Blogs from Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico, North America - page 3

AKA Adventure to Teotihuacan! Definitely the most fun trip I've taken so far, except the waking up at 4 am part, but it was worth it! The pyramids are beautiful and the ruins, once a city, are beautifully preserved, dating back to about 100 years BCE. The Teotihuacanos were a peaceful people, and their city was the biggest civilization of its time, coming well before the Aztecs and Maya. There is still a bunch of excavation going on, archaeologists keep finding new things that have been buried and lost. When we first arrived, we were greeted by the Platalpa dancers. They climb a giant stick will playing musical instruments and then fly through the air: it's amazing! (video coming soon) Then our guides led us through a ceremony similar to what the Teotihuacanos would have done ... read more

This album features TEMPLO CONGREGATION DE STA. MARIA DE GUADALUPE, which is the city's Guadalupe shrine, & TEMPLO SANTIAGO APOSTOL (St James the Apostle) and the adjoining Jesuit college which is now part of the Universidad Autonomo de Querétaro. TEMPLO CONGREGATION DE STA. MARIA DE GUADALUPE This unique church (templo), in simple Baroque style, is the only one with twin towers in the historic center of the city. It is centrally located on the corner of Pasteur and September 16th. The church was dedicated on May 12, 1680. The 1736 remodel included the dome. TEMPLO SANTIAGO APOSTOL (St James the Apostle) and the adjoining Jesuit college The Jesuits, who were early arrivals in Querétaro, founded two colleges with churches in 1625 - San Ignacio & this one - San Francisco Javier. This church & adjoining college ... read more

Historical Background, Capuchin order in Mexico. The Capuchin order was a branch of the Poor Clares (hence the church name Santa Clara) of the Primitive Observance which was founded in Naples Italy in 1538. They lived in poverty & their way of life was very austere. The first Capuchin nuns arrived in what is now Mexico City in 1665 & founded their first convent. They subsequently founded convents in Guadalajara & Puebla before founding their 4th convent, San José de Gracia (St Joseph of Grace) in Queretaro in 1721. Santa Clara Templo (church), located on Madero & adjacent to Guerrero Plaza, was completed in 1662. The construction of the large church/convent complex, which was completed in 1662, was paid for by Diego de Tapia, a descendent of the indigenous chieftain Conín who was one of the ... read more

I spent 2 months in Santiago de Queretaro in winter 2014. My main interest is colonial buildings & churches. The San Agustin church & monastery complex, located near the corner of Allende & Pino Suárez in the historic center, is a great example of the Baroque style in Latin America. In fact, it’s the most original & most artistic complex built by the Augustinian Order in New Spain. Designed by local architect Don Ignacio Mariano de las Casas & his Augustinian teacher Fray Luis Martinez Lucio, construction was carried out between 1731 and 1745. The basic construction was completed by 1736, but the decorative Baroque art work wasn’t finished until 1745. Because of the elaborate decoration of the arches & columns, this monastery was considered to be one of the finest Baroque monasteries in the Americas ... read more

Yesterday morning, I was leaving Guanajuato for Queretaro. I left the hostel at about 9am, wanting to be at the coach station for about 10, but in the end I was there for 9.20. I knew from the previous day's enquiries that there was a145 pesos bus at 10.30 and a 133 pesos bus at an unknown time. So I went to the cheaper counter to ask and was told there wasn't one until 6pm. My 3rd option was to get the 9.30 economico to San Miguel (where I was the day before) and then another from San Miguel to Queretaro. That would probably take longer but leaving an hour earlier might just mean the arrival time wouldn't be that different. And it only came in at 123 pesos over all. 22 pesos, better in my ... read more