San Francisco del Rincón
San Francisco del Rincón is a city and municipality in the western part of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. The city serves as the municipal seat for the municipality of San Francisco del Rincón.
This peaceful and beautiful town lies at the extreme northwest corner of the municipality, at an approximate altitude of 1,721 meters.
The settlement was founded as San Francisco del Tule on January 21, 1607 by a group of families of the Purépecha and Hñähñu (Otomi) ethnicities.
It was declared a villa (town) on September 6, 1865 and a city on March 27, 1867.
The population of the municipality in the 2010 census was 113,570 people, of whom 71,139 lived in the city of San Francisco del Rincón. The municipality has an areal extent of 415.73 km² (160.51 sq mi). The city is the sixth-largest community in the state in population.
The Vicente Fox Center of Studies, Library and Museum lies within the municipality.
Places of interest
Parroquia de San Francisco
The construction of the church of San Francisco de Asís began in 1694, and the works concluded almost 90 years later, in 1783. However, the main tower was added in the XIX century.
Municipal Palace
Around 1875 the construction of the old Municipal Palace began, which was demolished in 1904 to give way to the one we see today.
Anillo de Hierro
Plaza Peatonal
Edificio de Correos
Orfanatorio
Ex hacienda of Santiago + Ojo de Agua
St. Michael’s Square
Atanasio Guerrero Market
Glorieta del Obelisco
ex Glorieta del Tejedor
Train station
Camino Viejo
River Park
Feria del Pueblo
Neighborhood of Guadalupe
House of Culture
San Pancho hats
The Sombrero capital of the world. San Francisco del Rincón is the home of a tradition that is nearly two centuries old, justifying the claim by hat-makers that it’s the hat-making capital of the world.
The town has been a hat-making center for over 180 years. The product that was intended to shelter farm laborers from the noonday sun is now sold in stores throughout the American continent, Europe and Oceania.
Sombreros are sometimes made out of straw but in San Francisco they are made out of palma. The Palma was originally brought in from Michoacan but is now readily available in the area due to its cultivation there.
To this day, hat production remains a mostly artisanal process. While machinery is employed in some steps, the skilled hands of the people of San Francisco, called San Pancho for short, are still a crucial part of the operation.
How to get there
It is just a short 25 minutes minute drive from the Leon city.
Taxi price $10-$20
From Guanajuato city by bus will take 1 hour, and will cost $3-$12.
Shuttle bus will late just 47 minutes but will cost $65-$100.
By taxi: 47 minutes and $30-$45
Nearest towns are: Silao, Irapuato, Salamanca, Lagos de Moreno.
Tourist Assistance + Emergency Numbers
You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.
Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.
You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx
MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
General Information: 040 (not free)
SNational Emergency Service: 911
Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089
Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074
Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700
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