City rich in legends
Visitors to Mexico's central highlands usually zip by Queretaro without even learning how to pronounce its name. Perhaps they are put off by the city's industrialized outskirts, or they are in a hurry to reach the famous colonial town of San Miguel de Allende, which lies only one hour away. Whatever the reason, these travellers are missing a handsome city rich in history and legend.
Located about 230 kilometres north of Mexico City, Queretaro (pronounced kay-REY-ta-ro) was founded by the Spanish in the mid 15th century. It soon grew to be an important missionary centre and one of the most prosperous cities in New Spain, thanks to its strategic position on the Camino Real, the "Royal Road" along which silver was shipped. Today, Queretaro is a fast-growing city with 850,000 inhabitants, but its well-preserved downtown looks much the same as it did in colonial times.
Like Mexico's other Spanish colonial cities, Queretaro is laid out in an orderly grid pattern. What makes it unique, however, are its andadores. These meandering pedestrian walkways lined with old colonial mansions link the city's numerous parks and plazas, lending an air of intimacy and surprise to the city centre.
A good place to begin exploring old Queretaro is the Plaza de Armas, a tranquil square with a splashing fountain and outdoor cafes. The Casa de Corregidor, an austere 18th century building that was once the home of Queretaro's colonial governor and his wife Dona Josefa Ortiz, dominates the plaza's west side.
Conspirators met secretly in the Casa de Corregidora during the early 1800's to plot a revolt against Spanish rule. Dona Josefa, who collaborated with the revolutionaries, was eventually imprisoned in a room in her house. She managed to whisper a message through a keyhole, warning her fellow conspirators that their plans were in jeopardy. As a result, they were able to warn their leaders in San Miguel de Allende.
From the Plaza de Armas, a pleasant walkway leads to Jardin Zenea. This typical Mexican town square harbours a bandstand, sculpted trees, and ornate wrought-iron benches. On its northeast corner rises the cupola-crowned steeple of San Francisco Church, one of Queretaro's most prominent landmarks. A relief carving above the church's entrance depicts Saint James the Apostle, Queretaro's patron saint, driving the Moors from Spain. He is shown mounted on a horse and lopping off turbaned heads with his sword.
According to legend, Saint James made a miraculous appearance in a battle between Spanish troops and hostile Chichimeca Indians during the founding of Queretaro. The Indians are said to have laid down their arms and accepted Christianity when they saw Saint James floating among the clouds.
Queretaro also has a number of fine museums, such as the Regional Museum of Queretaro. This former 16-century Franciscan monastery has extensive displays of both historical and archaeological artifacts. There is a well-designed exhibit on the pre-Hispanic jaguar, an animal held sacred by Mexico's ancient indigenous cultures. On display are haunting jaguar sculptures, masks, and ceramics from museums throughout Mexico.
Also worth visiting is the nearby Queretaro Art Museum with its impressive collections of colonial and 19th-century Mexican paintings. The baroque museum building is the biggest attraction. Once an Augustinian monastery, its elegant two-story patio is surrounded by porticos and columns richly decorated with stylized plants, animals, and human forms.
Queretaro's defining feature, however, is not a church or monastery, but its 18th-century aqueduct, which towers over the eastern edge of town. At 1280 metres long, with 74 arches reaching a height of 23 metres, it is considered to be one of the most important and best-preserved aqueducts in the world. The aqueduct was completed in 1738 and functioned until the mid 1940's.
Like most of Queretaro's landmarks, the aqueduct has a colourful legend attached to it. A Spanish marquis reportedly fell in love with a local nun. To show his devotion to her, the marquis vowed to build an aqueduct to bring water to thirsty Queretaro. The nun in turn promised to pray for the besotted nobleman's soul.
The best spot to see the inner workings of Queretaro's colonial-era water system is the Santa Cruz Convent, site of the famous battle where Saint James supposedly showed up to save the day. This rambling former monastery is also where ill-fated Emperor Maximilian of Hapsburg, whom Napoleon III had installed as ruler of Mexico, was imprisoned before being executed in 1867 on a hill called Cerro de las Campanas (Hill of the Bells) west of downtown Queretaro.
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