The Cradle of Mexican Independence
images of family barbecues, fireworks, watermelon, and parades. Mentioning it to a Mexican brings up the same images though beans, tortillas, and fiery-hot salsa will most likely accompany their celebratory fare. Also, the Mexican holiday lasts for 2 days and occurs in mid-September rather than in July.
Mexicans flock to Mexico City where the biggest celebrations occur and where the President gives the “El Grito”. This is based on the impassioned speech given by Padre Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla on the night of September 15, 1810 in Dolores (later renamed Dolores Hidalgo in his honor).
Many Mexicans travel to Dolores Hidalgo, San Miguel de Allende, and Guanajuato to celebrate the Day of Independence where the first battles between the rebel army and the Spanish took place.
Dolores Hidalgo, about 34 miles east of Guanajuato, is known as the Cradle of National Independence because it is where the fight for independence began.
Padre Hidalgo rang the bells of the Parroquia de Nuestra SeÃ?±ora de Dolores (the Parish church of Our Lady of Sorrows), called his parishioners and gave the Grito de Dolores. The exact words have been forgotten but in essence, his message was, “Death to bad government and to the gachupines (Spanish overlords)! Viva Our Lady of Guadalupe!”
The church, with its Churrigueresque fa�§ade, is located on the north side of the main plaza. Its bells only ring on the night of September 15.
On the west side of the plaza stands the Visitor’s House where the rebels captured the first two prisoners of the independence movement. Today, it houses visiting dignitaries including the President, who gives the Grito here every fifth year.
In the middle of the plaza stands a huge statue of Miguel Hidalgo.
Hidalgo’s former home, now a museum and national shrine, is located a block south of the plaza. There are replicas of his furniture, personal items, documents and items related to the War of Independence.
Besides its role during the war, the city is known for its ceramics, pottery, and Talavera tiles. Hidalgo was instrumental in setting up workshops to produce these items to improve the city’s economy.
Vendors sell the most famous food in Dolores Hidalgo in the main plaza. There you can find a wide variety of ice-cream flavors–more than just the usual chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. You can sample flavors such as corn, shrimp, cheese, avocado, fried pork rind, and mole (a spicy chocolate sauce, not the animal!). The vendor will allow you to try several flavors until you make your final choice.
After taking Spanish prisoners and freeing the Mexican prisoners in the town jail, the rebel army marched from Dolores Hidalgo to San Miguel de Allende. On the way, they stopped at the Sanctuary shrine in Atontonilco and took its banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe as their flag. By the evening of September 16, San Miguel was in the hands of the rebels and the Spanish population was locked up.
One of Hidalgo’s fellow leaders was Ignacio Allende, an army captain, who was born in San Miguel el Grande (renamed San Miguel de Allende in 1826 in his honor). The house where he was born is located next to the towering parish church in the city’s main plaza. It is now a museum exhibiting the history of the San Miguel area, information about Allende, and about the independence movement.
Another place of interest is the Colegio de Sales, once a college where many of the revolutionaries received their educations. When the rebel army took the city, they locked the Spanish population inside the college.
While in San Miguel, don’t miss visiting the parish church and the Casa del Mayorazgo de Canal (home of a rich Spanish count) on the west side of the plaza. Instituto Allende, a few blocks southwest of the plaza is also worth visiting. Once the summer home of the wealthy Canal family, it now houses an internationally acclaimed art and language school.
The rebel army’s next battleground was Guanajuato, the capital of the state of Guanajuato. When the Spanish residents heard the approaching rebel army, they fled to the Alhondiga de Granaditas and barricaded themselves inside. Built between 1798 and 1808, this massive building was originally a storehouse for grain and seed.
The Spanish were able to fend off the rebels until September 28, 1810. On that day, a miner named Juan Jose’ de los Reyes Martinez strapped a large, flat stone on his back to ward off the Spanish bullets and stormed the wooden doors of the granary, setting them ablaze. He was killed but his heroic effort enabled the rebels to enter the fortress and kill most of the royalists inside.
The Spanish later got their revenge when they captured Hidalgo, Allende and 2 other rebel leaders, killed them and then placed their heads in cages hung from iron hooks placed on each of the Alhondiga’s four corners. They hung there for the next 10 years, intended to be a warning to the rebels. Instead, the grisly sight increased their resolve. The iron hooks are still visible today.
From 1864 to around 1964, the Alhondiga was a jail. It opened as a museum in 1967 and houses exhibits of pre-Columbian stone artifacts, regional crafts and costumes, artworks and information showing Guanajuato�´s history and mining importance. The stairways contain murals depicting revolutionary themes by Jose�´ Chavez Morado.
Standing guard above the city is a monument honoring the brave miner, Juan Jose�´ de los Reyes Martinez, nicknamed El Pipila (little turkey). The location provides a great view of the city and is popular with photographers and picnickers alike.
It is possible to climb up to the monument by means of the Callejon del Calvario. For those to whom the climb is a bit too daunting, there is a funicular (cable car) behind Teatro Juarez, which will carry you up the mountainside.
Other interesting places to visit are churches, art museums, parks and some of the mines that made Guanajuato (or at least the Spanish overlords) rich.
The parish church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, is located in the center of town in the Plaza de la Paz (Peace Plaza). Completed in 1671, the church contains a jeweled wooden statue of the Virgin, a gift from King Philip II of Spain in 1557. Legend says the statue dates from the 8th century (some sources say the 7th century) and was hidden in a cave in Spain for 800 years to protect it from the Moors.
You might also want to visit the Iglesia de la Compa�±ia, located next to the university, and the Iglesia de San Cayetano near the La Valenciana mine.
Art museums include the Diego Rivera Museum where the artist was born in 1886, the Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato (once the home of a wealthy mine owner), and the Olga Costa-Jose�´ Chavez Morado home and museum.
Guanajuato, unlike most Mexican towns, does not have one central park. Instead, it has around 15 parks scattered throughout the city. The Jardin de la Union, located in the town’s center, is a popular place to listen to music, shop or eat a meal at one of the sidewalk cafes. Embajadoras Park (Ambassadors Park) has a large indoor/outdoor market, which is most active during the weekends.
The War of Independence dealt a devastating blow to the mining economy in Guanajuato. As a result, most of the mines closed and fell into ruin. La Valenciana Mine, one of the richest silver mines in history, reopened in the late 1960’s and is still yielding silver, lead, and nickel. Tour guides give the history of the mine and its miners as well as information about how the 1650-foot shaft was created.
A visit to the heartland is interesting and educational at any time of the year but is the most exciting during mid-September.
People decorate their homes and vehicles with Mexican flags, banners, and streamers in red, white, and green. Schoolgirls tie red, white, and green ribbons in their hair and women wear glittery red, white, and green Mexican flags on their blouses.
Fireworks and explosions are daily events that start before dawn and last into the night. Restaurants serve chile en nogada-green poblano chilies stuffed with beef, pork, and fruits, then covered in a walnut-white cheese sauce and sprinkled with red pomegranate seeds. The colors represent the colors of the Mexican flag.
In Guanajuato, thousands of people gather in the plaza next to the Alhondiga on the night of September 15 to watch the fireworks, hear the El Grito given at midnight, and to shout, “Viva Mexico! Viva, Viva, Viva!” The music, dancing, and explosions last all night and into the next day.
National pride runs deep in Mexico year-round but overflows during the Independence Day festivities. Come see for yourself!
