master. The knight-errant orders the master to stop the beating and release the unfortunate servant. The man complies but resumes his beating as soon as <i>Quixote</i> leaves. He next encounters some traders along the road and becomes angry with them when they refuse to believe his Dulcinea is the most beautiful woman in the world. Charging on <i>Rocinante</i>, he falls off and one of the traders beats him up, leaving him unconscious.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Found by a kind peasant, he is brought home still unconscious. His housekeeper-niece and the parish priest decide to burn all his chivalric romances in order to bring him back to reality and end these crazy adventures. They are among several people in the story who step forward to rescue Don Quixote when he gets himself (and sometimes Sancho) in trouble. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XJ83AHUD4R76e1th79c3WakO_ckDguR5mZi6suEFJq6xRjjMS0KVP6BarHV30ZL3CDF4I3wAdfw4FOEaPAjJas6zHmMahyV0JOEZ3sndIlcNAVf25o3Cmd9t_JTzDoLu1obFeFxvqohiKp4m1AeXSHwExJaWVvvCmHK7eORFP5360xinCRriDin2icrC/s763/PlazaAllende-%20tall%20bldg%20balcony.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XJ83AHUD4R76e1th79c3WakO_ckDguR5mZi6suEFJq6xRjjMS0KVP6BarHV30ZL3CDF4I3wAdfw4FOEaPAjJas6zHmMahyV0JOEZ3sndIlcNAVf25o3Cmd9t_JTzDoLu1obFeFxvqohiKp4m1AeXSHwExJaWVvvCmHK7eORFP5360xinCRriDin2icrC/w452-h640/PlazaAllende-%20tall%20bldg%20balcony.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A small dog was carefully scrutinizing us from its high perch</b>. Carole's sharp eye picked out this pooch on one of the building's balconies. Although it was a warm day, the little dog was wearing a coat. A worn boot stood next to the dog. The boot's mate was missing, so either it fell off the balcony or perhaps the remaining boot was a favorite chew toy.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Soon, Don Quixote recovers enough to set out on another adventure. In one of the most famous incidents, he mistakes some windmills for giant monsters and decides to charge them, with disastrous results. This has become the common expression "tilting at windmills", meaning to attempt something that is utterly foolish and misguided. The description of some course of action as "quixotic" has a similar meaning.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyM9HhBd8yQ06M-kzwAp-sdoIW1xeHKkzpthN5J_XO5mXzXAR5nahwb9ovjqdvtHT6qJChG8OushCjO5MwpMRzUdsNyI8HHYu5dnEKndD8qiUjnk-8Uz5qslI89wVEm8Xz_lM3LDx8vVTmmn8JGZvp_iunBrDwjEY4AIpCo-CrTTeNjplmFSKsNGugz2Ov/s540/PlazaAllende-%20colorful%20bldgs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyM9HhBd8yQ06M-kzwAp-sdoIW1xeHKkzpthN5J_XO5mXzXAR5nahwb9ovjqdvtHT6qJChG8OushCjO5MwpMRzUdsNyI8HHYu5dnEKndD8qiUjnk-8Uz5qslI89wVEm8Xz_lM3LDx8vVTmmn8JGZvp_iunBrDwjEY4AIpCo-CrTTeNjplmFSKsNGugz2Ov/w640-h480/PlazaAllende-%20colorful%20bldgs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A colorful array of buildings surrounds the south end of <i>Plaza Allende</i></b>. The intersection above is where <i>Calle Sangre de Cristo</i> meets <i>Calle Sostenes Rocha</i>. Close to this intersection is an attractive little restaurant with the unusual name of "La Vida sin ti."</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">During <i>Cervantes'</i> story, <i>Don Quixote</i> and <i>Sancho</i> have a great many other hilarious adventures. Usually, these end up with one or both of them in trouble. At the end of the book published in 1605, Quixote gets into yet another fight. This time, he is thoroughly beaten up by a goatherd and some pilgrims and is again brought home. The first book ends here, but Cervantes wrote a sequel, which was published in 1615. <br /></span><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJZOiYCHy1uKdziR-M4nsx1q81l2CxjFrOViLhz0CC0xGvRo5KBju__T6fnEHegI5XwzTl24eu1o7vBGDpPIqxwBhtV91bZFpAeC5bRa3Pg8RPFFQ_A3fyb7P5snz8uVMamXU8UFkbnEQp__5YIknqoi-NOv2fOYYxnwgpv3cW1PZtLiU_5DTd4DhVZCH/s540/Streetscenes-%20Restaurante%20La%20Vida%20Sin%20Ti.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="540" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJZOiYCHy1uKdziR-M4nsx1q81l2CxjFrOViLhz0CC0xGvRo5KBju__T6fnEHegI5XwzTl24eu1o7vBGDpPIqxwBhtV91bZFpAeC5bRa3Pg8RPFFQ_A3fyb7P5snz8uVMamXU8UFkbnEQp__5YIknqoi-NOv2fOYYxnwgpv3cW1PZtLiU_5DTd4DhVZCH/w640-h488/Streetscenes-%20Restaurante%20La%20Vida%20Sin%20Ti.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Two foreign tourists study the menu at <i>La vida sin ti.</i> </b>The name of this restaurant/bar means "The life without you". I speculated that the owner was mourning the end of a treasured relationship. On the other hand, perhaps s/he was celebrating its end, as in "good riddance!" We decided that this was just another of life's little mysteries and headed toward our next destination: <i>Jardin Embajadoras</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Although the sequel of the 1605 book came out ten years later, today the two are published together as one book. Don Quixote has many additional adventures in the 1615 book, but finally comes to his senses. </span>Before he dies, he apologizes for any harm he has done. The second book came out less than a year before Cervantes' own death in April of 1616.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Jardin Embajadoras</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXfrbrmHzWc98ovxkac5ikC7CJzadt2BOkTxgEfFBSmiil_e7ZZRFzTeaHFSJXaGmuxIvk4_9wNg4XtHKDWbGK7a5C96uM5CsSX9GWsaz9jMLxbHZckRaCr9f-ygp6DjNU_40VpbPgbuvkR0UBpQgirFzzZQeMLrdAnyC4OcOw1V5mVRrhdGrdVc-CtIs/s1016/Google%20map-%20Plaza%20de%20los%20Embajadores.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1016" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXfrbrmHzWc98ovxkac5ikC7CJzadt2BOkTxgEfFBSmiil_e7ZZRFzTeaHFSJXaGmuxIvk4_9wNg4XtHKDWbGK7a5C96uM5CsSX9GWsaz9jMLxbHZckRaCr9f-ygp6DjNU_40VpbPgbuvkR0UBpQgirFzzZQeMLrdAnyC4OcOw1V5mVRrhdGrdVc-CtIs/w640-h554/Google%20map-%20Plaza%20de%20los%20Embajadores.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Jardin Embajadoras</i> is shaped a little like a hockey stick</b>. To reach it, just follow <i>Calle Sangre de Cristo</i> from <i>Plaza Allende</i>. The "paddle" of the hockey stick is thickly wooded, but among the trees are some interesting structures. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6ovoaEC7UYwRqA81OqGmFWPRmQx1M1SeFGCcQvsYR76bn3ovIB-RIO8yV6Lx8hlo6wy2MHDNVgglA2eXD_FPzTE7HEV5i-cvwdpguAn6p287tOhfVTwaY5TU48NWdqGtCxwnJteY7PnIV90ozlnqZdE9Ed3ZypdojThndPoae6iDEPtdsDu1u7rfAZYv/s540/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6ovoaEC7UYwRqA81OqGmFWPRmQx1M1SeFGCcQvsYR76bn3ovIB-RIO8yV6Lx8hlo6wy2MHDNVgglA2eXD_FPzTE7HEV5i-cvwdpguAn6p287tOhfVTwaY5TU48NWdqGtCxwnJteY7PnIV90ozlnqZdE9Ed3ZypdojThndPoae6iDEPtdsDu1u7rfAZYv/w640-h480/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>A pedestrian overpass enables those on foot to safely enter the <i>Jardin</i></b>. Traffic on <i>Guanajuato's</i> streets can be chaotic, particularly given the large number of motorcycles that zoom around in all directions. The pedestrian overpass not only provides safety, but is also an attractive addition to the <i>Jardin</i>. </span>This land was originally part of <i><a href="https://www.minube.com/rincon/jardin-embajadoras-a3716734">Hacienda San Agustin</a></i>. Up until 1741, when <i>Guanajuato</i> was officially recognized as a city, the edge of the <i>Jardin</i> marked the town's administrative limit.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI4fQnmJeoYUNzjXma_SMg_Xo2JObFXx-t3qeO2Qr-H3dIysCo1cCogA1pXPRG4F_T_HE_rsxuhGQyUXfA-lhvuLdtt_JBfdo-gp_Sdr5VAoYIp9iNKqdl9kkhXkXxatt7IsCzA-reQK7yqloesPd1BniR2tFbLyDL0_0V0wB7e8yR1iSsYDqF4xH-iWl/s720/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20fountain%20statue1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI4fQnmJeoYUNzjXma_SMg_Xo2JObFXx-t3qeO2Qr-H3dIysCo1cCogA1pXPRG4F_T_HE_rsxuhGQyUXfA-lhvuLdtt_JBfdo-gp_Sdr5VAoYIp9iNKqdl9kkhXkXxatt7IsCzA-reQK7yqloesPd1BniR2tFbLyDL0_0V0wB7e8yR1iSsYDqF4xH-iWl/w480-h640/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20fountain%20statue1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A statue mounted over a fountain is located in the wooded section.</b> This is known as the <i>Columna de la Libertad</i> (Column of Liberty). The sculptor was a <i>Guanajuato</i> artist named <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Fructuoso_Contreras">Jesus Fructuoso Contreras</a>. </i>He has been called "the most representative sculptor of late 19th century Mexico"<i>. </i>The statue above is of a woman, holding a torch aloft with her right hand and cradling a stone tablet with her left. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFYHtXuQhXhuYwGoVEcQrkA4lACby4VlPKdhSckpLW5AUau1R2hUb3srM8p45Bsm1OBVm2DcUQjXeq13HQQxrDEOu29eXQ3IeEYzu_IGExPy1EbwC1SJnzhjqAJB7KssxjoOfdSTw0WRtJgXQpca5wBXRbhnMMxP5bsx6cA2p3_iwBCnpaypAL3xwlhoz/s720/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20fountain%20cat%20face2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFYHtXuQhXhuYwGoVEcQrkA4lACby4VlPKdhSckpLW5AUau1R2hUb3srM8p45Bsm1OBVm2DcUQjXeq13HQQxrDEOu29eXQ3IeEYzu_IGExPy1EbwC1SJnzhjqAJB7KssxjoOfdSTw0WRtJgXQpca5wBXRbhnMMxP5bsx6cA2p3_iwBCnpaypAL3xwlhoz/w480-h640/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20fountain%20cat%20face2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A snarling lion appears on each of the four sides of the statue's base</b>. Since there was no sign to provide information about the statue and its fountain, I had to do a considerable amount of Googling to discover the monument's name and sculptor.</span></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU1L_b4ZMKxQhTmCFGAOh_CT5Qt5EfehlsgMoe4a5g0A6RGG9pZhCPY_vAzexgPKwfxv2BAssC45e-PdhSvBWGMCungISnvpfAtDIdGn2sGH0tA8tiWgo5LAy61ILKRd1ZgHBEzCcq_nA9en4o4rxCL_XGmqecGHaLGZc-nrZHKPN2GNcuqu7XPykRhMs/s540/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20Mon%20to%20Flag.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="540" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU1L_b4ZMKxQhTmCFGAOh_CT5Qt5EfehlsgMoe4a5g0A6RGG9pZhCPY_vAzexgPKwfxv2BAssC45e-PdhSvBWGMCungISnvpfAtDIdGn2sGH0tA8tiWgo5LAy61ILKRd1ZgHBEzCcq_nA9en4o4rxCL_XGmqecGHaLGZc-nrZHKPN2GNcuqu7XPykRhMs/w640-h508/PlazaDeEmbajadores-%20Mon%20to%20Flag.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Monument honoring the Mexican flag</b>. The monument has a soldier standing on one side and a mine worker on the other. According to the sign on the monument, it was dedicated on September 16, 1949 as part of the celebration of <i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2015/09/mexican-independence-day-whats-it-all.html">Independencia</a>,</i> held annually on that day. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 16 of my Guanajuato Revisited series and I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please remember to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-11106661400970891212023-11-05T18:37:00.000-06:002023-11-05T18:37:42.729-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 15 of 17: (Continued) Calle Manuel Doblado's Plaza del Ropero, Café Santo, and the historic Calle Tecolote<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mxFZVPlVDzGT4irK6pXKpZ7RTxR0WJd3JA6Yy-gmSjCuku_yYSh-Oy0IZgpGBw47QZU6z9HgqfDS-bEYg5uVpKZuSc-pcHyL5tupo-mn8Xma8hQaIjz6sf_kx57pRNE3sNbmL1vdWqeIJGvSOr5MFMH9CeAmYeOj1Nvv6eGQHI89H-7OsbPsOB-VDIPU/s720/Streetscenes-%20girl%20playing%20drum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mxFZVPlVDzGT4irK6pXKpZ7RTxR0WJd3JA6Yy-gmSjCuku_yYSh-Oy0IZgpGBw47QZU6z9HgqfDS-bEYg5uVpKZuSc-pcHyL5tupo-mn8Xma8hQaIjz6sf_kx57pRNE3sNbmL1vdWqeIJGvSOr5MFMH9CeAmYeOj1Nvv6eGQHI89H-7OsbPsOB-VDIPU/w480-h640/Streetscenes-%20girl%20playing%20drum.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A young musician taps on her drum on <i>Calle Manuel Doblado</i></b>. Just another of the myriad of musicians of all types to be found on the <i>calles</i> (streets), <i>andadores</i> (pedestrian-only streets), and <i>callejones</i> (alleyways) of <i>Guanajuato</i>. This young woman started on her drum as soon as she perceived I was about to photograph her. In my last posting, I covered about the first half of the <i>andador</i> called<i> Manuel Doblado</i>. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, we will continue down this long <i>andador</i> (walking street) to check out the other attractions along the way. I will also relate the story of <i>Manuel Doblado</i>, a young attorney from <i>Guanajuato</i> who became the state's Governor, then a skilled diplomat and eventually Mexico's Foreign Minister. He played a key role just before and during the 5-year French occupation of Mexico in the last half of the 19th century.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Overview</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugXOvXelxEtcd073DwtcRPlA-6EK3tf_R9XrhvBN8_8pDqdSq_sxckL5bYCSue80OT8V7F0llz4Xee4rcVgHXHT-skfi1exsD6_l3yi4QiVaBDAG9-2jJy32E9zigz55K9egfq0M6TlQPEp9F7GDgZtPU-J3ZK6ryHP7nEZReFAz5XITbw5vfRtD5II_p/s1862/Screenshot%202023-11-02%20at%2015.24.39.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1862" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugXOvXelxEtcd073DwtcRPlA-6EK3tf_R9XrhvBN8_8pDqdSq_sxckL5bYCSue80OT8V7F0llz4Xee4rcVgHXHT-skfi1exsD6_l3yi4QiVaBDAG9-2jJy32E9zigz55K9egfq0M6TlQPEp9F7GDgZtPU-J3ZK6ryHP7nEZReFAz5XITbw5vfRtD5II_p/w640-h418/Screenshot%202023-11-02%20at%2015.24.39.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Calle Manuel Doblado</i> comes in from the upper left corner of this aerial view</b>. <i>Templo San Francisco</i>, seen in the last posting, faces onto the street right at its beginning. <i>Manuel Doblado</i> joins <i>Calle Cantaranas</i> in the upper center at a small grove of trees sheltering the <i>Restaurant El Chahuistle</i>. In this posting we'll check out <i>Plaza del Ropero</i>, where a monument to the musician <i>Jorge Negrete</i> stands. Across the street is a <i>callejon</i> called <i>Del Campanero</i> that leads to the charming little <i>Café Santo </i>(bottom center)<i>. </i>Branching off to the left of the Café is the historic <i>Calle Tecolote</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>So, who was <i>Manuel Doblado</i> and why does he have a street named after him? As usual in Mexico, this involves a hell of a back-story. <a href="https://www.ruelsa.com/gto/manueldoblado/manueldoblado.html"><i>Doblado</i> was born in 1818</a> into a prosperous <i>Guanajuato</i> family. He became an attorney as a young man and was active in the Liberal Party. <a href="https://www.inehrm.gob.mx/work/models/inehrm/Resource/371/1/images/Manuel%20Doblado%20Elsa%20V_%20Aguilar%20Casas,%202011_.pdf">In 1847, <i>Doblado</i> was elected Governor of <i>Guanajuato</i></a> at the age of only 28. However, the minimum age to take office was 30 and he had to get a special dispensation from the Mexican Congress to take office. He was able to do this because those were unusual times. Mexico was struggling with an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War">American</a></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War"> invasion (1846-48)</a> and the conquest of half of the nation's territory.</span></div><div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUH5JGRZOC6Z3mzQEcIY2xux53lXkjef-g_D6LhSpST7ZXeez5UcOg9kX9eqo57zZd5zaVad-pkvvlsysGIyqex2izSaCTVDwh67y9pjXBEGfrP5UvebL9lAgS_LlPf2uD1ROZ9zTULJIfFKF6j-pqPa5sUupHQ9SFjJtEN2TQkBXfFJw3q0FhBsdEz-c/s540/Streetscenes-%20street%20market.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUH5JGRZOC6Z3mzQEcIY2xux53lXkjef-g_D6LhSpST7ZXeez5UcOg9kX9eqo57zZd5zaVad-pkvvlsysGIyqex2izSaCTVDwh67y9pjXBEGfrP5UvebL9lAgS_LlPf2uD1ROZ9zTULJIfFKF6j-pqPa5sUupHQ9SFjJtEN2TQkBXfFJw3q0FhBsdEz-c/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20street%20market.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A customer tries on a bracelet at a street market along Manuel Doblado</b>. In Mexico, just about any open space with foot traffic is fair game for street marketeers to set up and hawk their wares.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Manuel Doblado</i> was staunchly opposed to the Treaty of <i>Guadalupe Hidalgo,</i> viewing it as the dismemberment of his country through an act of outright theft. Many Americans at the time agreed with this view, <a href="https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=3&psid=3672#:~:text=Annotation%3A%20Elected%20as%20a%20Whig,President%20James%20K.">including a young Congressman named Abraham Lincoln</a> and General Zachary Taylor, who helped lead the invasion. By 1847, the war was lost. In a protest of the result, for a short time <i>Doblado</i> allied himself with a rebel priest named <i>Celedonio Domenco de Jarauta.</i> However, the priest was soon captured and executed. Doblado managed to avoid any charges and for some time after devoted himself to his legal career.<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNQb1B12Zn0hHVt3gjV4f7nBXNfV0M0A5Nr0_M4Z8gQN7G54Dypd6wPHV1dMQ_DpyljtY7lpCy9xJbscJ_vXPkjqZ3ZiB5EZqtnfavoZi9RNZx07Ay5Zi0pyT5YkMvMvCHqURE-dTMn4vKTVd63DlcasX5XsHjIbN2hyQ2TunulU85t7a-CC8AmA9FWsm/s540/Streetscenes-%20colonial%20bldg,%20abstract%20art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="540" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNQb1B12Zn0hHVt3gjV4f7nBXNfV0M0A5Nr0_M4Z8gQN7G54Dypd6wPHV1dMQ_DpyljtY7lpCy9xJbscJ_vXPkjqZ3ZiB5EZqtnfavoZi9RNZx07Ay5Zi0pyT5YkMvMvCHqURE-dTMn4vKTVd63DlcasX5XsHjIbN2hyQ2TunulU85t7a-CC8AmA9FWsm/w640-h488/Streetscenes-%20colonial%20bldg,%20abstract%20art.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A colonial mansion stands on <i>Calle Cantaranas</i> at its intersection with <i>Manuel Doblado</i></b>. The street level contains various stores and shops, while the second floor is probably occupied by apartments or offices. I found the juxtaposition of the colonial architecture with the modernist metal sculpture to be an interesting feature of this intersection.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Young <i>Manuel</i> couldn't stay away from politics, however, and he soon <a href="http://famousamericans.net/manueldoblado/">joined the Revolution of <i>Ayutla</i></a> against the feckless President/Dictator <i>Santa Ana</i>, who had lost both the war with Texas (1835-36) and then the Mexican American War. <i>Santa Ana</i> was forced out, and replaced by <i>General Juan Alvarez</i>. However, <i>Doblado</i> came to view the <i>Alvarez</i> government as corrupt. In 1857, he threw his support behind <i>Benito Juarez</i>, a Justice of the Mexican Supreme Court who then became one of its most famous presidents and a national hero. In the meantime, <i>Doblado</i> had once again became Governor of <i>Guanajuato </i>where he instituted various liberal reforms.<br /></span><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></i></div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Plaza Ropero</span></b></i><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJGy2Uza4YlPJDEpzhyy04XmdGaWwSHX_nLgx70HaX3zrsIm_9hMy5U-lMumzbita8DKLauV20iuyL4dQAB8tIE0UVsT3kfZOyiEbxyjX2jOOfFvZUqK6SravJGmx9xd1EhyDNmMfd_4jo18NJrX41ttautwsyQTowCWbKbZTconhhJZdpU0VthCSFFFL/s540/Streetscenes-%20Plaza%20del%20Ropero.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJGy2Uza4YlPJDEpzhyy04XmdGaWwSHX_nLgx70HaX3zrsIm_9hMy5U-lMumzbita8DKLauV20iuyL4dQAB8tIE0UVsT3kfZOyiEbxyjX2jOOfFvZUqK6SravJGmx9xd1EhyDNmMfd_4jo18NJrX41ttautwsyQTowCWbKbZTconhhJZdpU0VthCSFFFL/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20Plaza%20del%20Ropero.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Plaza del Ropero</i> is just past the colonial mansion, along <i>Cantaranas</i></b>. This small plaza looks a bit worn, with chipped, faded paint, compared to the mansion that preceded it. However, I kind of like the timeworn look because of the antique feel it creates. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When <i>Benito Juarez</i> came to power, Mexico was effectively bankrupt, thanks to <i>Santa Ana's</i> profligacy and the lost war with the Americans. In addition, <i>Juarez</i> had proposed reforms that prompted the Mexican Conservative Party to revolt, in what became known as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_War">Reform War (1858-60)</a>. During this struggle, Mexico borrowed heavily from various European powers, including Britain, France, and Spain. Following his Reform War victory, <i>Juarez'</i> had to suspend payments for two years. The foreign powers, insisting on being repaid regardless of Mexico's financial situation, formed an alliance to seize the Gulf port city of <i>Vera Cruz</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiit2vELrr56TwiwJmxwa5_HdKj3iyJyAmHDWpffWCBl3bF6eyoLsxL5M4AtUDFfo71_yjDRNOvi9ZbtYjn7R-4X-8QKtMbWqLWtTBMW_vqhXRI6rDjXS3mDYrUw80PZEqZyn4oOYXyuIQg2f_eiBcAXCONPkts7MyhPNzjjGHCrRM2p2OmjkcWcr9VjmM/s540/Streetscenes-%20Plaza%20del%20Rpoero%20fountain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiit2vELrr56TwiwJmxwa5_HdKj3iyJyAmHDWpffWCBl3bF6eyoLsxL5M4AtUDFfo71_yjDRNOvi9ZbtYjn7R-4X-8QKtMbWqLWtTBMW_vqhXRI6rDjXS3mDYrUw80PZEqZyn4oOYXyuIQg2f_eiBcAXCONPkts7MyhPNzjjGHCrRM2p2OmjkcWcr9VjmM/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20Plaza%20del%20Rpoero%20fountain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A old fountain occupies the center of the plaza</b>. For reasons unknown to me, the name of this place means "Plaza of the Wardrobe". It is possible that clothing was sold here at some point in time. However, the plaza is better known for its association with <i>Pedro Negrete</i>, a famous native of <i>Guanajuato</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The seizure of <i>Vera Cruz</i> had the aim of taking control of the customs duties on goods imported through there, in order to collect the funds owed to the three European powers. It was at this point that <i>Manuel Doblado</i>, a rising figure in the national Liberal Party, was selected as Foreign Minister and given the task of negotiating a settlement. He proved to be very able and gradually brought Britain and Spain around to reasonable agreements. However, France, then ruled by Napoleon III, had a hidden agenda. Napoleon wanted to overthrow <i>Juarez</i> and the Mexican Republic and install the <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximiliano_de_M%C3%A9xico">Austrian Archduke Maximilian</a> as Emperor of Mexico. <br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl862e9OL8tyo7WSEt9H98-8uJehwXGMajApyQ3PP23oP1JkQn9ebMGJW_trEZVr3dfB3awIu8d3XrgQoiAgGNJ46-3B424CiEH_fzLzQtqiKP11gSIk8QgZysSnCUqTnannQ5SB1oQO78ULwkmfaJYoA_5Mv2nO5FWq_81ACKsUrCkTWW5BRwf9fKDhmM/s760/Streetscenes-%20Plaza%20del%20Ropero%20statue%20Jorge%20Negrete.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl862e9OL8tyo7WSEt9H98-8uJehwXGMajApyQ3PP23oP1JkQn9ebMGJW_trEZVr3dfB3awIu8d3XrgQoiAgGNJ46-3B424CiEH_fzLzQtqiKP11gSIk8QgZysSnCUqTnannQ5SB1oQO78ULwkmfaJYoA_5Mv2nO5FWq_81ACKsUrCkTWW5BRwf9fKDhmM/w454-h640/Streetscenes-%20Plaza%20del%20Ropero%20statue%20Jorge%20Negrete.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Statue of <i>Jorge Negrete, el Cantante Charro</i></b>. The lifesize bronze was <a href="https://en.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/places-to-visit/?nom=eguanguitarrista">the work of </a><i><a href="https://en.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/places-to-visit/?nom=eguanguitarrista">Raul Jaramillo</a> </i>a local sculptor. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Negrete"><i>Jorge</i> <i>Negrete</i> (1911-1953)</a> was a famous singer and actor who was born in a house right next to this plaza. His father had been a colonel in <i>Pancho Villa's</i> famous Division of the North during the Mexican Revolution. In 1920, the family moved to Mexico City, where <i>Jorge</i> was recognized as a brilliant student. However, he had a wild side so his father enrolled him in military school. He graduated as a junior officer with a "gallant presence" which served him well in his later career as an actor. It was during this military period that <i>Negrete</i> discovered his talent for music and singing. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After leaving the military <i>Jorge</i> began to sing in operas and on the radio. In 1932, <i>Negrete</i> traveled to the United States where he became a popular singer in Latin clubs. Then, in 1937, he was cast in his first movie role <i>La Madrina del Diablo </i>(The Devil's Godmother). It was the beginning of a film career that led to roles in a total of 38 movies. <i>Negrete</i> helped found the Mexican actors' union called the National Association of Actors, succeeding the famous Mexican comedy actor <i>Cantinflas</i> as its chairman.<i> Cantinflas</i> and <i>Negrete</i> eventually became rivals for control of the union. In 1953, <i>Jorge</i> <i>Negrete</i> died at the age of only 42 of hepatic cirrohosis. </span></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Café Santo y Calle Tecolote</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iQ5ZFSnK-vUrqiJ4N4EIINNsh8CbpV83z5kC53m1fP5jnPzmREu_7Tpsvaxzq5KjhAQAVw1GkAG0W64XY-JgokxKEK1Yupp6sAyzcFcHY6YVZSBVPdGIw_vD882hz0lgYt48YZSW-FiP1pXxUGhQMQcXURYweNtdMN9PxRsH1IkY6VAHKV3proGtWqQW/s540/Streetscenes-%20alley%20bridge%20&%20Santo%20Cafe%CC%812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="540" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iQ5ZFSnK-vUrqiJ4N4EIINNsh8CbpV83z5kC53m1fP5jnPzmREu_7Tpsvaxzq5KjhAQAVw1GkAG0W64XY-JgokxKEK1Yupp6sAyzcFcHY6YVZSBVPdGIw_vD882hz0lgYt48YZSW-FiP1pXxUGhQMQcXURYweNtdMN9PxRsH1IkY6VAHKV3proGtWqQW/w640-h558/Streetscenes-%20alley%20bridge%20&%20Santo%20Cafe%CC%812.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Strollers pass beneath a pedestrian bridge leading into <i>Café Santo</i></b>.<i> Callejon del Campanero</i> branches off <i>Manuel Doblado</i> to the right, across the street from <i>Plaza del Ropero</i>. Following it will lead you to <i>Plaza Allende</i>, which will be covered in my next posting. However, it you take the ramp up to the right, you can gain access to <i>Café Santo</i> and the beginning of <i>Calle Tecolote</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Napoleon III's ambitions were spurred by the support of the Mexican Conservative Party, still smarting from their defeat by <i>Juarez</i> in the Reform War. They convinced the French that Maximilian would be welcomed with open arms in Mexico. In 1862, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_French_intervention_in_Mexico">French launched an all-out invasion</a>. <i>Doblado</i> convinced Britain and Spain to take no part in this and they quickly withdrew their troops from Vera Cruz and sailed back to Europe. The French lost the initial Battle of <i>Puebla</i> on May 5, 1862 (celebrated today as <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo">Cinco de Mayo</a></i>). However, they managed to defeat the Mexican army and occupied the country until 1867. <br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPa28OJZ5ju35yabQ-gGKDyXvDPP7VfSX-Z8L2p45C6u8rj1enfgsopcxcfyZ2RhTWnYpto3rUW6v1z3YUfSMsH9xVyDWa5BEnM_uSSW8VsO6FrZY6Xw9wjZ-bv8s1ZRdcsfoVhNhp2KzuuzLX8O7SH7C2-FBOLgtccVvf1CaH9uShChNa4TCbwf_kRm7m/s540/Streetscenes-%20alley%20bridge%20&%20Santo%20Cafe%CC%813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="540" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPa28OJZ5ju35yabQ-gGKDyXvDPP7VfSX-Z8L2p45C6u8rj1enfgsopcxcfyZ2RhTWnYpto3rUW6v1z3YUfSMsH9xVyDWa5BEnM_uSSW8VsO6FrZY6Xw9wjZ-bv8s1ZRdcsfoVhNhp2KzuuzLX8O7SH7C2-FBOLgtccVvf1CaH9uShChNa4TCbwf_kRm7m/w640-h532/Streetscenes-%20alley%20bridge%20&%20Santo%20Cafe%CC%813.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Café Santo</i> has seating inside, but the best spot is a table on this little bridge</b>. From here, you can sip coffee or a cold drink or munch a snack while watching the world go by beneath you. In the US and Canada, "cafe" usually means an informal restaurant. In Mexico, <i>café</i> means coffee of various kinds and that is usually the main focus of a place like this. From where I took this shot, <i>Callejon Tecolote</i> rises up the hill behind me. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The French were able to pull off this 5-year occupation because the United States was fully engaged in the American Civil War from 1861-65. Abraham Lincoln, who had opposed the dismemberment of Mexico in 1848, <a href="https://lincolnandmexicoproject.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/lincoln-helped-mexico-defeat-the-french/">supported Juarez with money and arms</a>, but could do little militarily until the South was defeated in 1865. After that, Mexican victories and American threats of intervention finally forced the French to withdraw in 1867. Maximilian and many Mexican Conservative Party leaders were then captured and executed as traitors. Unfortunately, <i>Manuel Doblado</i> never saw the end of the conflict. He died in 1865, while the fighting still raged.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJ2z3tMAzDomPfijbNAQOw1JP3Z5exaeXYis1DOHH8OL1bL2FfTyo84MmOjWu2Dqhq3LWCBoukXLxRECEIL0_-6oPS1vQ4nKxlJtiZlf8Xq-kfJ7ziPZHTDJS6O5FsE0TKELTc_4_xq7TMGtdBOzdN2PBOCcTmlD4Q5lQY67Zd9MfR6NEHLmhPAdn7hf8/s540/Streetscenes-%20alley%20Hidalgo%20route.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJ2z3tMAzDomPfijbNAQOw1JP3Z5exaeXYis1DOHH8OL1bL2FfTyo84MmOjWu2Dqhq3LWCBoukXLxRECEIL0_-6oPS1vQ4nKxlJtiZlf8Xq-kfJ7ziPZHTDJS6O5FsE0TKELTc_4_xq7TMGtdBOzdN2PBOCcTmlD4Q5lQY67Zd9MfR6NEHLmhPAdn7hf8/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20alley%20Hidalgo%20route.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Callejon Tecolote</i> is an old and slightly shabby alleyway with an historic past</b>. Down this street, marching toward me, came the ragtag army of <i>Padre Miguel Hidalgo</i> in September of 1810. Armed with machetes, slings, farm tools, and a handful of firearms, thousands of <i>Hidalgo's</i> men marched into <i>Guanajuato</i>. Except for a few rebelling regular soldiers and militia, the overwhelming majority of the men were <i>peons</i> from <i>haciendas</i>, indigenous villagers, mine workers, shopkeepers, and craftsmen. They were led by Hidalgo, a Catholic priest turned rebel general.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The men had responded to <i>Hidalgo's</i> famous <i>grito</i> (cry) for revolt, given on the steps of his church in the <i>pueblo</i> of <i>Dolores</i>. The revolt had exploded into action and the men were headed toward <i>Guanajuato's</i> huge stone storehouse for grain, known as the <i>Alhondiga</i>, which was being used as a fortress by the Spaniards. (For the story of this see <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/03/guanajuato-revisted-part-3-alhondiga.html">Part 3 </a>of this series, as well as <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2015/09/mexican-independence-day-whats-it-all.html">Mexican Independence Day, What's it all about?</a>).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 15 of my Guanajuato Revisited series. I hope you have enjoyed it and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please remember to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-37146894303269229632023-10-30T12:14:00.000-06:002023-10-30T12:14:25.178-06:00Guanajuato Part 14 of 17: Calle Manuel Doblado and Templos San Francisco and Santa Casa de Loreto<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOp5Av2gCveW37tM3oN5Vabo2YedT2aYiQGZNcSwuI0KBmsYw0Kvkzz2ALS__evPlZlpOFrgZA5M0zbeEER-5aMCyBKNPVbr2yqan3TlEMiOFJLFMa_TjdhMnXXjpfozUuMCuVbONnTqBi3D_DyAKX_EGtdUxyMWWf9KX0SeLtoTElMmfV5ecP6hhbcvk/s813/Cervantes3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOp5Av2gCveW37tM3oN5Vabo2YedT2aYiQGZNcSwuI0KBmsYw0Kvkzz2ALS__evPlZlpOFrgZA5M0zbeEER-5aMCyBKNPVbr2yqan3TlEMiOFJLFMa_TjdhMnXXjpfozUuMCuVbONnTqBi3D_DyAKX_EGtdUxyMWWf9KX0SeLtoTElMmfV5ecP6hhbcvk/w426-h640/Cervantes3.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Statue of <i>Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra</i></b>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Cervantes"><i>Cervantes</i> (1547-1616)</a> was the author of <i>Don Quixote</i>, which has been called the "first modern novel" and the "first great novel of world literature. He is regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language. This figure stands outside the <i>Museo Iconográfico Don Quixote</i>, across from the main entrance of <i>Templo San Francisco</i>. The statue is impressive, but no one actually knows what <i>Cervantes</i> looked like, because he never had an official portrait.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This posting and the one which follows will focus on the long <i>andador</i> (walking street) called <i>Calle Manuel Doblado</i>. The street has many interesting points along the way. The ones we will focus on in this posting will include the little plazuela with statues of <i>Cervantes</i> and <i>Don Quixote</i> and also the <i>Templos de San Francisco</i> and <i>Santa Casa de Loreto</i>. The following posting will cover the remainder of <i>Calle Manuel Doblado</i>.</span></div><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Overview</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdM2-feWHbF_BlbKHF3DWM4GL49DnJ26zf7WRJHR7dyrS6m8ky-oX7gsFuO2zYMt4_trn2ht03_z7PXBLQykJ5HGcK0iTI02tnpFsrjqF9ObB7uDAYdGJpCRPUoDEMxcBuSitzG7JPp_RbMbLsFGRKAr3nIxVPS0pV5DgdZJQ_GXEecaRs8hrHdf8PdyP/s1500/Calle%20Manuel%20Doblado-%20Google%20map.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1500" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdM2-feWHbF_BlbKHF3DWM4GL49DnJ26zf7WRJHR7dyrS6m8ky-oX7gsFuO2zYMt4_trn2ht03_z7PXBLQykJ5HGcK0iTI02tnpFsrjqF9ObB7uDAYdGJpCRPUoDEMxcBuSitzG7JPp_RbMbLsFGRKAr3nIxVPS0pV5DgdZJQ_GXEecaRs8hrHdf8PdyP/w640-h406/Calle%20Manuel%20Doblado-%20Google%20map.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Google map of Calle Manuel Doblado</b>. The street begins in the upper left where Calles Sopena, Manuel Doblado, and Del Potrero intersect. The <i>Museo Iconográfico</i> is located at this intersection. The first large structure along <i>Manuel Doblado</i> is the <i>Templo San Francisco</i>, followed by <i>Santa Casa de Loreto</i> a few doors down. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Near the east end of the street is a small plaza devoted to the popular Mexican singer <i>Jorge Negrete</i> and a wonderful little place called the <i>Café Santo</i> across the street. These latter two sites will be featured in the next posting.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTOmfVJvqMLSGxUwYP5XzF4gAFe6a1wS-N1RSybq43B27cuF8eqsYsqyipGmIg8WWdDb8lM_-mFfzBQg4v94p7HrenzWNaDJ7Rmkzt-_2wpRHuC7H1s0sW5-bUY_fG-4kIZVmVbTwKOxgdTx9dmaQJkFx6eX6YiWeZdGMP_WGJej6WOLZTRzF_wEhywcW/s720/TemploDeSanFrancisco-%20facade%20fr%20distance.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTOmfVJvqMLSGxUwYP5XzF4gAFe6a1wS-N1RSybq43B27cuF8eqsYsqyipGmIg8WWdDb8lM_-mFfzBQg4v94p7HrenzWNaDJ7Rmkzt-_2wpRHuC7H1s0sW5-bUY_fG-4kIZVmVbTwKOxgdTx9dmaQJkFx6eX6YiWeZdGMP_WGJej6WOLZTRzF_wEhywcW/w480-h640/TemploDeSanFrancisco-%20facade%20fr%20distance.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View to the south on <i>Calle de Sopena</i> toward <i>Templo San Francisco</i></b>. Above, a young woman pauses to take a photo of her boyfriend in the doorway down the street. <i>Guanajuato's</i> <i>andadores</i> provide ways to stroll through most of <i>El Centro</i> (Old Town) without having to dodge careening cars or motorcycles or breathe their exhaust fumes. The <i>andadores</i> also tend to abound with many points of interest.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7HDzkljvevzX9tSbQ0soOAjkGM_fK8D0DiEgBti-CGIZ2mvYQVW-wcKFB_SyiwuuazMfpMxhVZKPi8L1QDjZ5yvTjl4c6k1iUOBX5JxtuIFdjiahyBvLXKoR2krzQrzh17dSius1_g7Z0ADahtVgcAQuWWvoC5KTKRipf0hqpk9O-y18-90vmsVp-AtP/s720/TemploDeSanFrancisco-%20facade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7HDzkljvevzX9tSbQ0soOAjkGM_fK8D0DiEgBti-CGIZ2mvYQVW-wcKFB_SyiwuuazMfpMxhVZKPi8L1QDjZ5yvTjl4c6k1iUOBX5JxtuIFdjiahyBvLXKoR2krzQrzh17dSius1_g7Z0ADahtVgcAQuWWvoC5KTKRipf0hqpk9O-y18-90vmsVp-AtP/w480-h640/TemploDeSanFrancisco-%20facade.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Templo de San Francisco</i> stands near the west end of <i>Calle Manual Doblado</i></b>. Built at the height of the 18th century mining boom, <a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=104042"><i>Templo de San Francisco</i></a> is an example of the late Baroque style of architecture. Some Neo-Classic elements were added in the 19th century including the clock between the two steeples and some of the interior features. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It was originally <a href="https://observatorioinformativo.com/la-santa-casa-de-loreto/">dedicated in 1728 to <i>San Juan Bautista</i></a> (St. John the Baptist). In 1828, the Franciscan Order was running a hospice--a place of rest for weary or ill travelers--next door. They took over the <i>San Juan Bautista</i> temple and renamed it for their patron saint, <i>San Francisco de Assisi</i>. The church was closed when we came by, so I don't have any photos of its interior.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FGdVOcg12sDc6A1rBELuKNn2RhgvqdPt2SL_v00azpPp95XKTdbgMrzO8cpDSrHxeHZf1sZKm7HeTeJmydcK9aKVXPdSeeY1DKQNuxvkRG0WwUn3h68fEravh45Ov9Shttbz51Defj8p_1EyCB7tH34enSyMtIEw7MzVm2SWf3oRU-oYoeOl9LOyadAd/s540/TemploDe%20San%20Francisco%20from%20Callejon%20Tecolote.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FGdVOcg12sDc6A1rBELuKNn2RhgvqdPt2SL_v00azpPp95XKTdbgMrzO8cpDSrHxeHZf1sZKm7HeTeJmydcK9aKVXPdSeeY1DKQNuxvkRG0WwUn3h68fEravh45Ov9Shttbz51Defj8p_1EyCB7tH34enSyMtIEw7MzVm2SWf3oRU-oYoeOl9LOyadAd/w640-h480/TemploDe%20San%20Francisco%20from%20Callejon%20Tecolote.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View of the church and its large dome from the rear</b>. This shot provides a feel for how narrow and crowded together the colonial-era streets and structures of <i>Guanajuato</i> really are. The dome and much of the rest of the church are made from pink <i>cantera</i> (quarry stone), a popular building material since pre-hispanic times due to the ease with which it can be shaped.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Plazuela San Francisco</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig__k-a28YhjoJBUb3TQ0oXcN16wwn0mxD3IM_WguI1KUHTjtSWMZj0SCd552veNuNG_aKotx1Ah1ETO5cY4sgN-FirVX57-Bl3sOEh_5Ybpad88jk1qcAeQMTseH7kdnnfqLq9uuggjzA2ljcePyRLACsK_W5v6ciuvrrzqpBmjr8XXmsr-zaok6MKACE/s540/Cervantes%20plaza.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="540" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig__k-a28YhjoJBUb3TQ0oXcN16wwn0mxD3IM_WguI1KUHTjtSWMZj0SCd552veNuNG_aKotx1Ah1ETO5cY4sgN-FirVX57-Bl3sOEh_5Ybpad88jk1qcAeQMTseH7kdnnfqLq9uuggjzA2ljcePyRLACsK_W5v6ciuvrrzqpBmjr8XXmsr-zaok6MKACE/w640-h504/Cervantes%20plaza.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View of Cervantes' statue and the little plazuela from the <i>Templo</i> steps</b>. This is obviously a popular spot to hang out and rest in the shade. The building behind the statue is the <i>Museo Iconográfico</i>.</span><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANM95UsxzjsEdTLDAYpD21W9V2eL9QkQi2Xqqc5GGZQZqW9niNxDVf9fCOfeX_2gAOlrjS3LCCmDq0zKWVUMK24L7tlnG9fL6urEtcxz0aOhZDbLjEKJSuY3Fs2Rgm887kJnECJs9PZSnFhTULzz0sdkLsyzejlK5EkLqKkc6Itcxnac6ly5Os70BFHPz/s720/TemploDeSanFancisco-%20statue%20Don%20Quixote2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANM95UsxzjsEdTLDAYpD21W9V2eL9QkQi2Xqqc5GGZQZqW9niNxDVf9fCOfeX_2gAOlrjS3LCCmDq0zKWVUMK24L7tlnG9fL6urEtcxz0aOhZDbLjEKJSuY3Fs2Rgm887kJnECJs9PZSnFhTULzz0sdkLsyzejlK5EkLqKkc6Itcxnac6ly5Os70BFHPz/w480-h640/TemploDeSanFancisco-%20statue%20Don%20Quixote2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Statue of <i>Don Quixote</i> gesturing dramatically</b>. What made <i>Cervantes'</i> novel unique in its time was its departure from what he called the "vain and empty" chivalric romances popular up to that time. He made <i>Quixote</i> and his paunchy side-kick <i>Sancho</i> into comic figures and shaped his story according to the real life of his day, using everyday language. The innovation was instantly popular. Although Cervantes apparently wrote a great deal besides <i>Don Quixote</i>, much of the rest has not survived. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Templo de la Santa Casa de Loreto</i></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_DrltiN9nDo_PbuNe-4XWfHne_4hvewAc0K-oFN9TyICn_UXs4HnmtEBQ7OmmXuN6QZLJoJlyNIi-iRgvVTE6wlZW_KtpKgiTZAPht9V1CvMpZZgc9bc5VfTVDz5ecsiRZPX3_l6sODp35b9AeRdMYGt8jLXkWCtt87lrKuKJU5Puaz0ly4uLM-hNXDZ/s720/SantaCasaDeLoreto-%20ext%20fr%20left.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_DrltiN9nDo_PbuNe-4XWfHne_4hvewAc0K-oFN9TyICn_UXs4HnmtEBQ7OmmXuN6QZLJoJlyNIi-iRgvVTE6wlZW_KtpKgiTZAPht9V1CvMpZZgc9bc5VfTVDz5ecsiRZPX3_l6sODp35b9AeRdMYGt8jLXkWCtt87lrKuKJU5Puaz0ly4uLM-hNXDZ/w480-h640/SantaCasaDeLoreto-%20ext%20fr%20left.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This church is actually part of the <i>Templo de San Francisco Convento</i> complex</b>. The structure was <a href="https://portalguanajuato.mx/2021/09/la-santa-casa-de-loreto/">originally a house bought in 1737</a> by a priest named <i>José Antonio de Busto.</i> In 1776, the house was sold to <i>Don Pedro Sereno Covarrubias</i>. His son, <i>José Maria Félix de Corvarrubias,</i> was administering the house as a hospice for the Franciscan Order in 1803 and improvised a temple inside. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">By 1820 the house was in ruins, but the improvised temple continued to function. A priest named <i>Fuentes Lazo de la Vega</i> decided to repair the structure and dedicate the temple to the <i>Virgen de Loreto</i>. In 1845, de la Vega decided to completely demolish the ruined house and its temple and rebuild it in its present form. The construction began on February 2, 1846 after a procession and an elaborate ceremony. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_DLctvUWQOjQYKC07RMl_1COBHPgSwFuoZfbP2gEy3zinMJgzxYH6p3ShKhGCMcdCxuG0flGSMEtPREP9JA8u773T7y-_xTrUKt0h4sixA7fPAnRJ8_wAR23OvVZh3cAHvF2R6iZMXnwLUqELKjCmwaR3cEdfKt_xMdQ8BOdWA7EshBWGbeHX9svkR6g/s540/SantaCasaDeLoreto-%20nave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_DLctvUWQOjQYKC07RMl_1COBHPgSwFuoZfbP2gEy3zinMJgzxYH6p3ShKhGCMcdCxuG0flGSMEtPREP9JA8u773T7y-_xTrUKt0h4sixA7fPAnRJ8_wAR23OvVZh3cAHvF2R6iZMXnwLUqELKjCmwaR3cEdfKt_xMdQ8BOdWA7EshBWGbeHX9svkR6g/w640-h480/SantaCasaDeLoreto-%20nave.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>templo</i> was built to be a site for prayer and contemplation. </b>The interior is unusual because it is circular rather than rectangular. Around its circumference are a series of altars containing statues. These include a main altar with the statue of the <i>Virgen de Loreto</i>, along with various saints and a crucifix. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>A wealthy local man named <i>Don Agustín Godoy </i>was </span>among those who furnished resources to build the little temple.<span> </span>The architect was a "humble and simple man" named Professor <i>Cleto Salinas</i>. Tragically, he never saw the completion of his work because he was murdered shortly before finishing. Even so, the opening of the <i>Templo de la Virgen de Santa Casa de Loreto</i> on September 8, 1854 was celebrated with processions, masses, and fireworks.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0r8aY_sj3Q54x_FgEBa_y9bM29ikikOFF-8sqHIOa7c2Jghyphenhyphensg5aObyeb36_nxd6XERhV_23NgNQXGlFKWvXo5BLwZ8YzJOEhSwiBqtxXtRFbItxALOhLKuWxQxc1gwT7zutsj_UnhOG3HCvOMhbflSUo-AW87OsaSrns541Izhe-Q2SbyOe4zV2QAtC8/s720/SantaCasaDeLoreto-%20nave%20statue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0r8aY_sj3Q54x_FgEBa_y9bM29ikikOFF-8sqHIOa7c2Jghyphenhyphensg5aObyeb36_nxd6XERhV_23NgNQXGlFKWvXo5BLwZ8YzJOEhSwiBqtxXtRFbItxALOhLKuWxQxc1gwT7zutsj_UnhOG3HCvOMhbflSUo-AW87OsaSrns541Izhe-Q2SbyOe4zV2QAtC8/w480-h640/SantaCasaDeLoreto-%20nave%20statue.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>An unidentified saint is displayed along the circular wall</b>. There was no sign on the glass case containing this figure, but my eye was caught by his rather gaudy attire. If anyone can help me name this saint, I'd appreciate it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 14 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series. I hope you enjoyed it and, if so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please be sure to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely fashion.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-76080411000494021042023-10-23T15:08:00.000-06:002023-10-29T14:01:32.909-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 13 of 17: The charming little Plazuela del Baratillo and other street scenes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmdpDDfCgI0jcoGUsuy__06FFo2kUDSt9JuFl2SO5xXj33ZaxzdrnudBqOLmMUQvBKQYnacO17mePK4gNBUqPhw8QjemVgbzCuarqWHyLoBYCb9Njl0HD0iWiJFWFE9lfBgQugRH8g0Tn4CDlZ2hdw32XD_ez55RMOOe1B2UHc4HDLcJe_AMkgAPLYaGK/s540/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20Fuente%20de%20Baratillo1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmdpDDfCgI0jcoGUsuy__06FFo2kUDSt9JuFl2SO5xXj33ZaxzdrnudBqOLmMUQvBKQYnacO17mePK4gNBUqPhw8QjemVgbzCuarqWHyLoBYCb9Njl0HD0iWiJFWFE9lfBgQugRH8g0Tn4CDlZ2hdw32XD_ez55RMOOe1B2UHc4HDLcJe_AMkgAPLYaGK/w640-h480/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20Fuente%20de%20Baratillo1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Florentine-style fountain forms the centerpiece of this small plaza</b>. The official name is <i>Plaza General Manuel Gonzales</i>, who once was Governor of <i>Guanajuato</i> and President of the Republic. However, few people use that name. Instead, it is generally called <i>Plazuela del Baratillo</i>, which means "little plaza of the secondhand goods". This is probably because it has long been used by local street vendors to sell inexpensive vegetables, street food and other items.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, we will take a look at the <i>Plazuela</i> and check out some of the street scenes Carole and I encountered in its immediate vicinity. This is a continuation of our stroll through the heart of <i>Guanajuato's El Centro</i> (Old Town), which began with the <i>Museo</i> <i>de Alhondigas</i> on the west end, paused last time at the great <i>Templo de la Companía de Jésus</i>, and will continue on to other beautiful and interesting plazas along the way. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Overview</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6KWUDAMned86xORMjlx5YMEpj6tgiHxLw_nbmRca00QYytUm1Ka2aVXQn-BymjpqaXg9rGWQlSZFsrs8C-wKWSg8V_igNh4aOpgMkmCfVOGVixk_UAoDtXxBNBcHEHEDjN6FMznLW_p8_o6u3ce13EaoH92p6633gw590oWw9UvMrkvfry_9G2YC1w4u/s1028/PlazuelaDeLaBaratillo-%20Google%20map.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1028" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6KWUDAMned86xORMjlx5YMEpj6tgiHxLw_nbmRca00QYytUm1Ka2aVXQn-BymjpqaXg9rGWQlSZFsrs8C-wKWSg8V_igNh4aOpgMkmCfVOGVixk_UAoDtXxBNBcHEHEDjN6FMznLW_p8_o6u3ce13EaoH92p6633gw590oWw9UvMrkvfry_9G2YC1w4u/w640-h580/PlazuelaDeLaBaratillo-%20Google%20map.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>The Plazuela </i>is centrally located</b>. It is only a couple of blocks east of the <i>Universidad de Guanajuato</i> (upper left) and a couple more north of <i>Jardin Union </i>(triangular green plaza). Both were covered in my previous posts of this series. Our neighbor Vinnie, who recently bought a house in <i>Guanajuato</i>, encouraged us to check out the <i>Plazuela,</i> saying he had particularly enjoyed the street food sold there. They were selling it when we came by, and it looked good, but we weren't hungry at the time. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Generally, we are a bit leery of Mexican street food, because you can pick up all kinds of nasty intestinal bugs if you aren't careful. However, local Mexicans are usually aware of who is selling clean food and who is not. A good sign that the food is sanitary will be if there is quite a crowd around the stall. Also, the person serving the food should not the same as the person handling the money. Because it passes through so many hands, money is one of the dirtiest objects you will encounter anywhere. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Plazuela del Baratillo</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYB5zGaD9jvJejY5jWTXgj50U-3J69swa2bMAj3Ot2PHSx6U6hKT3TEXv0xJ7mnovc1ZRD5dxk8mxRIH40hdBoyaUoxDzgF7qVCtWH2qXwEcv5TvXNeoXkf0rQNj8iIt9qfdaJK_T_rbgFUK6lUbzvdBQzD4ObjbIKaL4pD38kvM40wjfUCFk1_gTX5KF/s540/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20Calle%20de%20Subida%20de%20San%20Jose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="540" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYB5zGaD9jvJejY5jWTXgj50U-3J69swa2bMAj3Ot2PHSx6U6hKT3TEXv0xJ7mnovc1ZRD5dxk8mxRIH40hdBoyaUoxDzgF7qVCtWH2qXwEcv5TvXNeoXkf0rQNj8iIt9qfdaJK_T_rbgFUK6lUbzvdBQzD4ObjbIKaL4pD38kvM40wjfUCFk1_gTX5KF/w640-h454/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20Calle%20de%20Subida%20de%20San%20Jose.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Plazuela</i> is surrounded by former Spanish colonial mansions</b>. The ground floors are now small shops and stores selling a wide variety of items, while the upper floors are generally apartments. Some of the local food vendors are gathered under the tree on the right. Various <i>callejones</i> (alleyways) and <i>andadores</i> (walking streets) branch off from the <i>Plazuela,</i> making it a great place to just wander around and see what sort of interesting objects and scenes you can find.</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRX5wFqDYgFqViWtPkspSBLfM8h5Ejwkk-4wKu6VOrDouISkU0E5tIN8x3eY9KJJoybwBw_OlTYEgtaKHWhi7lBz0_yrtpA_Ep1P0F-6rOmjk5fwCpEUkXUttGRoX-UEPrhxK9BIzyz90AI_47QnG9O5jRnOEAGLtdo5ObfAEIJPSErjpno86hgxlkHh6/s540/PlazaDeLaBaratillo-%20fish%20on%20fountain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRX5wFqDYgFqViWtPkspSBLfM8h5Ejwkk-4wKu6VOrDouISkU0E5tIN8x3eY9KJJoybwBw_OlTYEgtaKHWhi7lBz0_yrtpA_Ep1P0F-6rOmjk5fwCpEUkXUttGRoX-UEPrhxK9BIzyz90AI_47QnG9O5jRnOEAGLtdo5ObfAEIJPSErjpno86hgxlkHh6/w640-h480/PlazaDeLaBaratillo-%20fish%20on%20fountain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Four fantastic bronze fish support the bowl of the fountain</b>. They reminded me a bit of the one at the Wolf and Fish fountain just below the <i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/10/guanajuato-revisited-part-12-templo-de.html">Templo de la Companía de Jesus</a></i>. Possibly, they were created by the same sculptor. Originally the fountain was located at the <i>Plaza de la Paz</i> (see <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/04/guanajuato-revisited-partr-6-peace.html">Part 6</a> of this series). However, in 1893, this fountain was replaced by the statue now at <i>Plaza de la Paz</i> and the Florentine fountain ended up here. It was a good trade, in my opinion.</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsRbuW5FDq1kpr40sSuKaDVpFVvKb-7OeaGUjSk-Xi4-_4MBwCCRRDz1F2l4CUXqG3AhSl8nMiwX-TNNL45zl11SBapO61W-avdAN6G_zU-sKO-U6x2mKUA8iqSkuQ-xVHMP86vQ138Nh9nq8MvgPgrGHGUuIlCDOp2ftu4UpKvTcj0dDIT6OZcXKLBwP/s877/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20Miner%20in%20coffin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsRbuW5FDq1kpr40sSuKaDVpFVvKb-7OeaGUjSk-Xi4-_4MBwCCRRDz1F2l4CUXqG3AhSl8nMiwX-TNNL45zl11SBapO61W-avdAN6G_zU-sKO-U6x2mKUA8iqSkuQ-xVHMP86vQ138Nh9nq8MvgPgrGHGUuIlCDOp2ftu4UpKvTcj0dDIT6OZcXKLBwP/w394-h640/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20Miner%20in%20coffin.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A "deceased" miner's mummy stands in his coffin</b>. We found this just outside the entrance of a small store. Nothing in the store particularly related to the miner and his coffin. This is just another example of the quirky Mexican sense of humor. Guanajuato is famous for its bizarre collection of the local <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummies_of_Guanajuato">mummies</a> of people who died here long ago.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">However, Guanajuato's long history of mining did lead to many untimely deaths among the workers. Over the course of centuries, mineshaft collapses, fire, poison gases, and lung disease from mine dust claimed the lives of many of those who went down into the darkness every day. (For a look at how the mines operated and the daily life of the mine workers, see <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/05/guanajuato-revisited-part-7-panoramic.html">Part 7</a> of this series.)<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqZUkK-aeqBNWmlQq0cR752xM69aD3BHHw5KTF14yac_T9oDb21Bzx9FgxsBsNI0zT2smQ2JeouTetOkPtcj2f9aEyFil4MLpqDFjto6zyWizqjzN24r8eY9mHPmbnNEhVqf-0EhZ1bcqAS-E5urBePRW3NE_poa1Jbx0CNRGY4X70zwTe1x16VscgSTi/s540/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20underground%20opening.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="540" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqZUkK-aeqBNWmlQq0cR752xM69aD3BHHw5KTF14yac_T9oDb21Bzx9FgxsBsNI0zT2smQ2JeouTetOkPtcj2f9aEyFil4MLpqDFjto6zyWizqjzN24r8eY9mHPmbnNEhVqf-0EhZ1bcqAS-E5urBePRW3NE_poa1Jbx0CNRGY4X70zwTe1x16VscgSTi/w640-h634/PlazuelaDeBaratillo-%20underground%20opening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Stairway into another world</b>. Near the entrance to the Plazuela is a set of steps leading down into <i>Guanajuato's</i> underworld. The level to which you descend used to be the level of the <i>arroyo</i> (stream bed) along which the city was originally built. Now it is a network of streets running under <i>El Centro</i>, with the city built on top. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">What happened was that in 1780, a great flood roared down the arroyo, swamping and destroying much of the original town. To avoid future disasters, the city fathers raised the level of the town 6m (18ft) and rebuilt it over the arroyo. (See <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/03/guanajuato-revisited-part-2-templo-san.html">Part 2</a> for the story of this catastrophe.) You can find entrances like this all over <i>El Centro, </i>some for pedestrians, some for vehicles.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcIA6oAC4EzacNxnZwh2ElttGjHKl0ThhMee2gHopDl-5pRRa38ctEuRojmIsf5B8UjauGLsG1gpKAl0MFz4nC4i5nZrMnXQ27DuhAr7BSvSksZk3fGAl3CbaSKuPekKJmkmEVam4TqMVZ2212XVsZIILRMtdkDdI74CtJ4XmkKSuNqpR_uQZmxl7hwRW/s765/Streetscenes-%20shop%20w:Don%20Quixote%20statue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcIA6oAC4EzacNxnZwh2ElttGjHKl0ThhMee2gHopDl-5pRRa38ctEuRojmIsf5B8UjauGLsG1gpKAl0MFz4nC4i5nZrMnXQ27DuhAr7BSvSksZk3fGAl3CbaSKuPekKJmkmEVam4TqMVZ2212XVsZIILRMtdkDdI74CtJ4XmkKSuNqpR_uQZmxl7hwRW/w452-h640/Streetscenes-%20shop%20w:Don%20Quixote%20statue.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Don Quixote</i>, in full armor, stands proudly outside another store</b>. You find statues of this figure, large and small, all over <i>Guanajuato</i>. Another thing for which the town also famous is its <i>Festival Cervantino</i> celebrating the works of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Cervantes">Miguel Cevantes</a></i>, 17th century author of the book <i>Don Quixote. (</i>For the origins of the <i>Festival Cervantino</i>, see <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/06/guanajuato-revisited-part-11-mini.html">Part 11</a> of this series.)</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ifG6zjP1itFd_Ig5Mx0djA5siayJeJ-Sx0eMwFLfjyRMbpx8fyhsfPJ5wOwEbzodeCabuSr5Ir-87BiBiK3VDy7NxLpT5KjAsY9mUL_kcDhkarmA54K4z5rDT38FH9s-p3WXw29waBEU26fwso6I61J5QblNh7vyQhRMV_lBPN9cNcrwX83btw_DD0y4/s540/Streetscenes-%20Calle%20de%20Sopena%20market.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ifG6zjP1itFd_Ig5Mx0djA5siayJeJ-Sx0eMwFLfjyRMbpx8fyhsfPJ5wOwEbzodeCabuSr5Ir-87BiBiK3VDy7NxLpT5KjAsY9mUL_kcDhkarmA54K4z5rDT38FH9s-p3WXw29waBEU26fwso6I61J5QblNh7vyQhRMV_lBPN9cNcrwX83btw_DD0y4/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20Calle%20de%20Sopena%20market.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Street market on <i>Calle de Sopena</i></b>. This is another of the many <i>andadores</i> in <i>El Centro</i>, which makes the area great for walking. By Mexican custom, just about any area open to pedestrian traffic is fair game for street vendors. It can often be crowded, but it is usually fun and always interesting.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTYvPNCdlKvLFs0P5AjDiXszMfXwlHI1Z-ubf_lyaLxhOJhTpGm4_ciAopCqL7aX4TI3GuGhaAIYsWTLUCv_KyHKt9dK6hf_-WTzlGGacAo0HgslEF-47PxceGdH78xqH84A_vg9FcO8391pqEdm1rinZcMqD0J_UG6suW87w0n2N5x3B-_4HJKET1OT0/s540/Streetscenes-%20restaurant%20under%20big%20tree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTYvPNCdlKvLFs0P5AjDiXszMfXwlHI1Z-ubf_lyaLxhOJhTpGm4_ciAopCqL7aX4TI3GuGhaAIYsWTLUCv_KyHKt9dK6hf_-WTzlGGacAo0HgslEF-47PxceGdH78xqH84A_vg9FcO8391pqEdm1rinZcMqD0J_UG6suW87w0n2N5x3B-_4HJKET1OT0/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20restaurant%20under%20big%20tree.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Restaurant under a large tree in yet another plazuela</b>. We were finally hungry and the day was warm, so we decided that a meal under the shade of this tree was just the ticket. Alas, it was not to be. What we didn't understand that was this is actually two restaurants. We sat at the tables on the far side of the tree and waited to be served. And waited...and waited. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Finally, a waiter from what turned out to be the restaurant on the right of the tree came over and told us that our tables belonged to a place that was closed. Unfortunately, all the tables for his restaurant were filled by then. Famished, we finally moved on to find another place to eat.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRs4CzOfzS04O9N_pwqnb4Rv4Au-nRzlwazyHXuwDRmRCdTns6K6uBLds0IfTeQTmd4qgFRLl3GyEWP4iSG7dWkHB8WbTr1Gz5a9mGMRsYPwCVfkhcvsohHB793yeIwHo5vdw17d8ccXfmbxU_4v4_XXbPzJR-JMtgcOZgXmiX2LZLwvZFtwocceE08F5m/s714/Streetscenes-%20violinist.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRs4CzOfzS04O9N_pwqnb4Rv4Au-nRzlwazyHXuwDRmRCdTns6K6uBLds0IfTeQTmd4qgFRLl3GyEWP4iSG7dWkHB8WbTr1Gz5a9mGMRsYPwCVfkhcvsohHB793yeIwHo5vdw17d8ccXfmbxU_4v4_XXbPzJR-JMtgcOZgXmiX2LZLwvZFtwocceE08F5m/w484-h640/Streetscenes-%20violinist.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Another of Guanajuato's innumerable street musicians</b>. This violinist </span>was probably a music student at the university. He was really quite good as he fiddled his way to making a little spare cash. I believe, in the US, this is called "busking". I tipped him nicely, as I usually do with street musicians. I love that Mexico often provides a sound track for my life.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 13 of my series Guanajuato Revisited. I hope you enjoyed it! If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please don't forget to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely fashion.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-69991452501393703962023-10-15T14:53:00.002-06:002023-10-29T14:01:03.873-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 12 of 17: Templo de la Compania de Jesus / Oratorio de Felipe Neri, a magnificent 18th century church built by the Jesuits <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePZBRymZY9VNwKiPc2fDej-wY_CPn9nFXrr1xjAZxelSHMDI-G2CT-B_scIiewBzk4u5vE6Ij8_gg5_jxERMO6Hj13IqwwbZRvvNxCaa83hAyAtkS2-Nry040h2B3LCM_Qa6p-6CQBa2jydMbhTmd8I-s4usOiWDyT8-fKMqZ9YB72Sp5Gxw4WiPaPbph/s540/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20facade%20fr%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="540" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePZBRymZY9VNwKiPc2fDej-wY_CPn9nFXrr1xjAZxelSHMDI-G2CT-B_scIiewBzk4u5vE6Ij8_gg5_jxERMO6Hj13IqwwbZRvvNxCaa83hAyAtkS2-Nry040h2B3LCM_Qa6p-6CQBa2jydMbhTmd8I-s4usOiWDyT8-fKMqZ9YB72Sp5Gxw4WiPaPbph/w640-h464/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20facade%20fr%20front.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The facade of this old Jesuit church is somewhat deteriorated</b>. Still, enough of the ornate Churrigueresque decorations remain to make it attractive. The church stands next to the <i>Universidad de Guanajuato</i> on the corner of <i>Calle Pedro Lascuraine Retana</i> and <i>Calle del Sol</i> and overlooks the <i>Plazuela del Templo de la Compañia de Jesus</i>. The <i>Templo</i> is the largest in Guanajuato and one of the largest built in <i>Nueva España</i> (Mexico) during the colonial period. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It is actually known by two different names: <i>Templo de la Compañia de Jesus</i> and <i>Oratorio de Felipe Neri</i>. The reasons for this will be detailed later in this posting. In addition to discussing the architectural features I will outline the history of the church and its relationship with the Jesuit Order and the <i>Busto y Moya </i>family, one of the wealthiest in Guanajuato. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">The facade decorations</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzZgFm0tqr-_Loy51GjuhCeLIZ8_AWfrL3ILV7tEv_kowSQ5_8GDnaBGofecUEb4aTBbi4CZLPwc-VXnvSwwy-dgRv9KMC9Ig_l3zYYyasttipBOqEMSx8EznceVuCh2iCJdwrFn1OkF6HEiQkSWPBxnitkMcOy8r_uVt61YkUL38SWMEhvLKIOFEYpm4/s540/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20Three%20figures%20relief2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzZgFm0tqr-_Loy51GjuhCeLIZ8_AWfrL3ILV7tEv_kowSQ5_8GDnaBGofecUEb4aTBbi4CZLPwc-VXnvSwwy-dgRv9KMC9Ig_l3zYYyasttipBOqEMSx8EznceVuCh2iCJdwrFn1OkF6HEiQkSWPBxnitkMcOy8r_uVt61YkUL38SWMEhvLKIOFEYpm4/w640-h480/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20Three%20figures%20relief2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Above the main entrance is a panel containing three seated men</b>. They are surrounded by seventeen winged cherub heads, a typical feature of the flamboyant Churrigueresque style. The men are probably important Jesuit figures, but I haven't been able to identify them. This panel is one of three located in ascending levels above the entrance.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_la_Compa%C3%B1%C3%ADa_(Guanajuato)">Construction of the Templo</a> was authorized by Spanish King <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_V_of_Spain">Felipe V</a></i> in 1744. It was designed by a priest named <i>José de la Cruz</i>. Oddly, although he was creating a Jesuit church, he was not a Jesuit himself but a member of the <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/04/guanajuato-revisited-part-4-templo-de.html"><i>Betlemite</i> Order</a>. The first stone was laid in 1747 on July 31, <i>San Ignacio</i> Day (<i>Ignacio Loyola</i> was the founder of the Jesuit Order). The church was finally completed 18 years later, in 1765. Between then and the early 20th century, it has been remodeled numerous times.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcxnD1gSzeIvsm7NRqiezbjG9gI6zwlCKOeD-5B6SQTBUprbHkqD6NQx_E0hfoBB2XVQ7KVTG11pyx3KI4-tKCZdVWbQzTK854Oupfuyfb3oL6IuXchdb_EaH2za_cYtAddUw9yz--GW05N37jetah1CzUSdd3v9252LJiZ98wo2kVx3sD3cZiodhn5f-/s720/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20statue%20w:raised%20arms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcxnD1gSzeIvsm7NRqiezbjG9gI6zwlCKOeD-5B6SQTBUprbHkqD6NQx_E0hfoBB2XVQ7KVTG11pyx3KI4-tKCZdVWbQzTK854Oupfuyfb3oL6IuXchdb_EaH2za_cYtAddUw9yz--GW05N37jetah1CzUSdd3v9252LJiZ98wo2kVx3sD3cZiodhn5f-/w480-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20statue%20w:raised%20arms.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Another figure stands in a niche above the one with three men</b>. The male statue is also unidentified, but it may be <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Ignatius_of_Loyola/#:~:text=Ignatius%20of%20Loyola%20%28l.%201491-1556%29%20was%20a%20Basque,of%20the%20leading%20figures%20of%20the%20Catholic%20Counter-Reformation."><i>Ignacio Loyola</i></a>, particularly given the importance of the church and the central position of the niche on the facade. The wire mesh in front of the statue is intended to discourage pigeons and their droppings.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjen6g8aSL3GTJeGknKc8zxIBkLywvX7_TA56nNzRKMIkdgZ9LqisjxMlrjexU4lrNMWFUUdMNj1w9NBEhz9KyeJc34-fYfj-r91yvqLHKRCkHfr8GFgoSIqNbZ4jSuvIjCEpxLHv0lF6GgbCn5rt8ARP4U7wMG7E0Hmk29AjyrTi8nDlB2AiZoxwy6PVXG/s540/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20King%20relief.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjen6g8aSL3GTJeGknKc8zxIBkLywvX7_TA56nNzRKMIkdgZ9LqisjxMlrjexU4lrNMWFUUdMNj1w9NBEhz9KyeJc34-fYfj-r91yvqLHKRCkHfr8GFgoSIqNbZ4jSuvIjCEpxLHv0lF6GgbCn5rt8ARP4U7wMG7E0Hmk29AjyrTi8nDlB2AiZoxwy6PVXG/w640-h480/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20ext%20King%20relief.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The highest panel on the facade may show King <i>Felipe V</i>.</b> Again, I have no specific information on this, but it makes sense that the architects would save a place of honor for the monarch who authorized the construction.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Naves </span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPS_F8JMFAdNpTeA0KcasuUV0tjii-67pAlhN8oxu6_fJS2e3CxxEuXMuYg37F7FfcsUzkvVEISeTLe3YlFmXQqACqbLeMIHptSyWj74Tsixqm456DBROqZ8yYDv1uCOO5JC_QUCwH9jHcSid3tXi-HVSr9ObNbkECqNrA3wK0MF7JtPhWqU2b-ZaWgKG/s540/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20fr%20lft.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPS_F8JMFAdNpTeA0KcasuUV0tjii-67pAlhN8oxu6_fJS2e3CxxEuXMuYg37F7FfcsUzkvVEISeTLe3YlFmXQqACqbLeMIHptSyWj74Tsixqm456DBROqZ8yYDv1uCOO5JC_QUCwH9jHcSid3tXi-HVSr9ObNbkECqNrA3wK0MF7JtPhWqU2b-ZaWgKG/w640-h480/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20fr%20lft.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The main nave</b>. There are naves on either side, for a total of three. While the church was designed by <i>Padre José de la Cruz</i>, the construction was supervised by another famous architect, <i><a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/urena-felipe-c-1773">Felipe de Ureña</a>.</i> He is responsible for much of the spread of Baroque architecture throughout Mexico. This church is his most famous project and he labored on it for 18 years.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BScfRm3v52hOL-UJq4pO32-3jpZsQ7pbig1LhY45v71NwZx7Y8jw4Yb6Zf1BkSU7y11oYn2F4FQXPvFDey8pYkOBroqPO2tvDBtdN-fuVEIqWsVhQ1Giyzi1nA4nFnZ_wsIGjPW0zvuQ09gt-meCFGHsKMOVn7PC6n8frk9XknAbIJIEihBSA26o425E/s720/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20column%20w:carving.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BScfRm3v52hOL-UJq4pO32-3jpZsQ7pbig1LhY45v71NwZx7Y8jw4Yb6Zf1BkSU7y11oYn2F4FQXPvFDey8pYkOBroqPO2tvDBtdN-fuVEIqWsVhQ1Giyzi1nA4nFnZ_wsIGjPW0zvuQ09gt-meCFGHsKMOVn7PC6n8frk9XknAbIJIEihBSA26o425E/w480-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20column%20w:carving.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Many tall, thick columns separate the three naves. </b>They are decorated up their center on each side by carvings in the lush, flowery Baroque style favored by <i>Ureña</i>. The church was <a href="https://vamonosalbable.blogspot.com/2012/03/el-templo-de-la-compania-en-guanajuato.html">built on land donated by the <i>Busto y Mora</i> family.</a> They had also donated the land and original buildings of the Jesuit <i>collegio</i> next door, which later became the University of Guanajuato. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Josefa Busto y Mora</i> was a patron of the Jesuits and her family paid for most of the church's construction. Some sources credit some of the funding to the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/2603348939600541862"><i>Sardaneta</i> family</a>, owners of the fabulous San Juan de Rayas silver mine. (See <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/06/guanajuato-revisited-part-11-mini.html">Guanajuato Revisted Part 11</a> and <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/05/guanajuato-revisited-part-8-convento.html">Part 8</a> for the story of Josefa and her family's involvement in the construction of many of Guanajuato's beautiful colonial structures).</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzkiQSMtZDRvub2dZ6wr5fLUYQuv68iO7l3sYaow0Kybf8VBAbKC6ahSOgT5zkGtllQC4gJaVY1DaWf3nO8O9AaNO8W-puw7u3sP6AHhLwf_5rL2e6gwQrwYxfGOPGe4iQeqsZArLux1J3dwTVdHrEz1FkrsnzPCEA2xVPFo4ruYIk7GhOUOyUFnZ16Cj/s720/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20left%20toward%20rear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzkiQSMtZDRvub2dZ6wr5fLUYQuv68iO7l3sYaow0Kybf8VBAbKC6ahSOgT5zkGtllQC4gJaVY1DaWf3nO8O9AaNO8W-puw7u3sP6AHhLwf_5rL2e6gwQrwYxfGOPGe4iQeqsZArLux1J3dwTVdHrEz1FkrsnzPCEA2xVPFo4ruYIk7GhOUOyUFnZ16Cj/w480-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20left%20toward%20rear.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The left side nave, looking toward the entrance</b>. The church has <a href="https://obras.expansion.mx/arquitectura/2015/10/19/el-templo-de-la-compania-celebra-250-anos-de-historia">nine altars</a>, some of which are accessed off to the sides of the naves. Three of these are made of wood, and have been preserved with their original decorations.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSMAvyctv15fghKy0or85GtHUXqcDGdot2BhPnqX4FIENVK--97C-rh0dxkKiQjoQTAlsvKEselDmj0rNtWmk7NJRBrYEmkIpyI_dcNluZsnWKi2vButGhOoroBCHIgj9UYKd10GUrHuIik2BTwTCU-k-Su4hrOH_d1Hfd7OK0Bn8sA4uqajb6gNh24u1/s540/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20people%20praying.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="540" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSMAvyctv15fghKy0or85GtHUXqcDGdot2BhPnqX4FIENVK--97C-rh0dxkKiQjoQTAlsvKEselDmj0rNtWmk7NJRBrYEmkIpyI_dcNluZsnWKi2vButGhOoroBCHIgj9UYKd10GUrHuIik2BTwTCU-k-Su4hrOH_d1Hfd7OK0Bn8sA4uqajb6gNh24u1/w640-h502/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20nave%20people%20praying.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A group of devout Catholics praying</b>. We have found similar scenarios in many other Mexican churches we have visited even when there was no service being conducted by a priest. When we visited, the covid pandemic was still widespread and many people wore masks.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lQEVOsybzEZZ4Dkzatarwifg-szhKD206vRRKXNK40cG03HIWCFwqrlOjRyCJwuePSKoDy3O7lpxX9_Bp3Y4CJz8rA1qKrfSw5SndW7IJP3KBwxGTJ3GGqW6q7rp6akmWZ7ZFX12KxWYr-PSr-KVdbZCxzGRfLRTlOiHdGpKJOkGrQ6_83_0LxbogDD4/s745/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20confessional.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lQEVOsybzEZZ4Dkzatarwifg-szhKD206vRRKXNK40cG03HIWCFwqrlOjRyCJwuePSKoDy3O7lpxX9_Bp3Y4CJz8rA1qKrfSw5SndW7IJP3KBwxGTJ3GGqW6q7rp6akmWZ7ZFX12KxWYr-PSr-KVdbZCxzGRfLRTlOiHdGpKJOkGrQ6_83_0LxbogDD4/w464-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20confessional.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A richly decorated confessional stands in the left side nave</b>. This one has spots on either side for people confessing their sins to the priest who sits inside. This did not make much sense to me because a priest would probably not be listening to two confessions at once. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqbpxzOEZFjqEIvJlcD3bBy-csT82Eo5oQ-6Nb3wg8J6G_S9ckrDwv2wwdfhJIQcNkIlM3EmRezOmAn0JnO76ZJjwvrizqcVVVJSHPxQJmUMD3s4H4wiAnVn-sj6N7hQ-mDBlo2Y_v_UCFNfvEO6kNQJAYRC1LasOqSO2WZl-A2k5PFIPwR5i-U5S90l-/s719/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20choir%20loft%20&%20organ1%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqbpxzOEZFjqEIvJlcD3bBy-csT82Eo5oQ-6Nb3wg8J6G_S9ckrDwv2wwdfhJIQcNkIlM3EmRezOmAn0JnO76ZJjwvrizqcVVVJSHPxQJmUMD3s4H4wiAnVn-sj6N7hQ-mDBlo2Y_v_UCFNfvEO6kNQJAYRC1LasOqSO2WZl-A2k5PFIPwR5i-U5S90l-/w480-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20choir%20loft%20&%20organ1%20.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A magnificent organ stands in the choir loft at the rear of the church</b>. The organ <a href="https://obras.expansion.mx/arquitectura/2015/10/19/el-templo-de-la-compania-celebra-250-anos-de-historia">dates to 1794</a>. Unfortunately, the church's 29.5m high transept dome collapsed in 1808, due to structural changes ordered by the Mayor of <i>Guanajuato</i>. He wanted to provide more decoration to it but, when the pilasters supporting the dome were narrowed, they could not support the added weight. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The instrument was not used from then until it was finally restored in 1890. The organ overlooks the right side nave. Behind it, you can see some large paintings of biblical scenes.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The altar area</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLwcI0MTQN5lRWf2Yal5b1Y4s9cVpGzLFqH1stsjGQNuon8Z8gB6ATVZjevXzGJEwlCsnS57uxglIogNyj2b9q47dDFMD6XCEah0U9uHgtLZgi3pIyKuJKx4pPKOCHkrNEDILN6Rm66GzonGMQYgvRk_WYj2o4mV2WvxK98dLIYN5-6OJksNFZ6ER5jCe/s720/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20altar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLwcI0MTQN5lRWf2Yal5b1Y4s9cVpGzLFqH1stsjGQNuon8Z8gB6ATVZjevXzGJEwlCsnS57uxglIogNyj2b9q47dDFMD6XCEah0U9uHgtLZgi3pIyKuJKx4pPKOCHkrNEDILN6Rm66GzonGMQYgvRk_WYj2o4mV2WvxK98dLIYN5-6OJksNFZ6ER5jCe/w480-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20altar.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The main altar stands at the far end of the main nave</b>. The altar is devoted to one of the many versions of the Virgin Mary whose statue stands in the central niche. Although the construction of the great church was finally completed in 1765, the Jesuits were only to enjoy it for two years. In 1767, King <i>Carlos III</i> of Spain ordered the <a href="https://guanajuato.oratorio.mx/">expulsion of Jesuits</a> from his entire Empire.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The expulsion was part of Europe-wide move toward absolute monarchy which resulted in the Jesuit's expulsion from many kingdoms. The monarchs saw the Jesuits, who reported directly to the Pope and not to a king or queen, as a threat to their power. They also envied the great wealth the Jesuits had accumulated. After the expulsion, many monarchs profited greatly from the sale of the Jesuit holdings.<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkcBskB6bYY2ldTKarW79RjeaFtPohoBCD2UByFRp-gxqM5kD5rl9UEkAMc1T9mp4gVhck-NxvsqADDkIhFfv96EqRUp6yWFnHEPdACNgZuzNMSyS83-4mgLa03tl08ZTF1i7c8b0Q8VqesmEAkkFi6hw0tu9H4DEuG-FIkbEjuUDXX9v6f9gwVk_X-G3/s654/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20Jesus%20on%20cross.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkcBskB6bYY2ldTKarW79RjeaFtPohoBCD2UByFRp-gxqM5kD5rl9UEkAMc1T9mp4gVhck-NxvsqADDkIhFfv96EqRUp6yWFnHEPdACNgZuzNMSyS83-4mgLa03tl08ZTF1i7c8b0Q8VqesmEAkkFi6hw0tu9H4DEuG-FIkbEjuUDXX9v6f9gwVk_X-G3/w528-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20Jesus%20on%20cross.jpg" width="528" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>To the left of the niche is a crucified Jesus</b>. This may be one of those created by craftsmen from <a href="https://icom.museum/en/object/corn-stem-paste-christ-parroquia-de-nuestra-senora-de-la-asuncion-santa-fe-de-los-altos-d-f-mexico/">paste made from corn stalks</a> and shipped throughout Mexico to decorate its many churches. These corn paste statues are amazingly realistic, showing ever detail of the body. The craftsmen were highly skilled indigenous sculptors located in <i>Michoacan</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Following the expulsion of the Jesuits, their great church stood empty for many years. There were already many churches in <i>Guanajuato</i> and the other Orders hesitated to assume the expense of maintaining it. It is also possible that there was a stigma attached to the church because of the expulsion.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://guanajuato.oratorio.mx/">Finally, in 1773</a>, a priest of the Order of <i>San Felipe Neri</i> named <i>D. Nicolas Peres de Arquitegui</i> proposed making the church the Oratory of his Order. This is how the church gained its second name: <i>Oratorio de San Felipe Neri</i>. An oratory is a structure, other than a parish church, set aside for prayer and the celebration of mass.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>It took another 3 years for King Charles III to approve the takeover by the new Order. In the meantime, <i>Padre </i></span><span><i>D. Nicolas Peres de Arquitegui</i> had gone insane and died in 1785.</span><span> More years passed before the changeover was complete and the Order could finally use their <i>Oratorio</i>. </span></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotLCuUlRHQIj7DeGedRf1lEE9I0yy8I7ziUZrbgyMmLx3lGGBcYdLbddbI1jtqrTyXtiEFcBLaQi599fNg_YbWfc48euA4yhBk-SUcuRZl3I7urBPf8wQfErWu8Dp6M8TtTrofHhArKfR3ynpTDqIpaRl_mRIoHMVbYuY5Ql4dpZpQC9wkBPQs_079qug/s727/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20ptg%20St%20Matthew%20w:ax.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotLCuUlRHQIj7DeGedRf1lEE9I0yy8I7ziUZrbgyMmLx3lGGBcYdLbddbI1jtqrTyXtiEFcBLaQi599fNg_YbWfc48euA4yhBk-SUcuRZl3I7urBPf8wQfErWu8Dp6M8TtTrofHhArKfR3ynpTDqIpaRl_mRIoHMVbYuY5Ql4dpZpQC9wkBPQs_079qug/w476-h640/Oratorio%20de%20Felipe%20Neri-%20int%20ptg%20St%20Matthew%20w:ax.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Painting of St. Matthias, carrying an axe</b>. This seemed, at first, to be an odd object for a saint to be carrying around. It is an apparent reference to the method by which he was martyred. <a href="https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/seasons-and-feast-days/st-matthias-23793">St. Matthias</a> was reputed to have been a close associate of Jesus and was selected to be the Twelfth Apostle, replacing Judas.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Plazuela de la Compañia</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN-eiBpxaHdcYb-dTv-MrWlSxwCOMpUaqAyjmCa81pygMmYWmc9wVr_QYCUkXv49VW8og8Y3VzvCNCJNfax8ZBUfH5D8Rr98UAGhzBAhni9qxg1PW3xfLm3kR7jJf9fZ8Giunp-BypAnfoqVFqNvLi7cz8FGZ_zTtNCI5VIUvcgUCmbySBQRNu83Myec9/s750/Streetscenes-%20Wolfshead%20fountain%20&%20woman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN-eiBpxaHdcYb-dTv-MrWlSxwCOMpUaqAyjmCa81pygMmYWmc9wVr_QYCUkXv49VW8og8Y3VzvCNCJNfax8ZBUfH5D8Rr98UAGhzBAhni9qxg1PW3xfLm3kR7jJf9fZ8Giunp-BypAnfoqVFqNvLi7cz8FGZ_zTtNCI5VIUvcgUCmbySBQRNu83Myec9/w460-h640/Streetscenes-%20Wolfshead%20fountain%20&%20woman.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>A woman walks past a remarkable wolf and fish fountain</b>. The sculpture stands just below the <i>Templo de la Compania de Jesus / Oratorio de San Felipe Neri</i>, at the corner of <i>Calle del Sol</i> and <i>Calle Ayuntamiento. </i>I have not been able to find out </span><span>anything about its history or meaning or</span><span> the name of the sculptor. It is nonetheless an eye-catching addition to the area.</span></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbzWwC0wxeqzhsDwX8YsnicvOA3I6rOkPDNQetQHzzbyit5E2tIwQ2X7ytkZ1Lh0RMDZkqtisPksXyMOk7gNFUsKQ6r-mO2fXJApGsyRvupM5FXeRkr6mf_g-zROyv_EetX_Cl1pEPU_SaD9hbYoQtQLLtnuqEkj9Lq03-BRvDD4WtKtLhl_aodmWAOXN/s540/Street%20scenes-%20Wolf%20&%20Fish%20fountain-%20wolf's%20head.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="540" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbzWwC0wxeqzhsDwX8YsnicvOA3I6rOkPDNQetQHzzbyit5E2tIwQ2X7ytkZ1Lh0RMDZkqtisPksXyMOk7gNFUsKQ6r-mO2fXJApGsyRvupM5FXeRkr6mf_g-zROyv_EetX_Cl1pEPU_SaD9hbYoQtQLLtnuqEkj9Lq03-BRvDD4WtKtLhl_aodmWAOXN/w640-h492/Street%20scenes-%20Wolf%20&%20Fish%20fountain-%20wolf's%20head.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Water drips from the muzzle of a wolf into a bowl</b>. The face of this wolf reminds me of a similar sculpture from the pre-hispanic <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2011/01/toltecs-part-1-enigmatic-empire.html">Toltec culture (700-1000 AD)</a>. I saw it years before in the National Museum of History and Anthropology in Mexico City. There is a long tradition, beginning right at the start of the Conquest, of indigenous craftsmen creating animal images from their own cultures to decorate post-Conquest buildings. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtxtSyMkVQugq-u8ImxNBpXLHLIIorSAcQOfmfCbqh5cVacKqearQNuBC49renFS1_yh51CbvS8FT9ePWbYhZZ4lZWAqytJhzrxMztSlRvMZPUHz7--Y7YXCp0dsUo-cfKgjYZUCgwdRykUfIhs9QkptMerUEsv0yigvcwaC6APZfguQISLUj_DHv3j5m/s632/Street%20scenes-%20Wolf%20&%20Fish%20fountain-%20Fish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtxtSyMkVQugq-u8ImxNBpXLHLIIorSAcQOfmfCbqh5cVacKqearQNuBC49renFS1_yh51CbvS8FT9ePWbYhZZ4lZWAqytJhzrxMztSlRvMZPUHz7--Y7YXCp0dsUo-cfKgjYZUCgwdRykUfIhs9QkptMerUEsv0yigvcwaC6APZfguQISLUj_DHv3j5m/w546-h640/Street%20scenes-%20Wolf%20&%20Fish%20fountain-%20Fish.jpg" width="546" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Fantastic fish support the bottom of the sculpture</b>. These are similar to the fish supporting the fountain at <i>Plaza Baratillo</i>, near the <i>Jardin de la Union</i>. The similarity suggests that the sculptor may be the same person, although I still don't have a name. Water from the bowl under the wolf's head drains down to shoot out of the mouths of the fish.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cafe Tal</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8imueDg-tOKIzn-qISm-giwlyHzjUK1sR2TbkUcQD26yN54BxFz-9iJ4CsdEfGHgKpqQovVBR4iAZ9-ORY-AlijI6YXKy_WktLMmUHeYjrmXV7kKBQ61oEgX0FmOZloJGFvFhGclYtVhD3uR_XXpFW5zM-Q5jq41RXlXG9AQ8Gf_IPo0qxLapzUjnQEk/s540/Streetscenes-%20cafe%20barrista.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="540" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8imueDg-tOKIzn-qISm-giwlyHzjUK1sR2TbkUcQD26yN54BxFz-9iJ4CsdEfGHgKpqQovVBR4iAZ9-ORY-AlijI6YXKy_WktLMmUHeYjrmXV7kKBQ61oEgX0FmOZloJGFvFhGclYtVhD3uR_XXpFW5zM-Q5jq41RXlXG9AQ8Gf_IPo0qxLapzUjnQEk/w640-h510/Streetscenes-%20cafe%20barrista.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Cafe Tal</i> stands across the street from the former Jesuit church</b>. This little cafe is about as large as a walk-in closet and it was tended by a very cheerful and friendly young woman. She is probably a student at the nearby University, working this job to make ends meet. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Templo_de_la_Compa%C3%B1ia,Guanajuato,Guanajuato,M%C3%A9xico_2.jpg">A romantic tragedy</a> occurred nearby in the <i>Plazuela de los Carcamanes</i>. It was named for two brothers who loved the same woman. When one brother was informed by someone in the church of the relationship, he immediately went in search of his sibling and the lady in question. Finding them together, he became infuriated, killed them both, and then committed suicide over their corpses.</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnTYjHGuQ-F8MC74WNkdUtXyPY2n0AwOeDKdabR-GD-3SgRZ3baH8MXpHAIpLc_IUjlR1xHcPYdAkFOT8Zvrvw78D84lCBhpLl6zDkEiLC_OQ25E0BrpYUG8ggBaG0bf24uJaygk4eqjDVHRUaalTQh2bBxJZo1IVvFavNzbgtj4spgcbiYGuOJobft9C/s611/Streetscenes-%20cafe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnTYjHGuQ-F8MC74WNkdUtXyPY2n0AwOeDKdabR-GD-3SgRZ3baH8MXpHAIpLc_IUjlR1xHcPYdAkFOT8Zvrvw78D84lCBhpLl6zDkEiLC_OQ25E0BrpYUG8ggBaG0bf24uJaygk4eqjDVHRUaalTQh2bBxJZo1IVvFavNzbgtj4spgcbiYGuOJobft9C/w566-h640/Streetscenes-%20cafe.jpg" width="566" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Cafe Tal</i> serves coffee that is not only tasty but well decorated</b>. Carole and I had enjoyed our visit to this famous church and its pleasant little plaza. A nice rest in the shade with a good cup of coffee was just the right touch to end this stage of our visit to <i>Guanajuato</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 12 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I may respond promptly.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-21525977116165693562023-06-20T18:38:00.007-06:002023-10-19T16:14:59.097-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 11 of 17: Mini-Plazas, Unique Museums, Colonial-era Architecture, and Guanajuato's University<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqedeYWznpPfBo-_kD6i2dqV_qb_Hy1GU9So6_yvtO8C8yIRpKuvkJ--YAQwxmEsZJwTjcjbOO_gYS4R0SWAeQtXuO0FI90aI3jNIWNNFIMG1Nr8aRM54--9vryiFTn9B9i6AWypE-0TVTNnj-DUVtTGJ8OujMSdTYH5eifNnIOashgXTr7mqaRfO_Q/s712/Streetscenes-%20Templo%20San%20Roque%20,%20statue%20seated%20man.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqedeYWznpPfBo-_kD6i2dqV_qb_Hy1GU9So6_yvtO8C8yIRpKuvkJ--YAQwxmEsZJwTjcjbOO_gYS4R0SWAeQtXuO0FI90aI3jNIWNNFIMG1Nr8aRM54--9vryiFTn9B9i6AWypE-0TVTNnj-DUVtTGJ8OujMSdTYH5eifNnIOashgXTr7mqaRfO_Q/w486-h640/Streetscenes-%20Templo%20San%20Roque%20,%20statue%20seated%20man.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Bronze sculpture of <i>Enrique Ruelas Espinoza.</i> </b>The statue was sculpted in 1999 by Mexican artist Glenda Hecksher and is located next to the 18th century <i>Templo San Roque</i>. <a href="https://en.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/places-to-visit/?nom=eguanenrique"><i>Enrique Ruelas Espinoza </i>(1913-1987)</a> was a major figure in Mexican theatre and cinema. He was the founder of <i>Guanajuato's</i> world-famous Cervantino Festival, scheduled in 2023 for October 11-29. The Festival grew out of the <i>Guanajuato's</i> University Theater, which <i>Espinoza</i> founded and directed.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, I will show some of the treasures we encountered as we strolled through the <i>Centro</i> area of <i>Guanajuato</i>. These include small plazas, sometimes called <i>plazuelas</i>, which often include bronze statues of local luminaries. Dotted along the way will be some unique museums, colonial architecture, and the main campus of the University of Guanajuato. Keep in mind that I am only providing a taste of what is here. There is much more to see if you take the time.<br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXj3w8ZLECrr0IN0dznHogaCIONSl_gD6exXs7JoetiKs1vS6CAQX7MN5anlhI_lY71bUxNYn2xRwVgE_1G-TE4GI13R9o4TpC4GFiTbrb2Cmcf9fw3a-A0Ram51hPHwiUDw5M22WjuuISqqFlnPmJYvWNG1K-p_Pp8jv1hyy0J_udELRagNGmRkqzDw/s720/Streetscenes-%20Templo%20San%20Roque.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXj3w8ZLECrr0IN0dznHogaCIONSl_gD6exXs7JoetiKs1vS6CAQX7MN5anlhI_lY71bUxNYn2xRwVgE_1G-TE4GI13R9o4TpC4GFiTbrb2Cmcf9fw3a-A0Ram51hPHwiUDw5M22WjuuISqqFlnPmJYvWNG1K-p_Pp8jv1hyy0J_udELRagNGmRkqzDw/w480-h640/Streetscenes-%20Templo%20San%20Roque.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><i>Templo San Roque</i> was once the chapel of a <i>hacienda</i></b>. In 1651, a small chapel was built </span><span>by the </span><i><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/4/200">Cofradia de Misericórdias </a></i><span>(Brotherhood of Mercy) </span><span>on the <i>Templo's </i>current site</span><span>. It was replaced in 1726, when local priest </span><i><a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=100487">Don José de Sopeña y Cevera</a></i><span> built a new chapel for the </span><i>Hacienda de Beneficio San Francisco Cervera</i><span>, an ore processing facility. From 1746-1794 the <i>Templo</i> was the home of the Holy School of Christ, described as "an enigmatic religious order initiated by </span><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Felipe_Neri_de_Alfaro">Father <i>Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro</i></a><span>."</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The area in front of the <i>Templo</i> used to be the graveyard of the church but is now called <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_San_Roque_(Guanajuato)"><i>Plaza San Roque</i></a>. It is surrounded by small stores and private homes whose architecture has survived from colonial times. In 1953, <i>Enrique Ruelas</i> began to use the <i>Plaza</i> for an event that he called <i>Entremés Cervantino</i>. This was the origin of the Cervantino Festival, which was formally established in 1972. <i>Plaza San Roque</i> is still a venue for some Cervantino activities. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The <i>Templo</i> was built in Baroque style. The interior contains statues of the <i>Virgen del Rosario, San Roque</i>, and <i>Santo Domingo</i>. Unfortunately, we never saw them because the church was locked each time we came by. </span><span>Below the surface of the Plaza are burial sites for many of those killed in 1810, </span><span>when Father <i>Miguel Hidalgo's</i> army stormed the nearby </span><i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/03/guanajuato-revisted-part-3-alhondiga.html">Alhondiga</a></i><span>, a public granary being used as a fortress by the Spanish royalists. It was the first battle in the War of Independence.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbiBpEToY4_Q7I-KSWYB6qHrIiyClAPNPCFj4Ir8Vuak2fEvIBmrs7Gn0SUSbC38BwA38WyfCKsw2xUMe45QBuJVhIPii7boeNjC08dE2k8REIEJNjrSk9nQjjgk6UvKEdDkLjsp2GyySIg6QF1t9jL4hQm5WNgFaazHOe1dAB_JaMHdw5s6jycKL4Q/s540/PlazaDeSanFernando-%20tables.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbiBpEToY4_Q7I-KSWYB6qHrIiyClAPNPCFj4Ir8Vuak2fEvIBmrs7Gn0SUSbC38BwA38WyfCKsw2xUMe45QBuJVhIPii7boeNjC08dE2k8REIEJNjrSk9nQjjgk6UvKEdDkLjsp2GyySIg6QF1t9jL4hQm5WNgFaazHOe1dAB_JaMHdw5s6jycKL4Q/w640-h480/PlazaDeSanFernando-%20tables.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The tree-shaded <i>Plazuela San Fernando</i> is surrounded by restaurants, bars, and cafés</b>. The Plazuela was named after both San Fernando (the saint) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_VII_of_Spain">King Fernando VII of Spain (1784-1833)</a>. Founded in1863, <i>Plazuela San Fernando</i> has become a venue for exhibitions of books, artwork, and crafts. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Like nearby <i>San Roque Plaza</i>, this site was at one time part of the <i>Hacienda de San Francisco de Cervera</i>. This area was <a href="https://www.mexicoescultura.com/recinto/65387/plaza-san-fernando.html">once called "the ovens"</a>, probably because this is where wood-fired ovens were used to process silver ore. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Calle Positos</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizQer8ju_H6PcIl7UXTn8lFX6WZc-4iVT9YqSFlMd5wZS7rx5-IwgFoH08elIbUVtGqTaI2Ei4MTSvbgS2XRq2Bq5TBb8FbxfqiyfL2eNKgYl2LNLgMxKRL5mltMzHw1OZRNVgZfOeA7B78vR5iHAoZf_8kRO5z0oQXkpVSXbQBHdtcvDWNYVW1Q1sg/s540/Streetscenes-%20Carole%20in%20alley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizQer8ju_H6PcIl7UXTn8lFX6WZc-4iVT9YqSFlMd5wZS7rx5-IwgFoH08elIbUVtGqTaI2Ei4MTSvbgS2XRq2Bq5TBb8FbxfqiyfL2eNKgYl2LNLgMxKRL5mltMzHw1OZRNVgZfOeA7B78vR5iHAoZf_8kRO5z0oQXkpVSXbQBHdtcvDWNYVW1Q1sg/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20Carole%20in%20alley.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Carole walks up a steep <i>callejon</i> (alleyway) on the way to <i>Calle Positos</i></b>. Many of Guanajuato's streets, like <i>Calle Positos</i>, run parallel along the hills surrounding the city. To get from one to another of these parallel streets sometimes requires trudging up the steep <i>callejones</i> that connect them.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfaNbOy8WID-bifwvoiRmRbeBFPLULenVEPCJHmDsH-uqyggY3jteYT5-Yl0IKgydvBknlidnd9dNCi7jixoOVUz-PbCiyfR8sCheEQtht4O8gVVGhqiu2cJVt5DQ9VODjdNrQ_0O06FQlvrgb5VvN4Kpw10942u6XTngVgXFPYhi5UbMZc-_Wo9zkA/s723/CasaDiegoRivera-%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfaNbOy8WID-bifwvoiRmRbeBFPLULenVEPCJHmDsH-uqyggY3jteYT5-Yl0IKgydvBknlidnd9dNCi7jixoOVUz-PbCiyfR8sCheEQtht4O8gVVGhqiu2cJVt5DQ9VODjdNrQ_0O06FQlvrgb5VvN4Kpw10942u6XTngVgXFPYhi5UbMZc-_Wo9zkA/w478-h640/CasaDiegoRivera-%20front.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Once on <i>Calle Positos</i>, we soon came to <i>Museo Casa Diego Rivera</i></b>. This three-story Neo-Classic house was the birthplace, in 1886, of the great Mexican muralist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Rivera"><i>Diego Rivera</i></a> and where he lived during his childhood. The house was <a href="https://www.hmdb.org/results.asp?Search=Place&Town=Guanajuato&State=Guanajuato">turned into a museum in 1975</a>. Of the three stories, the first floor is decorated with 19th century furniture. The second has seven rooms containing some of Rivera's art work. The third floor has a lecture hall and public library.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge28sRlE_nWFnvDtGYbuQ-79xnvPXsTtJOHKd5OqgeWaH7_nHLZ29zHWkU-6nXDanYOvia2KqMESQD1J7vC9nPpAifMc3qSWfTcpspDhl0r-GimbWrDNk3MRQ2UvYMulodAYz3ye_6FXma1OT9vJcZNeM9KVsiiAw0ur8borm9ps341S2m5W6HVqQnuA/s540/Streetscenes-%20elegant%20house.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge28sRlE_nWFnvDtGYbuQ-79xnvPXsTtJOHKd5OqgeWaH7_nHLZ29zHWkU-6nXDanYOvia2KqMESQD1J7vC9nPpAifMc3qSWfTcpspDhl0r-GimbWrDNk3MRQ2UvYMulodAYz3ye_6FXma1OT9vJcZNeM9KVsiiAw0ur8borm9ps341S2m5W6HVqQnuA/w640-h480/Streetscenes-%20elegant%20house.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Primaro Deposito</i>. </b>This is yet another elegant old home on <i>Calle Positos</i> that is <a href="https://www.mexicoescultura.com/recinto/66940/en/primer-deposito-museum-of-contemporary-art.html">now a museum</a>. Inside is a permanent display of bronze statues by sculptors like Leonera Carrington, <i>José Luis Cuevas</i> and others. Temporary exhibits of other artists are displayed periodically. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The museum was created by <i>Javier de Jesús Hernández Capelo</i> as a way to promote art in <i>Guanajuato</i> through the cooperative efforts of artists, art directors, and other professionals in the art world. Unfortunately, like the <i>Templo San Roque</i> and the <i>Diego Rivera</i> house, it was closed when we came by. It is always a good idea to check in advance about such things. In Mexico, assume nothing. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-7wxp_66Sg94u_Y_qQcwBg8mv1sv7pAwPi5N_FpJ_RbgXlu67TCHSOGda94rAvijbTHABJCgr298DB53gVa7fbMN-P6WG_e2KnNAm2ceKOZCVvTYr1YsBrxkxDLnkSz-9l6g7svR7YZdlFp4ZPNCl-8qF4p6f-kpIyHG0BXZSFEf6YIrQUEfRZNm1g/s720/CasaDeMarquesDeRayas-%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-7wxp_66Sg94u_Y_qQcwBg8mv1sv7pAwPi5N_FpJ_RbgXlu67TCHSOGda94rAvijbTHABJCgr298DB53gVa7fbMN-P6WG_e2KnNAm2ceKOZCVvTYr1YsBrxkxDLnkSz-9l6g7svR7YZdlFp4ZPNCl-8qF4p6f-kpIyHG0BXZSFEf6YIrQUEfRZNm1g/w480-h640/CasaDeMarquesDeRayas-%20front.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><b>Former home of the <i>Sardaneta</i> family, owners of the <i>San Juan de Rayas</i> mine</b>. The site now houses the <i>Museo del Pueblo</i> (People's Museum). The <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/2603348939600541862">Sardanetas</a></i> became one of Guanajuato's immensely wealthy mining families </span><span>in the 18th century. T</span><span>he <i>San Juan de Rayas</i> mine was so successful that</span><span>, in 1774, King Charles III awarded the title of </span></span><i>1st Marqués de San Juan de Rayas</i><span> to the man who headed the family, </span><i>Vicente Manuel Sardaneta y Legaspi</i><span>.</span><span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>However, the sign to the right of the door dates the house to 1696, well before <i>Vicente</i> caused the family fortune to skyrocket. <i>Pedro Sardaneta, </i>grandfather of <i>Vicente, </i>was the head of the family in 1696 and was most likely the one who ordered the house to be built. </span><span>The </span><i>Museo del Pueblo</i><span> was established in the </span><i>Sardaneta</i><span> house in 1979 and has </span></span>five salons dedicated to paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5r6uQ-5yCLdpb5q8n2xMBDcZEtTITJe_4CXua1BMQfU6ITDqFgeqtmRUOsdbLXTRDJO2I9zCuASoeIEn4nb74hxts6o0-axc2Jj_5XNKxqjKdSBUUlIQ_oKcE-j_LXFY_wYeYTGziS9uzTz7pIuWegYyo_ENSx54nyZSxWuruVtFV_jSjbLT_Rt8qg/s540/CasaDeMarquesDeRayas-%20Museo%20Publico%20chapel%202008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="405" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5r6uQ-5yCLdpb5q8n2xMBDcZEtTITJe_4CXua1BMQfU6ITDqFgeqtmRUOsdbLXTRDJO2I9zCuASoeIEn4nb74hxts6o0-axc2Jj_5XNKxqjKdSBUUlIQ_oKcE-j_LXFY_wYeYTGziS9uzTz7pIuWegYyo_ENSx54nyZSxWuruVtFV_jSjbLT_Rt8qg/w480-h640/CasaDeMarquesDeRayas-%20Museo%20Publico%20chapel%202008.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Entrance to the former chapel of the <i>Sardaneta</i> house</b>. The chapel is located on the upper floor of the house. The <i>Churrigueresque-</i>style entrance was created in 1776. The sculptor may have been <i><a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/urena-felipe-c-1773">Felipe de Ureña</a></i>, who was a major influence in the spread of this style throughout Mexico during 18th century. His particular take on Churrigueresque even has its own subcategory called <i>felipense</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Although <i>Ureña</i> is most often credited as the artist who created this entrance, there are some who have doubts. <a href="http://colonialmexico.blogspot.com/2017/11/silver-chapels-of-guanajuato-rayas.html">Richard Perry</a> is my expert on Mexican colonial religious art and his research indicates that <i>Ureña</i> may have been in <i>Oaxaca</i> in 1776. Other uncertainties about <i>Ureña </i>include the dates of his birth and death. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyg6tYMFlQ5XzCO4o317NE9uEXEQs4kJo2mWS6k6fC8I82qoT7KoYkyAWQcIPRIJEi9MRxh114eiZ6GL3nApKeGIqvk8qPCyeOw_D9ksFr9RwIRSOxdORvNFp7qha2V0BJHWA9z_BAmwtpf7tQVoKd73wsgI56OQ5CBt0VmFqsZoNGN9xc7HFdPdJlw/s720/Guanajuato%20Museo%20del%20Publico.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyg6tYMFlQ5XzCO4o317NE9uEXEQs4kJo2mWS6k6fC8I82qoT7KoYkyAWQcIPRIJEi9MRxh114eiZ6GL3nApKeGIqvk8qPCyeOw_D9ksFr9RwIRSOxdORvNFp7qha2V0BJHWA9z_BAmwtpf7tQVoKd73wsgI56OQ5CBt0VmFqsZoNGN9xc7HFdPdJlw/w480-h640/Guanajuato%20Museo%20del%20Publico.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mural by <i>José Chávez Morado </i>(1909-2002). </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">This large mural, one of three by <i>Morado</i> in the chapel, is entitled "Fractured Pilaster". It depicts scenes from the end of the Viceroyalty period and the beginning of the Independence War. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Ch%C3%A1vez_Morado">Morado</a> was a member of the generation that followed the great muralists of the 1930s, including <i>Diego Rivera</i>, <i>José Clemente Orozco</i>, and <i>David Alfaro Siqueiros</i>. He has been called the last of Mexico's great muralists. Although Morado took some classes early in his career, he was largely self-taught.</span></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Universidad de Guanajuato</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2PCsvhD9X-FlOU81M_ZnvNE3rubx_zCmJJvEdNBcwnqoRKacSLGxx-a-BvNIZ-mdEIHD_lDT5vQE7ENwF6pY5dNZNkEZOnVxpzbDhJckdlQcgrrLt-ZUKbWq9zNa2OrXFTO1On5UlqWh8zu30fMe0RcJbyvHE8VY2vhES8v8BLMqm8yLrSYevi4THQ/s716/UdeGuan-%20corner%20Positos%20&%20Del%20Estudiante.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2PCsvhD9X-FlOU81M_ZnvNE3rubx_zCmJJvEdNBcwnqoRKacSLGxx-a-BvNIZ-mdEIHD_lDT5vQE7ENwF6pY5dNZNkEZOnVxpzbDhJckdlQcgrrLt-ZUKbWq9zNa2OrXFTO1On5UlqWh8zu30fMe0RcJbyvHE8VY2vhES8v8BLMqm8yLrSYevi4THQ/w482-h640/UdeGuan-%20corner%20Positos%20&%20Del%20Estudiante.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Museo del Pueblo</i> stands next to the University of Guanajuato</b>. Above, a young woman walks out of the narrow slot that is <i>Calle Positos</i> into the light and the airy space in front of the University's main building. At the point where the woman is stepping, <i>Calle Positos</i> ends and <i>Calle Pedro Lascurain de Retana</i> begins. It is not unusual for the name of a Mexican street to change several times along its length. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBqiP-0jW4TSiKy-qmWvfPAXzwLtutO1Nfn3wV6NDCbGLGGLjk5CvBIKn8a1GYevB5fUyzIT9JfaruYh40bc7eCdcnUw2G2m9OR8fo7T5ci0RQxSh0KxMmfR7pHAcoghvzqghhRaI3zikhUc9RTKGBa2EIVvsu6gFZbzHcprrUFt2jWyjTju6-rlxYQ/s540/UdeGuan-%20front%20&%20stairs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBqiP-0jW4TSiKy-qmWvfPAXzwLtutO1Nfn3wV6NDCbGLGGLjk5CvBIKn8a1GYevB5fUyzIT9JfaruYh40bc7eCdcnUw2G2m9OR8fo7T5ci0RQxSh0KxMmfR7pHAcoghvzqghhRaI3zikhUc9RTKGBa2EIVvsu6gFZbzHcprrUFt2jWyjTju6-rlxYQ/w640-h480/UdeGuan-%20front%20&%20stairs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span>A magnificent staircase rises up to the main entrance</span></b>. <span>As I related in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/3602889591676998082">Part 8</a> of this series, the University originated as the Holy Trinity School, founded in 1732 by <i>Josefa Teresa de Busto y Moya</i>, a prominent figure in another of Guanajuato's wealthy mining families. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Josefa</i> donated 7500 pesos of her own money and one of her houses to get the school started. In addition, she raised funds from other mine owners to provide for on-going operations. The Jesuit Order was brought in to run the school, because they had made it part of their mission to create educational institutions for the children of the elite in Nueva España (Mexico).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">During the film "<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=once+upon+a+time+in+mexico+cast&sca_esv=573654737&source=hp&ei=cF8sZcLrDMHLkPIPu9C6sA4&iflsig=AO6bgOgAAAAAZSxtgJBnR3GaRElVc4xzp-Mh7dQ2IQxU&oq=once+upon+a+time+in+mexico&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhpvbmNlIHVwb24gYSB0aW1lIGluIG1leGljbyoCCAEyBRAuGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQLhiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAuGIAESMo_UABY2SVwAHgAkAEAmAHEBaAB8iqqAQ4wLjE4LjMuMS4xLjEuMbgBAcgBAPgBAcICCxAuGNQCGLEDGIAEwgILEC4YgAQYsQMY1ALCAggQLhiABBixA8ICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYxwEY0QPCAgsQLhiABBjHARjRA8ICCxAuGIoFGLEDGIMBwgILEC4YgwEYsQMYigXCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICCBAuGLEDGIAEwgILEC4YgAQYsQMYgwHCAgsQLhixAxjJAxiABA&sclient=gws-wiz">Once Upon a Time in Mexico</a>", starring <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Johnny Depp and others, I was surprised to see this grand staircase appear briefly, because the movie was set in Mexico City. Artistic license, I guess. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRQDKmDyUUdrfKrk_21ecJ5vLF39n4Ds2OPpMLrfs6binYpdmpWhmH4GAXHxBjUuNYfPxSf1JaWr0Tnnisn_XDCJ2A2-o7taFeGEPVI-IRZDu5AG2NK7EJr7K4o02Y5RQqYmyii3_1-8gXXvHC5HuLUd4hsem2ZgG8r1FRrg3SauCuYUeK7CN-yGA1w/s720/UdeGuan-%20Calle%20Pedro%20Lascuraine%20de%20Retana%20to%20Felipe%20Neri.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRQDKmDyUUdrfKrk_21ecJ5vLF39n4Ds2OPpMLrfs6binYpdmpWhmH4GAXHxBjUuNYfPxSf1JaWr0Tnnisn_XDCJ2A2-o7taFeGEPVI-IRZDu5AG2NK7EJr7K4o02Y5RQqYmyii3_1-8gXXvHC5HuLUd4hsem2ZgG8r1FRrg3SauCuYUeK7CN-yGA1w/w480-h640/UdeGuan-%20Calle%20Pedro%20Lascuraine%20de%20Retana%20to%20Felipe%20Neri.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Calle Pedro Lascurain de Retana</i> passes in front of the University</b>. In the next block, you can see the <i>campanario</i> (bell tower) of the <i>Oratorio de Felipe Neri, </i>one of Guanajuato's most magnificent churches. <a href="Pedro Lascurain de Retana (1674-1744)"><i>Pedro Lascurain de Retana</i> (1674-1744)</a> was one of the University's co-founders. He had emigrated from Spain to Guanajuato in the late 17th century. After entering the mining business at a young age, <i>Pedro</i> became very successful and soon became part of the town's wealthy elite.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When <i>Pedro Lascurain de Retana</i> died in 1744, his will donated four haciendas to provide the school with on-going financial support. That same year, after a twelve-year delay, King <i>Felipe V</i> gave the school the Crown's official approval. However, in 1767, King <i>Carlos III</i> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppression_of_the_Society_of_Jesus">banished the Jesuits</a> from Spain and all its possessions. The school was closed, but finally reopened after 18 years. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifg3BI632gN9QKkGZQehk60zarTzGUfHzjOoRFly-a4Y6V-wFcE3LMPlEeN_xvrkTjWhSbuK9Iu8eh_rmxboORR800w4QZUFdtL3BoD2yglG0xmdnYrssQXgoUOpqermgat-IrkX_kSYfj9Jp89OFqEnttNdNOXXyqY2LCGbfrGH1YHyZSW3li-7tDbg/s681/Streetscenes-%20couple%20kissing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifg3BI632gN9QKkGZQehk60zarTzGUfHzjOoRFly-a4Y6V-wFcE3LMPlEeN_xvrkTjWhSbuK9Iu8eh_rmxboORR800w4QZUFdtL3BoD2yglG0xmdnYrssQXgoUOpqermgat-IrkX_kSYfj9Jp89OFqEnttNdNOXXyqY2LCGbfrGH1YHyZSW3li-7tDbg/w508-h640/Streetscenes-%20couple%20kissing.jpg" width="508" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Young lovers enjoy a moment in another<i> plazuela</i></b>. Behind them, a spectator looks on with amusement. It's not clear whether he was amused at the kiss or at me for taking the photo. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>After it re-opened in 1785, the school gained the support of <i>Guanajuato's</i> Mayor <i><a href="https://www3.ugto.mx/en/get-to-know-the-ug/univeristy-of-guanajuato-historical-review#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Guanajuato's%20academic,prominent%20members%20of%20Guanajuato's%20society.">Antonio de Riaño y Bárcenas</a></i>, who provided classes and professors and added courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and French. Unfortunately, in 1810 the Mayor was killed in the battle at the <i>Alhondiga. </i>However, others stepped forward </span><span>to keep the institution going</span><span> in the succeeding decades </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1827, the state government took over the school and its name was changed to "College of Immaculate Conception". In addition, Guanajuato's State Governor Carlos Montes de Oca decreed that higher education should be paid for by the state. In 1867, the name of the school was changed again to "National College of Guanajuato". The school finally got its current name, "University of Guanajuato", in 1945. As of 2023, the University offers 13 doctorate programs, 39 masters degrees and 65 bachelor's degrees to 17,000 students.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 11 of my Guanajuato Revisited series. I hope you enjoyed it and, if so, that you will please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. Please remember to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-21341472444068296652023-06-10T19:16:00.001-06:002023-10-19T16:14:36.093-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 10 of 17: Capilla de San Gonzalo de Amarante, the oldest part of Templo de Merced de Mellado<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuzzKWHhAr9PT1mUWdC4WRAKyjYH75yaMEXZe2pZ9w0WAbhZXwJBI4jnkxCQBGATQ2TS1K4y-eSTVERpHvdJ4aP2YLT0POPf5ufd5B8EtKeBrf07f68hT__MpK-JS9WdsSxV3mUP77TGmFQVuDg287TOlOoouxiMcvdBk6tzmgFiFZUwmsKoAE_IvXw/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20side%20Chapel%20of%20San%20Gonzalo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuzzKWHhAr9PT1mUWdC4WRAKyjYH75yaMEXZe2pZ9w0WAbhZXwJBI4jnkxCQBGATQ2TS1K4y-eSTVERpHvdJ4aP2YLT0POPf5ufd5B8EtKeBrf07f68hT__MpK-JS9WdsSxV3mUP77TGmFQVuDg287TOlOoouxiMcvdBk6tzmgFiFZUwmsKoAE_IvXw/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20side%20Chapel%20of%20San%20Gonzalo.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The <i>Capilla de San Gonzalo de Amarante</i> is the oldest part of the <i>Templo</i></b>. </span><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundisalvus_of_Amarante"><i>San Gonzalo de Amarante</i> </a></span><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundisalvus_of_Amarante">(1187-1259)</a> </span><span>was a Portuguese Dominican friar and hermit known for his silence and solitude as well as the many miracles he performed during his lifetime. The dates of his life show that he was a contemporary of <i>San Pedro Nolasco</i>, the founder of the <i>Mercedario</i> Order. However, I could find no indication that they ever met or knew of each other.</span></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The</span><span> </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/3602889591676998082"><i>Bustos y Moya</i><span> </span></a><span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/3602889591676998082">family</a> built the original chapel in the late 17th century. That was at a time when </span>most mine workers were free to search for better wages and working conditions at other mines, or even other cities. <span>The construction of the chapel was done, in part, because the mine owners </span><span>needed a stable labor pool. Providing easy access to religious facilities was one way to </span><span>encourage the workers to stay in the immediate area. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>When, </span>in <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/">1752</a>, the family invited the <i>Mercedarios</i> to establish a convent near their <i>Mellado</i> mine, they donated the site, along with the chapel and its associated structures. This chapel is the most decrepit part of the <i>Templo</i> and shows a lot of water damage on the ceiling and side walls. There is much talk about restoration and, hopefully, something will come of these proposals. Still, the damage did lend an air of antiquity to the place that I liked.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sCdCNxIdTo0Zz7FOUiVPL8qccBo_o-Fp29cL3rps5vczks0BbPsPbG5YNWpz5PpNKRhglxChkqfdZgtcBajaDW0I2z7yFtnjJgGD-UCCIblXqXrEUqdSlPHwTsWS69iXu1kS8sKzmWnlOTyPh_zwqBzhQuHneEi7nDG94sxLcVJsl8Aw0XHFV2puHg/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20side%20chapel%20floor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sCdCNxIdTo0Zz7FOUiVPL8qccBo_o-Fp29cL3rps5vczks0BbPsPbG5YNWpz5PpNKRhglxChkqfdZgtcBajaDW0I2z7yFtnjJgGD-UCCIblXqXrEUqdSlPHwTsWS69iXu1kS8sKzmWnlOTyPh_zwqBzhQuHneEi7nDG94sxLcVJsl8Aw0XHFV2puHg/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20side%20chapel%20floor.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The tiles on the aisle to the altar have a floral Baroque style</b>. Like the rest of the chapel, the tiles are also damaged, including some that are entirely missing. Even so, the aisle must have been particularly lovely when it was in its original condition.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The <i>Mercedarios</i> </span>had <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/3602889591676998082">250 friars in Latin American</a> at the start of the 17th century but, by 1750, this number had grown to 1,200. Their main focus was Central America, where they eventually established 29 convents. However, they didn't establish convents in Mexico until 1594 and it wasn't until 1616 that these became their own "province", independent of the one governing the Order's convents in Guatemala.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>While raising ransom money remained the core activity of the Order, the <i>Mercedarios</i> soon had a second focus: evangelization of the New World's indigenous people. </span><span>The Order had its greatest successes in the more remote areas which were generally ignored by the </span><span>other religious orders.</span><span> I could find no evidence that the friars ransomed anyone captured by the indigenous people. Such captures definitely occurred, but loss of faith through pagan conversions posed little danger.</span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8q_RqD9hnOr6qjbEiyq3CqpFn8pjcDPvPBxMX0Z8N-52JI63JzWGMt3v46YB8P9gKYmDqW2xlUyDQIaQDqkbVvhXnEJB40tjD-46UyDAx_SIVdzD16YQOk-xS8WUXjswQ82QtGol_DFNAL40KDXoXMMBicvoZ4nxCiy5gS0i6s7eF5SRS7IKHLyTZbg/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20San%20Gonzalo%20&%20musical%20instruments.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="540" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8q_RqD9hnOr6qjbEiyq3CqpFn8pjcDPvPBxMX0Z8N-52JI63JzWGMt3v46YB8P9gKYmDqW2xlUyDQIaQDqkbVvhXnEJB40tjD-46UyDAx_SIVdzD16YQOk-xS8WUXjswQ82QtGol_DFNAL40KDXoXMMBicvoZ4nxCiy5gS0i6s7eF5SRS7IKHLyTZbg/w640-h444/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20San%20Gonzalo%20&%20musical%20instruments.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>San Gonzalo de Amarante </i>was sometimes called</b><i><b> El Bailador.</b> </i>The term in Spanish means <i>"</i>The Dancer". During the Middle Ages, a tradition began of <a href="https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0185-39292016000100109&lng=en">dancing in front of his image</a> to alleviate illness or promote fertility in women. The harp and violin on the altar next to <i>San Gonzalo</i> are references to his nickname. In 1816, the Inquisition prohibited the dancing but, in Mexico, the practice continued in Guanajuato and Guadalajara until the late 19th century. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQjr3BKIIDDTH_mlKdGVoZ2HrQF9CnuumjWiWVGg5Uq6sNC6hywp6t4zo96onhrb_7gayaFCsMR-4s0RhqkhlsYU7_4wox1uN_m3bX592qyczpZNmqNT8SpnrJMsiQTspiHu73iMrvQSp9kql83eQBPbu9-zBIheuUJ7FRVQ5Rtmdjg3Xpl-yB4pvPw/s540/TemploDeMercedDeMellado-%20Capilla%20de%20San%20Gonzalo%20Virgin%20of%20Rosary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="540" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQjr3BKIIDDTH_mlKdGVoZ2HrQF9CnuumjWiWVGg5Uq6sNC6hywp6t4zo96onhrb_7gayaFCsMR-4s0RhqkhlsYU7_4wox1uN_m3bX592qyczpZNmqNT8SpnrJMsiQTspiHu73iMrvQSp9kql83eQBPbu9-zBIheuUJ7FRVQ5Rtmdjg3Xpl-yB4pvPw/w640-h490/TemploDeMercedDeMellado-%20Capilla%20de%20San%20Gonzalo%20Virgin%20of%20Rosary.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A statue of the Virgin Mary stands above and behind <i>San Gonzalo</i></b>. She is holds up a rosary, which relates to a <a href="https://aleteia.org/2020/08/08/did-st-dominic-invent-the-rosary/">Dominican legend dating back to 1206</a>. In that year, a Dominican friar named <i>Dominic de Guzmán</i> was attempting to woo the Albigensian heretics back to Catholicism. According to the story, the Virgin appeared to him and gave him a rosary to use as a tool in his efforts. Ever after, this version of Mary has been called <i>Nuestra Señora de la Rosary </i>(Our Lady of the Rosary).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZdytbHC-cnLwLz7OcMpWWhkDzxOp-ZB0IgXfCvApxvb9AllspSjtdWZadXDkK0q7cQoiditvg2erAadUN51suS2B4188jCL4LILhRsPkQDwAkL8ohb2rIzc-rOtvQm2nQ4I7V9hpwWoKJMP85hZOmM3dqngAHCcpbCZ5TNJkD-vNYPu2pLY9FmNM0A/s712/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20statue%20saint.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZdytbHC-cnLwLz7OcMpWWhkDzxOp-ZB0IgXfCvApxvb9AllspSjtdWZadXDkK0q7cQoiditvg2erAadUN51suS2B4188jCL4LILhRsPkQDwAkL8ohb2rIzc-rOtvQm2nQ4I7V9hpwWoKJMP85hZOmM3dqngAHCcpbCZ5TNJkD-vNYPu2pLY9FmNM0A/w486-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20statue%20saint.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A statue of a male saint stands in a niche to the left of the </span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Virgin Mary</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">. Although the statue carries no identification, when images of a man and a woman are placed on either side of Mary, they are usually meant to represent her parents, <i>San Joachim</i> and <i>Santa Ana</i>. <a href="https://vocationnetwork.org/en/blog/questions_catholics_ask/2015/06/marys_parents_arent_mentioned_in_the_bible_how_do_we_know_their_names">Mary's parents are not mentioned</a> anywhere in the Bible's New Testament and, like so many traditional Church stories, everything about them was invented centuries after Jesus' time. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs314zrgEAkx3hdpMUrMVZ6xyjj7SDj2d6G8-RAn5w8kIkYBcMvcqT6JkytASl_bOLhw0lnXAYQOk0srTTloMfGGYbwHfDYEvyUpZDQzXcxCIRYkMP6afNFSay44twL3FEyGcNovyYWMlR1qfry9oAVaS1pEAR3yBpUIsexifwIEyK8K0ln9qTZaTKA/s757/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20statue%20saint%20female.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs314zrgEAkx3hdpMUrMVZ6xyjj7SDj2d6G8-RAn5w8kIkYBcMvcqT6JkytASl_bOLhw0lnXAYQOk0srTTloMfGGYbwHfDYEvyUpZDQzXcxCIRYkMP6afNFSay44twL3FEyGcNovyYWMlR1qfry9oAVaS1pEAR3yBpUIsexifwIEyK8K0ln9qTZaTKA/w456-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20statue%20saint%20female.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Santa Ana</i>, Mary's mother, is portrayed with very short hair</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">. I found that somewhat odd for a period in which long hair on women was the norm. In addition, her hair appears to be blonde, although it may be that the statue's sculptor intended it to be the white hair of an older woman.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxc8zmvJdkeUc0e6UbCUJM8Mmu44snq4SLhQAHvD8YS4kJeraAnVuDF5_nw0jABuBRZdNxP_B9KwIGG88kN7Ysoj7BM0ex1_ypNHR-YY5rCUUfb0cmD0N4V6SPvzSLxmWj-vB9y8pYwZMYPOEZmVuxrEdf2_1x4bQ5f9SkrZKyAvI8ecnlERdp6roPA/s612/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20San%20Agustin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxc8zmvJdkeUc0e6UbCUJM8Mmu44snq4SLhQAHvD8YS4kJeraAnVuDF5_nw0jABuBRZdNxP_B9KwIGG88kN7Ysoj7BM0ex1_ypNHR-YY5rCUUfb0cmD0N4V6SPvzSLxmWj-vB9y8pYwZMYPOEZmVuxrEdf2_1x4bQ5f9SkrZKyAvI8ecnlERdp6roPA/w564-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20San%20Agustin.jpg" width="564" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span>A painting of <i>San Agustin</i> hangs on one of the chapel walls</span></b>.<span> When the <i>Pedro Nolasco</i> and his <i>Mercedarios</i> got permission to found their own Order, they needed a set of rules to follow. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary_of_Mercy">Pope Gregory IX</a> decided they should use the ones created by <i>San Agustin</i> for his <a href="https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/mission/campusministry/RegularSpiritualPractices/resources/spirituality/about/rule.html#:~:text=The%20essence%20of%20the%20Rule,and%20vigilance%20over%20one%20another.">Augustinian Order, when he established it in 397 AD</a>. These are the oldest rules for monastic life in the Western Church and are quite simple compared to other religious orders.</span></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The rules of <i>San Agustin</i> "value community life over seeking for oneself. All members are to share what they have and are to receive according to their need. All work is to be accomplished for the common good of all. All members are to exercise mutual care and vigilance over one another and the sick are a special obligation in the community. Anyone who offends another must ask for pardon and receive forgiveness as soon as possible. Prayer at fixed times is essential."</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13WbaTiWqnTn-dUeVkqH3LQM4FrT6_w9yREQmv-F9IARTor3JCSCKIhqZ_j1lkjNK0LxIJrEnEbTIrIQRdKEmO247RTNGM_EFJP-Vbx00Qk4cxSVyxhdeSHSpLAzG6rc_GSIZBGPl8BxZb368WMwyvHw3FWQy80PCbX6WbhInGnW2Wn3A3yK9C0AJYA/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20in%20corner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13WbaTiWqnTn-dUeVkqH3LQM4FrT6_w9yREQmv-F9IARTor3JCSCKIhqZ_j1lkjNK0LxIJrEnEbTIrIQRdKEmO247RTNGM_EFJP-Vbx00Qk4cxSVyxhdeSHSpLAzG6rc_GSIZBGPl8BxZb368WMwyvHw3FWQy80PCbX6WbhInGnW2Wn3A3yK9C0AJYA/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20in%20corner.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">This corner of the chapel shows considerable water damage</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">. The painting, which has also been damaged, is of the Virgin Mary and her husband <i>San José</i> fleeing Bethlehem after being warned of King Herod's plan to kill all the first-born children. Mary holds Jesus while seated on a donkey led by an angel. <i>San José</i> stands on the right side of the painting. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIW9BhIiuV_HGTxvQz51bw2EEzukSMpUVIBVtK4-aySDm1ifK4mXJ7MdwKdRKHuHE0zO_p-9lWRC7T8zJ6fwJnwmMQNIl7Lh5e1_xXPNCWP_xjEy_yQBVRP3MqZQ7oZCrbkpHFO1uzmpd5lazACjNmUxhfP6gb6EXc6Jmsx7aXRQo05s5aQ_L_vvnpQ/s620/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20women.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIW9BhIiuV_HGTxvQz51bw2EEzukSMpUVIBVtK4-aySDm1ifK4mXJ7MdwKdRKHuHE0zO_p-9lWRC7T8zJ6fwJnwmMQNIl7Lh5e1_xXPNCWP_xjEy_yQBVRP3MqZQ7oZCrbkpHFO1uzmpd5lazACjNmUxhfP6gb6EXc6Jmsx7aXRQo05s5aQ_L_vvnpQ/w558-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20women.jpg" width="558" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Another painting is slightly less damaged</b>. The scene in the painting appears to reference <i>San Gonzalo's</i> <a href="https://www.saintsfeastfamily.com/copy-of-st-julian-basilissa-jan-9">enthusiasm for love and marriage</a>. In the scene, a man and woman face each other while kneeling and holding hands. Standing over them, and appearing to bless them, is a man wearing a ceremonial hat and robe. This painting may represent a marriage being performed by <i>San Gonzalo</i> himself. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 10 of my Guanajuato Revisited series. I hope you have enjoyed it and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please remember to include your email address so that I may respond to you in a timely fashion.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-82856231727925843592023-06-01T20:46:00.016-06:002023-10-19T16:14:14.090-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 9 of 17: The Mercedario Order and the rescue of Christian slaves.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCQ5ExIZOmRmXH10oOnCHrCPVtLklO-PkMGeQVvkdUhkhHju4UOdy4AfEp27tJ_cxnDCvT0Ms7viHhvxv91jkmJsATrEBi2PprmpT25tE_12qJZI7BYuTR3FcFOafkYmMZaTdMVX17sP2Jv1GI0UdHcNDUxZk9Zvp2aFviHjF5owYSa7Xi3Qxxvoj_Q/s463/StPeterNolasco.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCQ5ExIZOmRmXH10oOnCHrCPVtLklO-PkMGeQVvkdUhkhHju4UOdy4AfEp27tJ_cxnDCvT0Ms7viHhvxv91jkmJsATrEBi2PprmpT25tE_12qJZI7BYuTR3FcFOafkYmMZaTdMVX17sP2Jv1GI0UdHcNDUxZk9Zvp2aFviHjF5owYSa7Xi3Qxxvoj_Q/w414-h640/StPeterNolasco.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><i>San Pedro Nolasco</i>, founder of the <i>Mercedarios.</i> </b><i>Nolasco</i> stands over a freed slave, wearing the robe of a <i>Mercedario</i>. The robe's white color, a symbol of purity, was authorized by Bishop <i>Berenguer</i> of <i>Barcelona's</i> <i>Catedral de la Santa Cruz</i>. </span><i>Barcelona</i> was the capital of the Principality of <i>Catalonia</i>, a part of the Kingdom of <i>Aragon.</i> It was an important port city from which many Christians had been captured and enslaved by Muslim raiders over the centuries. </span><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, I will show the interior of the <i>Templo de Merced de Mellado</i>, but also recount the history of the Royal, Celestial, and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of Captives, commonly known as the <i>Mercedarios. </i>According to the legend, after <i>San Pedro Nolasco's</i> encounter with Our Lady of Mercy in 1218, he changed his secular organization into a religious order. In this posting, I'll trace the facts of what is known about these intrepid friars. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ICYVeZSLrlRzIAt70w1rcreKOLWfv89bpw_3X0-t46umKo7SKpisjJiwoq32c7YTWe0oeeRqhzoqpzKBeCIsvfUYilJe4ADub4Wgu1sFJmV7BgOCg7t-zRVh7k8hcTgHAJI-MKRP48w_xQIr2ERsUszNPaxFhRXaAC53ugX2WjX_ZANpGusCEZV3JA/s1500/Emblem%20of%20the%20Mercedarios.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ICYVeZSLrlRzIAt70w1rcreKOLWfv89bpw_3X0-t46umKo7SKpisjJiwoq32c7YTWe0oeeRqhzoqpzKBeCIsvfUYilJe4ADub4Wgu1sFJmV7BgOCg7t-zRVh7k8hcTgHAJI-MKRP48w_xQIr2ERsUszNPaxFhRXaAC53ugX2WjX_ZANpGusCEZV3JA/w342-h640/Emblem%20of%20the%20Mercedarios.png" width="342" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary_of_Mercy">coat-of-arms of King James I of <i>Aragon</i></a>.</b> In the painting at the top, <i>Nolasco</i> holds the banner of his Order containing the coat-of-arms of the King James I of <i>Aragon</i>, who had authorized its use by the <i>Mercedarios. </i>They wore a small version of it on their chests in the center of their robes. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The emblem consists of a shield with the crown of <i>Aragon</i> on top. Below the crown is a field of red with the white cross of the Maltese Knights in its center. The lower half of the shield is covered with alternating vertical stripes of red and yellow, the symbol of <i>Catalonia</i>.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsSZ1VIOkHiC9SprCXfvKGxsdLcl56qLpbOJL3B8vv9FB0U6aCc1vKaLBqqfwP-4EqWNMQ7qMlbmnm8gajVf4uEcLciy7ZZ-TR8Y8pz_KpO2OJLAx8ke4a5y41UfYe5U_V_FwvSEubXvTfyOCdYSCV97rmwD5s-VTci8I8EX-4e0XkZNgvwaznwF8bA/s974/Barbary_coast3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="974" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsSZ1VIOkHiC9SprCXfvKGxsdLcl56qLpbOJL3B8vv9FB0U6aCc1vKaLBqqfwP-4EqWNMQ7qMlbmnm8gajVf4uEcLciy7ZZ-TR8Y8pz_KpO2OJLAx8ke4a5y41UfYe5U_V_FwvSEubXvTfyOCdYSCV97rmwD5s-VTci8I8EX-4e0XkZNgvwaznwF8bA/w640-h382/Barbary_coast3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Barbary Coast of North Africa was infested with pirates. </b>In the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries<b> t</b>hey operated out of the many ports along the coast which had ready markets for Christian slaves and became known as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_Coast">Barbary Coast</a>. People were captured at sea or in raids on the European coastal cities, such as Barcelona on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). The Ottoman Empire, in the Eastern Mediterranean, also had a large market for such slaves. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>This had been going on for centuries, ever since the rapid expansion of the Islamic Caliphates across North Africa in the 7th century. </span><span>In 711 AD, an Islamic army of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors">North African Berbers called the Moors</a> crossed the Mediterranean and invaded the Iberian Peninsula. They swiftly conquered the Christian Visigoth Kingdom and took over almost the entire Peninsula. However, small Christian kingdoms in the mountainous north of the Peninsula managed to survive.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The struggle of these Christian pockets to survive and expand against the Moors is called <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconquista">La Reconquista</a></i> (The Re-Conquest). After 781 years, it was finally completed when the last Moorish enclave of Granada fell in 1492. During <i>La Reconquista</i>, a market for war captives as slaves soon developed. The wealthy captives were often ransomed fairly quickly, but the poor faced a lifetime of often brutal servitude, with little hope of freedom. </span></div><div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxviDQvDkpuxMr0315MXnrbOgwtnSX_weg68dfQsF3e6FDepTSdmYTvpQBxq2T5mhFE_oy-uHaD4OOJg3XTajZPtjmABxQNkbATPJmInvi-SH840kL63XgLu5AEZxTjfEBMWPLURDvHO-YgCFjaRatPYlyqbg68joC_JQqxhiaiVoVkQrXMM5-pty5Dg/s1599/Purchase_of_Christian_captives_from_the_Barbary_States-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1599" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxviDQvDkpuxMr0315MXnrbOgwtnSX_weg68dfQsF3e6FDepTSdmYTvpQBxq2T5mhFE_oy-uHaD4OOJg3XTajZPtjmABxQNkbATPJmInvi-SH840kL63XgLu5AEZxTjfEBMWPLURDvHO-YgCFjaRatPYlyqbg68joC_JQqxhiaiVoVkQrXMM5-pty5Dg/w640-h464/Purchase_of_Christian_captives_from_the_Barbary_States-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><span>White-robed <i>Mercedarios,</i> clutching pouches of money, negotiate for slaves</span></b>.<span> In the background, the Virgin of Mercy looks on. The two captives are kneeling at the left and one of them is draped with a chain to which his wrists are manacled. The other captive raises his arm to ward off a blow. </span></span>The two <i>Mercedarios</i> are identified in t<span>he caption at the bottom of the woodcut </span><span>as French. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>So, how did the <i>Mercedarios</i> actually use the ransom money they collected to rescue Christian slaves? Some of the transactions, like the one in the photo above, were fairly straight-forward. Money was paid for live bodies at a carefully negotiated price. However, interacting with pirates, slave merchants, slave owners, and various levels of officialdom </span><span>could be tricky and even dangerous</span><span>, since all of them were Muslim and potentially hostile to Christian friars. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Mercedarios</i> were <a href="http://orderofmercymen.org/tag/ransom-of-captives/">sent two at at time</a> on missions they called "redemptions". Sometimes a pair of ransomers could manage to free as many as 200 or more captives at a time, depending upon the resources available. When ransoms were not sufficient or welcomed, the <i>Mercedarios</i> were sometimes able to free the slaves covertly, although this was extremely dangerous and, to the Muslims, amounted to outright theft.<span> </span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Nave </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">of the <i>Templo de la Merced de Mellado</i> </span></span></div></span></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNJHNepzu8FDb5Uy1IQxIv1fTjoo4mXqBSPh__5UobzcK2xwouBVgJCRSkljXMuAPPaXHvyMT2jQBggWbZ4JjkqAOsadaS2wm_Gjym-kL-_bTy2Kbpg4LossET0w1xL87ZE6vvNVRiwWlafBmtW7Hm3FmJFi2o6NkJkUz2gBm6gdMYbNPGOQbupx8eg/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20nave%20fr%20right.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNJHNepzu8FDb5Uy1IQxIv1fTjoo4mXqBSPh__5UobzcK2xwouBVgJCRSkljXMuAPPaXHvyMT2jQBggWbZ4JjkqAOsadaS2wm_Gjym-kL-_bTy2Kbpg4LossET0w1xL87ZE6vvNVRiwWlafBmtW7Hm3FmJFi2o6NkJkUz2gBm6gdMYbNPGOQbupx8eg/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20nave%20fr%20right.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Mercedario Templo's </i>nave is in the form of a Latin cross</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">. Above each of the four columns supporting the dome over the center of the the nave's cross are triangular paintings of a <i>Mercedario</i> in his white robes. At each end of the cross are <i>capillas</i> (chapels), one devoted to the <i>Virgen de Guadalupe</i>, the other to <i>San Gonzalo de Amarante</i>. The overall style of the interior and its decorations is Neo-Classic.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> Some <a href="http://orderofmercymen.org/tag/ransom-of-captives/">examples</a> of the dangers <i>Mercedarios</i> faced include: </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>"...in Saracen lands, opposition was everywhere for the first <i>Mercedarios</i>. They were slapped, stoned, beaten, wounded, and dragged through the streets." According to <a href="https://catholicexchange.com/ransoming-christ-story-two-daring-religious-orders/">one study</a>, between 1218 and 1490, sixty-eight <i>Mercedarios</i> were killed on ransom missions. An unknown, but probably large, number undoubtedly died during the 15-year period between <i>Pedro Nolasco's </i>first ransom work in 1203 and his alleged encounter with the Virgin of Mercy in 1218. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serapion_of_Algiers"><i>San Serapion</i> (1179-1240)</a> was a <i>Mercedario</i> from Scotland who had served as a soldier in the army of Richard the Lion-Heart and later under <i>Alfonso VIII</i> during the <i>Reconquista</i>. During a redemption he volunteered to stay behind so that ransomed captives could be freed. However, </span></span>while his own ransom was being raised "the Muslims grew impatient and crucified the saint."</div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Nonnatus"><i>San Pedro Nonatus</i> (1204-1240)</a> succeeded <i>Pedro Nolasco</i> as Chief Ransomer. On one mission "he remained as a hostage for several slaves when his money ran out." After he had converted several Muslims, the local governor had him tortured by padlocking his lips together and threatened him with death. <i>Nolasco</i> was finally able to ransom him after 8 months. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Two <i>Mercedarios</i>, <a href="https://catholicexchange.com/ransoming-christ-story-two-daring-religious-orders/"><i>Fra. Teobaldo and Fra. Fernando</i></a> were sent to Tunis in 1253 to ransom 129 captives. On the way, "one of them was the victim of rapacious locals who tried to trap him into marriage to a Moorish beauty. He endured trial, burning, and eventually death by stoning. His companion was luck to escape with just a beating."</span></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIsZAfgyLLvxHfR1iSacCROYUpQuJMjGllSJNBzAIN74OkaYOl_hQF-plpBujHLr-6Waiea1EJW-Nb5uNzZViCXJ3QDF_TxhMoJst0qQa3cEAJaXAKoRmkfzq8qt04sSbZMJp050R3AEI81Y_pA_gWCsLxwqsssO28PdXPOefse-Y3bmUy0Xn_wzRVw/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20altar%20statue%20Virgin%20of%20Mercy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIsZAfgyLLvxHfR1iSacCROYUpQuJMjGllSJNBzAIN74OkaYOl_hQF-plpBujHLr-6Waiea1EJW-Nb5uNzZViCXJ3QDF_TxhMoJst0qQa3cEAJaXAKoRmkfzq8qt04sSbZMJp050R3AEI81Y_pA_gWCsLxwqsssO28PdXPOefse-Y3bmUy0Xn_wzRVw/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20altar%20statue%20Virgin%20of%20Mercy.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Main altar statue of <i>Nuestra Señora de la Merced</i></b>. In this version of the Virgin Mary, she is usually shown as she appears above, wearing a white gown and a crown, with her head surrounded by a large golden halo. The Virgin of Mercy also usually holds the Baby Jesus, who also wears a crown.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Very little is known of the early life of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary_of_Mercy">Pedro Nolasco</a></i>. He was born in 1189 but most of the stories about that period of his life were created between the 15th and 17th centuries, so they should be taken with a large grain of salt. <i>Nolasco's</i> first documented appearance was in 1226, as a collector of alms in the French Pyrenees city of <i>Perpignan</i>. The first evidence of his collecting money for ransoms occurred in 1230. A man named <i>Maimó Gombal </i>set aside 100 Papal States <i>scudi</i> to be given to <i>Nolasco</i> for that purpose<i>.</i> <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Some stories about <i>Pedro Nolasco's</i> youth claim he was a soldier who fought the Moors in skirmishes along the borders of Aragon. As such, he would have been aware of the fate of those who were captured. In other stories, he became a merchant-trader, dealing with the Moors during the periodic times of peace. Both versions may (or may not) be true. In either capacity, <i>Nolasco</i> would have come in contact with Christian slaves in the hands of Moors.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Nolasco's</i> motives for rescuing the Christian slaves were complex. A <i>Mercedario</i> website states that "he was cut to the heart by their suffering", but also admits that "the real reason (he) mourned the captives was because of their loss of faith." </span>The risk that a captive would convert to Islam was very real because it might result in better treatment, perhaps even freedom. In other words, a Christian slave's fate in the afterlife ranked higher to <i>Nolasco </i>than the captive's suffering at the moment. </div><div style="font-size: medium;"><br /></div></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwVo-wpir8KTlayMF6Y6PF5gqvh6SL7pXjNeQ3A_UEydt3efTEJaoJh4_gm-Pw3HTIbd0ukCWNACsv_FMl43R_whbVFTZ6vzXSx6OESrdDScLncWoCJl6w3IlJc7exhkayej4QFf6C9u-Rl6BlX4Qfim8SK1bleI8nlFTe0PyxoKTSAVmsgG-QLrEvg/s656/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20organ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwVo-wpir8KTlayMF6Y6PF5gqvh6SL7pXjNeQ3A_UEydt3efTEJaoJh4_gm-Pw3HTIbd0ukCWNACsv_FMl43R_whbVFTZ6vzXSx6OESrdDScLncWoCJl6w3IlJc7exhkayej4QFf6C9u-Rl6BlX4Qfim8SK1bleI8nlFTe0PyxoKTSAVmsgG-QLrEvg/w526-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20organ.jpg" width="526" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Templo's organ sits on a platform to one side of the choir loft</b>. While not as elaborate as some I have seen in various churches, the organ is fully functional and is still used in concerts that are very popular in Guanajuato. It was installed in the mid-1750s after the Templo was built and its use was popular even then. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>According to the legend, during the night in 1218 when <i>Pedro</i> <i>Nolasco</i> was told by the Virgin of Mercy to transform his secular organization into a religious order, she also appeared to two other important figures to give them a similar message. <i>Aragon's</i> King James I and </span>the Dominican friar Raymond of Penyafort (<i>Pedro Nolasco's</i> confessor), both allegedly received visits and subsequently laid claim to some credit for the founding of the Order.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">James did give diplomatic protection, economic support and promoted gifts to the <i>Mercedarios. </i>However, the tales about the Virgin's visit to him (or to Fra. Raymond) didn't appear until the reigns of the king's successors, James II and Peter IV. In fact, no documents connect James I to the <i>Mercedarios</i> until the late 1230s or early 1240s. The later kings apparently wanted the political benefit of associating themselves with a miracle allegedly experienced by their predecessor. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8hd-eyi_52WEia6rHWHTyZnZXF3mh4E8Sokgg9kSzMf0aWhJJ8tTedJk3mMvQIGeok8fLJvgaYuoMulezz0-F_ZRO8wDf0LC30P1Du0gj-4ZCMUmT26onV3g73WK-irHXkaOeKNAlX4TJAFe758cx49NAjARb0foP6wmDhnT8Jy-AHCkrZc6iWVv7A/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20%3F%20Saavedra%201771.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="540" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8hd-eyi_52WEia6rHWHTyZnZXF3mh4E8Sokgg9kSzMf0aWhJJ8tTedJk3mMvQIGeok8fLJvgaYuoMulezz0-F_ZRO8wDf0LC30P1Du0gj-4ZCMUmT26onV3g73WK-irHXkaOeKNAlX4TJAFe758cx49NAjARb0foP6wmDhnT8Jy-AHCkrZc6iWVv7A/w640-h628/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ptg%20%3F%20Saavedra%201771.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>One of the four triangular paintings atop columns supporting the dome</b>. The white-robed figure is clearly a <i>Mercedario</i>, but his first name and the first letter of his last are missing. The name </span>shown at the bottom only reads "...<i>AAVEDRA</i>", which is probably the Spanish name Saavedra. The inscription below the name is illegible, except for a date of 1771. The three other paintings contain similar portraits of the <i>Mercedario </i>friars<i> </i><i>Pedro de Amo, Geronimo Carmelo</i>, and <i>Pedro Pasquia.</i> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Nolasco</i> had begun collecting ransom money in 1203, fifteen years prior to his famous encounter with the Virgin of Mercy. Over those years he had assembled a secular organization made up of devoted followers. Constant struggles to raise money and keep his organization together must have been extremely difficult. <i>Nolasco</i> apparently decided in 1230 to strengthen the organization and ensure its survival by re-creating it as a religious order. </span></div></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">By 1236, <i>Nolasco</i> had managed to gain the support of Pope Gregory IX, who formally recognized the <i>Mercedarios</i> as a new religious Order under the monastic rules set by <i>San Agustin</i> (St. Augustine). Another advance for the <i>Mercedarios</i> was a recent series of Christian battlefield successes. This had opened up new land for the kingdoms of both <i>Aragon</i> and <i>Valencia</i> and some of these properties were donated to the Order, enabling its rapid expansion.</span></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9gb92DRgLaoj4Q10oIrZ7rDLnUry5ZN81jBKZRsg3sktssORxI8wV3yH_DBduLZy8P6uj7_A-wA9m3PtEdpZRGIDpUf0gJ8sqPPEO6JMtIIWkaYmXrAhbN2jl3-Y_Dq2PRaq0ptqdC0pHYtpbGrtu7JYSwH8UWs71jjEiz5TngsNMTbJdHtq6ObG6A/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20Jesus%20on%20cross.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9gb92DRgLaoj4Q10oIrZ7rDLnUry5ZN81jBKZRsg3sktssORxI8wV3yH_DBduLZy8P6uj7_A-wA9m3PtEdpZRGIDpUf0gJ8sqPPEO6JMtIIWkaYmXrAhbN2jl3-Y_Dq2PRaq0ptqdC0pHYtpbGrtu7JYSwH8UWs71jjEiz5TngsNMTbJdHtq6ObG6A/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20Jesus%20on%20cross.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This may be one of the famous <i>Michoacan</i> corn paste statues</b>. In the 16th century, native craftsmen in <i>Michoacan</i> began creating statues of Jesus on the cross. Made from <a href="https://mansioniturbe.blogspot.com/2011/12/jatzingueni-or-corn-stalk-paste-and-its.html">corn pith beaten in to paste</a> from stalks, they were startlingly realistic in their portrayal of the structure of the human body. In addition, the statues were so light of weight that they were easy to carry in religious processions. They became so popular that they were shipped to churches all over <i>Nueva España</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Upon the Order's formal creation, <i>Pedro Nolasco</i> became its Superior, the Commander-General, and its Ransomer. Even so, he was never ordained as a priest. After 40 years of ransoming slaves, <i>Nolasco</i> retired in 1243 and died in 1256. During his lifetime, his organization (secular and later religious) rescued over 2,700 captives. </span>Over their total history, the <i>Mercedarios</i> freed over 70,000. It took 400 years but, in 1628, Pope Urban VIII finally canonized him as <i>San Pedro Nolasco</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>After <i>Nolasco's</i> retirement, he was succeeded</span> <i>Guillaume Le Bas</i>. The new Commander-General rapidly launched the Order into the territories brought under Christian control during this stage of the <i>Reconquista</i>. However, it had the effect of creating <a href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10197b.htm">internal organizational turmoil.</a> The observance of the Rule of <i>San Agustin</i> weakened as the number of new convents increased. In 1271, </span><i>Nolasco's</i> 3rd successor, <i>Bernard de Saint-Romaine</i>, codified the rules into the Constitution of 1272. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The 1272 Constitution explicitly set forth a requirement for the <i>Mercedarios </i></span>espoused by <i>Pedro Nolasco, </i>but which had never previously been codified. The requirement is that, in order to avoid a Christian slave's loss of faith, a <i>Mercedario</i> must be willing to take the slave's place, or even die if necessary. </span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnz5RppUmTA0vMRps3S0p7xFNCjk3OjpBR1YV6NnJv72kaUu9UxoOQ9rv6Z-U5xur8_l7h6tj8lk2TGtKp4SuijgceA-4A0sBW4dbQrDB34lbepHBXBhgSmhVoh3Lw576MILC-AI_29CUpZ08yz2gf9GvAeGXPBUk1iD7l5OF10KfMR-cTahDwuTLfA/s706/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20statue%20man%20pointing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnz5RppUmTA0vMRps3S0p7xFNCjk3OjpBR1YV6NnJv72kaUu9UxoOQ9rv6Z-U5xur8_l7h6tj8lk2TGtKp4SuijgceA-4A0sBW4dbQrDB34lbepHBXBhgSmhVoh3Lw576MILC-AI_29CUpZ08yz2gf9GvAeGXPBUk1iD7l5OF10KfMR-cTahDwuTLfA/w490-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20statue%20man%20pointing.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This unidentified statue is probably John the Baptist</b>. The man whom the New Testament says baptized Jesus is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Baptist">usually shown</a> dressed in humble clothing and fully or partially bare-chested.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">During the exuberant Renaissance era (14th-15th centuries) the observance of Church rules and customs such as poverty and chastity were weakened. This loose enforcement of rules and sometimes outright corruption spread through many of the religious orders and Church organizations. Some convents within the <i>Mercedarios </i>were affected. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When the Protestant Reformation began at the start of the 16th century, the Catholic Church responded with its Counter-Reformation. The <i>Mercedarios</i> followed suit by refocusing on the Augustinian rules that governed their Order. This was one of several great changes that occurred within the <i>Mercedario</i> Order at the turn of the 16th century.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Capilla de la Virgen de Guadalupe </i></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVvNIDfo1obufJeDQ_yKNuAVQNm2ciHDazRaViqMWV-6vPkHZr8N9gzJH3hSafCOk5ZKJ8VNHkzW7gbSQxNGW-zSOlYbb8YUysXi3dDmhFw48-zW5LAyBjpebA-zkRuyq86qIFFMoE5EMQOjPllmBeaeTLFyRDPmOaIqqZry6l9EQCmCI5GUdLf0e5A/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20VdeG%20chapel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVvNIDfo1obufJeDQ_yKNuAVQNm2ciHDazRaViqMWV-6vPkHZr8N9gzJH3hSafCOk5ZKJ8VNHkzW7gbSQxNGW-zSOlYbb8YUysXi3dDmhFw48-zW5LAyBjpebA-zkRuyq86qIFFMoE5EMQOjPllmBeaeTLFyRDPmOaIqqZry6l9EQCmCI5GUdLf0e5A/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20VdeG%20chapel.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>One of the two side chapels of the </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Templo</i><b> is devoted to the </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Virgen de Guadalupe</i><b>. </b><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2010/12/virgin-of-guadalupe-fiesta.html">Legend has it that this dark-skinned, <i>Nahuatl</i>-speaking version of the Virgin Mary</a> was encountered in 1531 in the ruins of a former pagan temple outside Mexico City by Juan Diego, a recently-converted Aztec man. The story of her apparition helped to firmly establish Catholicism among the poor and native people of Mexico and she has become the nation's Patron Saint. <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Three other events that were historically significant (and verifiable) involved the <i>Mercedarios</i> at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries. First, in 1492, </span>King Ferdinand of <i>Aragon</i> and Queen Isabela of <i>Castille </i>united their kingdoms and conquered <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granada_War"><i>Granada</i></a>, the last Islamic stronghold on the Iberian Peninsula. This ended any need for <i>Mercedarios</i> to ransom Christian slaves taken within the new Kingdom of Spain. The focus would now become North Africa.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Second, shortly after their victory, Ferdinand and Isabela famously dispatched Christopher Columbus on his 1492 voyage, during which he discovered the New World. Although Columbus had no religious figures with him on his first trip, </span><i>Fra. Jorge de Sevilla</i> sailed with him on his second voyage in 1493, becoming the first <i>Mercedario</i> to reach the New World. However, the <i>Mercedarios</i> did not establish their first convent in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) until 1514. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Third, in 1519 Hernán Cortéz set off for his Conquest of Mexico. His personal chaplain was the <i>Mercedario</i> <i>Fra. Bartolomé de Olmedo.</i> In 1527, after </span>Cortéz' victories in Mexico and Central America, the Order established a Nicaraguan convent. <span>Similarly, <i>Fra. Vincent de Valverde</i> accompanied</span> <i>Francisco Pizarro </i>in 1531 on his conquest of Peru and the Order's convents in <i>Lima</i> in <i>Cuzco</i> were started between 1532-35. However, the <i>Mercedarios</i> didn't build a convent in Mexico until 1594 and didn't establish one in <i>Guanajuato</i> until 1752.</span></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>This completes Part 9 of my Guanajuato Revisited series. In my next posting we will look at the chapel devoted to </span></span><i>San Gonzalo de Amarante</i><span>, built in the late 17th century, and I will also talk about the history of the <i>Mercedarios </i>in Latin America and Mexico<i>. </i></span>I hope you have enjoyed this posting. If so, please leave any questions or thoughts in the Comments section below or email me directly. Also, please remember to include your email address if you leave a question.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><br /><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-36028895916769980822023-05-13T19:34:00.002-06:002023-10-19T16:13:50.694-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 8 of 17: The Convento Mercedario, its Templo de la Merced de Mellado, and the Bustos y Moya family who built them both.<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3GidpduRzczp3XTtny6zDdglZmuyL4lhi41W_32rxWD_OZhZH0e4NDzjp2Bf2XnpwLZmkaWZxv3PGTko61o-8Djo_2LPIU4Ktmfqa5WH6o6nJyFrh36ui8Q_OsH8gMBu7LPa-9XJnjF88Z5rZiIfBZUCZbghWDhJ7rGyRT2DcMTPnK6czm1Q33_1Tg/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20facade%20&%20ctyd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3GidpduRzczp3XTtny6zDdglZmuyL4lhi41W_32rxWD_OZhZH0e4NDzjp2Bf2XnpwLZmkaWZxv3PGTko61o-8Djo_2LPIU4Ktmfqa5WH6o6nJyFrh36ui8Q_OsH8gMBu7LPa-9XJnjF88Z5rZiIfBZUCZbghWDhJ7rGyRT2DcMTPnK6czm1Q33_1Tg/w640-h480/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20facade%20&%20ctyd.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Atrium and entrance of the <i>Templo de la Merced de Mellado</i></b>. This church was built in the middle of the 18th century as part of a <i>convento</i> for friars of the Royal, Celestial, and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of Captives. The Order's nickname, <i>Mercedarios </i></span>derives from <i>merced</i> (Spanish for "mercy"). For brevity's sake, I will use that name throughout this post. <i>Mellado</i> is the name of a silver mine that once operated nearby. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This will be a two-part posting. In this segment (Part 8 of this series), I will show you the exterior of the church and the ruins of the <i>convento</i> that are attached to one side. I'll also recount some of the history of the <i>Bustos y Moya</i> family, who owned the <i>Mellado</i> and other mines and haciendas and who provided the land and financing to build both the whole complex<i>.</i> </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Overview</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA0AVOsY2orJzaEKcGz4BpuZvyZrtYv6OWjk5pqlEoUUA2P8MEp3Y7jgKK3jj3EyDDG5ImyOqiPWLN5Ft3QoKplMlg7WpKT-W997F1lhAjWayEZeV3rp-xBsfYU2F1ifTtPVE82OjzmINN8jkz5C3c-PrQ30wchJZUFJYO6KbDE4ni-hqDqye1YX2WA/s564/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20Google%20satellite%20view.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA0AVOsY2orJzaEKcGz4BpuZvyZrtYv6OWjk5pqlEoUUA2P8MEp3Y7jgKK3jj3EyDDG5ImyOqiPWLN5Ft3QoKplMlg7WpKT-W997F1lhAjWayEZeV3rp-xBsfYU2F1ifTtPVE82OjzmINN8jkz5C3c-PrQ30wchJZUFJYO6KbDE4ni-hqDqye1YX2WA/w612-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20Google%20satellite%20view.jpg" width="612" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Google map showing the <i>Templo'</i>s location near the <i>Rayas</i> Mine</b>. The church stands on a bluff overlooking the <i>Mina de San Juan de Rayas</i> and the <i>Panoramica</i> (see Part 7). The <i>Templo</i> can be reached by climbing an access ramp that can be seen in the map above stretching from the <i>Panoramica</i> up to a street called <i>De Leona</i>. It is also possible to drive up a side street and park near the church. However, we chose to hike up the relatively short distance and leave our car at the <i>Rayas</i> mine. For a Google interactive map, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Templo+de+la+Merced+de+Mellado/@21.0293063,-101.25155,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x842b738b2e455555:0x55b9ec40c220c572!8m2!3d21.0293013!4d-101.2489697!16s%2Fg%2F11kj3f03fb">click here</a>.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0sT-lKOzzPz0UT99Q_dXArmiDmpCOih_Vnw9LAniig0ifvwgLLpFM2sYIeRtmi8_Gz_11tMWW1RUd17RLMUpYGQJ9bKle9xf0emTm2wFg4cK03UvJuiaMBW_g7ALrfoFZXxS-zHitV19g2wI0_K3VlNd1Sy4E5BzAjeKvpsxcVKaQcymhoL-kjB6Fg/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20stairs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0sT-lKOzzPz0UT99Q_dXArmiDmpCOih_Vnw9LAniig0ifvwgLLpFM2sYIeRtmi8_Gz_11tMWW1RUd17RLMUpYGQJ9bKle9xf0emTm2wFg4cK03UvJuiaMBW_g7ALrfoFZXxS-zHitV19g2wI0_K3VlNd1Sy4E5BzAjeKvpsxcVKaQcymhoL-kjB6Fg/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20stairs.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>View of the <i>Templo</i> from the <i>Panoramica</i></b>. The stone building on the left side of the photo is the roofless structure at the <i>Rayas</i> that once housed the pumps used to pull flood water out of the mine. The access ramp begins on the right. From the bluff where the <i>convento</i> complex stands, you have a spectacular view of <i>Guanajuato</i> and the surrounding mountains. The <i>barrio </i>(neighborhood) of </span><i>Mellado</i> is one of the oldest in the city. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3RXYRtxx6s6APTi3oSe0mmMmoB2gDxxPlgjIQGuv4XYnLmd9afcV7eVRDcb0P4CtIt8GFX_-B9tMTq4x1hyXUPkYA01XP0VTPceEgAU-e3ElnuJpFj9sUzQvZHHAUDVQMsgU-OknVW9Kx__VaRfrCh4F1d7Q4214oAcFMB9I_m4XsaKiwVbFWHSCQQ/s1198/Aparicio%CC%81n_de_la_Virgen_de_la_Merced_a_San_Pedro_Nolasco,_de_Alonso_del_Arco_(Museo_del_Prado)-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="966" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3RXYRtxx6s6APTi3oSe0mmMmoB2gDxxPlgjIQGuv4XYnLmd9afcV7eVRDcb0P4CtIt8GFX_-B9tMTq4x1hyXUPkYA01XP0VTPceEgAU-e3ElnuJpFj9sUzQvZHHAUDVQMsgU-OknVW9Kx__VaRfrCh4F1d7Q4214oAcFMB9I_m4XsaKiwVbFWHSCQQ/w516-h640/Aparicio%CC%81n_de_la_Virgen_de_la_Merced_a_San_Pedro_Nolasco,_de_Alonso_del_Arco_(Museo_del_Prado)-2.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Pedro Nolasco </i>is visited by </b><b style="font-style: italic;">Nuestra Señora de Merced.</b><b> </b>These are the two key figures in the <a href="https://olmredding.net/our-patroness#:~:text=Peter%20in%20Chains%2C%20the%20Virgin,necessary%2C%20as%20a%20ransom%20pledge."><i>Orden de</i> <i>Mercedarios' </i>legend</a>. <i>Pedro </i> <i>Nolcasco</i> (1189-1256) founded the Order after the Virgin of Mercy appeared to him. Over the previous 15 years <i>Nolasco</i> had been leading an informal secular organization devoted to the ransom of Christian slaves held by the Muslims. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>During her appearance on August 1, 1218, she told him his organization should become a religious Order. The <i>Mercedarios' </i>founding is thus considered to be on that date. </span><span>In Part 9, I will describe the <i>Mercedarios</i> origin, their arrival in the New World, and their activities in <i>Nueva España</i> and <i>Guanajuato</i>. Along with that history, I'll show you the <i>Templo's</i> interior and its collection of sculpture and paintings. </span></span><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Exterior features of the <i>Templo</i></span></b></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplLvS4XYDj57R5zVJ2MG9l35beToqBQnCpRTQuTKWqeVENFthjfKi0fuxZLOx9VGcdJ9ljxePXZGnlS3W8VlN_RDOpMHV30iG5MskqlwYR8dA970ORwLcRTBk2occnu0MJdNTguVltUcFauChjLA_xFyGk6itgjWlrBy8eXZVmAyau9EbKD31tkCFUA/s5114/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20atrium%20entr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3836" data-original-width="5114" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplLvS4XYDj57R5zVJ2MG9l35beToqBQnCpRTQuTKWqeVENFthjfKi0fuxZLOx9VGcdJ9ljxePXZGnlS3W8VlN_RDOpMHV30iG5MskqlwYR8dA970ORwLcRTBk2occnu0MJdNTguVltUcFauChjLA_xFyGk6itgjWlrBy8eXZVmAyau9EbKD31tkCFUA/w640-h480/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20atrium%20entr.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Entrance to the atrium</b>. Once at the top of the ramp, you come to a broad, tree-shaded area in front of the church surrounded by a low wall. This space is called an atrium. It is used for big, open-air gatherings that allow many more participants than could normally fit in a church's nave. In the early days of evangelization, large numbers of indigenous people would be herded within an atrium for mass conversions.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Bustos y Moya</i> family was one of the handful who owned or controlled the richest and most productive mines in <i>Guanajuato</i> as well as haciendas engaged in the refining of silver and raising food and livestock. They were on a level with the <i>Alcocer </i>family<i>,</i> owners of <i>Mina de Valenciana</i>, and the <i>Sardanetas</i> who owned <i>Mina de San Juan de Rayas </i>(see Part 7). These families, along with a few others, also held most of the important public offices in <i>Guanajuato</i>. <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnBFQE_BCWEdb_x8BHIiXBffIWif0KmTnJ7GSEaIGJdyr6LLUdUoz2TOEgRuM2SR-CHBo0Qxmpai82F1trtsGI3m-KWvrfv6f9g4ywr0hvaO88NFtQWiSAvCefHBE9BGzGw5aNH76epMtoU4EA1T3xAMoPnMiP5a4LSLdRG4dkiS-DjGaKOujAvFbBQ/s720/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20facade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnBFQE_BCWEdb_x8BHIiXBffIWif0KmTnJ7GSEaIGJdyr6LLUdUoz2TOEgRuM2SR-CHBo0Qxmpai82F1trtsGI3m-KWvrfv6f9g4ywr0hvaO88NFtQWiSAvCefHBE9BGzGw5aNH76epMtoU4EA1T3xAMoPnMiP5a4LSLdRG4dkiS-DjGaKOujAvFbBQ/w480-h640/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20facade.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The facade of the <i>Templo</i> has been damaged by weather and vandalism</b>. The overall style is Baroque, but there are some Neo-Classic elements, such as the columns. Both the statues on the lower level are missing their heads, possibly from vandalism during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristero_War"><i>Cristero</i> War (1926-29)</a>. People sought refuge here at that time and there are reports of bullet marks on some walls, although I didn't see any. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>A sign at the church says that the <i>Bustos y Moya</i> family had built a <i>capilla</i> (chapel) here at the end of the 17th century, about 60 years before the <i>Mercedarios</i> first requested a site for their Order. T</span><span>hat original construction </span><span>is now called the <i>Capilla de San Gonzalo de Amarante. </i>It is </span><span>the oldest and, unfortunately, the most deteriorated section of the current </span><i>Templo. </i>We will take a look at the <i>Capilla</i> in Part 9.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>I traced the <i>Bustos</i> family back to <a href="https://www.geni.com/people/Hernando-Busto/6000000020735496812"><i>Hernando Busto</i> (1526-?)</a>, a minor <i>cabellero</i> (knight) from <i>León</i>, in </span></span>Spain's<span><span> mountainous north. His son, </span></span><i>Don Pedro Busto Contreras</i> (1556-1607), <span>emigrated to <i>Guanajuato</i> sometime in the late 16th century. </span><span>There, he and his wife <i>Leonor</i> had a son they named <i>Alonso de Bustos Díez de Noriega</i> (1586-1645). <i>Alonso</i> grew up in <i>Guanajuato</i> and later married <i>Ana de Jerez</i>. Their son, </span><a href="https://www.geni.com/people/Francisco-Busto-Jerez/6000000007009463330"><i>Francisco Bustos Jerez </i>(1619-?)</a> was the man who first made the family rich. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vgM9gOxHEBLUzm0-yrfgDO14uX6CGbAhqiJrFSQj5LAQIMeEjQyJfY4bS5Yjubr8rSU4Ddmjxr7MVM6niO_ZLnIEfOz5uklnUVAqJIJd9Pf7wV66LcBv100mNkKziOh_jmRryDo_MH0xai60auV_t1Ip8j6HxBib1616vHbrfWVYlW1mwL248rjOJg/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20facade%20door.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vgM9gOxHEBLUzm0-yrfgDO14uX6CGbAhqiJrFSQj5LAQIMeEjQyJfY4bS5Yjubr8rSU4Ddmjxr7MVM6niO_ZLnIEfOz5uklnUVAqJIJd9Pf7wV66LcBv100mNkKziOh_jmRryDo_MH0xai60auV_t1Ip8j6HxBib1616vHbrfWVYlW1mwL248rjOJg/w640-h480/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20facade%20door.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The floral carvings on the old wooden door are another Baroque element</b>. On the stone arch over the door is the Spanish phrase <i>Amar a Dios sobre todas cosas</i> ("Love God above all things"). The capstone of the arch contains three small figures. The ones on either side face inward toward a bodiless head. This is yet another example of Baroque.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It is unclear how the <i>Bustos</i> clan first supported themselves after they emigrated to Guanajuato. Most likely, they became merchants who supplied the mines and mine workers with everything they needed to get things up and running. Most of those who get rich in a mining boom are not the ones who discover or dig the ore, but those that sell them the shovels. With the profits from this, <i>Francisco Bustos Jerez</i> could make the necessary investments to launch his family's fortune. </span></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Francisco </i>became the first of his family to engage directly in mining when he acquired a 25% interest in the rich <i>Mellado</i> mine and began upgrading it. The included measures to stop mine flooding and to initiate the use of mercury amalgamation at the <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> he acquired for refining silver. <i>Francisco</i> also purchased agricultural and ranching <i>haciendas</i> to keep his operations supplied with food, leather, and mules to operate machinery and transport ore. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ruins of the <i>Convento de los Mercedarios</i></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLWZF6CdHPoO_Bhu4QUN30UA0Dv6Hwf_K779-gWL2JQaf_hpsk5sLRk0sT6ESUBS2FYglIWCZlFHeXiizwC8VpTbPccOKpynuhIedd1W0ig6qn60DouTeuONgE7ih85UlXgxvUdzCZiFU3_T0y0wIsA1YVIcw477ZNiMxyzY96B-pJGcoepcu7DOYLw/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20arches%20&%20chapel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLWZF6CdHPoO_Bhu4QUN30UA0Dv6Hwf_K779-gWL2JQaf_hpsk5sLRk0sT6ESUBS2FYglIWCZlFHeXiizwC8VpTbPccOKpynuhIedd1W0ig6qn60DouTeuONgE7ih85UlXgxvUdzCZiFU3_T0y0wIsA1YVIcw477ZNiMxyzY96B-pJGcoepcu7DOYLw/w640-h480/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20arches%20&%20chapel.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>convento</i> was built along the east side of the <i>Templo</i></b>. The open walkway with the arches is called the "cloister garth" and serves as a transitional area between the church and the monastic spaces. At the far end of the cloister garth is the chapter room where the friars met periodically for discussion of problems and group prayers. Other features typical of any <i>convento</i> would have included a refectory (dining room), a dormitory, offices, and storage rooms.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><i>Francisco Bustos Jerez'</i> married <i>Francisca Moya y Monroy</i>, who bore him 7 children. It was one of these, <a href="https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/51499/francisco-matias-de-bustos-y-moya"><i>Francisco Matías de Bustos y Moya</i> (1684-1747)</a>, who took the family to the very peak of its wealth and power. Most notable among <i>Francisco Bustos Jerez'</i> daughters was</span><span> </span><a href="https://www3.ugto.mx/noticias/noticias/11489-el-sueno-de-dona-josefa-teresa-de-busto-y-moya"><i>Josefa Teresa Bustos y Moya </i>(1682-1742)</a>.<span> She was a strong and talented woman with considerable business acumen and a commitment to higher education. I will detail her life later in this posting. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Francisco Matías </i>and his family had acquired much of their initial wealth through their part-ownership of the <i>Mellado</i> mine. However, when he and his sister <i>Josefa</i> became co-owners of the <i>Cata</i> mine, the silver it produced elevated the <i>Bustos y Moya</i> family to the highest levels of the city's elite. That mine alone gave them profits of more than 400,000 pesos between 1724 and 1735. At the time, a peso was worth 8 reales and a skilled mine worker could earn about 12 reales a day.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAN4eaaEEbXuaKu1_MO0Q-t0C2KqMFTZBILULTMWk-6jCBIrsE_MCOl4_XBhIZpPnHjiHBx8sCTyQbDBK7uvMpoIs4UNvJEwpaYuAHSyW8GtTvYgp6yMx472_tfUzMDmBpIBGGlbsgO95S1FOximJipGjSBtbNoq2iU3HLed3qzV0Ow-TNjye6UP2CrQ/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20chapel%20altar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="540" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAN4eaaEEbXuaKu1_MO0Q-t0C2KqMFTZBILULTMWk-6jCBIrsE_MCOl4_XBhIZpPnHjiHBx8sCTyQbDBK7uvMpoIs4UNvJEwpaYuAHSyW8GtTvYgp6yMx472_tfUzMDmBpIBGGlbsgO95S1FOximJipGjSBtbNoq2iU3HLed3qzV0Ow-TNjye6UP2CrQ/w640-h424/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20chapel%20altar.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>In the middle of the <i>convento</i> complex is a baffling structure</b>. It is a rectangular enclosure with a stone floor and this wall at one end is obviously the focal point. At first I thought this might be the remains of a small chapel, but I have never seen one like it. The curving walls on either side would have made the ceiling very low. At the top center is a blank, oval-shaped plaque of <i>cantera</i> stone. On either side near the bottom of the wall are tiny stairs leading to doors too small for anything but elves. Thoughts, anyone? </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>To make sure that they stayed at the top, the <i>Bustos</i> <i>y Moya</i> family and those at their level controlled most of Guanajuato's important political offices. For example, <i>Francisco Matías</i> served as perpetual alderman (1718-32), deputy mayor (1714-15, 1724, 1726), general attorney (1725-26), ordinary mayor (1729), and provincial mayor of the Holy Brotherhood. </span><span>His success in mining led to his appointment as </span><i>Guanajuato's </i><span>mining deputy and quicksilver (mercury) refiner. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Given the Crown monopoly on mercury, which was so vital to the silver refining process, to be the official quicksilver refiner </span><span>would have been a powerful and lucrative position</span><span>. In 1730, King </span><i>Felipe V</i><span> of Spain recognized </span><i>Francisco Matías' </i><span>contribution to the mining industry and made him the the 1st </span><i>Marqués de San Clemente. </i><span>He was also the first of Guanajuato's </span><span>mining elite to achieve a noble rank. In 1738, he became a member of the <i>Orden de Calatrava</i>, one of Spain's 4 military orders.</span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3s5P7WEJTq-znVJ1Vo4aCynyRDtCNlBFQ7JwgoDo7JdUiynLL5LztITV2cbtE5AwAPqcvUE-cNp4mVP3xWYApQ9z9OQ3j24p8Pa3TOKBBVOHvhJhcnmm1Lu4DfpopMtzDLaUjX-1XrJxXbV4AbEBBSIwqSLnIEXIPkHeMbQeAmdeddLQCXZGzxjSgQ/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20chapel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3s5P7WEJTq-znVJ1Vo4aCynyRDtCNlBFQ7JwgoDo7JdUiynLL5LztITV2cbtE5AwAPqcvUE-cNp4mVP3xWYApQ9z9OQ3j24p8Pa3TOKBBVOHvhJhcnmm1Lu4DfpopMtzDLaUjX-1XrJxXbV4AbEBBSIwqSLnIEXIPkHeMbQeAmdeddLQCXZGzxjSgQ/w640-h480/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20chapel.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The view from the mystery structure is stunning</b>. While prayers and religious discussion were certainly part of life in this <i>convento</i>, the core function of the <i>Mercedarios</i> was to raise funds to purchase the freedom of Christian captives. It is not surprising that they eagerly accepted an offer of a permanent base in a place like Guanajuato. When someone once asked 20th century bank robber <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Sutton">Willy Sutton</a> why he robbed banks, he simply replied "because that's where they keep the money."</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When <i>Francisco Matías de Bustos y Moya </i>died in 1747<i>,</i> thirteen of his children survived him. One of them, <a href="https://editorial.uaa.mx/docs/genealogia_historia_familia.pdf"><i>Francisco Cristóbal Bustos Marmolego</i> (1726-1779) inherited his noble title</a>, becoming the 2nd <i>Marqués de San Clemente</i>. The other sons also came to hold prominent positions in Guanajuato's government and society and his daughters married powerful local men. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Five years after <i>Francisco Matías' </i>death, the family, <a href="https://rectoria.sancayetano.com.mx/templo-de-nuestra-se%C3%B1ora-de-la-merced">contacted the <i>Mercedarios</i> in <i>Vallodolid</i></a> (now <i>Morelia</i>) to suggest setting up a <i>convento</i> in <i>Guanajuato</i>. In <a href="http://vamonosalbable.blogspot.com/2015/07/el-templo-de-nuestra-senora-de-la.html">September of 1752</a>, a<i> Mercedario </i>friar named <i>Ignacio de la Iglesia</i> made a written request to the<i> cabildo</i> (city council) to do so and he received a favorable reply the next month. The <i>Bustos y Moya</i> family quickly donated the land, the existing chapel, and other structures, all of which were accepted by <i>Fra. Antonio de Artelejo</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAJ8LUyIL1JYvlMwqqxomWTTGTwq3b6yFXd69rekrDolN3Mx3FG9nD330D6XpmEeRfb2tfPYP91zxayoK1uUJkh8nzNJCOPgKW6oelfONsoikx__L66BfY6NxH4p4HH-yt7V-bKKGNN7ILhVxC07kaifyyhX9B3-DSBeTKp3lA38aGevY8qjEXFhNvA/s4886/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20arches1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3664" data-original-width="4886" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAJ8LUyIL1JYvlMwqqxomWTTGTwq3b6yFXd69rekrDolN3Mx3FG9nD330D6XpmEeRfb2tfPYP91zxayoK1uUJkh8nzNJCOPgKW6oelfONsoikx__L66BfY6NxH4p4HH-yt7V-bKKGNN7ILhVxC07kaifyyhX9B3-DSBeTKp3lA38aGevY8qjEXFhNvA/w640-h480/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20arches1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>View toward the south from the <i>convento</i> complex</b>. </span>Although active warfare between the Muslim Ottomans and the European powers had long since subsided, considerable numbers of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_pirates">Muslim pirates</a> infested the Mediterranean's North African coast. They sold captured Christians as slaves in the port markets of Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. It was to ransom these people that the <i>Mercedarios</i> were raising money in the mid-to-late 18th century.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>In <a href="http://vamonosalbable.blogspot.com/2015/07/el-templo-de-nuestra-senora-de-la.html">September 1756</a>, </span></span>almost exactly four years after their initial request,<span> <i>Fra. Manuel de Frias</i> finally took possession of the <i>convento </i>and its <i>Templo</i> on behalf of<i> </i></span>the <i>Mercedarios.</i> In fact, construction was still on-going, but the friars wanted to get their operation up and running. It's probable that <i>Francisco Cristóbal </i>and his family were happy that the turnover would finally allow the <i>Mellado</i> mine to remove from its payroll the three chaplains who had served the old chapel. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>And now a word about <a href="https://www3.ugto.mx/noticias/noticias/11489-el-sueno-de-dona-josefa-teresa-de-busto-y-moya" style="font-style: italic;">Doña Josefa Teresa de Bustos y Moya</a><i>, </i>daughter of <i>Francisco Bustos Perez</i>, sister of <i>Francisco Matías</i>, and aunt of <i>Francisco Cristóbal. </i>She was born in <i>Guanajuato </i>in </span>1682<span>, but spent of her childhood and youth in <i>Queretaro</i>. In 1701, she married <i>Don Manuel de Aranda y Saavedra</i>, from <i>Extremadura</i>, Spain, by whom she had 11 children. Until he died in 1729, Josefa actively partnered with her husband </span><span>in running their family businesses. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEtWfPgj2iTg5L5UjbHZ3wvNeFVtleloaV_qXzYeqeX35d998mpuGkOCoMF8Zayf4uZ1k4nf2Rk3fY2rkWjXmOHy--6yVWuF19csMIaVvecH6oaR_XFldAZ-TxqMrv5m6ZoiWNtrnzydSBnZeCgPdjvM5Rn3jIDxsgbhduyI7i-dlyAIJbMFcL691Vg/s540/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20arches2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEtWfPgj2iTg5L5UjbHZ3wvNeFVtleloaV_qXzYeqeX35d998mpuGkOCoMF8Zayf4uZ1k4nf2Rk3fY2rkWjXmOHy--6yVWuF19csMIaVvecH6oaR_XFldAZ-TxqMrv5m6ZoiWNtrnzydSBnZeCgPdjvM5Rn3jIDxsgbhduyI7i-dlyAIJbMFcL691Vg/w640-h480/TemploDeMercedDeLaMellado-%20ext%20ruined%20arches2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Another view of the <i>convento</i> and its various rooms and open spaces</b>. </span>This would have been a busy place, with friars departing or returning from visits to collect donations from workers at the mines scattered through the surrounding mountains. Those returning would have dropped the funds off with other friars who would note down the amounts before locking the proceeds into iron-bound boxes for safe-keeping. The funds would then be transported through Mexico City to Europe and ultimately paid as ransoms.</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Josefa's</i> business partnership with her husband was somewhat unusual for a woman of that period, particularly one who was raising 11 children. It is even more unusual for her to have fully taken over the family businesses after <i>Don Manuel</i> died. <i>Josefa</i> was clearly formidable in her intellect and personality. </span><span>In addition to her involvement in her own</span><span> businesses and co-ownership of the <i>Cata</i> mine, she was also deeply committed to higher education. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>In 1732, </span><i>Josefa</i><span> made a formal request to King </span><i>Felipe V</i><span> to start a Jesuit college in Guanajuato and backed it up with a donation of 7500 pesos of her own money. She also persuaded a number of the other silver magnates to contribute to the project, including her brother, the 1st <i>Marqués de San Clemente</i> (1250 pesos), and another mine owner, <i>Don Juan de Herbas</i> (625 pesos). </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately, the college required the King's approval and this was not granted until 1744, two years after <i>Josefa's</i> death at age 60. While <i>Josefa</i> never got to see the result of her efforts, she is acclaimed today, 291 years later, as the founder of the University of Guanajuato. As to the <i>Mellado</i> mine, the ore <a href="https://colonialmexico.blogspot.com/2017/12/silver-chapels-of-guanajuato-el-templo.html">finally played out</a> in the early 19th century, and its workforce dispersed. That led to the decline of the <i>Mercedarios</i> <i>convento</i> and its eventual abandonment in 1860.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 8 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series. I hope you have enjoyed it and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments, please remember to also leave your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /><br /><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-26033489396005418622023-05-01T20:00:00.009-06:002023-10-19T16:13:30.181-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 7 of 17: The Panoramic Highway to the San Juan de Rayas Silver Mine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFU3tC28WgFIkva0_asuJseeB-DlwrLapFhR8LeNpfhZF0ylACK3i1gvxYIwVbkeexnC7-WreefqX7s5uqVlA_YjgKPp6GI01at3lqCRIs_nn2SZnPyMUJN8a9fKEBA_8lq-qSMdcSyUr8hT7CeZQlz9DEIQvDOrhM9plKpABkKckmkpYwccLcRz1-Q/s540/Mine%20ruins.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="540" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFU3tC28WgFIkva0_asuJseeB-DlwrLapFhR8LeNpfhZF0ylACK3i1gvxYIwVbkeexnC7-WreefqX7s5uqVlA_YjgKPp6GI01at3lqCRIs_nn2SZnPyMUJN8a9fKEBA_8lq-qSMdcSyUr8hT7CeZQlz9DEIQvDOrhM9plKpABkKckmkpYwccLcRz1-Q/w640-h406/Mine%20ruins.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ruins of <i>Mina de Garrapata</i>, viewed from <i>La Panoramica</i></b>. In order to get an overview of the old colonial city, Carole and I decided to drive the <i>Panoramica</i> (Panoramic Highway) that circles the hills surrounding Guanajuato. I soon discovered that many <a href="https://tvlibertad.mx/la-mina-de-la-garrapata-en-guanajuato-capital-uno-de-los-edificios-historicos-mas-imponentes-y-que-hoy-lamentablemente-ha-caido-en-el-olvido-y-el-abandono/">abandoned mines like the <i>Garrapata</i></a> line the route. The mine dates to the early 1700s and was so productive that its owners were ennobled by the Crown. Some of the even older 16th century mines still produce silver after almost 500 years. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Panoramica</i> passes directly under the walls on the far side of <i>Garrapata</i> before taking a hairpin turn uphill to the turnout where I took this shot. I thought <i>garrapata</i> was a romantic-sounding Spanish word until I learned that it stands for <i>"</i>tick"! In this posting, I will show you a bit of the view along the <i>Panoramica</i> and then we'll visit one of the most famous of <i>Guanajuato's</i> colonial-era mines, the <i>Mina de San Juan de Rayas</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbtGeLl_DokyAhnjP82InPLaQ01uVCxMG0cl0nvvdt4g14d4TXpRgX7O6DcPe_1fhd_LJ-XiBZgspN51iPiRCiPgcU_oTMSld83YAOt48ghNHjmJsZIN1aLlS7mQHyQvPwmnjiQQFoAQAM28uhRPmiCi9Y_aV66hIJZZl9Lvo6RY6T5dQSzPkllPdoQ/s540/Panoramica%20Hwy%20to%20Mina%20de%20San%20Juan%20de%20Raya.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="540" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbtGeLl_DokyAhnjP82InPLaQ01uVCxMG0cl0nvvdt4g14d4TXpRgX7O6DcPe_1fhd_LJ-XiBZgspN51iPiRCiPgcU_oTMSld83YAOt48ghNHjmJsZIN1aLlS7mQHyQvPwmnjiQQFoAQAM28uhRPmiCi9Y_aV66hIJZZl9Lvo6RY6T5dQSzPkllPdoQ/w640-h548/Panoramica%20Hwy%20to%20Mina%20de%20San%20Juan%20de%20Raya.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Map of <i>La Panoramica</i> and location of <i>Mina de San Juan de Rayas</i></b>. Both the <i>Garrapata</i> and <i>San Juan de Rayas</i> mines can be found directly alongside the <i>Panoramica</i>, on opposite sides of a deep arroyo where the road takes a hairpin turn at its northern tip. The highway, which was completed in the 1970s, provides a way to look down on the city from the four corners of the compass. For an interactive Google map of the Guanajuato area, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Guanajuato,+Mexico/@21.0251066,-101.2784798,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x842b73f58b0cf1eb:0x25f4b0d165571e74!8m2!3d21.0190145!4d-101.2573586!16zL20vMDE4bmI4">click here</a>.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>La Panoramica</i></span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5F9z4GX6i8LB2grviittu02H_HuPZLRboNoIDpDtfvO7dUACO_NtV1FDwS2sJoJieYyEaZ-k5dtgb1rZcQzlKpllpAJIQWOyF_JCEQOzzP09MtTev4EXTpFTXZ8bwpK-MHPflJ9DYmLMrOgG3tCh7jh-ZJB-sw2o7S1JfAQJRC5iZK4murHoz66rBA/s540/Panoramica1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5F9z4GX6i8LB2grviittu02H_HuPZLRboNoIDpDtfvO7dUACO_NtV1FDwS2sJoJieYyEaZ-k5dtgb1rZcQzlKpllpAJIQWOyF_JCEQOzzP09MtTev4EXTpFTXZ8bwpK-MHPflJ9DYmLMrOgG3tCh7jh-ZJB-sw2o7S1JfAQJRC5iZK4murHoz66rBA/w640-h480/Panoramica1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><i>Guanajuato</i> is surrounded by steep hills and rugged mountains</b>. The city is built up the sides of the hills and along the ridge tops. This provides many stunning views all around the city. Turnouts along the way provide accessible spots for viewing and photos. </span>The <i>Panoramica</i> is not nearly as long as I thought it would be. However, if you decide to take it, allow a couple of hours, at least, for stops along the way to visit some of the fascinating old colonial churches and abandoned mines. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_PZH6Q8e70-j01okzptJxHbgY-4IWlQagT-EDayX1wMkgl86CiuGN5SPD11ESk-iz6wDDx6r9l5pVQFtBnylOqWo2l0ZRSfqrgJzU4_Yw-71AcYX7aDfCy7qZYBWTghsKf6vYdrgMU6m5szx2KPozA_oTE8omz5Cw_YkwrgrOZURdjqG3ignrFWfFw/s4890/Panoramica5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3668" data-original-width="4890" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_PZH6Q8e70-j01okzptJxHbgY-4IWlQagT-EDayX1wMkgl86CiuGN5SPD11ESk-iz6wDDx6r9l5pVQFtBnylOqWo2l0ZRSfqrgJzU4_Yw-71AcYX7aDfCy7qZYBWTghsKf6vYdrgMU6m5szx2KPozA_oTE8omz5Cw_YkwrgrOZURdjqG3ignrFWfFw/w640-h480/Panoramica5.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Another view from the <i>Panoramica</i></b>. Although well-paved, access to the two-lane road is mostly unrestricted, with lots of cars and pedestrians in the built-up areas. Drive cautiously. Steep flights of stairs rise up or descend from the <i>Panoramica</i>, connecting one neighborhood to another. After I saw several women carrying heavy loads of groceries up those long sets of steps, I didn't envy them their views quite so much.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZytEXswiuTOalUZkdsFI2twOustFC_xo1ZHBDp58b0cX3BosNqdd8TkhS8ZnBmWmHUkGMtTJXomzi8RgUPVxwrGCdlHVdvW9qnbxDm7Fh6e50zkJgYlibvlFVhJUmYvk7Ys6G1oDeJoGhAZzx020coj2toH6TzJcRLy9RueEeQyNozIqUPEZnXRrvhA/s540/Valenciana-%20Templo%20de%20San%20Cayetano%20Confesor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZytEXswiuTOalUZkdsFI2twOustFC_xo1ZHBDp58b0cX3BosNqdd8TkhS8ZnBmWmHUkGMtTJXomzi8RgUPVxwrGCdlHVdvW9qnbxDm7Fh6e50zkJgYlibvlFVhJUmYvk7Ys6G1oDeJoGhAZzx020coj2toH6TzJcRLy9RueEeQyNozIqUPEZnXRrvhA/w640-h480/Valenciana-%20Templo%20de%20San%20Cayetano%20Confesor.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Templo de San Cayetano de la Confesor</i>, at the <i>Mina de Valenciana</i></b>. The <i>Templo</i> was built <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valenciana_Mine">between 1775 and 1788</a> by the mine's owner, <i>Antonio de Obregón y Alcocer</i>. The architects, <i>Andrés de la Riva</i> and <i>Jorge Archundia</i>, chose the Churrigueresque style and used pink <i>cantera</i> stone for much of the work. The use of this Baroque style was unusual for the late 18th century, as Neo-Classic was popular by then.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>The <i>Valenciana</i> mine was named for <a href="https://www.mexicotravelclub.com/las-minas-en-guanajuato-guanajuato"><i>Don Diego Valenciana</i></a>, who discovered silver in the general area in 1557. The mine was not particularly productive for the next 200 years and it sometimes stood idle. Then, in 1760, <i>Antonio Alcocer</i> made his first investment in the <i>Valenciana</i> after he got a loan from </span></span><i>Pedro Luciano Otero</i><span><span>, a merchant who had also been investing in the <i>San Juan de Rayas</i> mine</span></span><i>. </i>The two men poured money into the <i>Valenciana</i>, buying new equipment, introducing new processes and hiring more workers. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The <i>Valenciana's</i> peak occurred between 1768 and 1804, when it produced an astonishing 60% of the world's silver. It<i> </i>suffered some production interruptions after that. For example, in 1817 the <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-historic-sites-of-haciendas-de.html">Independence War insurgent <i>Javier Mina</i></a> burned the mine's machinery to keep silver out of the hands of his royalist opponents. The following centuries also brought numerous ownership changes. Still, in 2022, </span>after almost 500 years, the mine <a href="https://au.advfn.com/stock-market/AQSE/GSVR/stock-news/90066908/guanajuato-silver-company-ltd-q4-2022-production">produced 2.15 million ounces of silver</a>, worth $54,223,000 (USD).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Mina de San Juan de Rayas</span></i></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBErWI8Dphk-7kcD1TXYGa4uaddm-LbvCteV-amAd9SO4R_DcMdOrhRcVC4oyry0eseilrzsZEKzwFkJsYaxUgUbiDTzVG99ORBJUpyVOYHHzLzie_Kkjqt2eT_8H54rC16Z8GpvEMFvGG_KtlXugRHFaiEPSsFlwLlXKWb6rMf9tPKPMcqjGhSrPzA/s627/Mina%20de%20San%20Juan%20de%20Raya-%20Google%20satellite.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBErWI8Dphk-7kcD1TXYGa4uaddm-LbvCteV-amAd9SO4R_DcMdOrhRcVC4oyry0eseilrzsZEKzwFkJsYaxUgUbiDTzVG99ORBJUpyVOYHHzLzie_Kkjqt2eT_8H54rC16Z8GpvEMFvGG_KtlXugRHFaiEPSsFlwLlXKWb6rMf9tPKPMcqjGhSrPzA/w552-h640/Mina%20de%20San%20Juan%20de%20Raya-%20Google%20satellite.jpg" width="552" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Google satellite view of <i>Mina de San Juan de Rayas</i></b>. The mine stands at the end of a short plateau surrounded on three sides by steep walls. The <i>Panoramica</i> forms a "V" as it passes through. Former administrative offices cross between the two wings of the V near the center. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Between the <i>Panoramica</i> and where high walls drop off to the steep slopes below, </span>four circular structures stand near the V's bottom. <span>A</span><span> roofless structure stands to the left of the <i>Panoramica </i>near several purple-flowered trees. Ore carts, old pumps, and winches are scattered about.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmVBU5VeElAjzoLV_hkjnb8uelHxK6d0oocBrsAUnOa2U3JIlDAtSaHJSE_FVkxBSqJVk3u1N079hA5CaCslLZVkoDlQoAtY088rwzPWH-Mtm4f0dllGE4hFglKi87YXeqjkhu6ZTwTsGOJZKf4atVCvsjc5JYN9lgdH81xNCYMHtugTV7vvs9xBu0w/s540/Mina-de-Rayas-en-Guanajuato.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="540" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmVBU5VeElAjzoLV_hkjnb8uelHxK6d0oocBrsAUnOa2U3JIlDAtSaHJSE_FVkxBSqJVk3u1N079hA5CaCslLZVkoDlQoAtY088rwzPWH-Mtm4f0dllGE4hFglKi87YXeqjkhu6ZTwTsGOJZKf4atVCvsjc5JYN9lgdH81xNCYMHtugTV7vvs9xBu0w/w640-h430/Mina-de-Rayas-en-Guanajuato.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>The <i>Rayas</i> mine from below its vertical exterior walls</b>. The church on the upper left is the 17th century <i>Templo de la Merced de Mellado</i>, built by the wealthy, mine-owning <i>Bustos y Moyo</i> family. We will visit it in the next couple of posts of this series.<span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>San Juan de Rayas</i> was the first mine in Guanajuato. It got its name from a <a href="https://www.revistabuenviaje.com/conocemexico/destinos/guanajuato/minas/minas-de-guanajuato.php">muleteer named <i>Juan Rayas</i></a>. In 1550, he noticed silver ore while driving his animals along a trail. What he had discovered was <i>Guanajuato's</i> <i>veta madre</i> ("mother vein") of high-grade silver, gold, and gold quartz. Between 1550 and 1750, most of <i>Guanajuato's</i> mines were small, primitive, and focused on high-grade ore located near the surface. A few miners became wealthy but most returns were marginal.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">During its first 150 years, the <i>Rayas</i> mine was one of those marginally profitable operations. Then, near the end of the 17th century, a Spaniard named <i>Pedro Sardaneta</i> leased it. He struggled to make a profit and lost his lease for a time, but his descendants regained control and became extremely wealthy from investing in the mine. His grandson, <i>Vicente Manuel Sardaneta y Legaspi</i>, was so successful that, in 1774, King Charles III made him the <i>1st Marqués de San Juan de Rayas</i>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvvNGV0qPG3bjIgawl4a_eRmRUI_KPOSIxr5OZRGC9AdpK14znjrfTPAJpF4m4z5JfBLrMkbj5prSCKjZYKR0uoUPF8vqA7q9_VYijOMqHJp6Hp9G9G35wnjA2N-BJleqZz_UyFOf69727P19rWMzJ5Aydt0RgMhEfYOrhSbiZu1HgXcXZLF2HtIWYA/s3845/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20mining%20photo1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3618" data-original-width="3845" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvvNGV0qPG3bjIgawl4a_eRmRUI_KPOSIxr5OZRGC9AdpK14znjrfTPAJpF4m4z5JfBLrMkbj5prSCKjZYKR0uoUPF8vqA7q9_VYijOMqHJp6Hp9G9G35wnjA2N-BJleqZz_UyFOf69727P19rWMzJ5Aydt0RgMhEfYOrhSbiZu1HgXcXZLF2HtIWYA/w640-h602/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20mining%20photo1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Old photo of the mine and its workers</b>. This was probably taken in the later 19th or early 20th centuries. The small heaps in front of the crowd of workers are crushed rocks ready for sorting into silver-bearing ore and waste. The roofed structure in the center may lead to the mine's entrance, which I never saw because it was probably blocked up when the mine closed. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>However, I was able to find a <a href="https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-25232013000100002">description of the mine's interior</a>, as well as the sort of jobs the workers' did. The mine reaches a depth of 420m (1378ft). There are four shafts, beginning with the "General". Two vertical shafts are called the "<i>Garrapata</i>" and "<i>Santa Rosa de Lima</i>", while an inclined shaft is called the "Kurtz". There are also galleries, rooms, and space for four <i>malacates de sangre</i> (</span>water drainage pumps), as well as a tunnel that connects with the General shaft.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MJoGz2uk392qegpNzKAHOoVcypKn2xcF1vj1lCP6Zir8EgAyE-XPrxIBSbWgri_ynpVOfsWSKbbAjdngfxyrVy58r3sE5X8KtKmEyENH84rVzlJJQOstSgDF1YxaUzkofmOuWRbApg5pttDFRC3lUMfaFZQYmj8YxQAOFuCJg5opkrOpNnKGmlJj6Q/s3203/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20mining%20photo2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3203" data-original-width="2656" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MJoGz2uk392qegpNzKAHOoVcypKn2xcF1vj1lCP6Zir8EgAyE-XPrxIBSbWgri_ynpVOfsWSKbbAjdngfxyrVy58r3sE5X8KtKmEyENH84rVzlJJQOstSgDF1YxaUzkofmOuWRbApg5pttDFRC3lUMfaFZQYmj8YxQAOFuCJg5opkrOpNnKGmlJj6Q/w530-h640/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20mining%20photo2.jpg" width="530" /></span></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Rayas mine workers during the late 19th or early 20th centuries. </b>Most were young men. Their harsh working conditions meant life expectancy was only about 36 years. During the 2nd half of the 18th century, 42% were indigenous. Some of these were free workers but others worked under the <i>repartimiento</i> system of forced labor. 22% were free mulattos (indigenous/African). Another 1.4% were mulatto slaves. 19% were mestizos (indigenous/Spanish). 11% were Spanish and 3% were "other". </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A big 18th century mine like the <i>Rayas</i> needed thousands of workers for all the largely-unmechanized tasks. The biggest group was split up into several hundred small crews, usually 3 men plus a foreman. One kind of crew included a borer who drilled the rock, a <i>barratero</i> who pried the ore loose, and a man with a pick to assist. Sometimes a boy called a <i>pepe</i> helped by holding up a light. Another crew of three men called <i>tentataros</i> carried ore sacks to the surface. <i>Buscones</i> cleared dirt and rubble, an unskilled and risky job which sometimes caused landslides.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Outside the mine's entrance, workers called breakers smashed the rocks carried up by the <i>tentateros</i><i>.</i> </span>The valuable ore was then separated from waste by </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>pepenadores</i> (</span><span>women and children). </span><span>Other workers included dispatchers who filled leather sacks with water to fight flooding and herders who tended mules that turned winches to haul the sacks to the surface. At the surface, men called drawers then dumped the water. Blacksmiths and carpenters tended to the winches and other machinery. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF0TI8FgNpBTfmTkFP5QV-970UpB2gVh-wgwwE9mwRbllaThpX4L9KSuc6qZw6qVZcU0Prp9JT6uYaUFbM2lDRldvDKuAmDI2xxf1-Bj0AqCAsmbZNpmvpmv5awei4VISI0K_a1SvQo3Y3Q5J9hgvQRF_bI7vHioEM8sTgKXPxhVvZCVG6uWoMWhxPA/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20offices%20&%20chimney.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="540" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF0TI8FgNpBTfmTkFP5QV-970UpB2gVh-wgwwE9mwRbllaThpX4L9KSuc6qZw6qVZcU0Prp9JT6uYaUFbM2lDRldvDKuAmDI2xxf1-Bj0AqCAsmbZNpmvpmv5awei4VISI0K_a1SvQo3Y3Q5J9hgvQRF_bI7vHioEM8sTgKXPxhVvZCVG6uWoMWhxPA/w640-h600/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20offices%20&%20chimney.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Rayas'</i> administrative offices</b>. At the top of the mine's hierarchy was an Administrator who had wide authority to govern the mine. Many of these men parlayed their positions into ownership shares. Just below an administrator was a manager for each of the various mine shafts. The Shaft Managers supervised the Senior Miners who, in turn, supervised the Foremen of the various crews. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Rayadores</i> paid out wages after ensuring that workers had </span>made a scratch by their names before they left the mine after turning in their <i>tequio</i> (quota of ore). <i>Partidores</i> measured out <a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/partido">the </a><i><a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/partido">partido</a>. </i>This was<i> </i>ore collected by a worker beyond the <i>tequio</i>, which belonged to him as a form of profit-sharing<i>. </i>The <i>partido</i> was viewed by workers not only as a source of additional pay but as giving them status as part-owners of the mine.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>partido</i> was established after the native population crashed by 90% between about 1550-1650. The major labor shortages that resulted allowed free workers to migrate from mine to mine to seek the best deals. The <i>partido</i> was the owners' strategy to ensure stable work forces. When the labor pool began to expand again in the 18th century, some owners of large mines like <i>Rayas</i> tried to eliminate the <i>partido.</i> This angered workers, who saw it as a pay cut but also as a status reduction. It was one cause of the miners' revolts of 1766-67. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5rZ_OewrxKbkMSJ0u64xpjYBch32zivg3EJtSWNPicca955-1U8LsscO8wxIvesixnlADi9Rxe0M1sQBOKWUdP36G7PnJ67FWy1RZ5hTZEvp07rgE3kDUVhs-RK-gh8WFVj4MTTTwVWJzVfslKS1K_P2I8tYrDgCGCaV99d_iEzBWQYSjL4oj4-sDw/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20circular%20struct4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="540" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5rZ_OewrxKbkMSJ0u64xpjYBch32zivg3EJtSWNPicca955-1U8LsscO8wxIvesixnlADi9Rxe0M1sQBOKWUdP36G7PnJ67FWy1RZ5hTZEvp07rgE3kDUVhs-RK-gh8WFVj4MTTTwVWJzVfslKS1K_P2I8tYrDgCGCaV99d_iEzBWQYSjL4oj4-sDw/w640-h456/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20circular%20struct4.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>One of the four circular structures seen in the Google satellite photo</b>. This is the one on the far right. The wall above is about 1m (3ft) thick and 4m (12ft) high, while the interior diameter is about 30m (90ft). All four structures are of identical size, but only half of the one on the far left remains. My best guess is that their function was storage of the ore in preparation for shipment to a </span><i>hacienda de beneficio</i><span> </span><span>for final refining into ingots</span><i>. </i>They must have been built after 1906 because a photo from that date does not show them.<span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Haciendas de beneficio</i> were usually separate from the mines and often located near arroyos or streams because the refining process required abundant water. </span><i>Vicente Manuel de Sardaneta y Legaspi </i>was <span>the </span><span>owner of</span><span> the <i>Rayas</i> mine during much of the 18th century. He also owned the nearby </span><i>hacienda de beneficio</i> called<i> </i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/04/guanajato-revisited-part-5-ex-hacienda.html"><i>Hacienda del Cochero</i> (see Part 5)</a>, along with<span> other mines and refining facilities. <i>Sardaneta</i> supplied all of these with food and livestock from other haciendas he had acquired.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>To view other former <i>haciendas de beneficio</i>, see </span><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2008/09/guanajuato-part-5-marfils-old-haciendas.html"><i>Casa de Espiritus Alegres</i></a>. It is<span> </span><span>now a bed-and-breakfast </span>located along an arroyo in <i>Marfil, </i>just south of <i>Guanajuato.</i> <span>Carole and I stayed there during our 2008 visit. Many other <i>haciendas de beneficio</i> that once operated in <i>Marfil</i> have now been converted to private homes or boutique hotels. </span><span>Another example is <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2020/07/san-sebastian-del-oeste-part-2-hacienda.html"><i>Hacienda Jalisco</i></a>, located in the silver mining pueblo of <i>San Sebastian del Oeste</i>, not far from <i>Puerto Vallarta</i>. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivudum0wHd0MiUkzQKXWSMuLqoQW0Q7Sk-lorlkYOE9wMzetRiyDTmnZabS8JlSBwa0zlgoHXxcUqOI7Y6G-llrcvBQC1yVmyQd5F2WNX-xbhDnUHhsW3FzI1EHwZ-n4LKquMMEX4HFL-m96WGJF4ipfdgEDukKFAw6jaxN0FRNrBVLvwRNlf7X232Q/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20circular%20struct3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivudum0wHd0MiUkzQKXWSMuLqoQW0Q7Sk-lorlkYOE9wMzetRiyDTmnZabS8JlSBwa0zlgoHXxcUqOI7Y6G-llrcvBQC1yVmyQd5F2WNX-xbhDnUHhsW3FzI1EHwZ-n4LKquMMEX4HFL-m96WGJF4ipfdgEDukKFAw6jaxN0FRNrBVLvwRNlf7X232Q/w640-h480/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20circular%20struct3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This circular structure looks like a Greco-Roman amphitheater</b>. The ground surfaces within the circular walls of the other structures are level, but this one has been reconstructed as a site for some sort of performances. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The transformation of rock from deep inside a mountain into a silver ingot required numerous steps, as described above. Extracting silver from the ore involved a number of difficult problems that caused many mines to fail. Until well into the 18th century, miners used the <i>fuego</i> ("fire") process to heat the ore until the silver melted out. </span>However, <i>fuego</i> only worked well with high-grade ore, generally found near the surface. When this was exhausted many mines shut down. </div><div><br /></div><div>Those with access to capital, like the owners of <i>Rayas</i>, needed to dig deeper. However, lower-level veins often contained only lower-grade ore. Even worse, the deeper the shaft, the more the mines flooded. At this point, mines producing low-grade ore and lacking the capital to pay for the machinery and workers to deal with the flooding became uneconomical. They either shut down or sold out. Mining was always a risky "boom or bust" affair.</div><div><br /></div></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSs5-KcdE3DxW5aQohXe1KSowqoqIBbjxBe7BmZ-3HRKewKBS_B6K-bfjT-qp0Dz0T6XJNK0CE7O2oFdMFkxUt8XdBTV3dcmfPq62MmXiCq0KDogaWUI0_UudgpXLrxo18TXLnmhgvx-pgKtbuTM5IHHNvyY_AhDaZKlKst1kFaerPVbzYUV9_MfcZ4w/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20grindstone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSs5-KcdE3DxW5aQohXe1KSowqoqIBbjxBe7BmZ-3HRKewKBS_B6K-bfjT-qp0Dz0T6XJNK0CE7O2oFdMFkxUt8XdBTV3dcmfPq62MmXiCq0KDogaWUI0_UudgpXLrxo18TXLnmhgvx-pgKtbuTM5IHHNvyY_AhDaZKlKst1kFaerPVbzYUV9_MfcZ4w/w640-h480/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20grindstone.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Mill stone used to crush ore</b>. A long axle ran through the hole in the center. At the other end of the axle was a mule that endlessly trudged around in a circle, rolling the stone over chunks of rock to crush them. Once they were reduced to a size that could be sorted and sacked, other mules hauled the ore to a <i>hacienda de beneficio. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1554 a Spaniard named <i>Bartolome de Medina</i> invented the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patio_process#:~:text=The%20process%2C%20which%20uses%20mercury,Spanish%20colonies%20in%20the%20Americas.">mercury amalgamation process</a> to solve the problem of effectively refining the lower-grade ore. First, the ore was further crushed by an <i>arrastra</i> (stamp mill) to the consistency of sand<i>. </i>This was then formed into piles resembling huge, flat pancakes 0.30-.61m (1-2ft) thick. Next, mercury, salt-water brine, and copper sulfate were mixed into the piles, either by the feet of bare-legged workers or horses. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Because all this occurred in large open areas, it was nicknamed the "patio process". After about eight weeks of mixing and soaking in the sun, the mercury amalgamated with the silver. This was then placed in a hooded oven where the heat evaporated the mercury, leaving nearly pure silver. The final step was to melt it into ingots for transport by mule trains to Mexico City and shipment to Spain. Over time, the use of the patio process grew, allowing many mines to reopen. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizL9C4IDI5AH28jhcJENAKukhcL2xnuHMbQV0dxuvY2-QqZQsyNeUTWmhDmNWYbEF8dkzGju8y7kziZKfQDhHMS1Pr46IFgzqbSDBhqnr0aICPYPI-OTIbkerxcHQ0NaM7Jaz9TDprOjOSLRRFG_kE8EIvZ2Tjt1bAfP5C-H1rEIivtRaXLwTgKmBQ9w/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20ore%20carts2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="540" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizL9C4IDI5AH28jhcJENAKukhcL2xnuHMbQV0dxuvY2-QqZQsyNeUTWmhDmNWYbEF8dkzGju8y7kziZKfQDhHMS1Pr46IFgzqbSDBhqnr0aICPYPI-OTIbkerxcHQ0NaM7Jaz9TDprOjOSLRRFG_kE8EIvZ2Tjt1bAfP5C-H1rEIivtRaXLwTgKmBQ9w/w640-h448/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20ore%20carts2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ore carts on rails were a 19th century innovaction</b>. These replaced the <i>tentateros</i> carrying heavy ore sacks as they climbed up rickety wood ladders during the previous 300 years. Just beyond the ore carts is the sheer wall that drops down to the steep mountain slopes below.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The effectiveness of the amalgamation process was improved even further in 1768. That year, a Guanajuato doctor named <i>Manuel Dominguez de la Fuente</i> began collaborating with the <i>Rayas</i> mine's owner, <i>Vicente Sardaneta </i>to test a new amalgamation method. The experiment succeeded in increasing silver yields and did so using much shorter processing times. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Rayas</i> mine's silver production began to boom the very next year, </span><span style="font-size: large;">along with that of other mines,</span><span style="font-size: large;">. In 1769, the value of Guanajuato's overall silver production reached 732,000 pesos, then jumped to more than 1,021,000 in 1771. In 1776, it shot up to 1,456,510 pesos, almost double the value from only seven years before. However, the patio process had one very serious Achilles Heel: reliance on mercury.</span></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEaED6VqNsVcizqKYPoSE6ltIJlYcrYwQEVuDb3eXBGscqiNoa5zh_h4quuUrPrU1nZX7wNO7RNIbAGrUlUyMmz9ZPnG_N0COmk51hoY_c-ZVWZrER8uzEq7TAvUk_W2kyKJhPI9E7XHTOBZBk6Z4jVbnSJTMA-DvJqRZWR3QGNs1f5Ql3WW97MtUpA/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20machinery2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="540" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEaED6VqNsVcizqKYPoSE6ltIJlYcrYwQEVuDb3eXBGscqiNoa5zh_h4quuUrPrU1nZX7wNO7RNIbAGrUlUyMmz9ZPnG_N0COmk51hoY_c-ZVWZrER8uzEq7TAvUk_W2kyKJhPI9E7XHTOBZBk6Z4jVbnSJTMA-DvJqRZWR3QGNs1f5Ql3WW97MtUpA/w640-h470/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20machinery2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>One of the more modern pumps used to prevent floods</b>. This one was probably installed during in the late 19th or early 20th century period when the dictator Porfirio Diaz was encouraging foreign investment in Mexican mines. Over the course of less than a century, water removal methods moved from mule-power, to steam, to electricity. The solution, or at least diminution of this critical problem allowed many mines to reopen and revitalized the whole mining industry.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The mercury problem grew out of <i>Nueva España's</i> status as a Spanish colony. As a financial measure and a means of control, <a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/colonial-spanish-america-3">the Crown maintained a monopoly</a> over the production and distribution of mercury to the mining community. The price and particularly the availability of mercury were serious concerns to every owner. The cost of mercury or its absence could cripple or even completely shut down production<i>. </i>Worse yet, it was not just the Crown that could do this.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Virtually as soon as Spanish galleons full of silver and gold began sailing the oceans in the 16th century, pirates had begun to attack them. Some of the captured ships carried the vital mercury supplies. In addition, between the invention of the patio process and the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Spain was in almost constant conflict with other European powers. The English, French and Dutch had strong fleets and an equally strong interest in shutting off Spain's silver supply. </span><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqn_p0uMybZDUrkJiqaYK1qoUKte6iHCweRIjJtgm4NAWTixj_6ODnfghX5hHse15RwYcq_OuHY5L0Gj-sCuvS7UKgV7KZ_zFwJcPlFetlIOzl-Fn39OfU_4R3mjts5won9owxcD3C-9QBF0Nwhc3SumPknqZhV10EpIYWGSiyP5JqIhIKODcE3YrIKg/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20machinery2%20sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="540" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqn_p0uMybZDUrkJiqaYK1qoUKte6iHCweRIjJtgm4NAWTixj_6ODnfghX5hHse15RwYcq_OuHY5L0Gj-sCuvS7UKgV7KZ_zFwJcPlFetlIOzl-Fn39OfU_4R3mjts5won9owxcD3C-9QBF0Nwhc3SumPknqZhV10EpIYWGSiyP5JqIhIKODcE3YrIKg/w640-h628/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20machinery2%20sign.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The pump's name plate indicates its American origin</b>. The plate reads "<a href="https://www.irco.com/en-us/company/history">Ingersoll-Rand</a>, New York, Imperial Type 10". The end of colonial rule in 1821 gave the new Mexican nation free access to mercury. In addition, the population increase during the last quarter of the 18th century meant more available workers. This could have resulted in dramatic new profitability for the <i>Rayas</i> mine. However, by the early 19th century, </span>its useable ore was exhausted and the mine shut down.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Although they lost the income from the <i>Rayas</i>, the <i>Sardaneta</i> family continued to exercise great power in Guanajuato through their wealth and position.<i> </i>Upon <i>Vicente's</i> death in 1787,<i> </i>his son <i><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mariano_de_Sardaneta_y_Llorente">José Maria de Sardaneta y Lorente</a> </i>became the<i> </i>2nd (and last)<i> Marqués de San Juan de Rayas. </i>Despite his noble title, <i>José</i> became active in the struggle for independence. He was imprisoned and exiled several times by the royalists but survived. <i>José</i> retired from politics after independence, dying in 1835 at the age of 48.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite gaining free access to mercury and a more stable labor pool, the first 2/3 of the 19th century were not good for mining. From the start of the Independence War of 1810 until the end of the French Occupation in 1867, Mexico endured an almost constant series of wars, invasions, revolts, and insurgencies. During this time, the mining industry suffered severely and many mines were destroyed or went out of business. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievukoITF0pluyO6f4rn7o6UMbBv5hoSmIRAywfbYGT4hFIK9Uo_aBdOErfO0OCWKDp1bbGG6vK6G3HGU3lsdHz0eNKLAVojlm8qImE-QE6itgVCvEG3EmWYVOhRyWueSEdYcoOQTbhBoeJaGTYkS4062HEGQyG1n8bNshYLVhDsfuh1RueEliOxBggw/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20photo%20bldg%20&%20machinery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievukoITF0pluyO6f4rn7o6UMbBv5hoSmIRAywfbYGT4hFIK9Uo_aBdOErfO0OCWKDp1bbGG6vK6G3HGU3lsdHz0eNKLAVojlm8qImE-QE6itgVCvEG3EmWYVOhRyWueSEdYcoOQTbhBoeJaGTYkS4062HEGQyG1n8bNshYLVhDsfuh1RueEliOxBggw/w640-h480/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20photo%20bldg%20&%20machinery.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This initially appeared to me to be a chapel. </b>Although the narrow interior and window shape made it look like a religious building, it was actually <a href="http://repositorio.ugto.mx/bitstream/20.500.12059/7139/1/3550-Texto%20del%20art%C3%ADculo-11770-1-10-20220825.pdf">used to house steam-driven water pumps</a>. <i>La Concordia</i> mining company, owner of the mine in 1887, installed them to stop flooding. Later, the pumps were converted to electricity. The double winch seen above may be the one mentioned in a report that described such equipment being used to haul cages full of workers up and down the shafts. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The last quarter of the 19th century and the first ten years of the 20th were known as the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porfiriato#:~:text=Porfiriato%20as%20a%20historical%20period,-Historians%20have%20investigated&text=That%20major%20economic%20shift%20allowed,in%20societal%20attitudes%20of%20elites.">Porfiriato</a>. </i>Conditions in the mining industry dramatically improved, at least for the owners, if not necessarily for the workers<i>.</i> During those 35 years, the dictator <i>Porfirio Diaz</i> established political stability and actively sought international investments to modernize the nation's infrastructure. Much of this investment came from British and American sources and went into railroads, ports, and particularly the mining industry. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">However, in 1910 the <i>Porfiriato</i> ended with the <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2009/11/mexican-revolution-past-and-present.html?m=1">Revolution</a>, followed by the <a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cristero-rebellion"><i>Cristero</i> War of 1926-29</a>. Various revolts and chaos lasted into the 1930s. Foreign investment evaporated and mining in <i>Guanajuato</i> and much of the rest of Mexico again fell into ruin. Stability finally came back in 1934, with the election of <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4330114585754884758/2603348939600541862">Lázaro Cárdenas</a>, </i>Mexico's version of Franklin Roosevelt. Mining in <i>Guanajuato</i> has never recovered to its former levels, but it still continues and tourism and other industries have helped fill the gap.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 7 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments, please remember to include your email address so that I can reply in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9C5GxRO-wneJ1CkVT7Sy0iT6aU0BebPdzpswK8a9JGdNE1feJtp6AEuetVr0Poav0zLUkz1JhvLmfhFxfvlUzl0e2FyHtsWatTY_5TpmQVRveBxznB9gtDJIfZFczdOUUg_MMxN6K9WXU7dJuXyoZikCBVTIfJe3bmQjMFC028DeduM8CLbcbmp-pQ/s540/MinaDeSanJuanDeRayas-%20circular%20struct3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-55217625135184644242023-04-22T18:59:00.001-06:002023-10-19T16:13:07.901-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 6 of 17: The Peace Plaza and the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEJXnv8TlvSZ3zxlwnDk5jXPZoOmesXwbvwMKP_GAcz7_mkQ4gaOOX0xv3f2-OE3V3ww_WE5zZR_SdLln2yeMFiLwa-_7_GouGWGhAVk6N1JwQiXKO8tSB-Jjnphj6jMIQz1qv5W9dCtfUrCD_5exDKgNMz28Qc22SFyZz7pd0wHt9VQehy_5EdbPWA/s533/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20Statue%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="533" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEJXnv8TlvSZ3zxlwnDk5jXPZoOmesXwbvwMKP_GAcz7_mkQ4gaOOX0xv3f2-OE3V3ww_WE5zZR_SdLln2yeMFiLwa-_7_GouGWGhAVk6N1JwQiXKO8tSB-Jjnphj6jMIQz1qv5W9dCtfUrCD_5exDKgNMz28Qc22SFyZz7pd0wHt9VQehy_5EdbPWA/w640-h480/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20Statue%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Basilica looms over Plaza de la Paz</i></b>. Before the <i>Jardin Union</i> plaza was built, this was the main plaza of <i>Guanajuato</i>. It is probably one of the most photographed sites in the city. This is made easier by the fact that most of the area around it is free of automobile traffic. The surrounding buildings are both historically important and architecturally beautiful, making the <i>Plaza de la Paz</i> particularly photogenic. I took this shot during our earlier 2008 visit. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>In this posting, I will focus on the fascinating history of both the <i>Plaza</i> and the <i>Basilica</i> and the roles they have played throughout Mexico's turbulent past. To locate <i>Plaza de la Paz</i> in a Google interactive map, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pl.+De+La+Paz,+Zona+Centro,+36000+Guanajuato,+Gto.,+Mexico/@21.0165393,-101.2565307,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x842b7408774375bb:0xa6bc2094750c6e57!8m2!3d21.0165343!4d-101.2539558!16s%2Fg%2F11c6sdbh51">click here</a>. </span><span>As you can see on the Google map, the triangular plaza is the <a href="https://en.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/places-to-visit/?nom=eguaplazapaz">convergence point of seven streets</a>. T</span>hree of them are pedestrian-only <i>callejones</i> (alleys). These include <i>Pasaje de los Arcos, Zapateros,</i> and <i>Cuesta de Marqués</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFn96r0ZBXMZnKgH2Pj7BRYKG-e3UG5hw_0QrBQGpJRTxZPyBl56NGGyrBpyzqK_ON-t9pHlMOrWRlbQVjTrYU2X3KnwZmwj1KUABUWcK9ZXXZEOV0WdcYjkUfBptkeQOdJ1NhH6thtaGxX8vQCSLXvAlc3h4zeNnrMERaX26qydtIinXOeak8NKCtg/s540/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20Restaurant%20LaTasca2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="540" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFn96r0ZBXMZnKgH2Pj7BRYKG-e3UG5hw_0QrBQGpJRTxZPyBl56NGGyrBpyzqK_ON-t9pHlMOrWRlbQVjTrYU2X3KnwZmwj1KUABUWcK9ZXXZEOV0WdcYjkUfBptkeQOdJ1NhH6thtaGxX8vQCSLXvAlc3h4zeNnrMERaX26qydtIinXOeak8NKCtg/w640-h458/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20Restaurant%20LaTasca2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Diners enjoy a meal under the red umbrellas of<i> Restaurante La Tasca</i></b>. Several local restaurants take advantage of the pedestrian-only street to set up outdoor dining. Carole and I have eaten at <i><a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-tasca-de-la-paz-guanajuato">La Tasca</a></i> several times during our visits in 2008 and 2022. The food on the mostly Mexican menu was good and reasonably priced. During the early colonial era, this was the administrative hub of the city and the various government buildings included the <i>Real de Minas</i> (Royal Mining District). </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.milenio.com/politica/comunidad/plaza-de-la-paz-un-lugar-para-recorrer-en-guanajuato">In 1858</a>, during the Reform War (1858-61), <i>President Benito Juarez</i> used the area that is now called the <i>Plaza de la Paz</i> to declare <i>Guanajuato</i> to be the capital of Mexico. However, only two years later Juarez won the war and the capital reverted to Mexico City. <a href="https://www.turimexico.com/plaza-la-paz-en-guanajuato/">In 1865</a>, during the French occupation of Mexico (1862-67), work began to construct the present Plaza. However, it did not get its current name until 1903. </span><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKBAA5nSWeQiJDN4Fm7EakRZZphbwb3KyDFOtjVzCRcBO_jX8R1_5YgTXKU-1RqvYLvCHKGQMH7JzrpgUVUaJPPtc2HrjRKFz7n5SwCXS8EwZqQgDsoGvQ14VVLsPoDGbp3uByHBYccmSlhfDWY3x289nsCbL7CSh1MDMJXhZp7HA4NZMgHhkzZGqcA/s720/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20MonDeLaPaz%20fr%20La%20Tasca.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKBAA5nSWeQiJDN4Fm7EakRZZphbwb3KyDFOtjVzCRcBO_jX8R1_5YgTXKU-1RqvYLvCHKGQMH7JzrpgUVUaJPPtc2HrjRKFz7n5SwCXS8EwZqQgDsoGvQ14VVLsPoDGbp3uByHBYccmSlhfDWY3x289nsCbL7CSh1MDMJXhZp7HA4NZMgHhkzZGqcA/w480-h640/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20MonDeLaPaz%20fr%20La%20Tasca.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The Peace Statue, viewed from our table at <i>La Tasca</i></b>. The statue for which the <i>Plaza</i> is named was erected <a href="https://en.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/places-to-visit/?nom=eguaplazapaz">in 1897</a> by the renowned Mexican sculptor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Fructuoso_Contreras"><i>Jesus Contreras</i>.</a> It was made from a combination of bronze, </span>marble, and an easily-carved volcanic stone called <i>cantera</i>. It is surrounded by a lush garden that conforms to the triangular shape of the <i>Plaza</i>. The building behind the statue was once an opulent mansion, but now houses a branch of HSBC bank. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.turimexico.com/plaza-la-paz-en-guanajuato/">In 1903</a>, Mexico's dictator <i>Porfirio Diaz</i> visited Guanajuato to officially inaugurate the statue and its plaza as <i>Plaza de la Paz </i>(the Plaza of Peace). The name commemorated the end of the <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2015/09/mexican-independence-day-whats-it-all.html">Independence War</a> in 1821. <i>Diaz</i> never imagined that, less than eight years later, he would flee the country as it descended into <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2009/11/mexican-revolution-past-and-present.html">two decades of revolution</a> and civil wars that would continue well into the 1930s. So much for peace.<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRw_TIXxo5hCNCJFTORmKm5ovPCMuVwWsnlpE88RPek2G02qWWbWPzVbAeTEXGqLMC_fqf_QvPyhKJNNJHOoGxq-Ko8s79yVvKUCYKDMMrgWCaEOM0gc8myS-daj35be6mtpb-AGafR6oz_hRUBlyOsNEAXFOORJzhm043bNuMR98imutznsStO6fnhw/s540/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20%22G%22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRw_TIXxo5hCNCJFTORmKm5ovPCMuVwWsnlpE88RPek2G02qWWbWPzVbAeTEXGqLMC_fqf_QvPyhKJNNJHOoGxq-Ko8s79yVvKUCYKDMMrgWCaEOM0gc8myS-daj35be6mtpb-AGafR6oz_hRUBlyOsNEAXFOORJzhm043bNuMR98imutznsStO6fnhw/w640-h480/PlazaDeLaPaz-%20%22G%22.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><b>Some of the <i>Plaza's</i> historic and architecturally significant buildings</b>.<span> The </span><span><i>Congreso de Guanajuato</i> (state legislature) occupies t</span><span>he building </span></span></span>with the cupola<span><span> in the background. </span></span><span>Also located around the square are the <i>Palacio Municipal</i>, (city hall), the </span><i>Real de Minas</i><span>, and various mansions once owned by the elite of </span><i>Guanajuato</i><span>.</span></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Basilica colegiata de Nuestra Señor de Guanajuato</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCEOyud-tdtT7lSlMd1ogT0jhu9-W_FsXxVCyJ72kymdwE8jgL3YFDleDKcfoQUeogppGg5oImqcKhWaZjQtmgV97aXKpeC0LrASURoWaEYFKY2GsP_Cmm7dKwoYbZnjVDdXQgEfejC8mH72-65MoZnjmMoDxNoLbhAO9R19vLqhbc-yiPKZTL2wUkA/s514/Basilica-%20ext%20fr%20left%20&%20Plaza.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="514" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCEOyud-tdtT7lSlMd1ogT0jhu9-W_FsXxVCyJ72kymdwE8jgL3YFDleDKcfoQUeogppGg5oImqcKhWaZjQtmgV97aXKpeC0LrASURoWaEYFKY2GsP_Cmm7dKwoYbZnjVDdXQgEfejC8mH72-65MoZnjmMoDxNoLbhAO9R19vLqhbc-yiPKZTL2wUkA/w640-h480/Basilica-%20ext%20fr%20left%20&%20Plaza.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Basilica</i> and <i>Plaza de la Paza</i> gardens</b>. <i>Restaurante la Tasca</i> is out of view to the right. This photo was taken in 2008 and the body of the <i>Basilica</i> has since been painted another color. The left steeple is in the Baroque Churrigueresque style, while the one on the right is Neo-Classic and contains clocks on two of its sides. The rest of the exterior of the Basilica is also a mix of Baroque and Neo-Classic, a result of remodeling over the centuries.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This 17th century church dominates all the rest of the structures around the <i>Plaza</i>, both because of its size and its placement on a low knoll above them. The <i>Basilica's</i> construction <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bas%C3%ADlica_colegiata_de_Nuestra_Se%C3%B1ora_de_Guanajuato">began in 1671 and was completed in 1696</a>. The 25-year span was not unusual for religious construction, since raising money for it was always an on-going effort. The main patrons were the fabulously wealthy owners of the silver mines located in the surrounding mountains. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6hy5H4g7A_h2B--fzm1u4uTO_Od2yZjy_0BTezqdSs6WZoAoYqaao4vmNPgM3ETa3_IcCz6_b0Bw1G7g7hAlkLuCpw_CNLp0QuHZb8lH8wifI-nErwNqS4IK2QHqBf0gnJ2t33UH3-x29zTNp2NF9WOg3s8rosN6CZEL2YFdPiGjK80jwHmAVsO3zQ/s540/Basilica-%20ext%20fr%20lower%20right.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6hy5H4g7A_h2B--fzm1u4uTO_Od2yZjy_0BTezqdSs6WZoAoYqaao4vmNPgM3ETa3_IcCz6_b0Bw1G7g7hAlkLuCpw_CNLp0QuHZb8lH8wifI-nErwNqS4IK2QHqBf0gnJ2t33UH3-x29zTNp2NF9WOg3s8rosN6CZEL2YFdPiGjK80jwHmAVsO3zQ/w640-h480/Basilica-%20ext%20fr%20lower%20right.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The clock tower and right side of the <i>Basilica</i></b>. Sometime before our 2022 visit, the church's exterior color had been re-painted to a light yellowish-tan with rust-colored accents. Wealthy patrons have always played a part in financing church construction in Mexico. However, such patronage was particularly a feature of the Baroque era of 17th and early 18th centuries. In fact, some historians feel that this diversion of resources may have negatively affected the era's economy. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The piety of most of the patrons was probably genuine, but they also wanted to ensure themselves of salvation after death. One reason was their gross exploitation of mine workers, many of whom died from poor working conditions. These included overwork, cave-ins, and exposure to mercury and mine dust. In addition, pay levels decreased in the 18th century, impoverishing workers but greatly enhancing mining profits. The owners thus had good reasons to build these "stairways to heaven".<br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqIl5VJ7cnCgh0ofTQLXX6GcgIg7qO5cWfsIDrC1kYpuqJtzgvOhHQwjbQ68AA2DKHNYDXQWW229f8dte0Ah4UXMrgoOxrgQbB6til7xAa94Th8lth8Pt_ZkclvEMQTD1ONaou6LqOsk8_4_FvkR5d1FORjGFq9dZ08LznegAs1yyKe01YttNgRbTxw/s697/Basilica-%20ext%20entr%20door.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqIl5VJ7cnCgh0ofTQLXX6GcgIg7qO5cWfsIDrC1kYpuqJtzgvOhHQwjbQ68AA2DKHNYDXQWW229f8dte0Ah4UXMrgoOxrgQbB6til7xAa94Th8lth8Pt_ZkclvEMQTD1ONaou6LqOsk8_4_FvkR5d1FORjGFq9dZ08LznegAs1yyKe01YttNgRbTxw/w496-h640/Basilica-%20ext%20entr%20door.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Neo-Classic pilasters frame a Baroque wooden door</b>. A <a href="https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/pilaster">pilaster</a> is a non-load-bearing column which primarily serves as a decorative feature. It is a feature often found in Neo-Classic construction. The four small faces in the upper part of the wooden door are a giveaway of its Baroque style. Two more of these odd, somewhat grotesque faces are located on the two small doors that form the lower part of the larger door.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteIQKLYkp1LIfBd3UTPdAW_t8mBYRYdIjYdbJoj4lNIW_AwrcwlsmsH-6xUfNLYn8mNuj92WJVNVRyFKE7D8YSpVqnQ2pDZ4VMSuYNYSGfzwdG8LL3I-lC24KaVfNMlbT1s0o0ciszKTjr__onFgG4nOS_BH8XV9hll2yw4exyKZtFQ9IZkMC_G_dtw/s540/Basilica-%20int%20nave%20fr%20rt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteIQKLYkp1LIfBd3UTPdAW_t8mBYRYdIjYdbJoj4lNIW_AwrcwlsmsH-6xUfNLYn8mNuj92WJVNVRyFKE7D8YSpVqnQ2pDZ4VMSuYNYSGfzwdG8LL3I-lC24KaVfNMlbT1s0o0ciszKTjr__onFgG4nOS_BH8XV9hll2yw4exyKZtFQ9IZkMC_G_dtw/w640-h480/Basilica-%20int%20nave%20fr%20rt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View of the <i>Basilica'</i>s single nave. </b>The main altar can be seen at the far end. The decor of the interior of the church was remodeled into Neo-Classic style, probably during the late 18th and 19th centuries. The floor plan is in the form of a Latin Cross, with side chapels at either end of the cross. The main dome covers the area in front of the altar where the nave is crossed. To me, the most interesting feature of the church interior was the statue adorning the main altar area.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdNQGi8bDmlG2026R6YXCzN6hFN2gud9M8f8Z4n8DK2Yc5CDJkphChPq6XOvMSXgk-gFj3eHfNnp_krjHdeot1H9jKTrFWpyNBeb_6mmHHBsYpYoP1WFnGhgFHxyiBrXSVaMi5pHrh4jRGIXc-Am0d7KPZO2nOQUQBrNUbaswYcKzRHpMn1EVbULRaw/s719/Basilica-%20int%20altar%20statue2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdNQGi8bDmlG2026R6YXCzN6hFN2gud9M8f8Z4n8DK2Yc5CDJkphChPq6XOvMSXgk-gFj3eHfNnp_krjHdeot1H9jKTrFWpyNBeb_6mmHHBsYpYoP1WFnGhgFHxyiBrXSVaMi5pHrh4jRGIXc-Am0d7KPZO2nOQUQBrNUbaswYcKzRHpMn1EVbULRaw/w480-h640/Basilica-%20int%20altar%20statue2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The statue of <i>Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato</i></b>. She is the patron of <i>Guanajuato</i> and is considered to be the oldest piece of Christian art in Mexico. The cedar wood statue is beautifully carved and painted. According to legend, local Christians hid it in Granada, Spain, when the <a href="https://www.andalucia.com/history/moorish-invasion">Muslim Moors invaded in 711 AD</a> and overthrew the Visigoth kingdom. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">If it was already in existence and revered when the Moors arrived, the statue may be considerably older than the 8th century. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1492, the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconquista">Reconquista</a></i> (Re-Conquest) by King <i>Fernando</i> and Queen <i>Isabela</i> finally expelled the Moors. Shortly after this, they approved the first voyage of Christopher Columbus. His discoveries resulted in the conquest of Mexico and, ultimately, the shipment of huge amounts of silver to Spain. Much of this wealth ended up in the Crown coffers of <i>Fernando</i> and <i>Isabela</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Their successors, King <i>Carlos I</i> and his son <i>Felipe II</i> donated the statue to <i>Guanajuato</i> in 1557 in recognition of the city's success in silver mining. Originally housed in the <i>Templo de Belén</i> (<a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2023/04/guanajuato-revisited-part-4-templo-de.html">see Part 4</a>), the statue was later moved to the <i>Basilica</i>.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOeRlPFhY-Of-LKmfocqLil1dd4fXfD-B3GfzOxBTAfC7C566lMwlK-uk-uxpQftt7Euk85rTBJtyRWLHHoGpSmDXhT6Py5zsmUnSkW0QhUeWL0rRKT6YIICY20gTxLOs-rmdABwham1p2--puRSoS-JCNFP24B3e82OHDCSv9jWQFm76pyGVz2KoNg/s540/Basilica-%20int%20nave%20pulpit%20&%20choir%20loft.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOeRlPFhY-Of-LKmfocqLil1dd4fXfD-B3GfzOxBTAfC7C566lMwlK-uk-uxpQftt7Euk85rTBJtyRWLHHoGpSmDXhT6Py5zsmUnSkW0QhUeWL0rRKT6YIICY20gTxLOs-rmdABwham1p2--puRSoS-JCNFP24B3e82OHDCSv9jWQFm76pyGVz2KoNg/w640-h480/Basilica-%20int%20nave%20pulpit%20&%20choir%20loft.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The ceiling, choir loft, and pulpit are richly decorated</b>. Many of the paintings adorning the walls of the church were the work of <i><a href="https://nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/artists/miguel-cabrera">Miguel Mateo Maldonado y Cabrera</a></i> (1695-1768). During his lifetime, he was considered the greatest artist in all of <i>Nueva España</i> (colonial Mexico). </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In addition to the religious work he created for the Church he painted many secular works for the colonial elite. A mestizo himself (mixed native and Spanish), some of <i>Miguel Cabrera's</i> finest works depict the result of intermarriage between native people, Spaniards, and Africans. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAN1C4_tpJ7HVDWwoJu-1Z5s3AcZxPDJL0AXXFgni5nTjFOoWKOGFFO5Aza-VD8T4Cs5uz8_Q7_mR2tZ3QK8LNj1OtBqFQafU80h2-oPyA0aU5uwiFe7S-kXH9WcZo2mLZ8q99lCbNQUAxvPvJrAgN6dF8NdAoGmFLqX5IJVIlkm-V2LU3GZaHiCuHTA/s720/Basilica-%20int%20side%20chapel%20blue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAN1C4_tpJ7HVDWwoJu-1Z5s3AcZxPDJL0AXXFgni5nTjFOoWKOGFFO5Aza-VD8T4Cs5uz8_Q7_mR2tZ3QK8LNj1OtBqFQafU80h2-oPyA0aU5uwiFe7S-kXH9WcZo2mLZ8q99lCbNQUAxvPvJrAgN6dF8NdAoGmFLqX5IJVIlkm-V2LU3GZaHiCuHTA/w480-h640/Basilica-%20int%20side%20chapel%20blue.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>One of the two side chapels at the ends of the nave's cross</b>. The statue in the center is Jesus. Unidentified saints stand on either side. The eight columns that frame the statues are unadorned, except for their corinthian capitals. This and other features, such as the finials in the form of vases along the top, mark the chapel as part of the Neo-Classic remodeling.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 6 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series. I hope you enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, please remember to include your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim </span><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-31373928987164280132023-04-10T19:13:00.002-06:002023-10-19T16:12:38.503-06:00Guanajato Revisited Part 5 of 17: Ex-Hacienda del Cochero's peaceful garden conceals a torture center <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHeXsFKW5-a-92rg00hCQ1pr5yNrvzwFBTG-4g2093oFcsZ6xMexEqBy2N0fyYqndmeeXt4sHEgSDyprW9_DotNXqf4Ilh9Jr7o7hbMGN4tQ1wyV4sYV80fyLLAvOpdWym8DoU-UjQR5N0xB9Yy0CK-xg2UbAR5II-msp777pX6TupDd9IzOAdP-png/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20entr%20&%20Carole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="540" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHeXsFKW5-a-92rg00hCQ1pr5yNrvzwFBTG-4g2093oFcsZ6xMexEqBy2N0fyYqndmeeXt4sHEgSDyprW9_DotNXqf4Ilh9Jr7o7hbMGN4tQ1wyV4sYV80fyLLAvOpdWym8DoU-UjQR5N0xB9Yy0CK-xg2UbAR5II-msp777pX6TupDd9IzOAdP-png/w640-h542/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20entr%20&%20Carole.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Carole stands at the entrance of the <i>Museo</i> <i>Ex-Hacienda del Cochero</i></b>. In my last posting, we looked at the <i>Templo Belén</i>, the last remains of a c<i>onvento</i> run by a Catholic religious Order known as the Brothers of Our Lady of Bethlehem or the <i>Betlemites</i>. They were responsible for building and running hospitals for the poor in <i>Guanajuato</i> and elsewhere in Mexico and Latin America. These efforts provided great benefits to the communities in which the <i>Betlemites</i> worked.</span><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>In this posting we will take a look at </span>the dark side of Catholicism in Spain and Spanish colonial Mexico. <a href="https://reconditosite.wordpress.com/2017/06/16/hacienda-del-cochero/">In 1954, <i>Manuel Valenzuela</i></a> found implements of torture and human remains hidden in tunnels under <i>Ex-Hacienda del Cochero</i> (Hacienda of the Coachman). These were the remains of a secret torture center linked to the Spanish Inquisition. </span>For a Google map showing the location of <i>Museo Ex-Hacienda del Cochero</i>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/museo+hacienda+del+cochero,+guanajuato/@21.0369579,-101.2577811,17z/data=!3m1!4b1">click here</a>.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The <i>Ex-Hacienda's</i> peaceful garden</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3CWlkgWMCjd5DOVGKYPyNC5sU7M5hYg0wMqKPIBeGkx5nMjRd-h1sBkvbEAp520A9njM0E0NfAzgrmS9HyFoRpNSub4k7sWOHZPDog7qKgXBxaePeU2tO4eWvGmAvGg2fkKmJ5U09CWw2JRlyEvK8iQ8DO4-EinyDZy__T-AmCHsQpeje5IMwJPqbg/s720/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20garden%20statue%20San%20Francisco.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3CWlkgWMCjd5DOVGKYPyNC5sU7M5hYg0wMqKPIBeGkx5nMjRd-h1sBkvbEAp520A9njM0E0NfAzgrmS9HyFoRpNSub4k7sWOHZPDog7qKgXBxaePeU2tO4eWvGmAvGg2fkKmJ5U09CWw2JRlyEvK8iQ8DO4-EinyDZy__T-AmCHsQpeje5IMwJPqbg/w480-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20garden%20statue%20San%20Francisco.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Statue of <i>San Francisco de Assisi</i></b>. <i>San Francisco</i> was a peaceful, acetic man who established a religious Order devoted to <a href="https://www.marian.edu/blog/posts/marian-blog/2018/02/02/what-is-a-franciscan#:~:text=Franciscan%20traditions%20are%20steeped%20in,live%20in%20poverty%20and%20misery.">charity, benevolence, and selflessness</a>. He is reputed to have loved animals and is usually shown accompanied by birds or small mammals, like the squirrel at his feet. The statue is within the lush garden just inside the entrance of the 17th century <i>hacienda. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The museum has a fee of $45 pesos/person ($2.47 USD) and is open from 10 AM to 7 PM, Monday to Sunday. There are guides dressed as monks who will conduct you on a short tour, but we decided to just wander through on our own.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeQqn9TGZVQYOyRB9aXki53EtFBuWLxGpVvSs68q9Faps2ZS6_dBDk9TAKvQyWSYY2yJBSu6ercQ16fZyd9KuuVkodK2HzghkF4of2MhQO2-BZDzfyIUFCWIz-leixDNwQjp7t60JGYncP37roSoGjvjkMIGFJ_ZAwKezNsjmAMtvMGQGAspV1lmb2A/s720/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20holy%20water%20wall%20container.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeQqn9TGZVQYOyRB9aXki53EtFBuWLxGpVvSs68q9Faps2ZS6_dBDk9TAKvQyWSYY2yJBSu6ercQ16fZyd9KuuVkodK2HzghkF4of2MhQO2-BZDzfyIUFCWIz-leixDNwQjp7t60JGYncP37roSoGjvjkMIGFJ_ZAwKezNsjmAMtvMGQGAspV1lmb2A/w480-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20holy%20water%20wall%20container.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A font for holy water hangs on the wall near the entrance</b>. These containers are also called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_water_font">stoups</a>. It appears to be of the 17th century Baroque style, although it is not clear that this was its original location. I was intrigued by the small, winged creature crouched in the conch shell above the bowl. What it represents and why it is in a holy water font is a mystery to me.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBvpmClZR8R_ckZcxe9phuF2nlDdqiqtYE70GQWZHD7sOYuTGx0UsavKFmoMdMDVkhfIEIgZwZ84utYngabrXgPV3rZv7zPruHsDQJJJq1xu6b6VYiI9jWej3xDdmLiwl2e2Vay3Dz6PM1OhfQqAxZodzojNB-dDduzdREDIiOoQ6WolO00yJOn6e-A/s776/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20garden%20sculpture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBvpmClZR8R_ckZcxe9phuF2nlDdqiqtYE70GQWZHD7sOYuTGx0UsavKFmoMdMDVkhfIEIgZwZ84utYngabrXgPV3rZv7zPruHsDQJJJq1xu6b6VYiI9jWej3xDdmLiwl2e2Vay3Dz6PM1OhfQqAxZodzojNB-dDduzdREDIiOoQ6WolO00yJOn6e-A/w446-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20garden%20sculpture.jpg" width="446" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A possible sundial stands in the middle of the garden</b>. I wasn't sure what this was at first, but finally decided it must be an old sundial. The placement of sundials in hacienda gardens and courtyards was a common practice, both as a decoration and as a practical way to tell time on a sunny day.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><i>Hacienda del Cochero</i> was established in 1696 in the hills to the north of </span><i>Guanajuato</i><span>. The founder was </span><i>José de Sardaneta Legaspi y Muños del Castillo. </i><span>Like many Spaniards in the 17th century, he and his family and various relatives had emigrated to </span><i>Nueva España</i><span> (Mexico) to seek their fortunes in the mining business. In 1715, </span><i>José's</i><span> wife </span><i>Rosa Maria</i><span> gave birth to a son, </span><i>Vicente Manuel de Sardaneta y Legaspi</i><span>, under whom the family's fortunes skyrocketed.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVqfa0f9VynWfi6hJs0SZsY54g2CC8Wu18JewizZy3obvdczEgHXwO4de8NHjxZZtTGlLhobHFwjrHVHxqEQ1u0grfkbu32vI2G4cv4WocZn7RS0PF9R_bxUUZkjc-5OirefrCsAnZa25oG4wpkhLY6O_RM3SqDhTLYswbnzPhDtqMBtFrsFpdJMMMw/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20ore%20cart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVqfa0f9VynWfi6hJs0SZsY54g2CC8Wu18JewizZy3obvdczEgHXwO4de8NHjxZZtTGlLhobHFwjrHVHxqEQ1u0grfkbu32vI2G4cv4WocZn7RS0PF9R_bxUUZkjc-5OirefrCsAnZa25oG4wpkhLY6O_RM3SqDhTLYswbnzPhDtqMBtFrsFpdJMMMw/w640-h480/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20ore%20cart.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Carts like this moved ore from deep in the mines to the surface</b>. <i>Hacienda del Cochero</i> was the type of operation known as a <i>hacienda de beneficio. </i>These were operations which refined ore into ingots, in this case silver. Most of the ingots were sent by mule train to Mexico City and then on to Spain. About a third of it went to the Far East to purchase the luxury goods brought back on the <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mgtr/hd_mgtr.htm">Manila Galleons</a>. The vast amounts of silver produced in <i>Guanajuato</i> and other mining centers transformed Spain into a superpower. </span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;">The Spanish Crown directly benefited both from a percentage of each ingot produced and from <a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/hahr/article/50/4/665/152577/Mexican-Silver-Mining-in-the-Eighteenth-Century">monopoly control over mercury</a>, which was vital to the refinement process. Thus, success in the mining business not only made a man rich but won him great favor with Spanish kings. <i>José's</i> son <i>Vicente</i> was one of these and <a href="http://colonialmexico.blogspot.com/2017/11/silver-chapels-of-guanajuato-rayas.html">in 1774 he was elevated</a> by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-III-king-of-Spain">King <i>Carlos III</i></a> to the position of 1st <i>Marqués de San Juan de Raya</i>. A <i>marqués</i> is</span> the second highest rank of nobility, just below duke. <span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl-kBxJrkgN3Et_ridCsN0Rr_uay46YEFT-r59GZlk4ob3Ojz6g-cPbS2Y7STgGIzPDjnmc3xqTPp1HK4CwUcPPzQlB2MzBCGpEaKsQLCd5IbTGBMU8trjp522Qd9uel07ru-L6KoWhimvLkoSkZG-Vw9RHSdWeUA7G1Nf1rMPR5stID0LursUxyjIA/s790/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20grave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl-kBxJrkgN3Et_ridCsN0Rr_uay46YEFT-r59GZlk4ob3Ojz6g-cPbS2Y7STgGIzPDjnmc3xqTPp1HK4CwUcPPzQlB2MzBCGpEaKsQLCd5IbTGBMU8trjp522Qd9uel07ru-L6KoWhimvLkoSkZG-Vw9RHSdWeUA7G1Nf1rMPR5stID0LursUxyjIA/w438-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20grave.jpg" width="438" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A small cemetery occupies one corner of the garden</b>. It isn't clear who is buried here, but the graveyard is described as "particular", which may indicate that these are family graves. A close examination of this gravestone reveals only three undamaged and intelligible words of Spanish: <i>Fallecio...</i>(Died...) and <i>Recuerdo de...</i> (Memory of...). The stone is decorated with an angel clutching a child to its breast and two shells with small, writhing snakes nearby.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In addition to owning mines and <i>haciendas de beneficio</i>, <i>Vicente</i> possessed agricultural and livestock haciendas which he used to provide supplies to his mining operations. To protect and enhance all this, he held various powerful positions within <i>Guanajuato's</i> government between 1743-87. These included city council member, ordinary mayor, and attorney general. In fact, his father and uncles had occupied similar positions, as did his sons after him, all as part of the <i>Sardaneta</i> family business. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarV8YoO-sGRlINdE31ZuQJ8nw-ULlr5V7DzQzt8-gbQxyv_dD2GU2wGvT-sN3AoFrLNw_kztdbmVZOmd-MZVlL4jLSyrynQ8ssrYe05kni_U-kECFQ7ci7vFZYitPoefljHyZyzSHOZNjLlZ_3Vfp2wzLalaaMFqwl8mZNdk5LmuFMcYMZbDCcbuLvA/s736/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20girl%20w:mummy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarV8YoO-sGRlINdE31ZuQJ8nw-ULlr5V7DzQzt8-gbQxyv_dD2GU2wGvT-sN3AoFrLNw_kztdbmVZOmd-MZVlL4jLSyrynQ8ssrYe05kni_U-kECFQ7ci7vFZYitPoefljHyZyzSHOZNjLlZ_3Vfp2wzLalaaMFqwl8mZNdk5LmuFMcYMZbDCcbuLvA/w470-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20girl%20w:mummy.jpg" width="470" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A pretty girl and her best friend, the mummy</b>. This was the first sign of the bizarre world we were about to enter. This photo hung on the wall near the entry to the dungeon below the garden. A caption below the photo identified the live girl as <i>Magdalena Moreno</i> and the photo as taken in the <i>Tricolor</i> studio. The mummy's identity was not given. Given the live girl's clothing, the shot was probably taken in the mid-20th century. Apparently photos like this were popular at that time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Vicente</i> was also connected to the Church in important ways. His brother <i>Joaquin</i> was a Jesuit priest and <i>Vicente</i> himself held the position of mayor of the Holy Brotherhood during various periods between 1755 and 1770. He soon became a friend of <i>Fernando de Miera</i>, Inquisitor of the Holy Office. Blasphemers, heretics, witches, and anyone suspected of opposing Catholicism were brought before the Holy Office Tribunal for trial. In those days, such trials were preceded by torture.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Descent into a nightmare</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4O0TBLQEihKqqM7vtCAm2sBRJkP1NBgOPyHDx2FYZ6OcN3uklY3_d8lBGHiA_3aNwOEDMWXup-zL53Elq5Zc8Qj5ZNFfmFfFuX3z55BwfX8nFVm2BEHEqMG33QeA6GDyc5j9W14ceMBooKpU00AKZqarBCEbZdFMnKfTlwmIIpP-pkqTdmv6gDdeqg/s608/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20armor%20&%20weapons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4O0TBLQEihKqqM7vtCAm2sBRJkP1NBgOPyHDx2FYZ6OcN3uklY3_d8lBGHiA_3aNwOEDMWXup-zL53Elq5Zc8Qj5ZNFfmFfFuX3z55BwfX8nFVm2BEHEqMG33QeA6GDyc5j9W14ceMBooKpU00AKZqarBCEbZdFMnKfTlwmIIpP-pkqTdmv6gDdeqg/w568-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20armor%20&%20weapons.jpg" width="568" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Armor, weapons, and torture tools were set into a wall niche. </b>We left the garden above and proceeded down a winding stone stairway. Part way down we encountered this display. A steel breastplate decorated with a coat-of-arms and two fleur-de-lys occupies the center space. It is surrounded by a manacle dangling from a chain, a candelabra (symbolizing the Church?), a flintlock pistol, and a hand bellows used to make torture instruments red-hot.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The Inquisitor <i>Fernando de Miera</i> needed someplace quiet, secret, and just outside the city for convenience. Somewhere that the screams of his victims would not unduly disturb the citizenry. His friendship with <i>Vicente Sardaneta</i> led to the offer of the cellar under <i>Hacienda del Cochero</i>. It would be the perfect site for eliciting the confessions that nearly always followed <i>de Miera's</i> interrogation style.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjb-kUu12_JvIiNoFGI3aWujEAvKlLzDQufly_eB9uQZxSYXQm1Zg10mF01B3CllYm2pPefvldfSYeuJlFwLhvekCQQvrTgU1nfN3Ihamug2tDToLxuRye8SF3RITA6HMjW9SEy8S67YZ9udLhTKkgesgVzboesGsehXx5yQaQWBsN3V6yOcUoQ0gBg/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20prisoner%20in%20cell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjb-kUu12_JvIiNoFGI3aWujEAvKlLzDQufly_eB9uQZxSYXQm1Zg10mF01B3CllYm2pPefvldfSYeuJlFwLhvekCQQvrTgU1nfN3Ihamug2tDToLxuRye8SF3RITA6HMjW9SEy8S67YZ9udLhTKkgesgVzboesGsehXx5yQaQWBsN3V6yOcUoQ0gBg/w640-h480/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20prisoner%20in%20cell.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>At the bottom of the stairs, we encountered this cell</b>. In it, a figure dressed in a rough robe hunches over a table lit with a single lamp. The figure's outstretched right hand shows that it is a skeleton. While various human remains were found when the cellar was excavated in 1954, few of the remains displayed today are real. However, the <a href="https://reconditosite.wordpress.com/2017/06/16/hacienda-del-cochero/">torture tools are original</a> and almost certainly were used to their full potential. In the background is a brazier for heating the tools. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One source claims the cellar was being used for torture as early as 1700. However, <i>Vicente</i> was born in 1715 and didn't become a friend of <i>Fernando de Mieda</i> until many years later, so that early date seems unlikely. <a href="https://mxcity.mx/2020/05/ex-hacienda-del-cochero-o-museo-de-la-santa-inquisicion/">Another source</a> sets the date for the beginning of torture at 1764 and this seems to better fit the overall timescale. Apparently the site was used for these purposes for a relatively short period and this probably accounts for the fact that its secret was kept for 210 years. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3wyygY4ic-92yk_cyxKmmwckEwfBgNg0aMvB6ZM4sB73n4F6yLRuHSTnTatUn0eZExx6iJzyT1-GiVMQs6yS58U8yQ6Hf_WO9GGLDQbKvspy5eBP6DRHZLiBfRMxLXpHmG1Sf0nzpXLC8d2NQ6FJz4eBxF_hfA9eoZexWekmiIt6RDlFY0X4ehzmRg/s684/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20prisoner%20in%20garrotte.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3wyygY4ic-92yk_cyxKmmwckEwfBgNg0aMvB6ZM4sB73n4F6yLRuHSTnTatUn0eZExx6iJzyT1-GiVMQs6yS58U8yQ6Hf_WO9GGLDQbKvspy5eBP6DRHZLiBfRMxLXpHmG1Sf0nzpXLC8d2NQ6FJz4eBxF_hfA9eoZexWekmiIt6RDlFY0X4ehzmRg/w506-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20prisoner%20in%20garrotte.jpg" width="506" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Garrotte</i> was used for both torture and execution</b>. The man sitting on the chair has his hands bound behind a wooden post. He has been fitted with a collar of iron (or possibly leather) around his neck, called a <a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2006/05/merciful-but-messy-alternatives-to-lethal-injection.html#:~:text=An%20early%20attempt%20at%20ensuring,strangled%20with%20a%20sharp%20cord."><i>garrotte</i></a>. The collar is attached through the post to a lever behind it. As the lever is pulled back the collar tightens around the throat, slowly strangling the victim. Pressure can be applied or released at will by the torturer, thus prolonging the suffering or causing a quick death. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span>The Inquisition was <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/religion/inquisition#spanish-inquisition">first implemented by Pope Lucius III</a> in 1184 against the <i>Cathars</i>, a</span></span><i> </i><span>non-Catholic sect of </span>Christians<span> </span>based in southern France. Its purpose was to </span>enforce adherence to Catholicism and the Church found this method so useful in exerting its power that the practice lasted until 1834. In Spain, the Inquisition was first used in 1480, when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella forced the Jews to convert to Catholicism or be deported. Those who back-slid faced the Inquisitors.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_Pi65U9sU5jfdWA6Dj24WqtCXNSXvbDAoNqIYuwcL4fvMNkMwTDWPzSao-uJj6Pj6voTFn-Gv0cp37d_uktLeq-QBE79nkdkdNs_gCvKEI5tEuToYK5nGR41Hr7j6oqbLU7xrduO0XZC5evujh9Y4qatZ709DSV4xRYPt8YuVk6d7ZIeTfknEiJB7w/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20bucket%20suspended.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="540" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_Pi65U9sU5jfdWA6Dj24WqtCXNSXvbDAoNqIYuwcL4fvMNkMwTDWPzSao-uJj6Pj6voTFn-Gv0cp37d_uktLeq-QBE79nkdkdNs_gCvKEI5tEuToYK5nGR41Hr7j6oqbLU7xrduO0XZC5evujh9Y4qatZ709DSV4xRYPt8YuVk6d7ZIeTfknEiJB7w/w640-h638/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20bucket%20suspended.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A metal pot hangs over a table waiting for the next victim</b>. The pot may have been filled with hot liquids or glowing coals meant to be spread over a naked, strapped-down body. Two more implements of torture are shown against the wall in back. The chair on the left appears to be another version of a <i>garrotte</i>, while the device on the right is one of the infamous "racks" often referred to in medieval torture literature.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Fernando de Aragon</i> and <i>Isabela de Castille</i> had married in 1469. A decade later, they <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/marriage-of-ferdinand-and-isabella/">linked their kingdoms</a> and unified Spain for the first time in 700 years. Under their leadership, the <i>Reconquista</i> (Re-conquest) finally captured Moorish Granada in 1492. Isabella was a religious fanatic and used the Inquisition to persecute not only Jews but the remaining Moors. Shortly after Granada, the royal pair agreed to finance a speculative voyage by an obscure Italian named Christopher Columbus. <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9Emak89xrVQjdqk7wq6Ghjss9qzsJ04AlWgcG8p0uLJF1gN-n8pLQ3DMXfTfr9wiRgd8JSUTWK15qDnic0ANQZ0MNHWU8qm-x9DUiczhqNcrjASYEKHSX00yH83lCQ4_6FCmD-k-WuIlkBv172JkoGO4NSomjCxdmG2jZ1pwXvnZg011iZIwTfqDbQ/s734/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20skeleton%20on%20rack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9Emak89xrVQjdqk7wq6Ghjss9qzsJ04AlWgcG8p0uLJF1gN-n8pLQ3DMXfTfr9wiRgd8JSUTWK15qDnic0ANQZ0MNHWU8qm-x9DUiczhqNcrjASYEKHSX00yH83lCQ4_6FCmD-k-WuIlkBv172JkoGO4NSomjCxdmG2jZ1pwXvnZg011iZIwTfqDbQ/w470-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20skeleton%20on%20rack.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Rack was a device used to pull people apart at their joints</b>. The body is stretched along <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_(torture)">the rack</a>, with manacles on its wrists and ankles. These are, in turn, connected to chains at the top and bottom of the rack. The top chains extend to a winch. When wound, the winch pulls the arms and legs in opposite directions and the body is ultimately disarticulated at every joint. If done gradually, the agonizing effect was considered a good way to get the Inquisitor's questions answered.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Members of the Dominican Order arrived in <i>Nueva España</i> in 1525, and were viewed at the time as both intellectuals and agents of the Inquisition. However, the colony's first Bishop, <i>Juan de Zumárraga</i>, was a Franciscan and it was he who initiated the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Inquisition#:~:text=The%20Mexican%20Inquisition%20was%20an%20extension%20of%20the%20events%20that,and%20tightened%20discipline%20and%20practice.">first prosecution under the Inquisition</a> in 1536. It was not against a Spanish heretic, but an indigenous shaman named <i>Ocelote</i> ("ocelot"). He had continued to practice his traditional beliefs, but these were viewed by the Spanish as devil worship.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoN0sQmqgriGQSN-RRldZnRC8ZB01TyIdHi5OMfz5qLOQezTUT6Wo461kewbYKGOME3VhyomXWvdxftXmGsRWQRBNdn6ddIOzwURpY-pr0XSGN8nJsGDeIp8bN57K8h4Mxej7sK8kcZzN7rFjT84xpNfpVrhHUzfWfoJZxcaJftb5pG6M0FqFKGKNVw/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20torture%20tools.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="540" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoN0sQmqgriGQSN-RRldZnRC8ZB01TyIdHi5OMfz5qLOQezTUT6Wo461kewbYKGOME3VhyomXWvdxftXmGsRWQRBNdn6ddIOzwURpY-pr0XSGN8nJsGDeIp8bN57K8h4Mxej7sK8kcZzN7rFjT84xpNfpVrhHUzfWfoJZxcaJftb5pG6M0FqFKGKNVw/w640-h616/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20torture%20tools.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Head Crusher could also result in a slow and agonizing death</b>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_crusher">head crusher</a> used a metal cap that was fitted over the top of the victim's skull, with a strap under the chin. A winch was turned from above, gradually forcing the cap down and crushing the skull, teeth, mandible and facial bones. Bored torturers would sometimes amuse themselves by tapping on the metal cap with a hammer.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">During the early years of colonization, mass evangelization was far more prevalent than the use of the inquisition method. However, both were aimed at ensuring the success of the "Spiritual Conquest", which provided the ideological underpinning of the military conquest. Fundamentally, both had the same aim: enforcing Spanish civil and religious power. As time went on, native resistance to the new religion lessened and the authorities turned their attention back to heretics. <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu1Q91WhqSeQYML0PXQ68z_O5BLvbmOGJ2O-sd1ciXq6D8wVGiOBBerazk-XqGCjTr9TeJlxMYalfqHoIbpiaeGB_BSFE5NgUQDKMGdmeU64eAzBrSPxdYFLNqaARFKJun2mOepiE_CyXupk_uMWmyKxOYx_3OOJ5pRGTV10AQPRQdwKZPPiHdqYkjQ/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20torture%20wheel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu1Q91WhqSeQYML0PXQ68z_O5BLvbmOGJ2O-sd1ciXq6D8wVGiOBBerazk-XqGCjTr9TeJlxMYalfqHoIbpiaeGB_BSFE5NgUQDKMGdmeU64eAzBrSPxdYFLNqaARFKJun2mOepiE_CyXupk_uMWmyKxOYx_3OOJ5pRGTV10AQPRQdwKZPPiHdqYkjQ/w640-h480/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20torture%20wheel.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Breaking Wheel was widely used for centuries.</b> The first reported use of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_wheel">Breaking Wheel</a> was in the 6th century and its last victim was in 1841. The victim would be strapped to a large wheel, sometimes taken from a wagon. As the wheel was turned, he would be savagely beaten with clubs on the arms and legs until all were thoroughly broken. While this ultimately caused death, the process was very slow and sometimes the person survived for 3 or 4 days before expiring.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The context of the Spanish Inquisition is important. Martin Luther launched the Protestant Reformation in 1517, only two years before Cortéz invaded the Aztec Empire. The rise of Protestantism led to the <a href="https://www.learnreligions.com/counter-reformation-definition-4129718#:~:text=The%20Counter-Reformation%20was%20a%20period%20of%20spiritual%2C%20moral%2C,1648%20%28the%20end%20of%20the%20Thirty%20Years%27%20War%29.">Catholic Counter-Reformation of 1545</a>. Torture and executions for adhering to the wrong side were widespread on both sides during the following two centuries. The 17th century Spaniards were recognized at the time as particularly avid and creative in these practices.<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGXnrNzPNVaXICJv5I2mOZOz2hz0He23TtFXcheG-M3ekY6veKtS2Nqe_b39A8WPrsECkWvfx_8QBRzEwEEkt5nqXawzL7jMCnAHbP5h5AgvNDdlSF7SFw7Z6hrkjtbY4FR7i0_vN3rtpg5UYAMPTPRbXxR3JaxY5k42emNeO0ogu4ApWxRotnyGQxg/s651/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20Skeleton%20on%20wall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGXnrNzPNVaXICJv5I2mOZOz2hz0He23TtFXcheG-M3ekY6veKtS2Nqe_b39A8WPrsECkWvfx_8QBRzEwEEkt5nqXawzL7jMCnAHbP5h5AgvNDdlSF7SFw7Z6hrkjtbY4FR7i0_vN3rtpg5UYAMPTPRbXxR3JaxY5k42emNeO0ogu4ApWxRotnyGQxg/w530-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20Skeleton%20on%20wall.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A skeleton of a prisoner was left chained to the wall in this cell</b>. Probably this represents someone who was tortured until he confessed, then sentenced to death by the Holy Tribunal, and finally left to die in his cell. A modern person might ask, how could human beings do these things to one another? Were people so different several hundred years ago? </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>We have only to remember the 21st century torture centers run by the C.I.A. </span>to understand that ordinary people will commit the most heinous acts against helpless victims when they perceive they are doing it under "proper authority". In fact, the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2012/01/23/145512271/the-inquisition-a-model-for-modern-interrogators">C.I.A. used similar, and sometimes identical, torture methods</a> as the Spanish Inquisitors. These included waterboarding, stress positions, and savage beatings. The only difference was that the C.I.A usually didn't kill their victims. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdObO96_upksJ80yyu1q3lYT6ZyPq8xvPOGOq17576w5z6r37Epp5PlRvg5tPOzj-T_26WDA1YyAy6Dv9-Vtza8WIi1F5Zt7Bk5yFjnoCLzgA4t2FuSoq2aTy2kiLioSHCxn9xblloVjIzpsqHQ3seszDfuwr6RriuWape4F6f16dxJlPyqDfT0pdazg/s720/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20guillotine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdObO96_upksJ80yyu1q3lYT6ZyPq8xvPOGOq17576w5z6r37Epp5PlRvg5tPOzj-T_26WDA1YyAy6Dv9-Vtza8WIi1F5Zt7Bk5yFjnoCLzgA4t2FuSoq2aTy2kiLioSHCxn9xblloVjIzpsqHQ3seszDfuwr6RriuWape4F6f16dxJlPyqDfT0pdazg/w480-h640/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20guillotine.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>guillotine</i> above was meant for execution, not torture</b>. The hole in the block was for the victim's neck. The top half of the block would be raised so that the head of the reclining person could fit through. The top was then dropped down to pin the person in place. The angled blade was pulled to the top of the slide and, at a signal, was dropped. The heavy blade neatly sliced the neck and dropped the head into a basket between the legs of the device. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine">The <i>guillotine</i></a> had been invented as a more humane method of execution than the Breaking Wheel, which it replaced. The new device did bring almost instant death, but it also enabled many rapid executions in a row, such as occurred during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution. The revolutionaries viewed the guillotine favorably, not because of its "humanity" but because it eliminated social distinctions in how people were executed. King or peasant, your head ended up in the same basket.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b5-sMBzFun-QodnMF-hva0gOzPajQYEtsEMANnOvNYWTW6SO-kf8N1cszPpVUjLJxzAKS-GltnyFNXSJfKcSC2P-RD0poqCCJF9ozxjnx-cqu4OYEiVgJWJePa0DfqozJNvtlpPNwToI3jvvu8cqCX-33-wlzDxAwcCqmv0ZVnr06c8j-2_v5M1Tqw/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20body%20in%20coffin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b5-sMBzFun-QodnMF-hva0gOzPajQYEtsEMANnOvNYWTW6SO-kf8N1cszPpVUjLJxzAKS-GltnyFNXSJfKcSC2P-RD0poqCCJF9ozxjnx-cqu4OYEiVgJWJePa0DfqozJNvtlpPNwToI3jvvu8cqCX-33-wlzDxAwcCqmv0ZVnr06c8j-2_v5M1Tqw/w640-h480/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20body%20in%20coffin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The mummy in the coffin may be part of the original remains. </b>It appears to be a real mummy, but there was no sign indicating whether this is true. If it is real, it is also not clear whether the mummy was part of the human remains found when the cellar was excavated in the 1950s.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>So, was </span><i>Vicente Manuel de Sardaneta y Legaspi, </i><span>1st <i>Marqués de San Juan de Raya, </i>directly involved in the torture activities conducted in the cellar of his hacienda? Certainly, he would have known about it. However it is most likely that he was an occasional spectator rather than a hands-on participant. Any questioning of the victims would have been conducted by the Inquisitor, <i>Fernando de Miera</i>. The pain of the victims would have been inflicted by specialists.</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxseD4hc_Wauj_CMoPVcIdIJ-boGPMBdpGdfWddIQTm2S7EHvIJyCKK4wg3ATuL8oQBW-c8cybCSjuM9OAAmVHQ6e-567nMozk3Fee68U1ogA2bA9uFwJ2pbBtZ55KHjRO-2lXYn4ccR9VklrmOSd2TXtHa6D27RZ-wh9kwz5TBYz5bUpASrtWshahg/s540/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20front%20right.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="540" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxseD4hc_Wauj_CMoPVcIdIJ-boGPMBdpGdfWddIQTm2S7EHvIJyCKK4wg3ATuL8oQBW-c8cybCSjuM9OAAmVHQ6e-567nMozk3Fee68U1ogA2bA9uFwJ2pbBtZ55KHjRO-2lXYn4ccR9VklrmOSd2TXtHa6D27RZ-wh9kwz5TBYz5bUpASrtWshahg/w640-h584/Ex-Hda%20San%20Gabriel%20de%20Barrera-%20front%20right.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We finally exited the dark cellar into the sunlit cobblestone street</b>. After walking through all those horrific exhibits, I wondered at the advertisements for this museum that encouraged families to visit. I can hardly imagine how parents might explain to their small, bug-eyed children exactly what was going on in those cells.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 5 of my Guanajuato Revisited series. If you have any thoughts or questions, please leave them in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments, please remember to leave your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-84121774488629456352023-04-02T19:45:00.012-06:002023-10-19T16:12:20.248-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 4 of 17: Templo de Belén and the Betlemite Order<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmvo01yzlVzejM6DpxD8Z0555SglUymCyXf0oGn6XYbwOfqyOmQAqQLq5l-L4GlEuyItYVJJg0Up9pkAjaJuES38zQe0yW6wloZPyIsxeFSJkYNY6b0sjTRZ_YSvF6PWZrLKaerrd_4PXLiRzhP26MTgDfQC_f5uEAKqAl9s2yydyaNi2-R3QOrLtrw/s712/TemploBelen-%20int%20statue%20San%20Miguel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmvo01yzlVzejM6DpxD8Z0555SglUymCyXf0oGn6XYbwOfqyOmQAqQLq5l-L4GlEuyItYVJJg0Up9pkAjaJuES38zQe0yW6wloZPyIsxeFSJkYNY6b0sjTRZ_YSvF6PWZrLKaerrd_4PXLiRzhP26MTgDfQC_f5uEAKqAl9s2yydyaNi2-R3QOrLtrw/w486-h640/TemploBelen-%20int%20statue%20San%20Miguel.jpg" width="486" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">San Miguel</i><b>, the warrior Archangel, wields his flaming sword. </b><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_(archangel)">San Miguel</a></i> is often portrayed wearing armor and wielding a flaming sword against a snake/dragon symbolizing Satan. The statue stands on the left side of the main altar of the <i>Templo de Belén</i> (Temple of Bethlehem). The church is all that remains of a monastic complex built in the early 18th century. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In Part 4 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series, I will show the church and explain who founded the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehemite_Brothers"><i>Betlemite</i> Order</a> and why they were important to colonial Mexico. The <a href="https://www.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/atractivos/?nom=kguatemplobelen"><i>Templo</i> also carries the name <i>Parroquia de la Corazon Inmaculada</i></a> (Immaculate Heart Parish). A <a href="https://christianministryedu.org/faq/what-is-a-parish-church/#:~:text=The%20term%20%E2%80%9Cchurch%E2%80%9D%20is%20a,or%20a%20place%20of%20worship."><i>parroquia </i>designation</a> refers to a stable community of faithful with its own priest, rather than a physical building. Such a community<i> </i>has geographical boundaries and is part of a larger diocese organization.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Exterior of the <i>Templo</i></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PGJDcft8dttpZkD6E8vN-7psrLWrPXaEjQYmbX_ShZfuwn7SUqlxVFmxmdA6S_mrnvfr_BFnk0TqKZSGzTw-d1lR9On0R9IjsM-_ig2OHT5QxlR4g3HD6BGA-WsYkispAV5IVQbSF4eMGTA5T6gBjn4_iXr7d7gzIQHlmIfZjBembx9di8f5Q8QZsg/s586/TemploBelen-%20ext%20tront.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PGJDcft8dttpZkD6E8vN-7psrLWrPXaEjQYmbX_ShZfuwn7SUqlxVFmxmdA6S_mrnvfr_BFnk0TqKZSGzTw-d1lR9On0R9IjsM-_ig2OHT5QxlR4g3HD6BGA-WsYkispAV5IVQbSF4eMGTA5T6gBjn4_iXr7d7gzIQHlmIfZjBembx9di8f5Q8QZsg/w590-h640/TemploBelen-%20ext%20tront.jpg" width="590" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><span>The <i>Templo</i> has a single tower and a Churrigueresque facade</span></b>.<span> The facade resembles an altar <i>retablo</i>, with niches containing five statues. The church is located between <i>Calle Mendizábal</i> and <i>Callejon Cañitos</i>, directly across from the <i>Mercado Hidalgo </i>(see Part 3)<i> </i>on<i> </i></span></span><i>Avenida Benito Juarez.</i> A sign on the church wall states that the monastery complex was founded in 1717. However, other authoritative sources say it was established a decade later in 1727. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYV4sqo7Jqe3JAHzyG0AWJ4LaX3x8EkfM0r6y25xAUDjasLRol1CsbqcPXd1YgzebcDLyIcWpof2pRwyuqeIhAhzqNvByaq3Nl5fBkeMx5bLk_9h0ClpWEXFDeKiznXThFNVq00QWYzdrB3WPqaX7tBFgRnOnNrSTZg7fSUictjpwnSpLsxJTXkTORHg/s695/TemploBelen-%20ext%20statue%20San%20Antonio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYV4sqo7Jqe3JAHzyG0AWJ4LaX3x8EkfM0r6y25xAUDjasLRol1CsbqcPXd1YgzebcDLyIcWpof2pRwyuqeIhAhzqNvByaq3Nl5fBkeMx5bLk_9h0ClpWEXFDeKiznXThFNVq00QWYzdrB3WPqaX7tBFgRnOnNrSTZg7fSUictjpwnSpLsxJTXkTORHg/w498-h640/TemploBelen-%20ext%20statue%20San%20Antonio.jpg" width="498" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>San Antonio de Padua</i> is one of the five statues on the facade</b>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_of_Padua"><i>San Antonio</i> (1195-1231)</a> is often displayed <a href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/why-st-anthony-holds-the-child-jesus/">holding Jesus as a child, </a>symbolizing Jesus' vulnerable love. <i>Antonio</i> was a Portuguese priest and a friar of the Franciscan Order. He was known for his powerful preaching, knowledge of scripture, and devotion to the poor and sick. Among other attributes, <i>San Antonio de Padua</i> is the patron of people looking for lost articles. He was canonized less than year after his death, a record never equaled.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCl5n2MaiOwsyvRDSsOJiELP16olNcdizDX-m5Zm8NAceqoedxqZEASVKGWFn7oaLVmMtxSxChqmD4mZELF7RKYpA_T_KPCC7ucI5CbDhP0x13ous_9Uez58neph-uESJ09SzuD6E6-3KRVLM1HEMIR-0vM-qvnKEVID5l5_OILGq_v9CjkW_XmWAJA/s760/TemploBelen-%20ext%20statue%20Santo%20Domingo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCl5n2MaiOwsyvRDSsOJiELP16olNcdizDX-m5Zm8NAceqoedxqZEASVKGWFn7oaLVmMtxSxChqmD4mZELF7RKYpA_T_KPCC7ucI5CbDhP0x13ous_9Uez58neph-uESJ09SzuD6E6-3KRVLM1HEMIR-0vM-qvnKEVID5l5_OILGq_v9CjkW_XmWAJA/w454-h640/TemploBelen-%20ext%20statue%20Santo%20Domingo.jpg" width="454" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><i>Santo Domingo de Guzman</i> stands on the other side of the entrance</b>. <i><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domingo_de_Guzm%C3%A1n">Santo Domingo</a> </i>(1170-1221).</span> was a contemporary of <i>San Antonio de Padua</i>, but it is unclear whether they ever met. He was the founder of the Dominicans, also known as the Order of Preachers. Highly educated from an early age, he decided to become a missionary among the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cathari">Cathars</a>, an heretical offshoot of Catholicism. His work attracted many followers and resulted in the founding of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Order#:~:text=The%20Order%20of%20Preachers%2C%20whose%20members%20are%20known,Papal%20bull%20Religiosam%20vitam%20on%2022%20December%201216.">Dominican Order</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7vXMMLl4qSFOSzPs2icjN9ni2GyTLWuG78oYueSI3l3C_wHGncISQ5KcVXkrAhEPkgYXqmMw4O1hFidiEOid3P-0oyCxJ2fS3lb_rVMerzkAnP69bgyVOTBUF6hDo4x4YnMShmpkz1roBcSsQQhML37u0WnpGakaGoDLaG64Cz5eWPb58lDK0EdH-w/s750/TemploBelen-%20ext%20wood%20door.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7vXMMLl4qSFOSzPs2icjN9ni2GyTLWuG78oYueSI3l3C_wHGncISQ5KcVXkrAhEPkgYXqmMw4O1hFidiEOid3P-0oyCxJ2fS3lb_rVMerzkAnP69bgyVOTBUF6hDo4x4YnMShmpkz1roBcSsQQhML37u0WnpGakaGoDLaG64Cz5eWPb58lDK0EdH-w/w460-h640/TemploBelen-%20ext%20wood%20door.jpg" width="460" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The old wooden door shows flowery Baroque carvings.</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"> The <i>Betlemite</i> monastic complex once included a hospital, hospice, cemetery, school, gardens and a cloister (area for living and work). After its founding in the early 18th century, work went slowly on the <i>Templo</i> because the <i>Betltemites</i> were focused on their hospital. The complex was finally finished in 1775 when a wealthy silver mine owner threw his financial support behind it. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Nave </span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfMW71-rlY25kdaNVscPBy5LxowRjLtfOIp236_gYz3fFPIHh5mISRLNMiA7rqiXGYp7mpvF1Z226DAUG6cpDNMeBNGwbQYdrGFmFB3Z0YP0UX5fQJEwIMRvaHL1HfQMJmPcudcXeG4A3Jmyrd5Hw7l_YaRm-4tyQUVaQx4NU_XHg4Z4CH7LcKvzwaw/s540/TemploBelen-%20int%20nave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfMW71-rlY25kdaNVscPBy5LxowRjLtfOIp236_gYz3fFPIHh5mISRLNMiA7rqiXGYp7mpvF1Z226DAUG6cpDNMeBNGwbQYdrGFmFB3Z0YP0UX5fQJEwIMRvaHL1HfQMJmPcudcXeG4A3Jmyrd5Hw7l_YaRm-4tyQUVaQx4NU_XHg4Z4CH7LcKvzwaw/w640-h480/TemploBelen-%20int%20nave.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The church has a Latin Cross floor plan with a single nave</b>. The interior style is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Revival_architecture">Neo-Gothic</a>, which became popular from the 1840s through the early 20th century. Sometime during this period the Churrigueresque elements of the <i>Templo's</i> interior were replaced by Neo-Gothic, although most of the exterior facade was left in the original style.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Convento de Belén</i> was founded by members of the <i>Orden de los Hermanos de Nuestra Señora de Bethlehem</i> (Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Bethlehem) or <i>Betlemitas </i>for short<i>. </i>Their religious Order was founded in <i>Guatemala</i> in 1658. From there a delegation traveled to <i>Guanajuato</i> in the early 18th century to create a new <i>convento/hospital</i> in the booming silver town. <i>José de la Cruz </i>designed the complex, but the <i>Betlemites</i> did much of the work themselves.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>In 1727, the site chosen for the <i>Convento de Belén</i> was part of the <i>Hacienda de Cervera</i>, a silver refining operation. It was owned by a noblewoman named </span><i>Doña Isabel Hertado de Mendoza, </i>the<i> </i><i>Mariscala de Castilla</i>. Work on the <i>Templo</i> dragged on for decades until 1775. Then, <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_de_la_Valenciana"><i>Don Antonio de Obregón y Alcocer, </i>the </a><i><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_de_la_Valenciana">Conde de Valenciana</a> </i>stepped in and used his vast silver mining fortune to complete the work<i>.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLYu8khjKLTwGwTSaHXiPAd8E3J52nIyXcXCDu6BaEvVx3AAUWpgO5HSNvAT3LINdAXH0mLNoIfRNltyvZScofvMqZCRxdkD82dPdC13SVobMs6_gyVbcnFiFboHP8JirevKbfDfOmjbp3ozSLi1D0s8bpymKC_3CkTWUFlXNGdTTp1u3PI2ILhV1sg/s540/TemploBelen-%20int%20dome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLYu8khjKLTwGwTSaHXiPAd8E3J52nIyXcXCDu6BaEvVx3AAUWpgO5HSNvAT3LINdAXH0mLNoIfRNltyvZScofvMqZCRxdkD82dPdC13SVobMs6_gyVbcnFiFboHP8JirevKbfDfOmjbp3ozSLi1D0s8bpymKC_3CkTWUFlXNGdTTp1u3PI2ILhV1sg/w640-h480/TemploBelen-%20int%20dome.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Interior of the dome covering the transept</b>. A <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/transept">transept</a> is found in a cruciform (Latin cross) architectural design. It is the area in front of the altar where the main nave intersects with the spaces created by left and right side chapels. Domes like this are usually supported by four arches, in the corners of which are paintings of various important figures, typically saints.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately for the <i>Betlemites</i>, they located their <i>Convento</i> along the same arroyo as the Franciscan <i>Convento de San Diego</i> (see Part 2). In 1780, only five years after completion of the <i>Templo, </i>hospital and most of the <i>Betlemite</i> complex, the same great flood that destroyed the Franciscan monastery inundated <i>Convento Belén</i>. When the level of the city streets were raised, the Templo was left partially underground in a semi-ruined state for a number of years. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The <i>Conde de Valenciana</i> began to fund reconstruction, but he died in 1786. His widow continued to pay for the work, including plans drawn up in 1788 by the architect <i>Francisco de Bruno. </i>He was<i> </i>famed for his work on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Valenciana_Church_(San_Cayetano)"><i>Templo de San Cayetan Confesor,</i></a><i> </i>near the <i>Valenciana</i> silver mine. </span>However, internal conflicts among the <i>Betlemites</i> ultimately caused the widow to end her support. Lack of funds and the start of the Independence War finally brought the end to the <i>Convento</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMMzJFCSRlKH7MUvwXK_qB57w5M8PgL_EBhyC3yEhMKu0RAoBwZJoKD16eEjlZSeqQzIxN6-u7V0sX4OkPIYwRNRtFU3KXF6LGJGETRnLkMBbFItBeMmf3yFkfqVCVU4C69aQfB89Mmq2Lqz4_1NweoFUqVgv-mlu_gP63XfvrkCdIhMvDCDVDLkLUg/s720/TemploBelen-%20int%20pulpit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMMzJFCSRlKH7MUvwXK_qB57w5M8PgL_EBhyC3yEhMKu0RAoBwZJoKD16eEjlZSeqQzIxN6-u7V0sX4OkPIYwRNRtFU3KXF6LGJGETRnLkMBbFItBeMmf3yFkfqVCVU4C69aQfB89Mmq2Lqz4_1NweoFUqVgv-mlu_gP63XfvrkCdIhMvDCDVDLkLUg/w480-h640/TemploBelen-%20int%20pulpit.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">A<b>long the right wall of the nave are the pulpit and a <i>retablo</i></b>. Both are richly decorated with paintings and the niches of the retable also contain statues. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1810, the last religious ceremony at the <i>Templo</i> was conducted by the <i>Betlemites.</i> By 1813, the semi-ruined church had become a permanent water reservoir. The last Prelate to oversee <i>Guanajuato's</i> <i>Betlemites</i> was <i>Fr. Vicente de San Simón</i>, who died in 1825. At that point the State Congress took over the hospital. In 1827, the School of Architecture was established at the <i>Universidad de Guanajuato. </i>The site chosen was the old hospital, to the right of <i>Templo Belén</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In the mid-19th century, <i>Guanajuato's</i> Catholic Diocese repaired and remodeled <i>Templo Belén</i> and it became the home of the <i>Parroquia de la Corazon Inmaculada</i>. It was during this architectural process that the <i>Templo's</i> interior gained its Neo-Gothic style. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Altar area</span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf17FdodTGrhVukPjDIyRiyEVqv5Cv_jRaBR1FlyFDw8V1pM4BOSV5uw-PKnNIS_9ctyzL9uNkymTUMiTDxUiaFW9UmW0PpA9VFceBRJ7g10gd7pDPyoEOpYPCsuWfBSSibCaXH1iatpTWr_aZ4Os3WEAnt5-8bH1PM6lC24LXyiw24NTjC3o0osub6w/s720/TemploBelen-%20int%20altar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf17FdodTGrhVukPjDIyRiyEVqv5Cv_jRaBR1FlyFDw8V1pM4BOSV5uw-PKnNIS_9ctyzL9uNkymTUMiTDxUiaFW9UmW0PpA9VFceBRJ7g10gd7pDPyoEOpYPCsuWfBSSibCaXH1iatpTWr_aZ4Os3WEAnt5-8bH1PM6lC24LXyiw24NTjC3o0osub6w/w480-h640/TemploBelen-%20int%20altar.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The main altar overlooks the transept</b>. The <i>retablo</i> behind the altar contains multiple statues, including one of Our Lady of the Immaculate Heart, for whom the <i>Parroquia</i> is named. Below her on the left is the Archangel <i>San Miguel,</i> seen in the first photo of this posting. To the right is Archangel <i>San Rafael.</i> Between the Archangels is a Christmas creche scene. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Betlemite </i>Order had a rather odd beginning as these things go. It grew out of a peculiar mix of other Orders, who were often rivals. <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Saint_Joseph_de_Betancur">Pedro de San José Bentacur</a> </i>was born in the Canary Islands and, from an early age, he wanted to follow a religious life. Accordingly, he left home in 1650 for <i>Antigua, Guatemala</i>, then capital of that Spanish colony. <i>Pedro</i> intended to prepare for the priesthood at a Jesuit college so he could evangelize in Japan, but was unsuccessful in his studies. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfJmuhFF250MPqgtFTIbsvzCus4ISngC4HzY1KUMI0F2dnBE80pRqaoJUoEIs_C8LJmkS83-kDm8_liw7BeylQDCosst9yEs4sno0kWUfYKvVgj2m8rfNOoSBMs9FTEKTgWVNQ0wyCmt1Y-OeTrE2bXL9sIb27hubrf-vD0OFm9YIFeSaWAZHp0qhUQ/s743/TemploBelen-%20San%20Rafael%20&%20Tobias.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfJmuhFF250MPqgtFTIbsvzCus4ISngC4HzY1KUMI0F2dnBE80pRqaoJUoEIs_C8LJmkS83-kDm8_liw7BeylQDCosst9yEs4sno0kWUfYKvVgj2m8rfNOoSBMs9FTEKTgWVNQ0wyCmt1Y-OeTrE2bXL9sIb27hubrf-vD0OFm9YIFeSaWAZHp0qhUQ/w466-h640/TemploBelen-%20San%20Rafael%20&%20Tobias.jpg" width="466" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Archangel <i>San Rafael</i> with <i>Tobias</i>, the fish and the boy's dog</b>. <a href="https://collections.artsmia.org/art/120728/saint-raphael-with-tobias-giuseppe-sanmartino">The story</a> is that Tobias was sent by his blind father to retrieve money from a relative. <i>San Rafael</i> went along in disguise to protect the boy. </span>While crossing a river, <i>Tobias</i> was attacked by a big fish, but the Archangel saved him. <i>San Rafael</i> told him to keep the fish to make medicines from its organs. <i>Tobias</i> did so and later used a portion to cure his father's blindness.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>After failing to become a Jesuit priest, <i>Pedro</i> took a position as </span><a href="https://stabcs.org/documents/2021/5/Church%20sacristan%20guidelines%202021.pdf">sacristan</a>, preparing and overseeing the clothing and other articles used by priests during the Liturgy. On his own time, he began teaching poor children to read and doing other charity work. In the process, he discovered the desperate health needs of the poor in his area and began taking care of them in his own home. <i>Pedro</i> soon turned his home into a hospital, thus beginning his life's work.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yX4GSaKN-06HGeYvSyzRXOv1Ycu7UuXAdaYRrlx247AwKt3aarpwmWjbMMXq1lkV0UYm14b9At_e3daKr5OrKOm9hV7QQmhu4IPvGNMCec5sB21vSxuEqzkX6-pRiDUB-g1FegHnnYj1s6EOb0k-PvWc2f7E4pIPvMAD2LDDqrxdo10iB9xFZIXYdg/s720/TemploBelen-%20int%20altar%20statue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yX4GSaKN-06HGeYvSyzRXOv1Ycu7UuXAdaYRrlx247AwKt3aarpwmWjbMMXq1lkV0UYm14b9At_e3daKr5OrKOm9hV7QQmhu4IPvGNMCec5sB21vSxuEqzkX6-pRiDUB-g1FegHnnYj1s6EOb0k-PvWc2f7E4pIPvMAD2LDDqrxdo10iB9xFZIXYdg/w480-h640/TemploBelen-%20int%20altar%20statue.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Nuestra Señora de la Corazon Inmaculada.</i> </b>It took a bit to figure out which version of Mary this statue represented. At first I thought it might be Our Lady of Bethlehem, but she always carries the Baby Jesus in her arms and he is absent here. Then, because of the sunburst behind her and her clothing, I thought perhaps it might be the Virgin of Guadalupe, but her posture was wrong. Finally, I Googled up an image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Heart and everything fit.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Pedro's</i> efforts to build and operate a hospital attracted the attention of wealthy benefactors and officials like the bishop and governor. They provided him with everything the hospital needed, including the purchase of neighboring houses for expansion. The diocese placed the hospital under the patronage of Our Lady of Bethlehem. Helpers at the hospital eventually turned into an informal congregation who became known as <i>Betlemites</i> because of their hospital's patron.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LwPL52VxQWGfaaRRQmsVYcJC1sOWAsMWyCecKwIjJAbQBBwXmNiSK1K0n0LEIwJ2NHu3PT7OsD0jK0QFHa9Ku_Ut8K3Ji1KM--4fwdtkjDWq0Q6sf9zTA_1YRoKEZekwuJqpekANN41jzgCyFRbquJIDApwTQj-A2AeLc-_XHat6hXRS-OssNKtiig/s720/TemploBelen-%20int%20altar%20reliquary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LwPL52VxQWGfaaRRQmsVYcJC1sOWAsMWyCecKwIjJAbQBBwXmNiSK1K0n0LEIwJ2NHu3PT7OsD0jK0QFHa9Ku_Ut8K3Ji1KM--4fwdtkjDWq0Q6sf9zTA_1YRoKEZekwuJqpekANN41jzgCyFRbquJIDApwTQj-A2AeLc-_XHat6hXRS-OssNKtiig/w480-h640/TemploBelen-%20int%20altar%20reliquary.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Below the creche scene is a shrouded glass case and a reliquary</b>. I am not clear who is in the glass case or why it is shrouded. A <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=reliquary%20definition&FORM=ARPSEC&PC=ARPL&PTAG=30084">reliquary</a> is a container, usually gold, which holds sacred relics such as the bones of saints. It is a common belief among the faithful that praying to the relics can cure illness or help solve other problems.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After first attempting to became a Jesuit priest, <i>Pedro</i> had become a Franciscan, and continued to wear the habit of its Third Order even after starting his own community. In actuality, he was far more interested in his hospital than in transforming his community into a new Order. That task fell to others. Exhausted by his work, <i>Pedro</i> died in 1667 at the relatively young age of 48. After a huge funeral in <i>Antigua</i>, he was buried at the church of the Capuchin Friars, still another religious Order to which he was loosely connected.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Left and right side chapels </span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFgOZJCTcnzIaPf060ZWPWRlBSY3jHh3YAAsHarlgDsj-qONoo1_CDBanRY_Czd4y7O1OpSZrTr-eJV4zcUdSU5QunwrnMDJB9HVQI0UysxXTiAUS38nmuo0cOiz-_CrtLMR0cTfqFjOh6UvUCIW6tO9dzzmwfsBIec7CHOdhOQn8ZkVujZdcHMlMIA/s720/TemploBelen-%20int%20side%20chapel2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFgOZJCTcnzIaPf060ZWPWRlBSY3jHh3YAAsHarlgDsj-qONoo1_CDBanRY_Czd4y7O1OpSZrTr-eJV4zcUdSU5QunwrnMDJB9HVQI0UysxXTiAUS38nmuo0cOiz-_CrtLMR0cTfqFjOh6UvUCIW6tO9dzzmwfsBIec7CHOdhOQn8ZkVujZdcHMlMIA/w480-h640/TemploBelen-%20int%20side%20chapel2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Retablo</i> and altar at the end of the left transept</b>. Several of the faithful have gathered to pray at an altar, backed by a <i>retablo</i> with a statue of Jesus at its center. The statue is flanked by paintings of two unidentified saints.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Following <i>Pedro's</i> death, <i>Fr. Antonio de la Cruz</i> assumed leadership of the community. One of his first acts was to draw up an official constitution and get it approved by the bishop. When Fr. Antonio was approached by the Capuchins to make changes in the Franciscan habit (robe) used by <i>Pedro</i> and his community to be more in accord with their Order, he agreed. He also took a major step toward expansion by sending two <i>Betlemites</i> to Peru to start a new convent/hospital.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1672, this expansion beyond <i>Guatemala</i> was approved by the King of Spain and Pope Clement X. After that, <i>Betlemite</i> convent/hospitals began to pop up all over Latin America. In 1727, they reached <i>Guanajuato</i>. The <i>Betlemite</i> brothers were still not an independent Order, just a group of communities under the prelate of the local diocese where their hospitals were located. By this point, they recognized a need for their own Order, but faced bureaucratic opposition. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcFC9xlFDvt9UwKgK_FS2pLl8RX5dm9tVHBk3EtzAavlOELAwuUPHTevl71KLPzXiBFNVZ7AnUhAeEVW9JNgdOaKU-zLgrz-g38wHg5sV214h1OUtW199w1qWszBilRFFO-M0v4FAoLiKQe8B08dbIFHWtFqBinS2gRlvwRtGsb-obo34m4g9n6kRtQ/s720/TemploBelen-%20int%20VdeG%20chapel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcFC9xlFDvt9UwKgK_FS2pLl8RX5dm9tVHBk3EtzAavlOELAwuUPHTevl71KLPzXiBFNVZ7AnUhAeEVW9JNgdOaKU-zLgrz-g38wHg5sV214h1OUtW199w1qWszBilRFFO-M0v4FAoLiKQe8B08dbIFHWtFqBinS2gRlvwRtGsb-obo34m4g9n6kRtQ/w480-h640/TemploBelen-%20int%20VdeG%20chapel.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Virgen de Guadalupe </i>is centered in the right-hand <i>retablo.</i> </b>There is no mistaking which version of the Virgin this is. While there is often much variation in how Mary is portrayed in paintings and statues, the image of the <i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2010/12/virgin-of-guadalupe-fiesta.html">Virgen de Guadalupe</a></i> almost always wears the same clothing, stands in the same posture, and is surrounded by the same symbols, no matter where I encounter her. Her imagery contains not only Catholic, but pre-hispanic religious meanings.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The new </span><i>Betlemite</i> leader, <span><i>Fr. Rodrigo de la Cruz</i>,</span> eventually overcame all roadblocks. Pope Innocent XI finally approved their new Order, giving them the same privileges as Augustinian friars. So, their original leader <i>Pedro</i> started studying to be a Jesuit, but later became a Franciscan. He was buried at a Capuchin church and his community adopted some of their customs. Then, when they finally became an official Order, it was with the Augustinians. The one consistent factor was always the <i>Betlemites'</i> devotion to their hospitals.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastical_confiscations_of_Mendiz%C3%A1bal#:~:text=The%20ecclesiastical%20confiscations%20of%20Mendiz%C3%A1bal%20%28Spanish%3A%20desamortizaci%C3%B3n%20eclesi%C3%A1stica,monastic%20properties%20in%20Spain%20from%201835%20to%201837.">The <i>Betlemite</i> Order came to an end in 1820</a>, when monastic communities in Spain and throughout the European empires were suppressed. Governments had come to envy the wealth that the Orders had accumulated over the centuries. Donations, the wills of wealthy individuals, and loans made by the various Orders to merchants, owners of mines and hacienda owners made them so wealthy they often acted as banks. In actuality, suppressions had started much earlier than 1820.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolution_of_the_monasteries">In 1539, Henry VIII of England</a> had suppressed and seized monastery lands. In 1767, the Spanish Kings had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppression_of_the_Society_of_Jesus">thrown the Jesuits out</a> of all Spanish possessions. The French had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dechristianization_of_France_during_the_French_Revolution">confiscated Church properties</a> after the Revolution of 1789. By 1820, monastic suppressions had spread throughout Europe. The <i>Betlemites</i> were restored as an Order by Papal action in 1984 and a small group of them still keep a house in the Canary Islands. <i>San </i></span><i>Pedro de San José Bentacur </i>finally attained sainthood from Pope John Paul II in 2002.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This concludes Part 4 of my <i>Guanajuato</i> Revisited series. I hope you enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. Please remember to include your email address if you leave a question in the Comments section so that I can respond in a timely fashion.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-2927786227038152852023-03-26T19:57:00.001-06:002023-10-19T16:11:59.183-06:00Guanajuato Revisted Part 3 of 17: The Alhondiga, Mercado Hidalgo, and Jardin Reforma<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFG1E4HsQSCCz5MgGbYaQT6OFghuHyPQYOzDdRj0j4APfWskWkIVyhP2jtfzfWqfQC79DXnx4fNntExs6kJa0unswuo3N-wwYt-GA4KbxJ6T4VFyhzdjXtt2cLii7Wxx9c2DD3r75LKUNl-vmvnhWrBbJtMR_GyeEttUEvh8BO98MWyMEbzYTnClUF1Q/s713/El%20Pipila%20burns%20Alhondiga%20door.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFG1E4HsQSCCz5MgGbYaQT6OFghuHyPQYOzDdRj0j4APfWskWkIVyhP2jtfzfWqfQC79DXnx4fNntExs6kJa0unswuo3N-wwYt-GA4KbxJ6T4VFyhzdjXtt2cLii7Wxx9c2DD3r75LKUNl-vmvnhWrBbJtMR_GyeEttUEvh8BO98MWyMEbzYTnClUF1Q/w458-h640/El%20Pipila%20burns%20Alhondiga%20door.jpg" width="458" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Insurgents fought fiercely to take this Spanish-held stronghold</b>. It was known as the <i>Alhondiga de Granaditas</i>, but it wasn't originally built to be a fortress. Instead, the <i>Alhondiga</i> was a storehouse for public grain supplies. It became the refuge for Spaniards and their families when <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2015/09/mexican-independence-day-whats-it-all.html">Independence War</a> leader <i>Miguel Hidalgo</i> led his huge but rag-tag army into the city during the winter of 1810. The painting above shows <a href="Part 1 of my 2008 series">silver mine worker <i>El Pipila</i></a> setting fire to the door.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In this posting, will provide some background on this fight and the impact on the early stages of the War of Independence. We will also visit another nearby attraction, the <i>Mercado Hidalgo</i>, a huge structure filled with hundreds of booths selling ceramics, clothing, toys, leather goods, raw and cooked food and much else. Finally, we'll take a walk through <i>Jardin Reforma</i>, a quiet and lovely park across from the <i>Mercado</i> that is perfect for relaxation on a warm day.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYiiGVwdUa_d45tdK5MUMWfaIhR0PqGPNMfA2wGR3CiKY_RzkljS1pFdbmYm8qbntVjmqrHXIs91qxwDODT9SsX_Z2D1jrqJ05noZqN9RpXaOZoq28pW3bKtWqTbwBpfLR5oQEbGVGNvxHooJ2_UbaOSwy-ONyfgzT20LnE39m8skOCXpL-BYSRVlNw/s540/Alhondiga-%20right.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="540" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYiiGVwdUa_d45tdK5MUMWfaIhR0PqGPNMfA2wGR3CiKY_RzkljS1pFdbmYm8qbntVjmqrHXIs91qxwDODT9SsX_Z2D1jrqJ05noZqN9RpXaOZoq28pW3bKtWqTbwBpfLR5oQEbGVGNvxHooJ2_UbaOSwy-ONyfgzT20LnE39m8skOCXpL-BYSRVlNw/w640-h594/Alhondiga-%20right.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Alhondiga de Granaditas</i> appears almost unchanged from 1810</b>. The right side of the building contains the door that <i>El Pipila</i>, burned to allow Hidalgo's forces to storm inside. The street along the side with the door is <i>Calle 28 de Septiembre</i>, while the street leading off to the left is <i>Calle Mendizábal</i>. The line of people are tourists waiting to enter what is now a regional museum displaying artifacts from the pre-hispanic and colonial eras.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i><a href="https://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/la-alhondiga-de-granaditas.html">Alhondiga's</a></i> thick stone walls, small windows, and limited access were intended to protect grain stored by the city council and to ensure Guanajuato's inhabitants could buy wheat and corn at controlled prices. Its construction was ordered in 1796 by Spanish Viceroy <i>Miguel de la Grúa Talamanca de Carini yBranciforte</i>. and it was designed by the architect <i>José de Mazo Avilés</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Alhondiga </i>was completed November 9, 1809, less than a year before <i>Hidalgo</i> launched his revolt. As the insurgent forces approached, the Spanish believed that the grain would help them withstand a siege and that the building itself would protect them because <i>Hidalgo</i> had little or no artillery at this point. Neither belief would prove true.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKTFdSFaOVHZ2M7Vc6erHNENqznnmSv5sr6tL1TGAYnOSkP-whcAigXhw2LfnekDxRvDi_GHy6iNTojV7WU47Om7ZQbzy6EvXZNzF0G8Ni8q2edcygUaSffCLr3ZI3WoDm7Omm6Ne3L40a68lZUen-IqCqiNUd7uIWhWY2mr8SQPByqNykmI-fQuMTw/s540/Alhondiga-%20left.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKTFdSFaOVHZ2M7Vc6erHNENqznnmSv5sr6tL1TGAYnOSkP-whcAigXhw2LfnekDxRvDi_GHy6iNTojV7WU47Om7ZQbzy6EvXZNzF0G8Ni8q2edcygUaSffCLr3ZI3WoDm7Omm6Ne3L40a68lZUen-IqCqiNUd7uIWhWY2mr8SQPByqNykmI-fQuMTw/w640-h480/Alhondiga-%20left.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The view along Calle Mendizábal shows more of the <i>Alhondiga</i></b>. I originally thought the door on this side was the one burned by <i>El Pipila</i>, but the painting shows that the windows are different, as well as the emblem over the door. <i>El Pipila's</i> real name was <i>Juan José, de los Reyes Martinez Amaro </i>(1782-1863). He was one of many mine workers who quickly rallied to <i>Hidalgo's</i> cause. The reason for their support had to do with the conditions of the silver mining industry in 18th century <i>Nueva España </i>(Mexico)<i>.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Guanajuato </i>was then, and still is, one of the most important silver mining centers in Mexico, with dozens of mines dotting the mountains surrounding the city. During the period from the mid-16th through the mid-17th centuries, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2730237/">indigenous population crashed</a> by as much as 90%, due to disease, overwork, and abuse. This tragedy actually produced a benefit for those who survived because it created acute labor shortages, including within the mining industry.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">By the mid-18th century, the population had somewhat recovered. Until then, mine owners were <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/41035262">forced to pay better wages</a> to attract workers who were free to go from mine to mine. Typically this included the <i>partido</i>, an amount of ore above which the worker could keep for himself beyond the 100 lbs daily quota. As labor shortages eased and prices rose, mine owners refused to increase wages and began to eliminate the <i>partido</i>. Workers saw this as a loss of status as well as pay and resentment grew. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVHBjLptybK22lUFTTEONfqWT_d_4HDHuR7iYNklH7Jb72YUU8cK1jffB1Kc6rKwi-gyWuSAk7eTTbEzliEMnIBS2CDLLhl5dl31t90XKWgYxeJ9tFbbgHi6LB_UfLLfKucR0NekFY590Kb4FbLHSJMgLKvJ9qe9MFg4EfECpT_9v71SlpHkDHwGL5w/s540/Alhondiga-%20back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVHBjLptybK22lUFTTEONfqWT_d_4HDHuR7iYNklH7Jb72YUU8cK1jffB1Kc6rKwi-gyWuSAk7eTTbEzliEMnIBS2CDLLhl5dl31t90XKWgYxeJ9tFbbgHi6LB_UfLLfKucR0NekFY590Kb4FbLHSJMgLKvJ9qe9MFg4EfECpT_9v71SlpHkDHwGL5w/w640-h480/Alhondiga-%20back.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The small windows along this side provided many gun ports for defenders</b>. The broad open area below the steps is called the <i>Esplanade</i>. Both the steps and <i>Esplanade</i> are modern additions. As related in Part 1 of this series and in my 2008 posting, <i>El Pipila</i> crawled through a hail of gunfire, protected only by a paving stone strapped to his back. When he set the big wooden door alight, <i>Hidalgo's</i> men stormed inside and took the impromtu fortress.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">From there, things went bad, both for the defenders and for their conquerers. The Spanish were already hated for a variety of reasons, including those related to miners' grievances. The insurgents' loss of their friends in the assault further enraged <i>Hidalgo's</i> men. They promptly massacred everyone inside the <i>Alhondiga</i>, including the families of the defenders. This, along with later massacres, alienated many of the <i>creole</i> elites who had initially supported the independence movement.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-lHIB9zJkx_OawndR0vkPHwEMeDMJ1hyiKBITbYNlHghemk1TUtsrS7040fFcbowzJACgi0BWrM5t3JU35fXs0wcst7TTuyDl6ZShSH51gMPYGDYiGfmjhdjwuOc2zmVDPobEyuUnBENlYgA6uAcWnmxpqhdNDdFeQmfuOUTaEnsGohttohgdUvZqQ/s523/Interior%20courtyard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="523" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-lHIB9zJkx_OawndR0vkPHwEMeDMJ1hyiKBITbYNlHghemk1TUtsrS7040fFcbowzJACgi0BWrM5t3JU35fXs0wcst7TTuyDl6ZShSH51gMPYGDYiGfmjhdjwuOc2zmVDPobEyuUnBENlYgA6uAcWnmxpqhdNDdFeQmfuOUTaEnsGohttohgdUvZqQ/w640-h480/Interior%20courtyard.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Interior courtyard of the <i>Alhondiga</i></b>. The doors around the perimeter open into museum salons full of displays. <i><a href="https://www.nps.gov/saan/learn/historyculture/history3spaniards.htm#:~:text=Distinctions%20were%20made%20between%20criollos,growing%20groups%20in%20frontier%20society.">Creoles</a></i> were Spaniards, born in Mexico, and thus were considered socially inferior to those born in Spain, who were called <i>peninsulares</i>. Wanting to eliminate this "glass ceiling", many creoles had initially supported the movement. They included trained military officers who were desperately needed to lead <i>Hidalgo's</i> undisciplined troops. Many were appalled by the massacres.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Less than a year later, <i>Hidalgo's</i> army was defeated and largely destroyed at <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Calder%C3%B3n_Bridge#:~:text=The%20Battle%20of%20Calder%C3%B3n%20Bridge,present%2Dday%20Zapotlanejo%2C%20Jalisco.">Puente de Calderon</a></i> by a much smaller royalist force. <i>Hidalgo</i> and many of the initial leadership were soon captured and executed. The insurgent forces split into a large number of uncoordinated groups who sometimes fought each other as well as the royalists. The war then dragged on for a decade before victory was finally achieved. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">(See my 2015 posting <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2015/09/mexican-independence-day-whats-it-all.html">"Mexican Independence Day, what's it all about?"</a> for a fuller account.)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mercado Hidalgo</span></b></i></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjtGZvvdWojikDTfFroWhm_xDo-7tgpEe1kapwyVZwzOIcrRwS6ZoWdtwYm4K252UjjRxUkRyA7kU83ZEruvjx368v5LhqK-ZmoHS9zXCoOZk2ju1ktL3tTJuyKzWI2dr2UJpq7cjweDxRV0E96mlsGuRSyohqSKvaC_E5KzQ3E_eSy5Dm0svRpeEaQ/s574/Mercado-%20ext%20entr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjtGZvvdWojikDTfFroWhm_xDo-7tgpEe1kapwyVZwzOIcrRwS6ZoWdtwYm4K252UjjRxUkRyA7kU83ZEruvjx368v5LhqK-ZmoHS9zXCoOZk2ju1ktL3tTJuyKzWI2dr2UJpq7cjweDxRV0E96mlsGuRSyohqSKvaC_E5KzQ3E_eSy5Dm0svRpeEaQ/w602-h640/Mercado-%20ext%20entr.jpg" width="602" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Carole stands across </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Calle Juarez</i><b> from </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Mercado Hidalgo's </i><span style="font-weight: bold;">entrance. </span>The open area where she stands is the atrium in front of <i>Templo Belén</i>, which I will cover in the next posting. There are many urban myths connected to <i><a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=100538">Mercado Hidalgo</a></i>. Best known is the claim that the famous French architect <i>Gustave Eiffel</i> (who built the great tower in Paris) was responsible for its design and construction. However there appears to be no official record of this anywhere.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Another often-repeated, but unsubstantiated, claim is that the Mercado was designed as a railway station. The 70m x 35m (230ft x 115ft) structure was built on the site of the <i>Gaviria</i> Bull Ring and designed specifically as a market. Its two Mexican architects, <i>Ernesto Brunel</i> (1875-1950) and Antonio Rivas Mercado (1853-1927), employed techniques that were cutting-edge at the time. These included a visible steel structure, pre-fabricated in Mexican factories. The great entrance arch was carved from Mexican sandstone. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiq2XH_ad09EXa3hunvAfXxHcftpgaZ7_w1ba52-McwqTujByGkCNN8Gaug3zPzSoQ69CUAkKPlqILCexeOGb8UkX7hjJEh17aD0W9vFwmV9MnavniBCZLXDkI6zoTfkJ40iCCjPxrg55fPuJUgx_foinlrkSBVAuCRFzw_kRBQ1JNGmV-SbTi7Xxiww/s540/Mercado-%20int%20fr%20stairs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiq2XH_ad09EXa3hunvAfXxHcftpgaZ7_w1ba52-McwqTujByGkCNN8Gaug3zPzSoQ69CUAkKPlqILCexeOGb8UkX7hjJEh17aD0W9vFwmV9MnavniBCZLXDkI6zoTfkJ40iCCjPxrg55fPuJUgx_foinlrkSBVAuCRFzw_kRBQ1JNGmV-SbTi7Xxiww/w640-h480/Mercado-%20int%20fr%20stairs.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View of the Mercado's floor from the top of the steps to its 2nd level</b>. The whole place is packed with booths selling everything imaginable. We had a nice Mexican-style lunch sitting on stools along one of the narrow aisles, then roamed around to check out the unbelievable abundance and variability of the merchandise.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">There <u>was</u><i> </i>a French connection, however. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Porfiriato">President <i>Porfirio Diaz</i></a>, Mexico's dictator for 35 years, did everything he could to modernize the country during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. <i>Diaz</i> particularly wanted to import French culture, including architecture. I found this somewhat ironic, given his key role in defeating the French occupation of Mexico (1862-67). The use of visible steel structures in architecture was pioneered by <i>Gustave Eiffel</i>, which is possibly the origin of the myth. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigR56eKJn5dysFdC_pVp9zOJ-8nG-NQ9Ua1_qnNQTjUZXdP6XpVXX5fK6_e3Dspz5U4_H5pwYj6ea-dl1gLgUU4tbYxp4rk7V-JaeoMXG7Q_CoxGVhYiCO0mrPYyMmJs6-O0BYT3Ws_FpX23t2YaSQZu3kYhWI-pLxxO0bIl1IPBXTwasW8b3GZJNtJw/s540/Ceramics.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigR56eKJn5dysFdC_pVp9zOJ-8nG-NQ9Ua1_qnNQTjUZXdP6XpVXX5fK6_e3Dspz5U4_H5pwYj6ea-dl1gLgUU4tbYxp4rk7V-JaeoMXG7Q_CoxGVhYiCO0mrPYyMmJs6-O0BYT3Ws_FpX23t2YaSQZu3kYhWI-pLxxO0bIl1IPBXTwasW8b3GZJNtJw/w640-h480/Ceramics.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A booth contains numerous large and small ceramic objects</b>. Mexican ceramics are sometimes exquisite, often humorous, and always colorful. When we bought our house, it already had many ceramics, so we passed on these. However, when I visit an area, I traditionally buy a t-shirt with a design appropriate to the place. Needless to say, my closet is stuffed with Mexican t-shirts. I finally found one here that satisfied me.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Diaz</i> wanted to use projects like the <i>Mercado</i> to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Independence War. Its construction, begun in 1904, was finished in 1910 so it fit with his plans. <i>Diaz</i> was able to personally inaugurate the <i>Mercado</i> on September 16, 1910, the anniversary of what is known in Mexico as <i>Independencia.</i> He considered the celebration as a great political victory. Ironically, only two months after <i>Independencia</i>, the Mexican Revolution exploded. Seven months later, <i>Diaz</i> fled into exile. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jardin Reforma</span></b></i></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwWjuIeAwd6Kzh3_DLU0GcU7oZqhc8_U50YnLNihlp-RRVdf85MUtsC4jH0wvT9tlXHq-gfk3YQdcVMPwyNlNW5yYtlaEQ0aiAVkMd0c2M6B8YItv_kkMYYA_7F1ean-2V0gBldJjUqlV8XSGMgvPCHYq_ShNaFUqSXSZAQO1_dgi8xvcRwxSOxBx3A/s540/JardinReforma-%20entr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwWjuIeAwd6Kzh3_DLU0GcU7oZqhc8_U50YnLNihlp-RRVdf85MUtsC4jH0wvT9tlXHq-gfk3YQdcVMPwyNlNW5yYtlaEQ0aiAVkMd0c2M6B8YItv_kkMYYA_7F1ean-2V0gBldJjUqlV8XSGMgvPCHYq_ShNaFUqSXSZAQO1_dgi8xvcRwxSOxBx3A/w640-h480/JardinReforma-%20entr.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Entrance to <i>Jardin Reforma</i></b>. The <i>Jardin</i> was <a href="https://en.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/places-to-visit/?nom=eguajardinref">built in the 19th century</a> on the site of the old corral of the nearby <i>Templo Belén</i>. However, the <i>Jadin Reforma</i> did not get its name until 1923. This small, quiet, shady park is located on <i>Calle Juarez. </i>The entrance above is about 1/2 block to the left of the <i>Mercado</i> and across the street. After all the walking around at the <i>Alhondiga</i> and <i>Mercado</i>, we were happy to find a place to sit down and relax, particularly since it was a warm day. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ellAiODSnbxd0b7itJNgfGtysnP7l8N7MoVeO9a4ORzv6kgSBhUeByt4Y-kIaMetIFD1G7Ofqq8ZFvJuPVzGbnsT-kmB4Cz2UZSQlVRCaRdD-RFG0QHs33AarupANHq_IALedesn4kH8RDtuwgS0IzrjznF6M0_G1e3S58bo7XNaaj2dgtgXdMGG3g/s540/JardinReforma-%20entr%20walkway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ellAiODSnbxd0b7itJNgfGtysnP7l8N7MoVeO9a4ORzv6kgSBhUeByt4Y-kIaMetIFD1G7Ofqq8ZFvJuPVzGbnsT-kmB4Cz2UZSQlVRCaRdD-RFG0QHs33AarupANHq_IALedesn4kH8RDtuwgS0IzrjznF6M0_G1e3S58bo7XNaaj2dgtgXdMGG3g/w640-h480/JardinReforma-%20entr%20walkway.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View from the entrance walkway toward the hills surrounding <i>Guanajuato</i></b>. As you can see, the city climbs directly up the sides of the hills. The streets tend to run parallel to the hills and are connected by steep, pedestrian-only alleys. <i>Jardin Reforma</i> has lush gardens and cast iron benches dot the edges of the walkways. There are plenty of trees to offer shade but the benches tend to be quickly occupied so you need to grab one if it becomes available.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwk0nLdI7F_xBEC8uVv_r4iedjZgI2wXhhuD57SbPss_PGQe5w1XkX5-HtVuyjjqdpEz9fjBLR0VyCWXRlWd8fg2lcqxq-UMAJBqLjv5x6MTXBKInbcIvyHGGbSBSXpmJB8VnOQO3rtDYu0R81Md7QuTqQBhhe6kdeJjVmi64l4UsFyA5nuQeg6At2rw/s540/JardinReforma-%20fountain%20&%20family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="540" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwk0nLdI7F_xBEC8uVv_r4iedjZgI2wXhhuD57SbPss_PGQe5w1XkX5-HtVuyjjqdpEz9fjBLR0VyCWXRlWd8fg2lcqxq-UMAJBqLjv5x6MTXBKInbcIvyHGGbSBSXpmJB8VnOQO3rtDYu0R81Md7QuTqQBhhe6kdeJjVmi64l4UsFyA5nuQeg6At2rw/w640-h574/JardinReforma-%20fountain%20&%20family.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Jardin</i> is centered on a large fountain</b>. A pool of water surrounds the fountain and its rim also offers a spot to sit, but not necessarily in the shade. However, it <u>is</u> a good spot for people-watching As you can see, we were not the only ones who decided to kick-back for a bit while we sought refuge from the sun and the hustle and bustle on the street outside.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS47KYiYkJYXpHPl6WfB_RO4ULBtre3CD2aaSsdDIiy-pMwDGa2Mbdnzy1ejpmilqVJIRPqdnbTT7S951pjPzcL1NjeERRy4rpbrdhzBUFpCso_geVJKPNdWHxkDyec3qpbyhyOwzjOfcjRnHlRV9F9HG6IVtpYapLsFzHvHxkxqN0V7BQ5Eb4dPSKjA/s706/JardinReforma-%20statue%20Gandhi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS47KYiYkJYXpHPl6WfB_RO4ULBtre3CD2aaSsdDIiy-pMwDGa2Mbdnzy1ejpmilqVJIRPqdnbTT7S951pjPzcL1NjeERRy4rpbrdhzBUFpCso_geVJKPNdWHxkDyec3qpbyhyOwzjOfcjRnHlRV9F9HG6IVtpYapLsFzHvHxkxqN0V7BQ5Eb4dPSKjA/w490-h640/JardinReforma-%20statue%20Gandhi.jpg" width="490" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Mexican <i>plazas</i>, <i>jardins</i>, and <i>parques</i> almost always display statues</b>. These are usually not of generals or politicians but artists, writers, musicians, and philosophers. From our seat on the edge of the fountain, the statue above looked familiar, so I decided to check it out. It turned out to be a bust of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi">Mohandas K. Gandhi</a>, </i>a Hindu from India and the founder of the philosophy of non-violent political action.<i> </i>There must be a story behind how and why it ended up here, but I haven't discovered it yet.<br /></span><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNR_jiBs7osMhrYah0H9AohOYHDV6Pd0FkRE7EqnpAluKHS1arXcwFtImkRwzm0HuOAA6GT6aDJDRaJkw_8cwVr7W9M9lXLkrgLSLadMCIQojoUpyUSjOrdZLpCshWYGjD5kkjPYKC2QtZN_6uqFWy8eLbI8DwvwpmYd59CHizAbf20j2jhtND4TnLw/s540/JardinReforma-%20family%20on%20bench%20w:pigeons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="540" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNR_jiBs7osMhrYah0H9AohOYHDV6Pd0FkRE7EqnpAluKHS1arXcwFtImkRwzm0HuOAA6GT6aDJDRaJkw_8cwVr7W9M9lXLkrgLSLadMCIQojoUpyUSjOrdZLpCshWYGjD5kkjPYKC2QtZN_6uqFWy8eLbI8DwvwpmYd59CHizAbf20j2jhtND4TnLw/w640-h542/JardinReforma-%20family%20on%20bench%20w:pigeons.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Mexican family chats while pigeons at their feet scour the pavemen</b>t. The mom clutches her recent purchases while the dad balances a new baby on his lap. On one end of the bench, the older sisters listens to her parents while, on the other, her younger brother is oblivious to everything but his iPad. Are they tourists or just a local family taking a break? Either way, like us they are just enjoying another day in lovely <i>Guanajuato</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This concludes Part 3 of my Guanajuato Revisited series. I hope you have enjoyed it and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you use the Comments section for a question, please don't forget to leave your email address so that I can respond in a timely fashion.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-30332631526662068992023-03-19T18:00:00.004-06:002023-10-19T16:11:24.165-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 2 of 17: The Templo San Diego & Ex-Convento Dieguino<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eqqjt82y6BqMAdfwfP40pgfp-AMbQwWVj0ZB7QKz2-0ONEimpEvAjmg-q80pDsnSuZ_W0Ig_r2ASVuLKXuAMyPxvrwhIxX2c5JBnIw1_8ewOZBdhHCoUR-Tk7AF5K7Wf2Xi5rotqW3Lq7Qkk3vsYVMOxqKV3aP3lTgFQiDiafPls01LDdAzjGbckwQ/s720/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20fr%20rt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eqqjt82y6BqMAdfwfP40pgfp-AMbQwWVj0ZB7QKz2-0ONEimpEvAjmg-q80pDsnSuZ_W0Ig_r2ASVuLKXuAMyPxvrwhIxX2c5JBnIw1_8ewOZBdhHCoUR-Tk7AF5K7Wf2Xi5rotqW3Lq7Qkk3vsYVMOxqKV3aP3lTgFQiDiafPls01LDdAzjGbckwQ/w480-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20fr%20rt.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><span><i>Templo San Diego de Alcalá</i> stands across from <i>Jardin Union</i></span></b>. <span>In fact, <i>Plaza Jardin Union</i> used to be called <i>Plaza San Diego</i> before the it was transformed into a lush garden in the late 19th century. Like many old churches in Mexico, <i>Templo San Diego</i> was built in a mixture of styles over the centuries. </span><span>It was once a part of the structures of the <i>Ex-Convento Dieguino</i>, a 17th century Franciscan monastery complex.</span></span><span> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLvNRe6ZGDVE8peA_olD-AdiiHTYxyA25qk_IivColi5YFrmqnRIAAN6LR4a30uR4WOjdxJ2EaF1ZHsgI8_lsQyuovKrRq6RZVP50xB2m7foH4btcVqF_wzL8dwLVwd3eWtkJKw0grRd-N9dNjXxTY_IFt22hyhjWC76eYtO9-wl5Xv3m8JSxw5z53g/s669/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20fr%20lft&%20statue%20troubador%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLvNRe6ZGDVE8peA_olD-AdiiHTYxyA25qk_IivColi5YFrmqnRIAAN6LR4a30uR4WOjdxJ2EaF1ZHsgI8_lsQyuovKrRq6RZVP50xB2m7foH4btcVqF_wzL8dwLVwd3eWtkJKw0grRd-N9dNjXxTY_IFt22hyhjWC76eYtO9-wl5Xv3m8JSxw5z53g/w516-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20fr%20lft&%20statue%20troubador%20.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A bronze troubadour stands outside the entrance of the <i>Templo</i></b>. He symbolizes the many wandering musicians that gather in this spot before they set off through <i>El Centro </i>(the center of the old town). We encountered a number of them during our walk. In the first photo of Part 1 of this series, the smiling fellow in 16th century clothes was one of these musicians.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qm6h0z5MBapX_1QY_IO0gB07z9nHwSkjfcx_h81rf-OfY0jP1wwFN2-Hhn6FUNRTBWYzfzRqgSlY2WzM6Zm3Uv2R-qTSatRwE4ciQMIBj-Hgzpnx-eVPt2H55AdaJXusopIcFkax0x95g_4GFXHqAIgpiMESSoqrI-py_b24-kfPzt9u-XQNVyItaQ/s720/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20facade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qm6h0z5MBapX_1QY_IO0gB07z9nHwSkjfcx_h81rf-OfY0jP1wwFN2-Hhn6FUNRTBWYzfzRqgSlY2WzM6Zm3Uv2R-qTSatRwE4ciQMIBj-Hgzpnx-eVPt2H55AdaJXusopIcFkax0x95g_4GFXHqAIgpiMESSoqrI-py_b24-kfPzt9u-XQNVyItaQ/w480-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20facade.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The <i>Templo's</i> Churrigueresque facade was carved from pink sandstone</b>. The facade was carved in the flamboyant style of late Baroque. I was a bit puzzled by this at first. It was one of many oddities I encountered while touring this complex. The Franciscans, particularly the ones who came to evangelize in Mexico, were noted for the simplicity of their lifestyle and their architecture. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In fact, the subset of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscans">Franciscan Order</a> who built the <i>Ex-Convento Dieguino</i> and <i>Templo San Diego de Alcalá</i> were called <a href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/ask-a-franciscan/why-go-barefoot/"><i>Franciscanos Descalzos </i>(Barefoot Franciscans)</a> because they tended to go about barefoot or in sandals at most. They were also known as <i>Dieguinos (</i>a derivative of <i>San Diego) </i>and were followers of the Franciscan reformer <i>San Pedro de Alcántara.</i></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Then, I learned that the original complex had been destroyed in a great flood in the 18th century and the <i>Templo</i> had been rebuilt by a rich Spanish mine owner with more sumptuous tastes. But all that comes much later in the story of this small but exquisite example of Spanish colonial architecture. <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMC1CpfnSZjAUvIu6dSk8_ZF6fCIkd9rKP4H82t62dvTN5Q1-nAIbOYZa9Uf6GKc1odUovS_ZVeMArJuJtitkGoyhSZ04RrmQVP0ufdqOhY-VAmqBp8TnxPZmlJbQSzdCJnxcMk1ugmawW2AmeX800H1H4YAy4H1bl0Sqj1MSYHfamd8vQY8jh6tRfA/s783/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20ext%20door%20carved%20%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMC1CpfnSZjAUvIu6dSk8_ZF6fCIkd9rKP4H82t62dvTN5Q1-nAIbOYZa9Uf6GKc1odUovS_ZVeMArJuJtitkGoyhSZ04RrmQVP0ufdqOhY-VAmqBp8TnxPZmlJbQSzdCJnxcMk1ugmawW2AmeX800H1H4YAy4H1bl0Sqj1MSYHfamd8vQY8jh6tRfA/w442-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20ext%20door%20carved%20%20.jpg" width="442" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This wooden door is another example of Churrigueresque</b>. Use of lush foliage in this style is typical. Often, almost every square inch of available space will be covered by floral decorations, with the faces of cherubs and various animals peeping out. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanajuato_(city)">After silver was discovered</a> in the mountains around <i>Guanajuato</i> in the mid-1540s, a mining boom started. Although the first church was built in 1555, there were no monasteries in the area for more than 100 years. Finally, in 1663, four <i>Dieguinos</i> arrived with plans to build a Franciscan monastery with an attached church. However, for reasons that remain unclear, Spanish <i>King Felipe IV</i> withdrew his approval for the project. Things then remained in limbo for three years.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Nave</span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOCvDTndzf4gBjFRK7T8g75hQ93mAMnLtt8d3zXAt4hsFLwa84QmbjO90UxSYPZILBl7-oUoRanqIgmVMSL12mj2UcTGFxAZVITqeYgOgo20_2CrIvvFj8g5jgcFbPUJse0yglyMC5BCbLxxzUlHcn0DBSnOTQIcJFj3VojLmwxyDhgP1WFLLlAKlpg/s720/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20nave%20fr%20rt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOCvDTndzf4gBjFRK7T8g75hQ93mAMnLtt8d3zXAt4hsFLwa84QmbjO90UxSYPZILBl7-oUoRanqIgmVMSL12mj2UcTGFxAZVITqeYgOgo20_2CrIvvFj8g5jgcFbPUJse0yglyMC5BCbLxxzUlHcn0DBSnOTQIcJFj3VojLmwxyDhgP1WFLLlAKlpg/w480-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20nave%20fr%20rt.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View of the altar from the rear of the nave</b>. During the 18th century, the advent of the Enlightenment and its emphasis on rationality began to displace all things Baroque. Thus, when <i>Templo San Diego</i> was remodeled, it was done in the more severe Neo-Classic style then becoming popular. The tall, undecorated columns along the walls are an example of Neo-Classic.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The Franciscan monastery project was finally given the go-ahead in 1667, after <i>Felipe IV </i>was succeeded by King <i>Carlos II.</i> Completed in 1694, it was <a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=100473">three times as large</a> as it is now. The complex included <i>Templo San Diego</i>, with a cloister surrounding it to house and provide workspace for 25 friars and 9 poor, orphaned or abandoned children. Another part of the monastery, the <i><a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=124208">Templo del Tercer Orden de San Francisco</a></i>, once stood on <i>Templo San Diego's</i> left. In front was <i>Plaza San Diego</i>.</span></div></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1ha3fH3vjkfDfGclhq1MNZzAB2gs1_9rj1SfzVJVWAw1DZI2XGQrpDK-j9LpNjcaTW7RdfVYe3ZqyTItZw7zd4x4xXSJTO-bhURBEux0R0QAAQU_fKUdB9MsgVkvLQ1CLp5m4T-gOiWh_XfECEGZFZ7S0RfmVPpsj77qNRBcf55vIq3gO1oSmlpOxg/s540/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20nave%20toward%20rear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1ha3fH3vjkfDfGclhq1MNZzAB2gs1_9rj1SfzVJVWAw1DZI2XGQrpDK-j9LpNjcaTW7RdfVYe3ZqyTItZw7zd4x4xXSJTO-bhURBEux0R0QAAQU_fKUdB9MsgVkvLQ1CLp5m4T-gOiWh_XfECEGZFZ7S0RfmVPpsj77qNRBcf55vIq3gO1oSmlpOxg/w640-h480/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20nave%20toward%20rear.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>View toward the rear, with the organ and choir loft</b>. To the right are the stairs leading to the pulpit. In Mexico's colonial-era churches, pulpits are placed on one side or the other of the nave, rather than facing the pews from the altar area. This placement is because, until the 1500s, <a href="https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/btb/index.cfm/book_number/4088/pew#:~:text=Wooden%20pews%20as%20we%20know,the%20elderly%20to%20sit%20on.">there were no pews</a>! Everybody stood during the services for the first 1500 years that churches existed. The pulpits' placement probably made it easier to address large groups, who could easily gather below to listen.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The installation of pews happened during the Protestant Reformation. The lengthy sermons the Protestants liked were tiring so people wanted to be able to sit down. Eventually the Catholics followed suit and installed their own pews. However, the placement of pulpits in the Catholic churches continued to be on the nave sides through the colonial period and even into the Republic era.</span><br /></span><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZevV1KMt5DhpNxTDsG4QaAt0LmvPd0vYuwQFT9L-YORvKFfTNQtckV5FoWs4uZvmO9oigqhSKKmWlBFy1hp-LR5u0trpDkJQMxon8K2RRbeLsDE4icdW6LhGirRvRkMOXgoaz4_3euV6mpsHBCChI_zePk-AkaR_hvsEjsFqYM3Xf23NQpdDZcwZOQ/s540/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20int%20organ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZevV1KMt5DhpNxTDsG4QaAt0LmvPd0vYuwQFT9L-YORvKFfTNQtckV5FoWs4uZvmO9oigqhSKKmWlBFy1hp-LR5u0trpDkJQMxon8K2RRbeLsDE4icdW6LhGirRvRkMOXgoaz4_3euV6mpsHBCChI_zePk-AkaR_hvsEjsFqYM3Xf23NQpdDZcwZOQ/w640-h480/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20int%20organ.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A pipe organ is on a balcony on the nave's right side. </b>The origins of the instrument called an organ <a href="https://westfield.org/programs/curious-facts/#:~:text=The%20organ%20began%20making%20its,churches%20and%20cathedrals%20throughout%20Europe.">dates back to 246 BC</a>, when a man called <i>Ctesibius</i> of Alexandria came up with a water-regulated mechanical flute-playing device called a hydraulis. In 90 BC, Romans such as Cicero mentioned its use during banquets, games and circuses throughout the Mediterranean. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 757 AD, Byzantine Emperor Constantius made a gift of an organ to the Frankish King Pepin the Short. Pepin promptly hired a Venetian to teach students to build organs and their use quickly spread. Around 900 AD organs began to be used in churches for ceremonial purposes and, by the 1400s, they were well-established in monasteries, cathedrals, and other religious institutions throughout Europe.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTad2yPJFlrhg9yqe6m7ZLsg37YTEmiobNnAty-6B6DSt12KuOTN0ZpN4SlV_cKqK4VBDa3ekEvOQ78tH6rxhZ_Yy1G16iX3MnFYTjaWx6HsSaldMaNaMEmsA1hL3sdXjBp_vLYDYBt5Q0-LD16jYnjpbTIgzt6XzEd14GLsCzr0twImftHK6vVtyTA/s762/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Dieog%20statue%20St%20Francis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTad2yPJFlrhg9yqe6m7ZLsg37YTEmiobNnAty-6B6DSt12KuOTN0ZpN4SlV_cKqK4VBDa3ekEvOQ78tH6rxhZ_Yy1G16iX3MnFYTjaWx6HsSaldMaNaMEmsA1hL3sdXjBp_vLYDYBt5Q0-LD16jYnjpbTIgzt6XzEd14GLsCzr0twImftHK6vVtyTA/w454-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Dieog%20statue%20St%20Francis.jpg" width="454" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A statue of <i>San Francisco</i> holding a skull is in a side-niche of the nave</b>. He was the founder of the religious organization known as the Franciscan Order, the first of its kind to begin evangelization of <i>Nueva España</i> (Mexico). <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi"><i>San Francisco</i> (1181-1226)</a> is best known for images in which he is surrounded by animals, which he loved and to whom he sometimes preached. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">However, paintings and statues of him holding a skull are also common. He died at age 44, a relatively young age, and was aware of his coming demise. <i>San Francisco</i> often placed a skull on his breakfast table as a reminder that life is ephemeral and death is not to be feared.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWii3RcSdN7oNGsKtnOuOt6gD4gOJYLxYMSqE8LPnQi1EGeNFjqG3TcxRJZM_p9SBAamxzSP9qVxzwgWcFiSJ0xJWBj9pyKjLaSJ5rtrurVA7YwvI6b1_8tgMnoHrRS_zWw0UQFVYKDdJ_pnkpCdWE0012MuFs5Z6PSyc10ergeFmJAUJNGvoozVnAA/s720/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20statue%20San%20Martin%20de%20Porres.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWii3RcSdN7oNGsKtnOuOt6gD4gOJYLxYMSqE8LPnQi1EGeNFjqG3TcxRJZM_p9SBAamxzSP9qVxzwgWcFiSJ0xJWBj9pyKjLaSJ5rtrurVA7YwvI6b1_8tgMnoHrRS_zWw0UQFVYKDdJ_pnkpCdWE0012MuFs5Z6PSyc10ergeFmJAUJNGvoozVnAA/w480-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20statue%20San%20Martin%20de%20Porres.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>San Martin de Porres</i>, the first Black saint born in the Americas</b>. Another oddity I encountered at <i>Templo San Diego</i> was this statue of a saint who was a member of the Dominican Order, a great rival of the Franciscans. <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_de_Porres">San Martin de Porres</a></i> was born in 1579 in Lima, Peru, the child of a Spanish nobleman and the freed mulatto slave (Black and indigenous) who was his mistress. Prejudice against this background made it difficult for <i>Martin</i> to became a Dominican, but he succeeded. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">His presence at the <i>Templo</i> may be due to some of the similarities between <i>San Francisco</i> and <i>San Martin</i>. Both are often depicted in the company of animals and both were devoted to poverty, simplicity, and service to others. <i>San Martin de Porres</i> is usually shown holding a broom, symbolizing his belief that all work is sacred. He died in 1639 but, while his saintliness was recognized in his own time, this was not made official until 1962. <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLX4cYaIEjBn2xm-5DqJB5TqvqbsB_vUOFwSdUEv8tFdwKX582Gnpb7aWarW6DZdFFKqnRhi-N76CiK9HTZLP-bv_ms4K2VrSrbGMtgY4mFD-2U4KQHZqr4QmP822Bsa6mDwJOVerZovX7iof8zMrMPUt-iS6UuTjnogQgkZ5pURj4D6d5wRlFUbOVA/s762/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20int%20pillar%20Baroque.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLX4cYaIEjBn2xm-5DqJB5TqvqbsB_vUOFwSdUEv8tFdwKX582Gnpb7aWarW6DZdFFKqnRhi-N76CiK9HTZLP-bv_ms4K2VrSrbGMtgY4mFD-2U4KQHZqr4QmP822Bsa6mDwJOVerZovX7iof8zMrMPUt-iS6UuTjnogQgkZ5pURj4D6d5wRlFUbOVA/w454-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Templo%20San%20Diego%20int%20pillar%20Baroque.jpg" width="454" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Wooden column from one of the <i>retablos</i> of the original church. </b>A <i>retablo </i>stands behind an altar and contains niches for paintings and statues. <b> </b>This was part of the original Baroque interior of the <i>Templo</i> and may have been carved in 1709 to honor San Antonio de Padua<i>.</i> The spiraling Solomonic column is decorated with floral images and shows traces of gold sheathing. It was discovered recently in the <i>campanario</i> (bell tower) of the church. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Less than a century after the monastery's completion, disaster struck. In 1780, a great flood cascaded through <i>Guanajuato</i>, destroying much of the city. The channel of the deep arroyo along which the city had been built became clogged with mining waste and other debris and the catastrophe was probably inevitable. The <i>Templo's</i> </span>nave was filled with the floating cadavers of humans and animals and the <i>Dieguinos</i>' cloister was completely destroyed. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Museo Ex-Convento Dieguino</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hm9X3O-Ong7WOXPf6Z0OVuzNoRQoxwXGICjIwq2Gez14HtQ1xdsI65FCbXF165WRChKcwIQQU1pq1ZAUGooak0kQtjX99CffAJHxqhDoerhrwVPu4Jb5fZSVverJ97_KIP2-av-v4hr4pD0EvM5yj_xJJ0JNVYQgzrtyycoGa7X1-Z5nDC9WT-wEBg/s540/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20arches%20&%20Carole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hm9X3O-Ong7WOXPf6Z0OVuzNoRQoxwXGICjIwq2Gez14HtQ1xdsI65FCbXF165WRChKcwIQQU1pq1ZAUGooak0kQtjX99CffAJHxqhDoerhrwVPu4Jb5fZSVverJ97_KIP2-av-v4hr4pD0EvM5yj_xJJ0JNVYQgzrtyycoGa7X1-Z5nDC9WT-wEBg/w640-h480/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20arches%20&%20Carole.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Carole walks through the ruins of the old cloister. </b>The <i>Museo Dieguino</i> can be accessed from the alley to the right of the <i>Templo.</i> From there you descend into an eerie underground world.<b> </b>After the great flood, the level of the street was raised as much as 6 meters (18ft) with tunnels left to allow water to pass through and thus avoid future floods. The tunnels now serve as underground streets.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Templo San Diego</i> was rebuilt at the new level and the upper level of the cloister now became its ground floor, with cells and offices for the friars. The lower level of the cloister was left buried deep underground. The reconstruction of the <i>Templo</i> and its cloister took about four years. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This was a remarkable feat given that the original structures needed more than 30 years to complete. The rapidity of the reconstruction was due to the intervention of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanajuato_(city)"><i>Antonio de Obregón y Alconcer,</i> first </a><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanajuato_(city)">Conde de Valenciana</a>. </i>He was one of the richest men in Guanajuato and his mines produced 60% of the 18th century world's silver. Apparently, money was no object.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRwgkOIbPv5PY4s0nyKfN9go8BQ8ZCFSWzFb9-wrida45h2Cyp2-WSbdlL6rjz2qR-inNlhQ0R6IJaZTTRC2PxqVMcEJR6ouuIJCqXWg91xDjDNjgFrJT2FvPuR60JOub6pjfiMsouTmFCGc3iD7LD-KapMgWOoRs5Y8_WZDdGQ1RCmh6CytX52Ynzg/s720/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20arches%20painted.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRwgkOIbPv5PY4s0nyKfN9go8BQ8ZCFSWzFb9-wrida45h2Cyp2-WSbdlL6rjz2qR-inNlhQ0R6IJaZTTRC2PxqVMcEJR6ouuIJCqXWg91xDjDNjgFrJT2FvPuR60JOub6pjfiMsouTmFCGc3iD7LD-KapMgWOoRs5Y8_WZDdGQ1RCmh6CytX52Ynzg/w480-h640/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20arches%20painted.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>The walls and arches still show some of the painted decorations</b>. The ruins of the </span>cloister that you see above were left underground and only excavated by archeologists in the 20th century. The original monastery contained a special door for pilgrims, an atrium, and 2 <i>aljibes</i> (underground water tanks) including one in the cloister and another in the patio.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Ironically, the effect of the long burial of the cloister was to preserve all this for modern visitors. Wandering through these shadowy ruins, I could almost hear the quiet shuffling of sandals and bare feet, as long-vanished friars made their way along ancient stone walls and through the archways to their monastic cells. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYzMDOCCKuWFAa8A8JCd5G28_Wj60paKMm9ioX7EaQPJv1EmFjMPWJOvpzUluJ1SXrweAe8k0oiBhn0Dio6vxPhSvrWL7a8q0yulkIxrghcd_Y78qeHHBiZLjiib8VzqEo6TypbPfPBTR3GpKFvLj6vgJyZVFkOUAXtbrKcblVrJ2wRQMxRSPfXLW2g/s540/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20symbols%20painted.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="540" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYzMDOCCKuWFAa8A8JCd5G28_Wj60paKMm9ioX7EaQPJv1EmFjMPWJOvpzUluJ1SXrweAe8k0oiBhn0Dio6vxPhSvrWL7a8q0yulkIxrghcd_Y78qeHHBiZLjiib8VzqEo6TypbPfPBTR3GpKFvLj6vgJyZVFkOUAXtbrKcblVrJ2wRQMxRSPfXLW2g/w640-h628/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20symbols%20painted.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>An eight-pointed star and a heart decorate two sides of a pillar</b>. The symbols apparently had great meaning to the Franciscan friars who painted them. However, there was no explanatory sign so they were as much a mystery to me as the hieroglyphics in an Egyptian tomb. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>Templo San Diego</i> and the surviving monastic structures continued to undergo changes during the 18th and 19th centuries. The <i>Templo's</i> interior was remodeled, replacing the Churrigueresque features with the newly popular Neo-Classic style. Various small side chapels were added, along with some of the statues and paintings we see today.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozUebRuOpAE-44QS2fF6k3TXXajBBhDDXfdlUpPfIH02WvXRXIq9swHwn8NrW3iunYq-e1zUnAX0bH4Yn8pk1kzRRbmToqUE9ah_ljgh9b-FHRIg3jiKgu6nLT-tg9LhM87Zf7Tj3tNwLIT8FfVZin848XPwbox3O8ta62wYgyMle5sUd6FQ0L4gS7Q/s540/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20well%20&%20Carole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="540" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozUebRuOpAE-44QS2fF6k3TXXajBBhDDXfdlUpPfIH02WvXRXIq9swHwn8NrW3iunYq-e1zUnAX0bH4Yn8pk1kzRRbmToqUE9ah_ljgh9b-FHRIg3jiKgu6nLT-tg9LhM87Zf7Tj3tNwLIT8FfVZin848XPwbox3O8ta62wYgyMle5sUd6FQ0L4gS7Q/w640-h638/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20well%20&%20Carole.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Carole contemplates the well over one of the cloister's two <i>aljibes</i></b>. The biggest changes to the monastic complex began in 1860, the result of the Liberal Party victory over the Conservatives in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_War">Reform War of 1858-61</a>. The war was fought over the implementation of the Constitution of 1857, which was aimed at limiting the political, economic, and cultural power of Mexico's Catholic Church. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">At the time, the Church controlled as much as 40% of the arable land in Mexico and completely dominated the education system. This left the vast majority of Mexicans poor and illiterate. The Church protected its privileges through a separate court system it controlled. In the Liberal view, the Church was a regressive force in society. Its power at stake, the Church allied with the Conservatives and threatened to excommunicate civil servants who implemented the new Constitution. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietmMAHAjflBPElLemDrky0BNyCbctqPti6mfpr89tkgSzikOwTH3KVcSOEEml6vQRXPmMBopausiRP3NdPSXubDRcFHC6iQqQIHN4kuyMwXVk0PoLJleviq3jzX7z4WF8smSjiKsukW7bqoHnYAu70eppMN6PLektSaGWG6dpD-uyiDu8AqpA9332Zg/s634/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20well.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietmMAHAjflBPElLemDrky0BNyCbctqPti6mfpr89tkgSzikOwTH3KVcSOEEml6vQRXPmMBopausiRP3NdPSXubDRcFHC6iQqQIHN4kuyMwXVk0PoLJleviq3jzX7z4WF8smSjiKsukW7bqoHnYAu70eppMN6PLektSaGWG6dpD-uyiDu8AqpA9332Zg/w546-h640/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20well.jpg" width="546" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The opposite side of the well</b>. The spill-over tank in the foreground may have been used to wash clothing or other items like dishes. It's not clear what function the poor, orphaned, or abandoned children played in the monastery. Almost certainly they were put to work around the complex and probably labored over the clothes or dishes washed in this tank.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The three-year Reform War resulted in Liberal victory under the leadership of <i><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benito-Juarez">Benito Juarez</a></i>. However, at the Conservatives' invitation, French Emperor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_French_intervention_in_Mexico">Napoleon III invaded Mexico </a></span><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_French_intervention_in_Mexico">in 1862</a>,</span><span> </span><span>overthrew its Republic, and installed Austrian Archduke Maximillian as Emperor of Mexico. After a five-year occupation, the French were finally expelled in 1867 by <i>Juarez'</i> forces, with American assistance.</span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NGU9lo6ExxfjUdM-mJGhbL3CaPs3cTAGV8QXWpqHSjbI2Sqc0q2qqIHD8TbvgPNhebJLhLlPkp9A8f0WOaQFmCD4owNXbJCzMF2pokI4-ZET2uSE8yECXHF8r50j3gTR6veqK4AFbooTCSAQVU4bE3L0Iol19YGAn2aXO9P7qe4FJRPQei0ap_ctmg/s598/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20art3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NGU9lo6ExxfjUdM-mJGhbL3CaPs3cTAGV8QXWpqHSjbI2Sqc0q2qqIHD8TbvgPNhebJLhLlPkp9A8f0WOaQFmCD4owNXbJCzMF2pokI4-ZET2uSE8yECXHF8r50j3gTR6veqK4AFbooTCSAQVU4bE3L0Iol19YGAn2aXO9P7qe4FJRPQei0ap_ctmg/w578-h640/MuseoExConventoDieguino-%20art3.jpg" width="578" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A small art gallery occupies some of the old cloister's rooms</b>. I found this display of abstract art yet another oddity of the complex. The paintings were in no way representative of the place and I couldn't quite reconcile its atmosphere with this sort of art. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">With his final victory over the French and his Conservative enemies, <i>Benito Juarez</i> was able to implement the Constitution. Vast properties of the Church were expropriated and sold. <i>Juarez'</i> idea was to create a broad class of small farmers, similar to the U.S. However, in the end, the big hacienda owners ended up with most of the former Church land. They had money and the government was broke after the long struggle with the French. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Monasteries in Mexico, including this one, had been disbanded during the early reforms. Except for the <i>Templo</i>, the structures of <i>Ex-Convento Dieguino</i> were demolished in 1861</span>and replaced by the <i>Hotel Emporio.</i> These included the cloister and the <i>Templo del Tercer Orden de San Francisco</i><i> </i>. In 1873, the hotel was itself torn down and construction began on <i>Teatro Juarez. </i>The theatre was inaugurated in 1903 by President Porfirio Diaz.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 2 of my Guanajuato Revisited series. I hope you enjoyed it and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. Please remember to include your email address if you leave a question in the Comments so that I can respond in a timely fashion.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /> <br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-71921797780714826382023-03-10T21:59:00.002-06:002023-10-19T16:10:48.821-06:00Guanajuato Revisited Part 1 of 17: The Jardin Union Plaza<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FyXCgb0psH2IzSK8R3wqSOR5N9NfQmtV0afIn5LSJqQWsFywVnp0wpj8eVGbSxQLUQT15P7UESxis4HiQdnOBxVfiTigGR86IeLm72McfYo4C-CsUl_wM1UdyT8yXp6Q1CsXbGrPjHrJ6VK57LC_lRJ9zQP0NJc5j828NhyQskILrSnsgHccruNhwQ/s781/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20lutist%20in%20costume.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FyXCgb0psH2IzSK8R3wqSOR5N9NfQmtV0afIn5LSJqQWsFywVnp0wpj8eVGbSxQLUQT15P7UESxis4HiQdnOBxVfiTigGR86IeLm72McfYo4C-CsUl_wM1UdyT8yXp6Q1CsXbGrPjHrJ6VK57LC_lRJ9zQP0NJc5j828NhyQskILrSnsgHccruNhwQ/w442-h640/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20lutist%20in%20costume.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dressed in 16th century garb, a wandering lutist strikes a pose</b>. <i>Guanajuato</i> is chock full of musicians, most of them strolling about live, but some are statues. We encountered this cheerful fellow at the <i>Plaza Jardin Union</i> in <i>El Centro</i> (the center of the old silver mining city). I always enjoy street musicians because they provide a live sound track to my life in Mexico.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I titled this series of postings "Guanajuato Revisited" because our 2022 visit there was our second. <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2008/08/guanajuato-spanish-treasure-city-part-1.html">The first was back in 2008</a>, about a year after we moved to Mexico. I was both curious to see what changes might have occurred and to check out some of the things we didn't have the time (or knowledge about) to see during our first visit.<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpUuGwQWP5GZbzNDNKZRwjUzW7mKIX6Fn9FSwLxTYXVt8KhBqQr-94bG3zCr6AIkcgjrk7rhwIa9ZbOiISxsYxzH4yRO9iCQWy04BD35xaUX3b8LeeulW5TlQ5j2ghrm7EUpYr5j-YgkbmpgK3AG-3uc7kFMQ7m8cfpLIQqqUQGpy4G2yOl1xNib8RQ/s540/Ajijic%20to%20Guanajuato-%20Google%20maps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="540" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpUuGwQWP5GZbzNDNKZRwjUzW7mKIX6Fn9FSwLxTYXVt8KhBqQr-94bG3zCr6AIkcgjrk7rhwIa9ZbOiISxsYxzH4yRO9iCQWy04BD35xaUX3b8LeeulW5TlQ5j2ghrm7EUpYr5j-YgkbmpgK3AG-3uc7kFMQ7m8cfpLIQqqUQGpy4G2yOl1xNib8RQ/w640-h382/Ajijic%20to%20Guanajuato-%20Google%20maps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>How to get to Guanajuato from Lake Chapala/Guadalajara</b>. It is a relatively easy and fast trip (3.5-4 hours) on high-speed toll roads called <i>cuotas </i>and short sections of <i>libres</i> (free roads) which are also high-speed and divided. Just take the Chapala-Guadalajara <i>carretera</i> (highway) north a few miles past <i>Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos</i> and then get on the <i>Macrolibramiento</i> (the first <i>cuota</i>) at the sign for <i>Zapotlanejo</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After reaching <i>Zapotlanejo</i>, the <i>cuota</i> seamlessly becomes the 80D <i>cuota</i> until you get to <i>San Juan de Los Lagos</i>. Follow the signs toward <i>Léon</i>, which will put you on the 80 <i>libre</i> (free road). When you exit the 80 <i>libre</i> at the <i>Léon </i>sign<i>, </i>you will be on the 45D<i> cuota. </i>Just past <i>Léon</i>, the road becomes the 45 <i>libre</i> for 33km (20mi) until you reach <i>Silao</i>. There you go north on the 110D c<i>uota. </i>It is 22.8km (14mi) from there to <i>Guanajuato.</i></span></div><div><div><p></p><p><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Plaza Jardin Union </span></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQ-sw_Py0bpvtGz21ERiMzx98W_7vaAbVFX-XIxDSRhdAtNByAldWf5maDOcyewA2jDOszsQJejjvASKhN6ovdu18TTAQh-QGMUbgwPUwnbM4PDs0oqX3XkUpupuPiJPUqmCqa2M0K_bpD6Ng-gut9tlDRbcIvhPyRfx5zqdF6ff8iyoliyhXkZmHOQ/s540/Jardin%20arial%20shot2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQ-sw_Py0bpvtGz21ERiMzx98W_7vaAbVFX-XIxDSRhdAtNByAldWf5maDOcyewA2jDOszsQJejjvASKhN6ovdu18TTAQh-QGMUbgwPUwnbM4PDs0oqX3XkUpupuPiJPUqmCqa2M0K_bpD6Ng-gut9tlDRbcIvhPyRfx5zqdF6ff8iyoliyhXkZmHOQ/w640-h480/Jardin%20arial%20shot2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Plaza Jardin Union</i> from above</b>. The shot was taken from the base of the huge statue of <i>El Pipila</i> that overlooks <i>El Centro</i> from high on one of the hills surrounding Guanajuato. <i>El Pipila</i> was a hero of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain. You can read his amazing story in <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2008/09/guanajuato-part-4-el-pipila-and-random.html">Part 1 of my 2008 series</a>. The <i>Jardin Union</i> (Union Garden) is the green area, roughly triangular in shape, just beyond the church in the foreground. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The church is <i>Templo San Diego de Alcalá</i>, founded by the Franciscan Order in 1667 and completed in 1694. The <i>Plaza</i> was long known as <i>Plaza San Diego</i> because of its proximity to the <i>Templo</i>. In 1861, the <i>Plaza</i> was transformed into <i>Jardin Union</i>, a garden area with platforms, benches and lamps. Electric lighting and other improvements were made during the era of the <i>Porfiriato</i> (the 35-year dictatorship of <i>Porfirio Diaz</i>).</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdpPWhRfb-CqHnvuRMDgjckJ7mk3H2EJpb9aXSGbw2Rk4L_Oz9s9k1UZxvtyPGM-chDmjTRAxV3DKtNSiKE-QoLXZ73rIAdhIF87rKK43k9NFfNcBUP0eApYny4yWyWWBcI6xgo0A-2Rk8VvQhy5HQzef0-Ke1qMAN7tkhXHXGUOvwf1QgEtiCZa0rQ/s540/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20Andador%20Luis%20Gonzalez%20Obrego%CC%81n%20w:crowd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdpPWhRfb-CqHnvuRMDgjckJ7mk3H2EJpb9aXSGbw2Rk4L_Oz9s9k1UZxvtyPGM-chDmjTRAxV3DKtNSiKE-QoLXZ73rIAdhIF87rKK43k9NFfNcBUP0eApYny4yWyWWBcI6xgo0A-2Rk8VvQhy5HQzef0-Ke1qMAN7tkhXHXGUOvwf1QgEtiCZa0rQ/w640-h480/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20Andador%20Luis%20Gonzalez%20Obrego%CC%81n%20w:crowd.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Pedestrians approach <i>Jardin Union</i> along </b><i><b>Andador Luis González Obregón</b>. </i>An <i>andador</i> is a walking-only street. This one stretches 4 blocks from the <i>Plaza de la Paz</i> at the Basilica church to the northwest corner of the <i>Jardin. </i>Then, its name changes to <i>De Sopena</i> as it crosses in front of <i>Templo San Diego </i>and continues another 4 blocks until it finally hits <i>Calle Del Calvario </i>and is open to cars again.<i> </i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the best parts of <i>El Centro</i> areas in Mexico's colonial-era cities are the <i>andadores</i> that often border plazas or connect one or more of them. You can stroll along, enjoy the whole scene and not have to dodge cars, trucks, and maniac motorcyclists, or breath their exhaust fumes.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguISq9SPexmJ3hpxLk6oofsnLUtpjRsn4JbYgoypcvv1gSIMWGE9PsXvaj-4KGAMGoQYkpNA1TgDt_HCTm2AF6tPYHqBpuwUK5R2lYO2owakJAxPuHxuwZ3X6Gb4_GksyKNe18rBjxGo6i1dt_DTeC8pDOVuQCYujVSznJijfg-mgg5EYmpYP7ZXzeJg/s540/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20art%20stands.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="540" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguISq9SPexmJ3hpxLk6oofsnLUtpjRsn4JbYgoypcvv1gSIMWGE9PsXvaj-4KGAMGoQYkpNA1TgDt_HCTm2AF6tPYHqBpuwUK5R2lYO2owakJAxPuHxuwZ3X6Gb4_GksyKNe18rBjxGo6i1dt_DTeC8pDOVuQCYujVSznJijfg-mgg5EYmpYP7ZXzeJg/w640-h600/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20art%20stands.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>With no traffic, artists can set up right in the street</b>. The corner above is where <i>Luis González Obregón</i> becomes <i>De Sopena</i>. The vegetation on the right is part of the <i>Jardin Union</i>. The blocks surrounding the <i>Jardin</i> are filled with restaurants and hotels. I wanted to stay at one of these hotels, but the parking was just too problematic. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">We finally decided on a hotel on the edge of Guanajuato in order to avoid driving in El Centro as much as we could. Our solution was to park in a large public parking garage called <i><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/estaciamiento+alhondiga,+guanajuato,+mx/@21.0214583,-101.2614742,16z/data=!3m1!4b1">Estacionmiento La Alhondiga</a></i>. It is located near the <i>Museo Alhondiga</i> where <i>El Centro</i> begins and we could just walk everywhere from there. It was an inexpensive and convenient solution and we recommend it. In addition to the one where we parked, there are other public garages in the area.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyI2iDxqi7RzV-6zhgwXvfqDh2Mf25L6RRXyC56G6cy73cg6kkCg9UJOox1CgLXMQ_5_uP6Dek67dpRhOH4opOub5fI7KQhN1wq8aKvnxa7WCMZ4jg2u3HQl0CBAC4of65OuRw-RL5-dw6oNplJpm7w2N90kTOkWrHju7P1HIxUx1XCvd9VB00pkApZg/s720/Jardin%20fountain4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyI2iDxqi7RzV-6zhgwXvfqDh2Mf25L6RRXyC56G6cy73cg6kkCg9UJOox1CgLXMQ_5_uP6Dek67dpRhOH4opOub5fI7KQhN1wq8aKvnxa7WCMZ4jg2u3HQl0CBAC4of65OuRw-RL5-dw6oNplJpm7w2N90kTOkWrHju7P1HIxUx1XCvd9VB00pkApZg/w480-h640/Jardin%20fountain4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>One of several fountains burbles in the midst of the lush garden</b>. On a warm day, <i>Jardin Union</i> is an oasis of green, shady coolness with lots of music. There are several restaurants lining the walkway through the <i>Jardin</i> but they are all pretty up-scale and expensive. We like smaller, homier places, so we just sat on one of the many benches in order to people-watch and listen to the music of the various mariachi bands perform. </span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CRaCcE_ipkdaJ2zNFOHLhCsKWBE51sUhqddkydYhQEQlUYaT5_WvLs1fsSilSe06-DodwOtYUN8S4Rnkt9DhUbykNbAuXlYGsXDE6wwCjlSAvJs6bT6T8RHtYR_LJxQOt8gieqo0tFov2lzzWqgzVcHGFD_GXUUspDupjhDP7BWZxSIOXtrOjc_LwA/s856/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20mariachi%20trumpeters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CRaCcE_ipkdaJ2zNFOHLhCsKWBE51sUhqddkydYhQEQlUYaT5_WvLs1fsSilSe06-DodwOtYUN8S4Rnkt9DhUbykNbAuXlYGsXDE6wwCjlSAvJs6bT6T8RHtYR_LJxQOt8gieqo0tFov2lzzWqgzVcHGFD_GXUUspDupjhDP7BWZxSIOXtrOjc_LwA/w404-h640/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20mariachi%20trumpeters.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>And play they did!</b> Two trumpeters performed our favorite song "<i>Guadalajara</i>!" A <i>mariachi</i> band that is full of good musicians is well worth a pause to listen to a few songs. Restaurant patrons, particularly large Mexican families, will hire a band to entertain them during their meals. There were plenty of ready customers for these guys. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The bands typically dress in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charro_outfit"><i>charro</i> outfits</a>. like those shown above. <i>Mariachis</i> originated in the state of <i>Jalisco</i> where we live. <i>Tequila</i> and <i>charros</i> are also among the many parts of ranch culture that originated in <i>Jalisco</i> and have since come to symbolize Mexico.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdb-lWHd_Jac0JJQrguNSdYDQ-cU579uP2meui0GCaM8WLTmrg-2E9atmcnp8HONGGlaK9UNUSBM4yzzPty_kfwWhrhBg6v3yw33cVWp8xPa2WeDEY5tDKtGERoTC9JbBepoy--Of5OE5g51_9VhOztvbN65_X7TlHed6MNGLkEpuk1R98QekWDgYEdQ/s540/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20mariachi%20band.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="540" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdb-lWHd_Jac0JJQrguNSdYDQ-cU579uP2meui0GCaM8WLTmrg-2E9atmcnp8HONGGlaK9UNUSBM4yzzPty_kfwWhrhBg6v3yw33cVWp8xPa2WeDEY5tDKtGERoTC9JbBepoy--Of5OE5g51_9VhOztvbN65_X7TlHed6MNGLkEpuk1R98QekWDgYEdQ/w640-h572/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20mariachi%20band.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>As soon as one band quits, another starts up</b>. A mariachi band may vary in size, but the <a href="https://hellomusictheory.com/learn/mariachi-instruments/">typical instruments</a> include 2-3 trumpets, 3 or more violins, a <i>vihuela</i>, guitar, <i>guitarrón</i>, and sometimes a harp. And, of course, the bands often include wonderful singers. The musicians are nearly always men, but we have heard a few women-only bands, who also do a great job.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It is not certain exactly <a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/everything-you-need-to-know-a-look-at-the-history-of-mariachi-in-tucson/collection_c39f6ea2-4a4d-11e8-9085-bfb091a89daf.html#4">when and where mariachi music began</a>. Some hold that it dates back to the <i>Coca</i> indigenous people in the 16th century. Apparently, they were trying to imitate the singing of the Franciscan friars who were evangelizing them. Others say it came about in the 18th century at rural fiestas. The small city of <i>Cocula</i> in <i>Jalisco</i> claims that the music style originated there and even boasts its own <i>mariachi</i> museum.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Teatro Juarez</i> and the <i>Funicular</i></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZ2kqA-AQ-e40XuB4TqaDrxBpZSLHPRjgEGh6YFR8nP7tL3-eyllDAOq6PgAiMIVoApv_JDxt-fOaA7Li0muKxdwG5LVWO_60qr62yW980y-NcvIkdZR3gm3_qKdhUtsrR3BDgCOS9-9YV5BV8u0HlaJD0WtWaNLONygfVhbuNBpIErtBwvjcqzy1Ug/s552/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Teatro%20statues.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZ2kqA-AQ-e40XuB4TqaDrxBpZSLHPRjgEGh6YFR8nP7tL3-eyllDAOq6PgAiMIVoApv_JDxt-fOaA7Li0muKxdwG5LVWO_60qr62yW980y-NcvIkdZR3gm3_qKdhUtsrR3BDgCOS9-9YV5BV8u0HlaJD0WtWaNLONygfVhbuNBpIErtBwvjcqzy1Ug/w626-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Teatro%20statues.jpg" width="626" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Large bronze statues line the top of the <i>Teatro Juarez</i></b>. They represent some of the nine muses of Greek mythology. The <i>Teatro</i> is considered one of the most beautiful in Mexico. It was built using a variety of styles, including a columned Neo-Classic front and an Art Deco smoking lounge. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The theatre was <a href="https://en.travelbymexico.com/guanajuato/places-to-visit/?nom=eguateatrojuarez#:~:text=The%20roof%20is%20crowned%20with,lounge%20in%20Art%20Nouveau%20style.">inaugurated by President <i>Porfirio Diaz </i>in 1903</a>, only seven years before he fled the country in the face of the 1910 Revolution. For a detailed look inside at this fascinating building, see <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2008/09/guanajuato-part-3-theatres-plazas.html">Part 3</a> of my 2008 postings on <i>Guanajuato</i>.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejzYRHniBDczCDUMLbQknrKmiRVQIp2K2AHyeYcNYu2DaUSp_6TFL9AhHTW30661D01NoTObbW2y175fp6RRIMLJRq3rIh4Tx7-IGO4MKZhL8-V8W7iBNv2FiOEqKUTgkPeFf_H4TUmEUjzRBaIfFLjOeq4VlxKLVpjLeK-k_uvuzRlD8famIfSLNEw/s540/Mexican%20students%20on%20Teatro%20steps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejzYRHniBDczCDUMLbQknrKmiRVQIp2K2AHyeYcNYu2DaUSp_6TFL9AhHTW30661D01NoTObbW2y175fp6RRIMLJRq3rIh4Tx7-IGO4MKZhL8-V8W7iBNv2FiOEqKUTgkPeFf_H4TUmEUjzRBaIfFLjOeq4VlxKLVpjLeK-k_uvuzRlD8famIfSLNEw/w640-h480/Mexican%20students%20on%20Teatro%20steps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span>The <i>Teatro's</i> steps are a favorite "hang-out" spot for university students</span></b>.<span> <i>Guanajuato</i> is a college town and young people are everywhere. Over 17,000 students pursue undergraduate, graduate and doctorate degrees while attending the </span><i><a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-guanajuato">Universidad de Guanajuato</a></i> (to be seen in a later posting) .</span></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGhdXlk9xfSzyeP5uCO77nYPgWyGqhKNgp5V2rKrbGzD0JLE4BUYRHSb6zbelp-Pc3EoK6_kcBSNeJ5WXyAp9v0zUXdt1bQ7G5G8GiMCUsJsFMxbhxzUCDaNSXCLEFYUOlPvImHnVCKvkMQKcY7MchTpj_3ozLhkqFhagVfpHQBOIzUAOlLRMrpEupQ/s720/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Teatro%20statue%20abstract.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGhdXlk9xfSzyeP5uCO77nYPgWyGqhKNgp5V2rKrbGzD0JLE4BUYRHSb6zbelp-Pc3EoK6_kcBSNeJ5WXyAp9v0zUXdt1bQ7G5G8GiMCUsJsFMxbhxzUCDaNSXCLEFYUOlPvImHnVCKvkMQKcY7MchTpj_3ozLhkqFhagVfpHQBOIzUAOlLRMrpEupQ/w480-h640/Plaza%20JardinDeUnion-%20Teatro%20statue%20abstract.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A rather bizarre statue stands between the <i>Teatro</i> and <i>Templo San Diego</i></b>. I have searched the internet and can't find any information about the statue's meaning or the identity of the sculptor. Anyone who knows anything about it is welcome to add a comment at the end of this posting. The <i>Teatro</i> was undergoing a major renovation during our 2022 visit and you can see the scaffolding on the left. I had photographed it in 2008 and so I didn't take many shots. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEr-wWrggNpC8jX7dr_9qFOt_Pv90T2krmQcDOIqQgLR11OinpCAGcpBMxLVDRaMXQIlY4qNCmf7y0re3Tb0WUFNyaYQW0Sj8M8twqaPErMwlASEbCR31bPeDOG6u1_rP4EngmFrvcJu3I_vH9BBcrAw-Hd0vpBiki-so0ZF9Ob8U4aqaKMy7UyHcBEg/s540/Pipila%20between%20Treatro%20&%20Church.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="405" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEr-wWrggNpC8jX7dr_9qFOt_Pv90T2krmQcDOIqQgLR11OinpCAGcpBMxLVDRaMXQIlY4qNCmf7y0re3Tb0WUFNyaYQW0Sj8M8twqaPErMwlASEbCR31bPeDOG6u1_rP4EngmFrvcJu3I_vH9BBcrAw-Hd0vpBiki-so0ZF9Ob8U4aqaKMy7UyHcBEg/w480-h640/Pipila%20between%20Treatro%20&%20Church.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>El Pipila</i> stands above the <i>Teatro Juarez</i> and the <i>Templo San Diego</i>. </b>The statue is actually quite huge and the fact that <i>El Pipila</i> looks so tiny in the background demonstrates just how high the hill is upon which it stands. Held aloft in the statue's right hand is a torch. It symbolizes the blazing ember the silver miner carried as he crawled through a storm of gunfire.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>With his torch, and </span>protected only by a slab of stone tied to his back, <i>El Pipila</i> set alight the wooden door of the <i>Alhondiga</i> granary in which the Spanish had fortified themselves. This incredibly brave act allowed <i>Miguel Hidalgo's</i> insurgent army to storm the building and ultimately take Guanajuato as their first major victory.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzyp4xNK4pDl9msyfk43nn8rKLRKp4SAPMLcevhnyRNTwKGqTOfCfMklSEFwN8ETZ_HNq_CgNsTcaQrCIoUAssXFFeBMZc1zrDV1osczBlJDWYfrdwfeuL-n-DMD3DoJCJ3h3eU8CplLuQzFIDs0TSQn0ArGakQ15O4gd_D794McR-U8rdjkc2xqZWg/s540/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20Funicular%20to%20Pipila.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="540" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzyp4xNK4pDl9msyfk43nn8rKLRKp4SAPMLcevhnyRNTwKGqTOfCfMklSEFwN8ETZ_HNq_CgNsTcaQrCIoUAssXFFeBMZc1zrDV1osczBlJDWYfrdwfeuL-n-DMD3DoJCJ3h3eU8CplLuQzFIDs0TSQn0ArGakQ15O4gd_D794McR-U8rdjkc2xqZWg/w640-h524/PlazaJardinDeUnion-%20Funicular%20to%20Pipila.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>One way to reach <i>El Pipila</i>. </b>The <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2008/09/guanajuato-part-4-el-pipila-and-random.html">Funicular Railway</a> can take you up to the statue. It can be accessed by way of the alley between the <i>Teatro Juarez</i> and <i>Templo San Diego</i>. Other ways to access the statue include a stone walkway that is steep and narrow, and the <i>Panorámica</i> highway which circles the city.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This concludes Part 1 of this series. In Part 2, we'll take a look at <i>Templo San Diego</i> and the ruins of its Franciscan Convent, called the <i>Dieguino</i>. I hope you have enjoyed Part 1 and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. As always, if you leave a question, please remember to include your email address so that I can reply in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-83187861260199875982023-03-03T18:57:00.002-06:002023-03-12T15:37:50.334-06:00The Virgin of Guadalupe parade at Concepción de Buenos Aires: Part 2 of 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ebj-uj5oepCfDzMiRsOz-Jb1FDGcyQddBZXQr_F9XB0hoEn-oCcoj3iJsXaeS7Z1dL7NDt4u9VCWCtUpCNBR7MTyQ9zZXGA4MDRqf1IyChxmidtihqv91xLptX1fAIl2qlEOrG8tOItD5B5U-9xoDKw86j9jqWYPEkvCyPgAuzm7YUEJrQI6aBVByg/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20Parroquia%20VdG%20chapel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="540" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ebj-uj5oepCfDzMiRsOz-Jb1FDGcyQddBZXQr_F9XB0hoEn-oCcoj3iJsXaeS7Z1dL7NDt4u9VCWCtUpCNBR7MTyQ9zZXGA4MDRqf1IyChxmidtihqv91xLptX1fAIl2qlEOrG8tOItD5B5U-9xoDKw86j9jqWYPEkvCyPgAuzm7YUEJrQI6aBVByg/w640-h524/CBA-%20Plaza%20Parroquia%20VdG%20chapel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A lone devotee prays at the chapel of the <i>Virgen de Guadalupe</i></b>. The flower-bedecked chapel is located in the <i>Parroquia</i> (parish church) on the<i> Plaza</i>, which was the end point of the parade. The <i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2010/12/virgin-of-guadalupe-fiesta.html">Virgen de Guadalupe</a></i> is not only a powerful religious symbol in Mexico but has great political and historical significance. In 1810, a banner with her image was chosen by <i><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Miguel-Hidalgo-y-Costilla">Miguel Hidalgo</a></i>, the Father of Mexican Independence, as his battle standard. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In Part 2 of this series, I will show you the parade held in her honor on December 12 at <i>Concepción de Buenos Aires</i>. I'll wind up this posting with a great little spot for lunch, should you choose to visit this pueblo in the future. To locate the town, check out the map and directions I provide in <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/">Part 1</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">The <i>Virgen de Guadalupe</i> Parade</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYpyUDL3U-w3l0WEPwlzL5hC8_rcjtQedpjetdGAuJ1kVvEMNMff9Gk3Q9LwHs9nxf7IWZZPfAdQEfzvdt9oBq0BCqPp1un_iXk9THco62zsJEAb1dQEIRrs6NNZWrIbd5Z4gbGIrzg5Zx8KK8oE4LeidBEBFbij1RAv_3YPFErsmJozENY51oj92rQ/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20float%20fr%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYpyUDL3U-w3l0WEPwlzL5hC8_rcjtQedpjetdGAuJ1kVvEMNMff9Gk3Q9LwHs9nxf7IWZZPfAdQEfzvdt9oBq0BCqPp1un_iXk9THco62zsJEAb1dQEIRrs6NNZWrIbd5Z4gbGIrzg5Zx8KK8oE4LeidBEBFbij1RAv_3YPFErsmJozENY51oj92rQ/w640-h480/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20float%20fr%20front.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A tractor from a local farm towed the lead float</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">. Everything about the parade was obviously put together by the local people with great care and devotion. Nothing about it pandered to foreigners like us. All that made the experience even more interesting and downright charming.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjhnYo220XEtaNOlKRERhSXHNqUUBNclZP-GqtGtr988y9o2189BertNz_PqEtAOMqqc7G4TVPPNJ7sQPhO1tDQ2qEMJCQrfw2jVuqiI0whTIYUUhSh5XZzRznaSGMNtGzizRBYYUyVocteOUjbykn7ngKRBjIU7c9G-w_H_DvC8B5TFqd2VZ0AvCVw/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20float%20fr%20rear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="540" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjhnYo220XEtaNOlKRERhSXHNqUUBNclZP-GqtGtr988y9o2189BertNz_PqEtAOMqqc7G4TVPPNJ7sQPhO1tDQ2qEMJCQrfw2jVuqiI0whTIYUUhSh5XZzRznaSGMNtGzizRBYYUyVocteOUjbykn7ngKRBjIU7c9G-w_H_DvC8B5TFqd2VZ0AvCVw/w640-h494/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20float%20fr%20rear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>View of the lead float from its rear</b>. Almost hidden by the mounds of flowers, a lone <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charro">charro</a></i> stands watch over the statue in the front of the float. The <i>Virgen de Guadalupe</i> is nearly always portrayed in exactly the same posture and clothing. </span>She first appeared to a Christianized Aztec man near Mexico City in 1531. Everything about her image and the legends that surround her carries both Catholic and pre-hispanic pagan meanings. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdQr1LA7VVeloYEbCf5zmPaa7JkXsobdJ9OkaGDA_Dnn7WGZSz7XEX1pFn0O-O_JmY7VAZQ9BuyKO8tbayemuVMG6sZ4PtKs8RhH886TuUqQWOEa0MT-20tTlhsIQgctTOgcZtdArUgb6PMkQE910jBUyx-OSNGXosOIL99TXDTTP5odjfo3z4w6Dmw/s620/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20live%20tableau1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdQr1LA7VVeloYEbCf5zmPaa7JkXsobdJ9OkaGDA_Dnn7WGZSz7XEX1pFn0O-O_JmY7VAZQ9BuyKO8tbayemuVMG6sZ4PtKs8RhH886TuUqQWOEa0MT-20tTlhsIQgctTOgcZtdArUgb6PMkQE910jBUyx-OSNGXosOIL99TXDTTP5odjfo3z4w6Dmw/w558-h640/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20live%20tableau1.jpg" width="558" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A second float carried a live tableau</b>. A woman kneels reverently before a young girl who is dressed as the Virgin. Mexicans are very attracted to religious pageantry and living tableaux. Sometimes, living actors even portray inanimate statues.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgZLLqP8PWkHrLnKAkMoccXhF8WC2IMIxDX09O2heap1g3TsYbW8GHqpBhXuERDwm91WK3GREBD6ZgpJdOzJM_nR9gk_OOeBl5oRHlGaFu8tZ1tcXPOidH5YKptB9TVJxF-w5lZ5opdbIu35z4T4cvVPYGGBBFhPV29QURUcC2WNGT1FGp9h6Df-HWw/s725/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20live%20tableau3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgZLLqP8PWkHrLnKAkMoccXhF8WC2IMIxDX09O2heap1g3TsYbW8GHqpBhXuERDwm91WK3GREBD6ZgpJdOzJM_nR9gk_OOeBl5oRHlGaFu8tZ1tcXPOidH5YKptB9TVJxF-w5lZ5opdbIu35z4T4cvVPYGGBBFhPV29QURUcC2WNGT1FGp9h6Df-HWw/w476-h640/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20live%20tableau3.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Children are often incorporated into the tableaux</b>. Rural communities like <i>Concepción de Buenos Aires</i></span> are deeply religious. While parades like this are entertaining for everyone, there is always an underlying seriousness to these kinds of religious events.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrfGwr36KMiB0Xj1jQNHwM8GXkOyA0Iu-pJ4s2zBqpXVnQd7UetP8OT7DqMu4J8RghnnDDsVCpXc9tig9nhyhOlUd_lDFw7Dl_NPMeZL67sT3l5R5ZcrFIWu6i6o_6CnEcUxd6twHdRWs00o6r3FKfC2sL6N1zpOlnLnqPA1nTqnDOwEdWGER2n6dOw/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20live%20tableau4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="540" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrfGwr36KMiB0Xj1jQNHwM8GXkOyA0Iu-pJ4s2zBqpXVnQd7UetP8OT7DqMu4J8RghnnDDsVCpXc9tig9nhyhOlUd_lDFw7Dl_NPMeZL67sT3l5R5ZcrFIWu6i6o_6CnEcUxd6twHdRWs00o6r3FKfC2sL6N1zpOlnLnqPA1nTqnDOwEdWGER2n6dOw/w640-h504/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20live%20tableau4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>In the back of the second float, another tableau</b>. A pretty young mom and her daughter ride quietly by a spectator watching the parade. The mom gave me a Mona Lisa smile but her little girl looked a bit concerned by my photographic efforts.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtI5trBwWSWh-DA7DYL3q3ocP8fCN4bMpJz23DzKSzegTN3ik6tkQdDh4wGZA0W5c7O_TgV3zLBxj-o7RJznkASJU5BTE47B5iKaHfInPGgjS27-auFMYTfmR8PNSfSWU0p-yCF5mD5E1Rtd5gwpv2KpHDSP6lDm4b9ksEqNPX0k1CiOGoIzdPIPwmg/s594/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charros%20fr%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtI5trBwWSWh-DA7DYL3q3ocP8fCN4bMpJz23DzKSzegTN3ik6tkQdDh4wGZA0W5c7O_TgV3zLBxj-o7RJznkASJU5BTE47B5iKaHfInPGgjS27-auFMYTfmR8PNSfSWU0p-yCF5mD5E1Rtd5gwpv2KpHDSP6lDm4b9ksEqNPX0k1CiOGoIzdPIPwmg/w582-h640/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charros%20fr%20front.jpg" width="582" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>And here come the <i>charros</i></b>. These were the last three in the line of horsemen, but certainly not the least. The streamers they ride under are in the colors of the Mexican flag. Along with the music, it was this set of streamers that originally attracted our attention to the point far down the street from the <i>Plaza </i></span>where the parade had originally gathered<i>.</i></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiNea4NmaJ2pn5auFhGgV1vRchtAs2VyAxyI2HWu8vY5rwm9u2F619yAz696PdSeYL0Valbn07rueRPr1pjGJMMAYrzsko-hC6AN9n69Ez7UpL1VljNZuItxKteidiG7M-Z-HNQ7OSm2pCSshHADt83esO64N_DcSOIqGsoFUD58wp9-IsfgtV822Kg/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20musicians.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiNea4NmaJ2pn5auFhGgV1vRchtAs2VyAxyI2HWu8vY5rwm9u2F619yAz696PdSeYL0Valbn07rueRPr1pjGJMMAYrzsko-hC6AN9n69Ez7UpL1VljNZuItxKteidiG7M-Z-HNQ7OSm2pCSshHADt83esO64N_DcSOIqGsoFUD58wp9-IsfgtV822Kg/w640-h480/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20musicians.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The local band brought up the rear</b>. The group was made up of two drummers, a pair of saxophonists, one trumpeter and a tuba player sporting a large blue instrument. They banged and tootled along merrily, if somewhat off key at times. <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYWUo7LUCobkKZY-UqV879cMQKjPn5huJHHzsU6n9PJ5Ge7P0ZnSBQOhVG2dcYF0BVnGLp6Y_fiKt8cHv2QfdCOO_PW5jQZqBd8S_reuM_qzt3eJh5mZC7kT5D-XiGWpb3zpejgoD5NMidMXEHSdeWsiUrjNEqHg14-zuThazqzmgny2IIF5sdx_58g/s648/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20cahetero.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYWUo7LUCobkKZY-UqV879cMQKjPn5huJHHzsU6n9PJ5Ge7P0ZnSBQOhVG2dcYF0BVnGLp6Y_fiKt8cHv2QfdCOO_PW5jQZqBd8S_reuM_qzt3eJh5mZC7kT5D-XiGWpb3zpejgoD5NMidMXEHSdeWsiUrjNEqHg14-zuThazqzmgny2IIF5sdx_58g/w534-h640/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20cahetero.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A <i>cohetero</i> prepares to fire</b>. A <i>cohete</i> is a small rocket, about the size of a cigar, attached to a long stick. They are lit off by men known as <i>coheteros</i>, who are ubiquitous at <i>fiestas</i> of all kinds. Their rockets don't set off a visual display, other than the small cloud of smoke that appears when they explode high in the sky. The main effect is the deafening blast. Individually, this is startling but tolerable. However, when shot off in a barrage, the effect is akin to the Battle of Stalingrad. </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzOH6IES1TjfD3X2zJowqP9Ql6Zu7fBeOSY61qnPMf2GJfuaKGh42rZX_gaW2Jss_XjqiGrmcfK6QHWijavX0ux3yargovFDfy6B_Xl1OPkvyGrMTW02-oiPk4lqlbICJ9xQ8kBBiIMGgBCgdM3-s7UoKSrnlc0e7Pcq_bMgIa7dOPaC8nrLv-YcQPw/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20specators.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="540" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzOH6IES1TjfD3X2zJowqP9Ql6Zu7fBeOSY61qnPMf2GJfuaKGh42rZX_gaW2Jss_XjqiGrmcfK6QHWijavX0ux3yargovFDfy6B_Xl1OPkvyGrMTW02-oiPk4lqlbICJ9xQ8kBBiIMGgBCgdM3-s7UoKSrnlc0e7Pcq_bMgIa7dOPaC8nrLv-YcQPw/w640-h454/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20specators.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Small groups of spectators gathered to watch</b>. Multiple generations crowded together in doorways and storefronts. I particularly liked the little girl who wears a huge heart on her chest.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxl8B-Wm6qmeZgkGFAKtYbc_O-I9zJXLaMM945LtsZr0uR73KqIuYk-6iyBElb8rDT5rIxII02qx47YnrRgl56FxExRgu3T84kfqR9u1JVjKvB5bqkKioZZ3rzhyb6ppqc3Kq65AihSJRMcAAuKkzuH4Wg1uct1ZsJNgebzwbxe596Lt0Ka3HnttNNw/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20castillo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxl8B-Wm6qmeZgkGFAKtYbc_O-I9zJXLaMM945LtsZr0uR73KqIuYk-6iyBElb8rDT5rIxII02qx47YnrRgl56FxExRgu3T84kfqR9u1JVjKvB5bqkKioZZ3rzhyb6ppqc3Kq65AihSJRMcAAuKkzuH4Wg1uct1ZsJNgebzwbxe596Lt0Ka3HnttNNw/w640-h480/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20castillo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A <i>castillo</i> lies on its side in front of the <i>Parroquia</i> at the <i>Plaza</i></b>. A <i>castillo</i> (castle) is a pyrotechnic structure that vaguely resembles a Christmas tree. To erect it, a street will sometimes be dug up and the center post set in the ground. In this case, the <i>castillo</i> has a cross- piece to rest upon when it is upright. It will become the focus of the <i>fiesta</i> this evening.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The structure is festooned with small rockets that are interconnected by fuses. When the <i>castillo</i> is lit off, the many small circular devices connected to it will spin wildly, propelled by the rockets attached to them. The whole affair will be quite a spectacle as it showers sparks in every direction. However, we will be long gone by then.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Lunch at <i>El Tio Lucas</i> Bar and Restaurant</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdRq8WBtMUNuSd3fv7fKcT7XTZtAtlautKgYU5Te03qu7iasjdujKxlULhM9S9szgZILZ593r6SSQY50Lr9Gfmq7Ckn4pTkayKaAn1-Djonk-5ptxc-PMGRrFHxlIIjgBc5zkdHDSdUFpOjlbbh1QlaJRBDi3ci4bRJiQqfG-42OUFJ-rfpt4ISJYIA/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20El%20Tio%20Lucas%20&%20Jerry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdRq8WBtMUNuSd3fv7fKcT7XTZtAtlautKgYU5Te03qu7iasjdujKxlULhM9S9szgZILZ593r6SSQY50Lr9Gfmq7Ckn4pTkayKaAn1-Djonk-5ptxc-PMGRrFHxlIIjgBc5zkdHDSdUFpOjlbbh1QlaJRBDi3ci4bRJiQqfG-42OUFJ-rfpt4ISJYIA/w640-h480/CBA-%20Plaza%20El%20Tio%20Lucas%20&%20Jerry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>Jerry approaches <i>Tio Lucas</i> Bar and Restaurant</b>. In Spanish, <i>Tio Lucas</i> means "Uncle Luke". The one-story brick structure occupies the corner of the <i>Plaza</i> at <i>Calles Aquiles Serdán</i> and <i>Álvaro Obregón.</i> I found it a little odd </span>that the structure is entirely brick since wood is so heavily used in this town. The style suggests a 19th century creation.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFnouYf8K-lPceRhksaNFxYDrDyPLQjBR59SX0SrK6Tb01wLZHkfu_vofZQUHR2rUcxIVPddP7iOkAAD2WA-70z-xsqkPQH_1y8zyM02GeAIBnrsE_mvUG6Ye8cthpMRMuS4kQOGqwFum7YFx-gUyR7v27tDh0qdKBQbp5bqfq7I04gytOKHKLkaLHg/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20El%20Tio%20Lucas%20bar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFnouYf8K-lPceRhksaNFxYDrDyPLQjBR59SX0SrK6Tb01wLZHkfu_vofZQUHR2rUcxIVPddP7iOkAAD2WA-70z-xsqkPQH_1y8zyM02GeAIBnrsE_mvUG6Ye8cthpMRMuS4kQOGqwFum7YFx-gUyR7v27tDh0qdKBQbp5bqfq7I04gytOKHKLkaLHg/w640-h480/CBA-%20Plaza%20El%20Tio%20Lucas%20bar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A bearded barman, presumably <i>Tio Lucas</i>, sat ready to take any orders</b>. The restaurant-bar was very cozy and homey. While our waiter didn't speak English, we knew enough Spanish to read the menu and order without difficulty. Photos of local people covered the walls. Some were of charros, while others were of local school sports teams and families celebrating various rural events.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DIgc90SIvFlIiOqEEH8U8Nl_z9XaYfSN0neN-Iimt-uVGEi8UKcJXceY-8Ou0a_do2HZzV9PjLwB9Py9RHJeyW14yIMRq8j8bSlKbNJI5pYPKFLKudKU-aFiOcT0urgDgm0BSfn3Q7Y8NEJHzU3oGXvACIFzZ0bz44SKV2Po-5650uwcMJqU-VDzlA/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20El%20Tio%20Lucas%20Lori,%20Carole,%20Jerry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DIgc90SIvFlIiOqEEH8U8Nl_z9XaYfSN0neN-Iimt-uVGEi8UKcJXceY-8Ou0a_do2HZzV9PjLwB9Py9RHJeyW14yIMRq8j8bSlKbNJI5pYPKFLKudKU-aFiOcT0urgDgm0BSfn3Q7Y8NEJHzU3oGXvACIFzZ0bz44SKV2Po-5650uwcMJqU-VDzlA/w640-h480/CBA-%20Plaza%20El%20Tio%20Lucas%20Lori,%20Carole,%20Jerry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Jerry opens a dish of hot <i>tortillas</i> as we get ready to dive into lunch</b>. The tasty menu mainly listed traditional Mexican dishes. These included the usual standards of <i>enchiladas</i> and <i>tacos</i>, along with salads and <i>frijoles, </i>but there were also some local specialties. <i>Tio Lucas</i> is definitely a good spot for a meal during a visit here.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The masks Lori and Carole are wearing were due to the heightened level of covid-19 in the area during December. Quite a number of our friends and acquaintances came down with it at the time. I wear one too, when in crowds or confined spaces like this. Better safe than sorry.<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQao8D9xuEEqCzMBzWJwgF4t1rEZWIk55dz1IY26uDyVqFaJvbhmP_siYpRWSKjfCKxzqp8muKGXVsApB334o1HEANgkWnV9FO6pp6i8FQb_nj-OcBATYc58O1cAw3gdSYeYkZUrWbxyq01wViOT3Z1xVArHhGFS2TYwAsEUauGr6dCN41MG_aQ0a-g/s667/CBA-%20Plaza%20Abuelo%20y%20nieta.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQao8D9xuEEqCzMBzWJwgF4t1rEZWIk55dz1IY26uDyVqFaJvbhmP_siYpRWSKjfCKxzqp8muKGXVsApB334o1HEANgkWnV9FO6pp6i8FQb_nj-OcBATYc58O1cAw3gdSYeYkZUrWbxyq01wViOT3Z1xVArHhGFS2TYwAsEUauGr6dCN41MG_aQ0a-g/w518-h640/CBA-%20Plaza%20Abuelo%20y%20nieta.jpg" width="518" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This friendly pair agreed to a photo as I passed through the Plaza</b>. The guy is probably the <i>abuelo </i>(grandpa) of the young girl. He looks like a prosperous local farmer, in town for the big event. I get some of my best "people" shots when I encounter folks sitting in plazas like this. They almost never say "no" to a photo.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This concludes Part 2 of my series on <i>Concepción de Buenos Aires</i> and completes the series itself. I hope you have enjoyed it and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. Please remember that if you leave a question, you need to include your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330114585754884758.post-12706105162275322862023-02-21T19:36:00.006-06:002023-03-12T15:38:41.315-06:00The mountain pueblo of Concepción de Buenos Aires celebrates the Virgin of Guadalupe Fiesta - Part 1 of 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNlCCkF39YDSpLDoDi0E_ul7WsDVXLpnI9bk9D4abGUe40ZU--55Ux87o_PUuRf-dkphJw9FyJe9bgV9dvqiWfQIw1cXS295nd8EtwGqh-JAHp9Pk82ezAS6FD9E9EJnZTYPQ78w-YhxrJXJqqmQqLcmWGFjSBx0IMmlws03eBN01x3OYa-RvlzyvMw/s758/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charro%20in%20blanket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNlCCkF39YDSpLDoDi0E_ul7WsDVXLpnI9bk9D4abGUe40ZU--55Ux87o_PUuRf-dkphJw9FyJe9bgV9dvqiWfQIw1cXS295nd8EtwGqh-JAHp9Pk82ezAS6FD9E9EJnZTYPQ78w-YhxrJXJqqmQqLcmWGFjSBx0IMmlws03eBN01x3OYa-RvlzyvMw/w456-h640/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charro%20in%20blanket.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A local <i>charro</i> awaits the beginning of the Virgin of Guadalupe parade</b>. A <i>charro</i> is <i>not</i> just a cowboy, but a skilled horseman who performs in <i>charreadas</i> (Mexican rodeos) and other events like fiestas. Last December, Carole and I and some friends decided to visit <i>Concepcion de Buenos Aires. </i>The small pueblo lies deep in the mountains of the <i>Sierra del Tigre</i> south of Lake Chapala. It was a crisp, gorgeous day, but it didn't occur to us at the time that it was the December 12. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>That is the day when the <i><a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2010/12/virgin-of-guadalupe-fiesta.html">Fiesta de Virgen de Guadalupe</a></i> is celebrated in Mexico. So, our short trip was rewarded not only with the pleasure of visiting this beautiful little town, but we were able to enjoy their local fiesta as a bonus. </span>This two-part series will first focus on the <i>pueblo</i> itself and the <i>charros</i> and others who gathered for the parade. Part 2 will follow the parade itself. I'm hoping to provide you with a feel for how Mexicans in these small towns celebrate their fiestas. </span><div><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwO0SRK-aqoYm3jiKtFsBNdZWviuqtL8JbEdaskqMoQ1zGG4M1PXbwfQprGYxAJEyT0DulEbz8yb4lbBIWE3SiKU9hmPVdtf8_vHmwp8pknv3tkVhvvYmeObdjaFM_0njNTjJ5nrNP71disfKw5Q3sa6ZNUgYozgQeqBimAeAPOaLe3XUP3bDV4EjUA/s540/HdaToluquilla-%20aquaduct%20arches2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwO0SRK-aqoYm3jiKtFsBNdZWviuqtL8JbEdaskqMoQ1zGG4M1PXbwfQprGYxAJEyT0DulEbz8yb4lbBIWE3SiKU9hmPVdtf8_vHmwp8pknv3tkVhvvYmeObdjaFM_0njNTjJ5nrNP71disfKw5Q3sa6ZNUgYozgQeqBimAeAPOaLe3XUP3bDV4EjUA/w640-h480/HdaToluquilla-%20aquaduct%20arches2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>17th century aqueduct that once fed water to <i>ex-Hacienda Toluquilla</i></b>. The little <i>pueblo</i> of the same name is located about 1/2 way between the turnoff of Highway 405 and <i>Concepcion de Buenos Aires</i>. If you want to visit, watch carefully for the sign because <i>Toluquilla</i> itself is almost invisible from the road. The aqueduct can be found behind a gate across the road from the street that leads into the <i>pueblo</i>. Little else remains of the hacienda except a few adobe walls in the town.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2012/10/sierra-del-tigre-adventures-part-3-ex.html">Part 3 of my 2012 Sierra del Tigre series</a>, I show <i>ex-Hacienda Toluquilla</i>, and detail some of its 19th century history, along with how <i>Concepción de Buenas Aires</i> was founded on its lands. The <i>hacienda</i> was begun by <i>Don Alonso de Ávalos</i>, a captain under Conquistador <i>Hernán Cortéz</i>. The descendants of <i>Ávalos</i> eventually sold it to the <i>Echuarri</i> family, one of the three richest in<i> Guadalajara</i> during the 18th century. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The <i>Echuarris</i> held it as part of a <i>mayorazgo</i> (entailed estate) for about 150 years from the beginning of the 18th century until 1853. </span>A <i>majorazgo</i> was a hacienda (or collection of them) which couldn't be broken up but had to be passed intact to a designated heir. This was a strategy to avoid the fragmentation of estates that was a common problem during the colonial era. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Among the various estates within the <i>mayorazgo</i>, the family also owned <a href="https://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2009/04/lake-chapalas-south-shore-treasures.html"><i>Hacienda San Francisco Javier</i></a>, near <i>Tizapan</i> on Lake Chapala's South Shore, and <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/haciendadesanjosedegracia/"><i>Hacienda San Jose de Gracia</i></a>, on the far side of the mountains that rim the South Shore. Both are sites that I have visited over the years.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQxpZmNgL6y4H29jblgd3jTIP1GAukV26D9nZ48dH3yiqcgd4vqzv9ERf-5hgZs8KDm1KwJPOBak9Ljwj6nfmn0L63M7oqIkduo_PJ9iRDbc3p4Bqu62LuRyLsAMnV0kIRTE9UjzJK_Py_ITqyhWCso1xL2ZNPBtF85MuCtN1E_tJI1zG2EAAdk9DbQ/s590/Google%20map%20to%20Concep%20de%20BA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQxpZmNgL6y4H29jblgd3jTIP1GAukV26D9nZ48dH3yiqcgd4vqzv9ERf-5hgZs8KDm1KwJPOBak9Ljwj6nfmn0L63M7oqIkduo_PJ9iRDbc3p4Bqu62LuRyLsAMnV0kIRTE9UjzJK_Py_ITqyhWCso1xL2ZNPBtF85MuCtN1E_tJI1zG2EAAdk9DbQ/w586-h640/Google%20map%20to%20Concep%20de%20BA.jpg" width="586" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>How to get there</b>. The route is fairly simple and requires about a 90 minute drive. The roads are all well-paved and quite good. Follow the road from <i>Ajijic</i> through <i>Jocotopec</i> to Highway 15. Then head to <i>Tuxcueca</i> on the South Shore, where you turn right on Highway 405 toward <i>Mazamitla</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After ascending the South Shore mountains, you descend into a valley where you turn right at the sign for <i>Concepción de Buenos Aires</i>. When you get there, you will see a large colorful sign on your right with the name of the town. Continue for another 7 blocks to <i>Calle Constitución</i>. Take a right and go 4 blocks to the <i>Plaza Principal</i>, also called the <i>Jardin</i> <i>Central</i>.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">A town right out of a cowboy movie</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgYrYX-zEpauXn3h-FGudS0CgXj-0ip7A4x7AUxCjc_M3w186bdFhBYNAFw_DIHQ9rqXQ36pPRmF5UsUIYAQKIQejXM2c6xDyxKnEmFPISS4leRFiffPG-Ty5Kf1kP6-qwMiCn7tbf4dS7WUSjnT8AzP--AsT3UZ4fJQqUJxNRBzGDFwIRv3dfQmxRA/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20&%20horse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgYrYX-zEpauXn3h-FGudS0CgXj-0ip7A4x7AUxCjc_M3w186bdFhBYNAFw_DIHQ9rqXQ36pPRmF5UsUIYAQKIQejXM2c6xDyxKnEmFPISS4leRFiffPG-Ty5Kf1kP6-qwMiCn7tbf4dS7WUSjnT8AzP--AsT3UZ4fJQqUJxNRBzGDFwIRv3dfQmxRA/w640-h480/CBA-%20Plaza%20&%20horse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A saddled horse waits patiently for its rider in the <i>Plaza</i></b>. This town could almost be a movie set for a Clint Eastwood western. I was reminded of one of those scenes where a gunfight is imminent and the whole town seems eerily empty. The word that always comes to my mind in describing <i>Concepción de Buenos</i> Aires is "pristine". </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIb3BeW4abWYtRsjKyb7lefykqoXlojvdM2e3hrDsXK2_ya3LxUjJup-lmZzA5pt79U4m1OavadkpeWpwAwzgu66HN9fXAl5MWdwiCPmPXa0_ma9j1R6DtPLdt1WIX3hmLKaletgMKizjPr6Y41VEqt4R873zdND4DjI1UrGut0hnR0zJOgJYpN9UrQ/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20Calle%20Constit%20to%20west.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="540" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIb3BeW4abWYtRsjKyb7lefykqoXlojvdM2e3hrDsXK2_ya3LxUjJup-lmZzA5pt79U4m1OavadkpeWpwAwzgu66HN9fXAl5MWdwiCPmPXa0_ma9j1R6DtPLdt1WIX3hmLKaletgMKizjPr6Y41VEqt4R873zdND4DjI1UrGut0hnR0zJOgJYpN9UrQ/w640-h440/CBA-%20Plaza%20Calle%20Constit%20to%20west.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Pillars line the arcade along <i>Calle Constitución.</i></b> Golden winter sunshine bathed the walls and streets, making for great photographic opportunities. The altitude of the town is 2126m (6975ft) which provides for a mild-to-cool year-round temperature. Light jackets or sweaters were all we needed in mid-December. The feel of a 19th century cowboy town was further enhanced by the almost complete lack of motor vehicles on the streets around the <i>Plaza</i>.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3u35dseUH76U99yD438t7BD47PVAd_KQfHBAWgbgd_H-vTo5JjraISgIyws6e-hh1rnVXgjDkL7V0ZvyFF7Y9srvsoyFsdV7BNfxbLILT4kUR3qK2uBAxao293UHkpLrHYei551osEJnH073EIkQKZa1U7-ucQot8ujjbMe9zEd_dF4g2wlOz37s6w/s720/CBA-%20Plaza%20Calle%20Achilles%20Serdan%20to%20west.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3u35dseUH76U99yD438t7BD47PVAd_KQfHBAWgbgd_H-vTo5JjraISgIyws6e-hh1rnVXgjDkL7V0ZvyFF7Y9srvsoyFsdV7BNfxbLILT4kUR3qK2uBAxao293UHkpLrHYei551osEJnH073EIkQKZa1U7-ucQot8ujjbMe9zEd_dF4g2wlOz37s6w/w480-h640/CBA-%20Plaza%20Calle%20Achilles%20Serdan%20to%20west.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Calle Aquiles Serdan</i>, looking west along the side of the <i>Plaza</i></b>. The mountains all around are thick with forests, so most of the pillars and rafters of the arcades around three sides of the Plaza are made from wood</span>. <span style="font-size: medium;">Most of the buildings around the plaza and the area surrounding it are 1-2 stories, which helps maintain the old-fashioned feel of the place.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF0xTTELjm4YsVGUrTO4xna6TMXfljUealfkcMJTVfHlhOdg2r23QL93OPJt_6SqWUx6u5u9PtP7-yuZcK6WFjXK5c69nibMpxjLbwJeh-uUvA8qbEj8Ig1KAOsRa2fGfLJKs9UcRbET9fWTonA7AaCpd07D9p24Dh4_HVjKePfs8_ZjTAybvZ2xTEw/s662/CBA-%20Plaza%20Parroquia%20Inmaculada%20Concep.%20&%20girl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF0xTTELjm4YsVGUrTO4xna6TMXfljUealfkcMJTVfHlhOdg2r23QL93OPJt_6SqWUx6u5u9PtP7-yuZcK6WFjXK5c69nibMpxjLbwJeh-uUvA8qbEj8Ig1KAOsRa2fGfLJKs9UcRbET9fWTonA7AaCpd07D9p24Dh4_HVjKePfs8_ZjTAybvZ2xTEw/w522-h640/CBA-%20Plaza%20Parroquia%20Inmaculada%20Concep.%20&%20girl.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A small girl sits in the center of <i>Calle</i> <i>Aquiles Serdan</i>. </b>She sat there for quite a long time, totally undisturbed by vehicle traffic of any sort. This underlined just how quiet the town was when we arrived. The church overlooking the <i>Plaza</i> is the <i>Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción, </i>devoted the the version the Virgin Mary who has the same title.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41qWlCUTnYgDf0iaBgy3mWOF8e_5ePe3BeIP4DhHFq0Bau0N2bP9K2d9hsX-4lauS82Sd_pvd6QrhJXrR75_BWkt64noAnoKDHL8rn838v_bztZV-VCTy0LBVrqL7mxukmJCKDPET0JIktD6Rf31EnQaKQkXMfZy9bUz9sWKlA5GR7zNxt0kFSIX27Q/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20Calle%20Constit.%20to%20east.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41qWlCUTnYgDf0iaBgy3mWOF8e_5ePe3BeIP4DhHFq0Bau0N2bP9K2d9hsX-4lauS82Sd_pvd6QrhJXrR75_BWkt64noAnoKDHL8rn838v_bztZV-VCTy0LBVrqL7mxukmJCKDPET0JIktD6Rf31EnQaKQkXMfZy9bUz9sWKlA5GR7zNxt0kFSIX27Q/w640-h480/CBA-%20Plaza%20Calle%20Constit.%20to%20east.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Calle Constitución</i>, looking east toward <i>Hotel Linda Vista</i></b>. Only a single motor scooter and a couple of pedestrians break the spell of an old-west movie set.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6A07QTi84Brv9L25XkZXhQY4moc1pwJ9ELv_c7-fMz9lL6ZzE6SaczVbbZmPqF-3slmQZA0sTLpqwthsayUpSy9asytYtbZ05agCMIi_LLjHwN-103PsqVTkHGLYmX4aiJbu4bfyrceKh1I2nqZrLgwYYUQ9oSmSP4AfAw4zQTa-pkaKsT4SkqS9jqQ/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20Hotel%20Linda%20Vista.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6A07QTi84Brv9L25XkZXhQY4moc1pwJ9ELv_c7-fMz9lL6ZzE6SaczVbbZmPqF-3slmQZA0sTLpqwthsayUpSy9asytYtbZ05agCMIi_LLjHwN-103PsqVTkHGLYmX4aiJbu4bfyrceKh1I2nqZrLgwYYUQ9oSmSP4AfAw4zQTa-pkaKsT4SkqS9jqQ/w640-h480/CBA-%20Plaza%20Hotel%20Linda%20Vista.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Corner of <i>Calle Constitución</i> and <i>Calle Ignacio Silva Romo</i></b>. The old-fashioned building above is the <i>Hotel Linda Vista. </i>When I occasionally stay in a small Mexican town, I will often seek out an old hotel like this. The amenities are often limited, but the atmosphere is wonderfully antique. I have found the owners of such places always eager to tell stories about their hotel's history. Soon it is a case of "<i>mi casa es su casa</i>" (my house is your house).</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxh0dtdJiUUf14yODWvaYRb4iDlWVoAG5c-HV_fYR5QpSbJEvR8Q--lrTIpttMllEfco3UHuHeH2A1m-40wC75QL1TLJvXGdMLisBWkUNA0v9mphG9PvCrzfOS4rcltFdShgCpzzJu3sfQ65_NIc_b2fx22vDvebjpvaGejFZ-DoBVF2_IYpbQ58mig/s540/CBA-%20Plaza%20fountain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxh0dtdJiUUf14yODWvaYRb4iDlWVoAG5c-HV_fYR5QpSbJEvR8Q--lrTIpttMllEfco3UHuHeH2A1m-40wC75QL1TLJvXGdMLisBWkUNA0v9mphG9PvCrzfOS4rcltFdShgCpzzJu3sfQ65_NIc_b2fx22vDvebjpvaGejFZ-DoBVF2_IYpbQ58mig/w640-h480/CBA-%20Plaza%20fountain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Plaza Principal</i>, also known as the<i> Jardin Central</i></b>. The <i>Plaza</i> is spacious, with lovely gardens, fountains, cast iron benches, and the almost obligatory <i>kiosco</i> (bandstand). As was the case everywhere else, it was virtually empty when we arrived.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Gathering for the Virgin of Guadalupe Parade</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqUf7ZxAuyNFNUpEaBMGYrbF3pmNR6JN729vnBba8AkwH8HNyE5N18kKnt4VT8K_A7l2XhXxokCsYccfqBwq6RJ-DE9AeHRQEAy47jm3FYKH4JduOSkVcn7TZ71DUmZ51TSV4obJIe7JOeLBSFzGT6A1CBBvxW1Nog8oWh85ujLlcrWKplZgwGrT9ew/s540/CBA-%20Calle%20Constit%20to%20east%20&%20motocycle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqUf7ZxAuyNFNUpEaBMGYrbF3pmNR6JN729vnBba8AkwH8HNyE5N18kKnt4VT8K_A7l2XhXxokCsYccfqBwq6RJ-DE9AeHRQEAy47jm3FYKH4JduOSkVcn7TZ71DUmZ51TSV4obJIe7JOeLBSFzGT6A1CBBvxW1Nog8oWh85ujLlcrWKplZgwGrT9ew/w640-h480/CBA-%20Calle%20Constit%20to%20east%20&%20motocycle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>A motorcyclist passes under </b></span><b>patriotic streamers on</b><b> <i>Calle Constitucíon</i>. </b>The colors are red, white, and green, the same as the Mexican national flag. The Virgin of Guadalupe is a political symbol in Mexico, along with her religious importance. In the distance, we could faintly hear a band playing so we decided to investigate. Mexicans often leave fiesta decorations up long after the celebration, so, at this point it still hadn't dawned on us that this was the 12th of December.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsYhZRJa54RvpA37Xfc3UsSkhOMSzZIz9OzN3ZIL-1sfnbbs9Nnsewpp0IgArePK3aZUd-C1FGwNlARpCDcvoMiKfYPXqXeSGB0BxTak5fQ0x2XrHXNcY4dCqGbCilMJ56R8qy1dV06lmaemZH5TgSmreT4WWa83BoVDffwTGgsRwCn-4lWElMMwCyw/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20monument.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsYhZRJa54RvpA37Xfc3UsSkhOMSzZIz9OzN3ZIL-1sfnbbs9Nnsewpp0IgArePK3aZUd-C1FGwNlARpCDcvoMiKfYPXqXeSGB0BxTak5fQ0x2XrHXNcY4dCqGbCilMJ56R8qy1dV06lmaemZH5TgSmreT4WWa83BoVDffwTGgsRwCn-4lWElMMwCyw/w640-h480/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20monument.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Ermita de la Virgen de Guadalupe</i></b>. This elaborate monument sits in a small plaza at the south end of <i>Calle Hidalgo,</i> seven blocks south and one block east of the the <i>Plaza</i>. When we looked down the street toward the music, we could see more streamers and a small crowd of people, so we decided to walk down and investigate.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7pODh8ozjFsMqM69Lywk5sTZoNitufV-m7C0PbsuugXRzwQsHJqlQlr0LHWzk1kyMk-KtMBRzgELigPRZjLQg_uhjz64qPDPDK5l8DkGVngmIzJx2JtDnarD8UJ_hs75WbMQA9quW5Gn1m39bM2fKR_PLbNSFHqR0QiiGGsHPF-tq5Z5-LFcyIjLiQ/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charros1%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7pODh8ozjFsMqM69Lywk5sTZoNitufV-m7C0PbsuugXRzwQsHJqlQlr0LHWzk1kyMk-KtMBRzgELigPRZjLQg_uhjz64qPDPDK5l8DkGVngmIzJx2JtDnarD8UJ_hs75WbMQA9quW5Gn1m39bM2fKR_PLbNSFHqR0QiiGGsHPF-tq5Z5-LFcyIjLiQ/w640-h480/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charros1%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>At the monument, <i>charros</i> were gathering for the parade</b>. As soon as we saw the monument and the <i>charro </i>outfits, it dawned on us that we had stumbled into one of Mexico's annual <i>Virgen de Guadalupe</i> events. While <i>vaqueros</i> (cowboys), with their traditions and techniques, have been around since the Spanish Middle Ages, <i>charros</i> are a phenomenon that followed the Conquest of Mexico.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Ironically, although <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charro">charros</a></i> are respected and honored today, the term was once one of contempt. It used to mean uneducated, unpolished, rough, rustic, clownish, and ill-bred. The term probably originated from Arabic or possibly from the Spanish Basque term <i>txar</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It first appears in 1627 and it wasn't until 1803 that it began to have a more neutral meaning. The status of charro steadily improved during the 19th century, particularly during and after the War of Independence, when <i>charros</i> played key roles as mounted militia organized by <i>hacienda</i> owners to fight against insurgents and bandit gangs.<br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsG5Syw8sXiqkUlW6nORvYzbM2Gn699qfTERQnhkNTuJl6zS6G_AumWdmpxpdivk-GSbGXeDOZZ3Z9z6dVX1H_abrUY1H3uPHro9IH98TQJNAkUJ4mUCtcy3eQ5XJSvQOy8d5WSzSgXoy_aS1EHjfJvzhjzwba7raaNlTjFNxH3hhD1I5An8RtTykOg/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charros%20&%20roper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="540" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsG5Syw8sXiqkUlW6nORvYzbM2Gn699qfTERQnhkNTuJl6zS6G_AumWdmpxpdivk-GSbGXeDOZZ3Z9z6dVX1H_abrUY1H3uPHro9IH98TQJNAkUJ4mUCtcy3eQ5XJSvQOy8d5WSzSgXoy_aS1EHjfJvzhjzwba7raaNlTjFNxH3hhD1I5An8RtTykOg/w640-h462/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charros%20&%20roper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The distinctive charro outfit has become a symbol of Mexico</b>. It is worn not only by horsemen, but <i>mariachi</i> bands and others seeking to invoke the tradition. The most obvious part of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charro_outfit"><i>charro</i> outfit</a> is the wide-brimmed sombrero. Its high crown and the up-turned edges of the broad rim are often embroidered. Tight-fitting shirts or jackets, along with tight pants, are often adorned with silver trimming. Tooled leather boots and jangling spurs complete the picture.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The man who legitimized charros more than any was Emperor Maximilian, who was installed by France between 1862-67. He both admired <i>charro</i> horsemanship and sought to ingratiate himself with the people. Later in the 19th century, the dictator <i>Porfirio Diaz</i> recruited <i>charros</i> into his <i>rurales</i> (rural police) to chase down bandits as well as workers fleeing debt-slavery on <i>haciendas</i>. The association with the <i>rurales</i> conveyed manhood, strength, and nationhood. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm5qrq5j8Iud0He65g_nfta5d__eD7urGw730vgddalWwvcX0vPSJVEIdjkgBnWdEFo9ST64kL7y1ZHxhMdvCnKI9GY8YI1eI3jgn5ZXl-8K5lBcEtRtG-T98BV52YFzlf2uFgI8eQrDG-xTYqWAQ9Qx8kqi20myVKxv8uieBUlXt9yecQm-zrUF4pQ/s540/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charro%20roper1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="540" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm5qrq5j8Iud0He65g_nfta5d__eD7urGw730vgddalWwvcX0vPSJVEIdjkgBnWdEFo9ST64kL7y1ZHxhMdvCnKI9GY8YI1eI3jgn5ZXl-8K5lBcEtRtG-T98BV52YFzlf2uFgI8eQrDG-xTYqWAQ9Qx8kqi20myVKxv8uieBUlXt9yecQm-zrUF4pQ/w640-h558/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20charro%20roper1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A <i>charro</i> practices his rope work</b>. The practical use of the rope is to capture and restrain cattle and horses. A skilled <i>charro</i> can do extraordinary things with a lariat, sometimes approaching ballet. Completing the <i>charro</i> image is the horse and its associated gear. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Everything you see above was invented by the colonial Spanish and 19th century Mexicans long before the first Texan pulled on his spurs. American cowboys were truly "johnnies-come-lately" and borrowed virtually their entire tradition and technology from Mexico. You would probably never get them to admit it, though.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLkARpBnEvU1mMtt43hI5-rl8mtILQ2Tkep6HtKD0quq348O_ec1BdWnIj2XMhdp5GmPVYRzPr_OoC051gzM5EDKHUy9nrkIx07ZWo50i__LtELaNI9lQgNnwI989v5nbd-WkucROsKsx3e-r5BfXmhGAA7jyMypDMjv-UpqsH9sVfWW4qGsiFzNGJA/s765/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20sax%20player.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLkARpBnEvU1mMtt43hI5-rl8mtILQ2Tkep6HtKD0quq348O_ec1BdWnIj2XMhdp5GmPVYRzPr_OoC051gzM5EDKHUy9nrkIx07ZWo50i__LtELaNI9lQgNnwI989v5nbd-WkucROsKsx3e-r5BfXmhGAA7jyMypDMjv-UpqsH9sVfWW4qGsiFzNGJA/w452-h640/CBA-%20VdG%20parade%20sax%20player.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>What is a Mexican fiesta without the local brass band?</b> A saxophone player tunes up next to a drum. This was one of the fellows who had first attracted our attention. Usually, a band like this marches behind the <i>charro</i> delegation, playing earnestly, if sometimes off-key. The <i>charros</i> train their horses to dance to the music, creating a highly entertaining spectacle.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This completes Part 1 of my series on the <i>fiesta</i> at <i>Concepción de Buenos Aires</i>. In Part 2, we'll follow the parade as it makes its way to the <i>Parroquia</i> at the <i>Plaza</i>. I hope you have enjoyed Part 1 and, if so, you will leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Hasta luego, Jim<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jim Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923490491088874998noreply@blogger.com2