The yellow cantera stone which was traditionally used in Guadalajara's buildings has turned a rich blend of ochre and gold over the years, giving the city a unique touch.
Orientation & downtown
Guadalajara is surrounded by a three-lane road called the 'Periférico'. Inside the Periférico are the districts of Guadalajara, Zapopan and Tlaquepaque. The three used to be separate towns but have grown together to form one urban area, which is now referred to as Guadalajara. The centre of Guadalajara is the downtown area. The main road connecting the North and South of the city is Avenida 16 de Septiembre/Avenida Alcalde. Avenida Javier Mina/Avenida Vallarta runs from East to West. The suburb Tonalá is located just outside the Periférico.
Surrounded by four lovely plazas crowded with food stalls, vendors, street musicians and artists, the cathedral (built between 1558 and 1618) forms the heart of Guadalajara's downtown area and is the city's best known landmark. The most striking characteristic of the cathedral are its twin towers, which were added in 1848 after an earthquake destroyed the original ones and therefore differ in style from the rest of the building. The cathedral's interior boasts eleven finely decorated altars donated by King Fernando VII of Spain in the early 19th century. In the sacristy is Spanish artist Bartolomé Murillo's La Asunción de la Virgin (The Assumption of the Virgin), completed in 1650, which can be viewed upon request.
In front of the cathedral, across from Avenida Alcalde is the Plaza Guadalajara. The plaza is also referred to as Plaza de los Laureles, because of the laurels planted there. The plaza is usually bustling with people, and is a good place to stop for a coffee and just watch the people pass by. Close to the Plaza Guadalajara, on Colón between Juárez and Pedro Moreno, is the Biblioteca Iberoamericana Octavio Paz, which is well worth a visit for the stunning murals inside.
To the south of cathedral is the Plaza de Armas. An elaborate covered bandstand forms the centre of the plaza, where free concerts of Jaliscan music are frequently staged. On the west side of the plaza is the Palacio de Gobierno, a beautiful and elaborate neo-classical building. Inside there are a number of murals by José Clemente Orozco. His portrait of Miguel Hidalgo, on the ceiling of the staircase immediately to the right of the entrance, is the most striking one. The mural was inspired by the fact that Hidalgo took refuge in the building for a brief time during the revolution, before going to his final battle which would be his defeat. The murals can be viewed daily from 09:00 to 21:00. A knowledgeable tourist information office is located inside the building.
North and east of the cathedral
The Rotonda de los Hombres Illustres with its twelve bronze sculptures crowns the plaza north of the cathedral. This round pillared monument commemorates twelve famous Jaliscan figures, including the painter Dr. Atl. Six of the twelve are buried beneath the rotunda. On the East side of the plaza is the Museo Regional de Guadalajara, housed in a 17th century complex. The museum features exhibits on archaeology, prehistoric to modern history of Jalisco and the surrounding regions, and some old photos of Guadalajara. There are also some paintings from the colonial era and even a few modern works by artists such as Diego Rivera, Tina Modotti and Edward Weston. A collection of antique carriages is located on the upper patio. In front of the museum there are also some carriages for hire which will take you on a city tour. Entry to the museum is free on Sundays.
South of the Museo Regional de Guadalajara and east of the cathedral is the Plaza de la Liberación. At the far end of the plaza is the neo-classical Teatro Degollado with its Corinthian colonnade. The elegant interior of red velvet and gold decorations is crowned by a mural by Gerardo Suárez, based on Dante's Divine Comedy. Frequent concerts, operas and dance performances are held in the theatre, which is also the home of the Guadalajara Philharmonic orchestra. On Sundays at 10:00am the Ballet Folklórico of the Universidad de Guadalajara stages a fantastic show of traditional Mexican dances. The interior of the theatre can be visited for free Monday through Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00.
Behind the Teatro Degollado the pedestrian area continues with the Plaza Tapatía, a lively modern plaza with shops, restaurants, sculptures and fountains. At the far end is the Instituto Cultural de las Cabañas, which has been named a world heritage site by UNESCO. Built between 1805 and 1810 by the Spanish architect Manuel Tolsá, the building is a gem of neo-classical architecture. During the course of its history, the building has served as an orphanage, an insane asylum, military barracks and a jail.
Between 1936 and 1939 José Clemente Orozco painted 54 murals in the main chapel. These murals are now widely regarded as his best works with El Hombre de Fuego (The Man of Fire) being the most famous. Today, the Instituto Cultural de Cabañas houses a museum with more than 100 drawings and paintings by Orozco, a theatre, and a cinema. The Ballet Folklórico holds performances here on Wednesdays at 20:30.
South of the Instituto Cultural de Cabañas, the Mercado Libertad (also called Mercado San Juan de Dios) on Calzada Independencia Sur is the largest market in Guadalajara. Here you can find anything from fresh produce, cheap clothes, crafts, genuine cowboy boots, and loads of other stuff that is probably less than genuine. At times the market gets very crowded, but this is part of the experience.
Avenida Alcalde and Avenida Vallarta
Avenida Alcalde is the northern extension of Calle 16 de Septiembre, which passes in front of the cathedral. There are a number of interesting colonial buildings along the avenue. The Museo del Periodismo (Museum of Journalism) is housed in the neo-classical Casa de los Perros (House of the Dogs), named after the two dog sculptures on its façade. The house is an ideal location for a museum of the history of journalism, since it was here that Latin America's first independent newspaper El Despertador Americano was created. The museum is on Avenida Alcalde between Reforma and San Felipe. A small entrance fee is charged. Two blocks behind the Museo del Periodismo are two churches of particular beauty, the Templo de San Felipe Neri and the Templo de Santa Mónica.
Avenida Vallarta is a main connection between the city centre and the West of the city. The avenue was commissioned at the beginning of the 20th century by President Porfirio Díaz in an attempt to create a boulevard in the style of the Champs Elysees in Paris. Many of the luxurious villas from the turn of the century still line the avenue.
Twelve blocks from the centre are two buildings of the Universidad de Guadalajara. Originally both buildings were identical in neo-classical style. The building on the left side of the avenue remains in its original splendour, but the building on the right-hand side was torn down and replaced by a modern one. It now houses administrative offices of the university and a cineteca, a cinema specialising in low-budget films.
Just off Avenida Vallarta at the same altitude as the Universidad de Guadalajara is the Templo Expiatorio (Enrique Díaz de León and López Cotilla). Although it appears much older, the church is in reality a neo-gothic construction built by the same architect who built the magnificent Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
Further west on Avenida Vallarta is the Centro Magno, probably Guadalajara's most exclusive mall. Just after the mall Avenida Vallarta passes below Los Arcos, the former gateway to the city of Guadalajara. The colourfully tiled Los Arcos is one of the city's main monuments, and houses a little gallery on its top floor.
Just behind Los Arcos is the Minerva, a fountain with a statue of the goddess of Minerva in its middle. The Minerva was originally constructed outside the city gates in order to protect its citizens, but Guadalajara has expanded so much since then that it is now in the middle of the city.
Click on the photo to learn about Beautiful Lake Chapala
Guadalajara - Highlights, Written by: Melanie Taussig
Additional material: Steve Bridger
Published on: 10/12/2004
