Historical & Cultural Landmarks in Mexico

The Agave Region is one of the most important cultural landscapes in Mexico, not only for the importance of the natural landscape that it offers but also for the cultural tradition that has been kept for several centuries and from which has arisen one of the main icons that identify this country: the tequila.

The Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System, located in the Central Mexican Plateau, encompasses a water catchment area, springs, canals, distribution tanks and arcaded aqueduct bridges. It incorporates the highest single-level arcade ever built in an aqueduct.

Xochicalco is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a fortified political, religious and commercial center from the troubled period of 650 to 900 A.D. that followed the breakup of the great Mesoamerican states such as Teotihuacán, Monte Albán, Palenque and Tikal.

Camino Real de Tierra Adentro was the Royal Inland Road, also known as the Silver Route, which constitutes a part of the Spanish Intercontinental Royal Route from Mexico City to Santa Fe. The route was actively used as a trade route for 300 years, from the mid-16th to the 19th centuries.

Centro Histórico, the historic center of Mexico City, is the heart of the Mexican capital. Focused on the Zócalo and extending in all directions, historic landmarks include the National Palace, Metropolitan Cathedral and Palace of Fine Arts. Built on the site of a pre-Columbian town, Xochimilco is famous for its floating gardens.

Ciudad Universitaria, the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is located in Mexico City. It encloses the Olympic Stadium, about 40 faculties and institutes, the Cultural Center, an ecological reserve, the Central Library and various museums.

These 14 monasteries stand on the slopes of Popocatépetl to the southeast of Mexico City. They are in an excellent state of conservation and are good examples of the architectural style adopted by the first missionaries who converted the indigenous populations to Christianity in the early 16th century.

The five Franciscan missions of Sierra Gorda were built during the last phase of the conversion to Christianity of the interior of Mexico in the mid-18th century. The richly decorated church facades represent the joint creative efforts of the missionaries and the indigenous people of the Americas.

Built in the 16th century, Morelia is an outstanding example of urban planning which combines the ideas of the Spanish Renaissance with the Mesoamerican experience. More than 200 historic buildings, all in the region's characteristic pink stone, reflect the town's architectural history.

Inhabited over a period of 1,500 years by a succession of peoples; the terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Albán are the symbols of a sacred topography. The nearby city of Oaxaca, which is built on a grid pattern, is an example of Spanish colonial town planning.