Taxco de Alarcon Attractions
How to get there
Mexico City by bus about 3 hours; by car about 170km/106mi on the MEX 95 and 95D, turning off in Amacuzac.
Taxco, spectacularly situated on the side of a series of hilltops, is one of the most famous and most popular tourist destinations in Mexico by virtue of its harmonious townscape dating back to the colonial period, with low tiled houses, tiny squares, alleyways and secluded corners.
History
In pre-Columbian times the area was inhabited by the Tlahuicas, one of the Nahua tribes. About 10km/6mi from present-day Taxco stood the Indian town of Tlachco (Náhuatl: "where ball was played"). The Aztecs under their rulers Itzcóatl and Moctezuma I invaded the area and finally annexed it in the middle of the 15th c. The Spanish arrived here in 1522 in search of tin and silver. In 1529 they founded the settlement of El Real de Tetzelcingo, from which the town of Taxco was finally to emerge in 1581. Large deposits of silver were not found until the middle of the 18th c. when Joséde la Borda discovered and exploited the large mine of San Ignacio. In gratitude for the riches he had acquired, Borda had the church of Santa Prisca built. After the Revolutionary War (1910-20) the region became increasingly impoverished until the American William Spratling (1900-67) settled there in 1930. He was successful in reviving the old artisan skills by bringing in silversmiths from Iguala and getting them to produce jewellery using the traditional Indian models.
Today Taxco lives almost exclusively from tourism and the silversmiths' trade, the latter employing over 1500 craftsmen in several hundred tiny workshops scattered throughout the town. The silver used for this work is in fact an alloy made up of 950-980 grams of silver to 20-50 grams of copper.
Mexico City by bus about 3 hours; by car about 170km/106mi on the MEX 95 and 95D, turning off in Amacuzac.
Taxco, spectacularly situated on the side of a series of hilltops, is one of the most famous and most popular tourist destinations in Mexico by virtue of its harmonious townscape dating back to the colonial period, with low tiled houses, tiny squares, alleyways and secluded corners.
History
In pre-Columbian times the area was inhabited by the Tlahuicas, one of the Nahua tribes. About 10km/6mi from present-day Taxco stood the Indian town of Tlachco (Náhuatl: "where ball was played"). The Aztecs under their rulers Itzcóatl and Moctezuma I invaded the area and finally annexed it in the middle of the 15th c. The Spanish arrived here in 1522 in search of tin and silver. In 1529 they founded the settlement of El Real de Tetzelcingo, from which the town of Taxco was finally to emerge in 1581. Large deposits of silver were not found until the middle of the 18th c. when Joséde la Borda discovered and exploited the large mine of San Ignacio. In gratitude for the riches he had acquired, Borda had the church of Santa Prisca built. After the Revolutionary War (1910-20) the region became increasingly impoverished until the American William Spratling (1900-67) settled there in 1930. He was successful in reviving the old artisan skills by bringing in silversmiths from Iguala and getting them to produce jewellery using the traditional Indian models.
Today Taxco lives almost exclusively from tourism and the silversmiths' trade, the latter employing over 1500 craftsmen in several hundred tiny workshops scattered throughout the town. The silver used for this work is in fact an alloy made up of 950-980 grams of silver to 20-50 grams of copper.
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San Sebastián y Santa Prisca
The church of San Sebastián y Santa Prisca stands on the Plaza de la Borda. It was built by Diego Durán and Juan Caballero, and is considered a jewel of Churrigueresque architecture.
Cableway
Minibuses and taxis travel from the Zócalo to the base station of the cableway, which is in the north of the town near the Hacienda del Chorillo. The railway soars up to the 240 m (787 ft) high chain of hills called Lomas de Taxco. The view during the ascent and from the plateau is exceptional.
Casa Humboldt
On the Calle Juan Ruiz de Alarcón stands the Casa Humboldt, a magnificent building with a beautiful mudéjar gateway, which Juan de Villa-nueva had built in the 18th c. The name of the house is derived from the fact that in April 1803 the German naturalist and geographer Alexander von Humboldt spent the night here during his travels through the Spanish West Indian colonies which lasted several years. He recorded his impressions in 35 volumes and on 1300 copper-plates. Today silverwork is displayed in the Casa Humboldt.
Centro de Cultura de Taxco (Antigua Casa Borda)
The Cultural Center was opened in 1992 and features ever-changing exhibits of photography, sculpture, and painting. The artwork displayed is both national and international.
Centro de Cultura de Taxco (Antigua Casa Borda)
Plaza Borda, #14
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Plaza Borda, #14
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | |
| Open | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | |
| Close | 21:00 | 21:00 | 21:00 | 21:00 | 21:00 | 21:00 |
Convent of San Bernardino
The Calle Convento leads past the town hall to the former Convent of San Bernardino. The convent was originally a Franciscan foundation dating from the 16th c., but was burnt down during the 19th c. and then rebuilt in the Neo-Classical style.
Holy Virgin of Guadalupe
On a hill, looking in a south-westerly direction, is the church of the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe. This church, which has a lovely view of the Zócalo and Santa Prisca, dates from the 18th c. and was restored in 1877.
Market
The Calle del Arco leads from the Zócalo to the Market (Mercado), which is well worth seeing. Further to the south-east is the Baroque Santísima Church dating from 1713, from which the Calles Real de San Nicolás and Progreso lead westwards to the Iglesia Ojeda (finished in 1822), which stands on a hill.
Taxco de Alarcón Tourist Information
Centro de Cultura de Taxco
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Centro de Cultura de Taxco
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 |
| Close | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco (Antigua Casa Humboldt)
This museum displays works of religious significance. Most of the items are from churches in Taxco.
Silver Museum
The Casa Borda not far from the main square is the former home of the silver baron Joséde la Borda. The Silver Museum (Museo de la Platería) on the Plaza Borda is open to visitors.
William Spratling Museum
Situated in Porfirio Delgado I, behind Santa Prisca, is the William Spratling Museum (Museo Guillermo Spratling), in which archaeological pieces from the western cultures and objects from Taxco's heyday as a silver town are on display.
Taxco de Alarcón Tourist Information
Centro de Cultura de Taxco
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Centro de Cultura de Taxco
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 15:00 |
Taxco de Alarcon Surroundings
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Grutas de Cacahuamilpa
Dripstone formations can be seen throughout the 16 chambers of the Grutas de Cacahuamilpa. These caves were found in 1835 but the full extent of the system has yet to be discovered.
Grutas de la Estrella
26km/16mi north of Cacahuamilpa are the Grutas de la Estrella. Open to visitors since 1976 they can be reached on foot comfortably in 15 minutes.
This cave, which is about 1km/.7mi long and has an almost continuous series of stalactites, is probably connected with the caves of Cacahuamilpa, although a definite link has yet to be established.
This cave, which is about 1km/.7mi long and has an almost continuous series of stalactites, is probably connected with the caves of Cacahuamilpa, although a definite link has yet to be established.
Ixcateopan, Mexico
The little town of Ixcateopan (Náhuatl: "cotton temple"); population 8000) is situated 40km/25mi west of Taxco in magnificent mountain country. It is said that underneath the altar of the 16th c. church of Santa María de la Asunción, which today houses a museum, the mortal remains were found of the last Aztec ruler Cuauhtémoc, whom Cortés ordered to be put to death in Honduras in 1525.
Old Taxco - Iglesia de San Francisco
(In Old Taxco, Mexico)
This church was built in the 16th c. and is the oldest in the area.
Taxco de Alarcón Tourist Information
Centro de Cultura de Taxco
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Centro de Cultura de Taxco
Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Mexico
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 |
| Close | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
Old Taxco - Rancho La Cascada
(In Old Taxco, Mexico)
The Castillo family owns this ranch and it boasts a store selling crafts as well as a workshop from which gold, silver, copper, and brass items are made.
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