 |
|
|
|
Another picturesque street in Guanajuato
The buildings around the Plaza de la Paz were once the mansions of silver barons.
Facing the Plaza de la Paz is the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato. Over the main altar is a wooden image of the Virgin Mary. The statue was given to the city in 1557 by King Philip II of Spain. According to legend, it had been hidden in a cave for 800 years during the Moorish occupation of Spain, and was miraculously redscovered after the expulsion of the Moors. It is reputed to be the oldest Christian image in Mexico.
The principal market in Guanajuato, the Mercado Hidalgo, was built around the turn of the century in Victorian style. The iron grillwork building was fashioned after the Crystal Palace in London. 
