Queretaro Art & Humanity

Since the city of Queretaro has witnessed important facts of the Mexican past, it offers a great amount of historic monuments and places to admire. Also, the historic center of this city was declared by the UNESCO in 1996 as “World Cultural Heritage”.

This colonial city offers a lot of cultural attractions as well as the opportunity of carrying out different activities surrounded by nature; for example, you can visit the archeological ruins or just take pleasure on the different natural beauties. In Queretaro , every single day you will find a new thing to discover or a fun activity to practice.



Aqueduct

The aqueduct is located over the Bernardo Quintana Boulevard , it is the symbol and pride of Queretaro . It is considered the most important urban work of the eighteenth century and was built in order to canalize the water for the city. This majestic construction began in 1726 and took 9 years to be completed. The aqueduct features 74 arches reaching up to 23 meters high and measuring up to 1280 meters long. It is made of pink quarry and stone work in the arcade. Currently, the water continues to arrive to the city through it and is stored into 10 public fountains and 60 private ones, which are situated all around the city. The construction of the 70 fountains ended in 1738.

Queretaro Museum of Art

The former San Agustin Convent is located over Allende Street in the historic center. This museum exhibits pictorial and sculptural works from the seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The different national and foreign art schools of those times are shown in this museum through its masterpieces. The temporary exhibition hall is open to the most recent trends in the plastic arts. The architectural art used to build this convent is one of the most representative examples of the Latin American baroque, for which is considered one more thing to admire when visiting Queretaro.

Regional Museum of Queretaro

This place was founded in 1936. It is located inside the former San Francisco Convent. It was the first religious building in the city and features several halls displaying different artistic and cultural works, as well as a great amount of historic items that date from pre Hispanic times up to the twentieth century. The museum is located over the Corregidora Avenue in Queretaro historic center. It is a splendid museum that you cannot forget to visit.

City Museum

The “Museo de la Ciudad” is situated inside the former Convent of the Capuchin Nuns of San Jose de Garcia. This building dates from 1771; it was used as barracks during the application of the Reforma laws in 1861. This art house features different cultural elements that allow the appreciation of the Queretaro history, transporting you through time. The exhibition halls show continuous artistic and cultural contemporary tendencies. Nowadays, several high quality artistic works are exhibited.

Cerro de las Campanas

This place of great historic importance was scene of the end of the struggle between the Republic and the Spanish Empire. During the Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg times, his generals Miguel Miramon and Tomas Mejia were executed in this place, obeying orders of the War Court. This event caused the victory of the Republic, declaring this way, our country’s sovereignty. In this park is located the commemorative chapel of the execution of Maximilian of Austria, which was built in 1901 by the Austrian government; nowadays, it is opened to the public. In 1967, the Mexican government built here a monumental statue of the president Benito Juarez.

Currently, the “Cerro de las Campanas” (the Bells Hill), is a recreational place for amusement with wide green spaces, games, an artificial lake, a theater and a tiny museum named “Museo del Sitio”, that features documents reproductions, pictures and other items of the Second Empire times.

Santa Rosa de Viterbo Temple

This magnificent temple built under remarkable Arabic influences, is considered the most exuberant and original example of the Queretaro baroque. It features an unusual exterior design that highlights the typical elements of the Gothic architecture, such as the buttress finished off on a kidney shape, masks showing burlesque gestures, its tower featuring a peak shaped roof, the carved doors and the unique altarpieces as well as the ornamentation inside. The cloister, fountain and outside steps give a special decorative touch that you cannot miss. The building of the Santa Rosa de Viterbo Temple concluded in 1752, it is definitely all an architectural wonder unique on its style!

San Agustin Temple

This temple, former San Agustin Convent, was founded in 1728 and is one of the most admirable works built by the San Agustin Order in the New Spain , during the baroque glory of the eighteenth century. The convent was restored in 1889 to accommodate the Federation offices. Since 1988, it serves as headquarters of the Queretaro Museum of Art.

El Cerrito Archeological Zone

This area is situated at 7 kilometers from the city of Queretaro . It is a pre-Hispanic settlement with a distinct influence of Teotihuacan ; its name comes from the main structure that looks like a pyramidal plinth, which seen from far, seems to be a hill. Important vestiges have been found on this area, such as: sculptures, slabs, hieroglyphic calendars and statuettes. Its development dates from the first millennium of our era, and its recovery began in June 2004. It is expected that the pyramid is completely uncovered by the end of the year 2006.