Taxco de Alarcon (Taxco de Alarcón) – most often referred to simply as Taxco, is a small town located in the Mexican state of Guerrero, just 160 km from Mexico City. Modern Taxco was founded by Hernan Cortes in the area formerly known as Tetelcingo due to the abundance of silver deposits. The extraction of this metal began in Taxco in the pre-Hispanic period, when the natives used it for decorative and ritual purposes. During the colonial period, mining was mainly carried out on haciendas (haciendas) built by the soldiers of Cortes. And already in the 18th century, more modern methods for extracting silver began to be used in the mines of Pedregal, El Coyote, San Ignacio and Cerro Perdid.
The weather in Taxco is very similar to the weather in Mexico City. The best time to visit the city is from April to June. For Mexico climate and geography, please check TopPharmacySchools.
How to get there
Regular buses to Taxco arrive from Mexico City South Bus Station (Autobuses del Sur) (one-way fare 200-350 MXN. The last bus from Taxco to Mexico City departs at 20:00. Taxco also has regular services from Cuernavaca, the capital Morelos state.
Transportation
The best way to get around the city is on foot. Taxis are expensive – about 30-35 MXN. “Collective” taxis, the so-called “combis” are cheaper (about 6 MXN) and run around the city from 7:00 to 20:00.
Parking is available at Plaza Taxco Mall. Access to the car park is from Av de los Plateros via Estacadas.
Shopping
In Taxco, you can buy good and inexpensive silver jewelry with engraved inscriptions “MEXICO 925” or “TAXCO 925”. Most of the shops are concentrated on the main square of the city, the official name of which is Plaza Borda, but more often it is called Zocalo.
Attractions and attractions in Taxco
The Parroquia de Santa Prisca church is located on the east side of the main square of Taxco and is considered a symbol of the city. The church is one of the few baroque buildings that have survived in Guerrero. Parroquia was built in 1751-1758. of pink stone and surmounted by two towers. Due to vibrations caused by work in nearby mines, traffic and earthquakes, cracks formed in the vaults of the church. In 1997, a project to restore the building began, and in 2000, the World Monuments Fund included the Church of Parroquia de Santa Prisca in the list of objects that are in danger of destruction.
Other notable buildings of a religious nature are the churches of San Bernardino de Siena and Veracruz. San Bernardino occupies the building of a former monastery built at the end of the 16th century, and is considered the oldest building in Taxco.
The Art Museum (Museo de Arte Virreinal) is located in a beautiful building often referred to as the Humboldt House, although the famous German traveler and naturalist Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt spent only one night here in 1803. The museum has a small collection of art with signs in Spanish and English. Of greatest interest is the exhibition dedicated to the restoration work in the church of Santa Prisca, during which the most valuable specimens were discovered, including tapestries, altars made of wood and decorative fabrics. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 18:00. The entrance fee is 20 MXN.
Of interest is also the Museum of History and Archeology named after William Spratling (Museo Guillermo Spratling). The museum displays magnificent examples of jewelry, art and sculpture from the pre-Hispanic period from the private collection of silversmith William Spratling. The museum is open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00 and on Sundays from 9:00 to 15:00. The entrance fee is 55 MXN.
The Casa Borda building, built by José de la Borda in 1759, is a cultural center, a kind of experimental platform for theatrical performances and exhibitions of local artists. Concurrently, the building houses a museum with a collection of silver jewelry.
In the northern part of Taxco, near Los Arcos, is the Teleférico cantata cableway leading to a height of 173 meters to the Monte Taxco Hotel, which offers stunning views of the city and the surrounding mountains. A one-way ticket will cost 75 MXN, a round-trip – 95 MXN.
While in Taxco, you should definitely try the traditional dish – hominy (Pozolé), similar in texture to soup, and made from large pieces of corn, pork skins, avocado, served with crispy tortillas.
And in the northern part of the city there is one of the most remarkable buildings of the colonial era – the hacienda Hacienda de El Chorrillo. The estate was built by the soldiers of Hernan Cortes to carry out work to extract silver from ore. On the territory of the hacienda, a part of the aqueduct, built in 1543, has been preserved. Another silver mining estate, Ex hacienda de San Juan Bautista, was built in 1543 by order of Hernán Cortés in the style of a medieval castle.
Developments
During Passion Week, processions and ceremonies are organized in Taxco, which have become internationally famous. There are 10 main processions between Palm Sunday and Easter, six in the evening and four in the afternoon. Processions can stretch for more than 2 kilometers and take about 2 hours. The origins of the celebrations date back to 1622, when they were first held in the atrium of the former convent of San Bernardino de Siena. Now the processions are concentrated around the church of Santa Prisca.
