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An
intelligent perception of the quality of life has made it conserve its
architecture, its cobbled streets, its traditions and its culture.
San Miguel de Allende is a natural refuge of talented National and
International artist and craftsman, that exhibit in numerous art
galleries. With its marvelous magnetism it’s one of the favorite
destinations of International tourist. Its colonial architecture
and the atmospheres of its streets make its a cosmopolitan city.
Today it appears as a magnificent bazaar with galleries, art stores
and craftsmanship, between regal buildings of the voce royal period
like the Museum-house of Allende, the Canal Counts house, the
Conception Church or “Las Monjas” (The Nuns) and the St. Phillip
Neri Chapel.
Its
main plaza is deign of the, San Miguel Arcangel Parish and a few steps
away the Nigromante Cultural Center, Allende Institute and the San
Francisco Church. It is also enriched with the camera and jazz
festivals or its accredited wool and brass fair. Its recognized
National and International gastronomic quality and its splendid
entertainment sites. To the beauty of its streets in this
cosmopolitan city we add the charm of cafes, high International
cuisine restaurants, bars and unique night clubs. At night San
Miguel de Allende reveals its splendor and transforms into a place
full of entertainment, enjoying a candle light dinner with live music
to dance until dawn, its another marvel of the magical San Miguel
de Allende.
San
Miguelada
Every September, in San Miguel de Allende an event takes place that
can only be compared with “Mardi Gras” in New Orleans or Spring
Break in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The Pamplonada (name that comes form Pamplona Spain where the
bullfights originated) of San Miguel de Allende, began in 1973 and is
also known as the San Miguelada, it takes place on the third Saturday
in September, this is the weekend between Mexican Independence day
(September 16) and the festival of the patron saint of the city, San
Miguel Arcangel (September 29). This annual events attracts more
than 20,000 drunkenness and dangers.
On Saturday at 12:00 noon, hundreds of brave men, wearing white
t-shirts and red handkerchiefs, surpass the barricades that protect
downtown San Miguel, where a dozen or more specially raised bulls are
let loose while hundreds of spectators observe, safely, behind the
metal barricades.
Many of the restaurants and bars in San Miguel take advantage of these
dates and charge an admissions fee to view the event in their
comfortable establishments. The event is transmitted free on
National Mexican Television.
Pursuing who they can, the bulls are not at all domesticated and
usually are not very happy of being there either. Every year
there are hundreds of injured and unfortunately, deaths are not rare.
However, for the majority, the attraction is not necessarily running
with the bulls, but rather the wild parties of these dates.
Despite some young women they surpass the barricades to run with
bulls, lots, lots of them are always on the borders to encourage their
boyfriends or maybe to meet their future love. At the Pamplonada
in San Miguel, many “rules” are broken and the chemistry between
young men and young women reaches high levels.
With Sunday, come the traffic jams as if the exodus began and
sleepless participants, some of them with broken bones, others with
broken hearts, make their trip back home.
San
Miguel Arcangel Parish
Is the most representative building of this beautiful city. Its
construction took place during the eighteenth century with a
neoclassic interior. The neogothic style façade was built
a century later by the skilled bricklayer Zeferino Gutierrez, who
inspired himself from European constructions on post cards.
Located in the heart of San Miguel de Allende, it attracts the
attention of all tourists that visit the city.
Museum-house
of Don Ignacio Allende
It is located on the right side the San Miguel Parish. Built
during the middle of the seventeenth century with doors and windows
with baroque carvings on quarry stone, that was property of the
Allende and Unzaga family, where General Ignacio Allende was born, one
of the organizers and promoters of the conspiracy committee. The
historic museum installed here exhibits and archaeological collection,
arms documents and other objects of the commanders property.
Main
Garden
One of the most visited sites in San Miguel is the main plaza with its
kiosk and its rose and laurel gardens. On the north side, a
simple building of the eighteenth century, it is headquarters to the
municipal presidency: to the left and right are the Guadalupe and
Allende portals respectively, occupied by businesses and restaurants
and on the south side, the San Miguel Parish and the building that was
once the Aldama market, now it offices the tourism delegation.
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