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El Cerrito / Tula
We now leave the northerm cities to reach the prehispanics civilizations sites.
Afew km avay from " Queretaro " is an archeoligic site " El Cerrito " (the little hill) .
Its major development takes place after the fall of " Teotihuacan " and up to the XIth century, and is then linked to the powerful " Tula ".
* Gran Piramide " :built on a 100m long platform, it reaches 30 m in height. On its sumit lays a modern " fortin" built at the end of the 19th century. Two others big squares and a few rectangular platforms show the location of ancient palaces.
A brand new museum, inaugurated in february 2019, explains the relations that the " Teotihuacans ", the " Tolteques " and the " Chichinecs " had with theirs gods and the univers
We drive on the direction " Tula ", the country side is just flat and burnt.
" Tula " was the capital city of the " Tolteques " who imposed themselves as one of the most powerful civilisation of the center of Mexico around the first millenium.
It succeded to " Teotihuacan "
Built in 900, its reign finishes in 1200 and the people who then took the power, claimed its legacy, taking as their own, the image of the "Quetzalcoatl"
( feathered snake), which, according to the legend, has been invented here.
* The temple of Quetzalcoatl " : At the top, the four basalt warriors
" Telamones" and the four pillars behind supported the temple's roof. Wearing headdresses, breast plates shaped like butterflies and short skirts held in place by sun disks, the warriors held spear-throwers in their right hand and knives in their left.
Very beautiful site..
Once again, the museum is closed due to renovation !
The spanish colonisation / The Colonial cities
The tour of the colonial cities has been a great one.
Incredible architecture and colored houses.
We have a few left to visit more south.
They all are different and have each one a particular charming atmosphere.
Most impressive are the cathedrals and churches, spendid and highly decorated. But the colored houses add to the charm of the city
All the monuments were built in the XVIth, XVIIth and XVIIIth century
The influence of the " Sobre baroque style " very fashionable in Spain at that time, is everywhere : high ledges with sculptures, vegetal motif mouldings and decorations.
Then comes the " Baroque Churrigueresque Style " with exagerated flowered wreath with angels covering the facades.
In 250 years of reign over Mexico, Spain managed to conquest the country, to build splendid cities, to impose Christianism, its culture and its language to the native that they submit to slavery.
When " Herman Cortez " arrives on the Veracruz coast inn 1515, the " Azteque Empire " is its apogee.
On his way to " Tenochtitlan " Cortez submits the " Txalcalteque " , the "Totonaque " and makes allies out of them to destroy the azteque power.
In 1521, the spanish take over " Tenochtitlan " destroy it and capture the last emperor.
The native became the vassals of the " encamenderos espagnol ". In the same time franciscans and dominicans monks force the indians to convert themselves as christians.
A first vice-kingdon is born in 1535 : the Nueva Espana
The rich spanish families create the " Haciendas " (huge agriculturall domain)
The exploited native population declines due to too much hard work and deseases.
Queretaro
It's our last colonial city.
To be honnest, we don't enjoy that much its atmosphere and its historical center.
It's mostly pedestrian, but the souvenirs vendors spoil these little streets.
Big trees hide the facade of the colonial houses and some monuments are just unvisible, even on main squares.
The interiors of the churches are not lighted enough to admire the details.
However, some of the museums are worth of visit.
Capitol city of the Queretaro state, it developped itself in the XVII th century and allows the settlement of a number of relegious orders in spiritual quest.
Located on the " Camino Real ", it furnishes the mining cities wiht all their essential needs and therefore became very rich.
But, more than that, it plays a very important role in the mexican politic history.
That's here that :
* " Corregidora doña Josefa Ortiz Domínguez " who is conspiring against the colonial gouvernment, lights the flamme of independance.
* in 1867, the ephemere mexican emperor " Maximilien de Hasbourg " is shot.
* in 1917, the constitution of the United Mexican States is enacted (and still valid today).
Since 1996 Queretaro is a World Heritage town.
* Museo del Arte : housed in an ancient XVIII th century augustin monastry with a baroque cloister, it shows a rich collection of XVI th and XVII th century paintings.
* Museo Regional : The convent " San Francisco " was the first relegious building constructed at the begining of the XII th century. In 1936 it has been transformed into a museum explaining the ethnography of the native " Otomis " and " Chichimeques ". A part of the museum is dedicated to the spanish occupation and to the mexican revolution and independance.
ROAD BOOK 045
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