San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel de Allende enjoys a pleasant, temperate climate year-round, thanks to its high elevation at over 1,900 meters above sea level. Average temperatures range from 16°C to 22°C, making it one of the most comfortable destinations in central Mexico.

Summers (May to June) can reach highs of 30–35°C, but the dry mountain air and cool evening breezes make the heat more bearable.

The rainy season runs from June through September, bringing short but intense afternoon showers that refresh the air without disrupting most daytime activities. Rain often falls in the late afternoon or evening, allowing sunny mornings perfect for sightseeing.

Winters (December to February) are cool, especially at night, when temperatures can drop close to freezing. However, the days remain mild and sunny, warming up quickly by late morning. The drier air makes it a great time for exploring the outdoors.

San Miguel’s climate is ideal for relaxing activities like swimming, hiking, or lounging in the sun. It also supports diverse ecosystems—from oak forests and shrublands to cactus-covered hills.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit San Miguel de Allende is between October and April, when the weather is dry, sunny, and mild. These months offer clear skies, comfortable temperatures, and minimal rain – perfect for exploring the city’s colonial charm and surrounding countryside.

San Miguel de Allende’s official name is “Protective town of San Miguel de Allende and Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco.”

The area was originally known as Izcuinapan (meaning “place of dogs”) by its indigenous inhabitants. When the Spanish arrived, Franciscan friar Juan de San Miguel founded a settlement and named it San Miguel el Grande, dedicating it to Archangel Michael.

The town was also known as San Miguel de los Chichimecas due to the local tribes.

In 1826, the town was renamed San Miguel de Allende to honor Ignacio Allende, a national hero of Mexico’s independence who was born there. The municipality is officially called Allende, but both town and municipality are commonly referred to as San Miguel de Allende.

The current location of the town was officially established in 1555, after the original village faced repeated attacks from Chichimecas and suffered from a lack of water. The new site was chosen for its more defensible terrain and access to two reliable freshwater springs.

The settlement was moved to a more defensible site with two reliable springs – Batan and Izcuinapan – under the leadership of Bernardo Cossin and the indigenous chief Fernando de Tapia. This new site remains the heart of the city today.

Colonial period

By the mid-16th century, silver had been discovered in Zacatecas, and a major road connecting Mexico City with these northern mining centers passed directly through San Miguel. Due to frequent indigenous attacks on travelers and trade caravans, San Miguel emerged as a critical military and commercial outpost.

To strengthen control over the region, the viceroy of New Spain distributed land and cattle to Spanish settlers, encouraging them to populate the area. At the same time, indigenous groups were granted limited self-governance and exemptions from certain taxes to reduce unrest.

San Miguel’s strategic location transformed it into a cultural crossroads, where Spanish settlers, indigenous peoples, and later Criollos (American-born Spaniards) intermingled and exchanged traditions.

The town became linked to major mining communities such as San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas, further boosting its economic importance. It flourished as a supply hub for miners and travelers, developing a robust textile industry. Local tradition even claims that the iconic serape was invented here.

By the mid-18th century, San Miguel had reached its zenith. Many of the grand mansions, palaces, and churches that still stand today were constructed during this prosperous period.

The town was home to wealthy hacienda owners and enjoyed an impressive population of around 30,000, surpassing cities like Boston and New York at the time. Architecturally, the city reflected the transitional styles between Baroque and Neoclassical, evident in its unusually large and elegant colonial mansions for a town of its size.

Independence

San Miguel’s prominence began to wane in the early 19th century, largely due to the upheavals of the Mexican War of Independence. However, the city played a pivotal early role in the movement. It is the birthplace of two key insurgents: Ignacio Allende and Juan Aldama.

Both participated in a conspiracy against Spanish colonial rule, alongside Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. When the conspiracy was discovered in 1810, warnings were sent from San Miguel to Dolores, prompting Hidalgo’s historic “Grito de Dolores.”

The first rallying point of the insurgent army was the sanctuary at Atotonilco, near San Miguel, where Hidalgo adopted the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe as the army’s banner. The rebels then entered San Miguel, liberated prisoners, and appointed officers, marking it as the first municipality to be freed from Spanish control.

Although the region saw little further military conflict, San Miguel’s economy suffered greatly. Agricultural decline and population loss marked the rest of the 19th century, exacerbated by political instability as Liberal and Conservative factions vied for national power.

The town was officially declared a city in 1826 and renamed San Miguel de Allende to honor its native son, Ignacio Allende.

During the Porfiriato (the long presidency of Porfirio Díaz), San Miguel saw modest recovery with the construction of dams, aqueducts, and railroads. Fruit orchards revitalized local agriculture.

Yet, the eventual collapse of mining across Guanajuato and the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution nearly turned San Miguel into a ghost town. In 1926, the federal government, through INAH, declared San Miguel a “Historic and Protected Town,” preserving its colonial character with strict restoration and construction guidelines.

The 20th century to the present

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, San Miguel began to attract foreign artists and writers. Among the most influential was Stirling Dickinson, an American who arrived in 1938 and met Peruvian author and painter Felipe Cossio del Pomar.

Cossio del Pomar envisioned an art colony in San Miguel and, with support from then-President Lázaro Cárdenas, opened the first art school—Bellas Artes—in a former convent. Today, it is known as Centro Cultural El Nigromante.

In the 1940s, Dickinson helped Cossio del Pomar and Enrique Fernández Martínez, a former governor of Guanajuato, to found the Instituto Allende. Both schools flourished after World War II, as U.S. veterans were allowed to study abroad under the G.I. Bill.

The town’s reputation as a cultural haven grew rapidly, attracting prominent Mexican artists such as José Chávez Morado and David Alfaro Siqueiros, the latter of whom taught at Bellas Artes. San Miguel’s appeal led to the opening of boutique hotels, galleries, and restaurants. Many foreign veterans returned later in life to retire, playing a key role in the town’s preservation and revival.

In the 1960s, famed Mexican actor Cantinflas promoted the city among his peers in the film industry. San Miguel gained a Bohemian identity in the 1960s and 1970s as hippies and countercultural artists settled in.

A burgeoning real estate market followed, fueled by the town’s colonial charm. Foreign buyers, particularly from the U.S. and Canada, purchased and restored old homes, some of which were in ruins. By 2007, the town saw a real estate boom, with 180 homes sold that year alone, each averaging USD 250,000, generating $45 million in sales.

In 2008, UNESCO declared San Miguel de Allende and the nearby Sanctuary of Atotonilco a World Heritage Site. The designation was based on the area’s outstanding colonial architecture and its historical significance in Mexico’s independence movement.

The protected zone includes 64 blocks of the historic town center and the religious complex of Atotonilco under the title: Villa Protectora de San Miguel el Grande y el Santuario de Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco.

The global economic crisis of 2008–2010 temporarily halted the town’s real estate growth, with home values dropping by 20–40%. Media coverage of drug-related violence in other parts of Mexico discouraged foreign investment.

Nonetheless, domestic buyers from cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Querétaro stepped in, initiating a new wave of urban development and housing projects that continues today.

At the entrance of the city are statues of Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, Miguel Hidalgo, and Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, with one of the Archangel Michael in the center.

The main attraction of the town is its well-preserved historic center, filled with buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. This and the nearby Sanctuary of Atotonilco were declared World Heritage Sites in 2008.

While the outlying areas of the town and municipality have changed over time, the historic center remains much as it was 250 years ago.

The layout of the center of the city is mostly a straight grid, which was favored by the Spanish during colonial times. However, due to the terrain, many roads are not straight.

There are no parking meters, no traffic signals, and no fast food restaurants. These roads are lined with colonial-era homes and churches. With a few exceptions, the architecture is domestic rather than monumental, with well-tended courtyards and rich architectural details.

The houses have solid walls against the sidewalks, painted in various colors, many with bougainvillea vines falling down the outside and the occasional iron-grated window. Many of the larger structures have large front doors that were used by horses and carriages.

In the historic center, there are an estimated two thousand doors, behind which there are at least two thousand courtyards of various sizes. Many of these have been restored to their former colonial state, with façades of ochre, orange, and yellow, windows and doors framed by handcrafted ironwork and made of hewn wood.

The interior roofs are flat, of heavy mortar supported by large beams.

Very few structures have atria or front yards; instead, open private space is behind the main façade in courtyards. These courtyards are where the private gardens were, protected from dust, excess water, and crime.

The town is noted for its streetscapes with narrow cobblestone lanes that rise and fall over the hilly terrain, and occasionally defy colonial attempts to make a straight grid. It is still a small city, and at night, many wander the narrow streets with relative safety.

Since the 1920s, steps have been taken to preserve the historic center’s charm. The first set of protections was put into place by the INAH when it was declared a national monument. This required that all restorations and new construction conform to the area’s colonial architecture.

To preserve the city’s trademark colonial look, a civil society regulates the renovation and maintenance of the city, especially its historic center. This includes aspects such as traffic, garden spaces, and even the kinds of social events that may be held.

The town has also put much effort into preserving the cobblestone streets. The most recent designation is that of a World Heritage site, along with the religious sanctuary in nearby Atotonilco, which also puts restrictions and protections in place.

About half of the colonial buildings have been partially or fully converted into businesses such as stores, restaurants, galleries, workshops, and hotels. Since there is no zoning, residential and commercial establishments are well-mixed.

Although it is small and rural, it has a wide variety of upscale and ethnic restaurants, specialty shops, and art galleries. All around the historic center, there are over 80 bars and cantinas as well as various nightclubs. To compete, many offer two-for-one drink specials.

Others rely on gimmicks such as the frontier-themed bar on Mesones Street called “El Gato” with swinging cantina doors like those seen on “Old West” movies.

In September 2010, the first contemporary architectural structure arrived in the historic colonial center with the opening of Hotel Matilda.

The hotel’s four buildings have a modern design, with public areas decorated with the artworks of contemporary Latin artists, many of them very large pieces. Only the exterior street wall, along Calle Aldama, reflects the colonial style.

Landmarks

The oldest part of the town is the El Chorro neighborhood. This is where the village of San Miguel was moved to in 1555. The Nahuatl name for the area was Izcuinapan or “place of dogs,” and according to legend, dogs led Juan de San Miguel to this area to find this spring.

This area is the home of the Parish of San Miguel, the Jardin Principal or Main Garden, and an earlier church called the San Rafael or Santa Escuela Church.

La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, the current parish church of San Miguel, is unique in Mexico and the emblem of the town. It has a Neo-Gothic façade with two tall towers that can be seen from most parts of town. It is one of the most photographed churches in Mexico.

The church was built in the 17th century with a traditional Mexican façade. The current Gothic façade was constructed in 1880 by Zeferino Gutierrez, who was an indigenous bricklayer and self-taught architect.

It is said Gutierrez’s inspiration came from postcards and lithographs of Gothic churches in Europe; however, the interpretation is his own, and if more a work of imagination than a faithful reconstruction. In front of this façade is a small atrium, which is guarded by a wrought iron fence.

There is a monument in the atrium dedicated to Bishop José María de Jesús Diez de Sollano y Davalos. The San Rafael or Santa Escuela Church is located to the side of the parish. It was founded by Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro in 1742.

The main façade has two levels with arches, pilasters, floral motifs, and a frieze on the first level. The second level has a choir window framed by pink sandstone. The bell tower is Moorish. According to legend, this older chapel was the site of the first Christian ceremony in San Miguel.

At the entrance of the main church, there is an inscription that states that Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his brother José Joaquin served as priests here. There is another one acknowledging Gutierrez’s work on the façade.

The interior of the church still has the original 17th-century layout and interior design, but the church was looted several times during Mexico’s history, so much of its decoration is lost.

However, one significant image here is the “Señor de la Conquista”, which was made of cornstalk paste by indigenous people in Michoacán. The sacristy contains a painting depicting the founding of the town in 1542 and its subsequent move to Izcuinapan in the El Chorro neighborhood.

There is a small crypt under the altar with access through a small door to the right. This crypt contains the remains of former bishops of the church and other dignitaries, including a former president of Mexico. It is open to the public one day each year, on Day of the Dead.

In front of the church complex is the Plaza Allende, popularly known as Jardin Principal or Main Garden, but most often referred to simply as el jardin. It was designed in French style, with wrought iron benches and filled with laurel trees.

It is a popular place to sit and relax, and bands often play in the kiosk on weekends. In addition to the parish, other important structures, such as the Ignacio Allende House, the Canal House, and the municipal palace, overlook the garden.

The Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez, also called the Escuela de Bellas Artes or El Nigromante, is housed in the former Hermanas de la Concepción (Sisters of the Conception) convent.

The Concepcion convent and adjoining church were founded by a member of the De la Canal family, María Josefina Lina de la Canal y Hervás, in 1775. In the latter 19th century, the convent was closed by the Reform Laws, and it remained empty from then until the mid-20th century.

The Escuela de Bellas Artes was established in 1938 by Peruvian Felipe Cossío del Pomar and American Stirling Dickinson. This and other art institutions began to attract American exchange students who came to study and live.

The cultural center today is part of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA) and is often referred to by locals as “Bellas Artes.” It is a two-story cloister surrounded by an extremely large courtyard with large streets with a large fountain in the middle. It houses art exhibits, classrooms for drawing, painting, sculpture, lithography, textiles, ceramics, dramatic arts, ballet, regional dance, piano, and guitar.

One hall of the old convent is dedicated to a mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros along with students from the art school, but it was never finished. The complex has a museum, an auditorium, two art galleries, and the Las Musas restaurant, which serves both inside and outside in the courtyard area.

Next to the cultural center is the Inmaculada Concepcion Church, locally known as Las Monjas (The Nuns). It was originally constructed as part of the convent. The church was constructed between 1755 and 1842 with an elegant cupola added by Zeferino Gutierrez in 1891, inspired by the Les Invalides in Paris.

The cupola is octagonal, decorated with Corinthian columns in the lower area, and the upper area has a window with a balustrade and statues of saints. Topping the cupola is a lantern window with a statue depicting the Immaculate Conception.

Inside, there are paintings by Juan Rodriguez Juarez.

The Casa de Allende (Allende House) Museum was the home of Ignacio Allende, who was a principal protagonist in the early part of the Mexican War of Independence. The structure was built in 1759 with Baroque and Neoclassical elements, located next to the San Miguel parish church.

The museum it houses is officially called the Museo Histórico de San Miguel de Allende, and it is one of many “regional museums” of Mexico. This kind of museum focuses on the history of the local area from the prehistoric period to the present, especially the area’s role in Mexico’s national history.

The lower floor contains exhibits about the founding of the town, its role in protecting the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Road and more. The upper floor contains exhibits related to Ignacio Allende, and some of the rooms are preserved as they looked when he lived there.

24 rooms chronicle the history of the area from the foundation of the town to the Ruta de la Plata (Silver Route), the genealogy of Ignacio Allende, and the Mexican War of Independence. It was remodeled as part of the preparations for Mexico’s Bicentennial. The restored museum was reinaugurated by President Felipe Calderon in 2009.

The Casa del Mayorazgo de la Canal dates from the 18th century, constructed by Mariano Loreto de la Canal y Landeta. During the late colonial period, this house was the most important secular building, being home to the De la Canal family, one of the richest in New Spain.

The original construction was inspired by French and Italian palaces of the 16th and 18th centuries. The house is considered to be a transitional work between Baroque and Neoclassical, as its façade was redesigned by Manuel Tolsá in the early 19th century.

The façade is Neoclassical with the coat of arms of the family. The main portal has two levels with an arch with a relief of an eagle on the keystone. The main door is profusely decorated with high reliefs. Today, it houses the Casa de Cultura de Banamex (Banamex Cultural Center), which houses a collection of historic paintings and offers diverse exhibitions during the year.

On the north side of the Jardin Principal is the municipal palace. It was first constructed in 1736 and called the Casa Consistorial. However, this building was heavily damaged several times since then and little of the original structure remains.

The current building has two floors. It is home to what is considered to be the first “independent” or modern municipal government formed after the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. This reestablishment of the city government under Liberal principles was done by Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, and Ignacio Aldama on 17 September 1810.

The Oratorio de San Felipe Neri Church was built by Juan Antonio Perez Espinosa in 1712. This church was partially built by incorporating a former chapel used by the mulatto population of the town. That church became the chapel on the east side.

The façade is of pink sandstone in Baroque style with profuse vegetative ornamentation.

The decorative work of the portal also contains indigenous influences. The interior of the church has several paintings by Miguel Cabrera, including one of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is signed by him.

The sacristy contains this last painting along with others depicting the life of Philip Neri. This room is cordoned off by a grate covered with leather from Córdoba, Spain. At the back, there is a Baroque chamber/chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto.

This chapel was sponsored by Manuel Tomás de la Canal in 1735. It is richly decorated with three altars covered in gold leaf and is a replica of the Holy House found in Loreto, Italy.

The Nuestra Señora de la Salud Church was built by Luis Felipe Neri in the 18th century. The main portal is in Churrigueresque style with two levels and a crest in the shape of a large seashell.

The first level has an arch flanked by pilasters and niches with sculptures of the Sacred Heart and John the Evangelist. The interior has a layout of a Latin cross covered with vaults, with side walls covered in oil paintings done by Agapito Ping between 1721 and 1785.

One altar contains an image of Christ, the Good Shepherd, defending his sheep from various dangers, including a group of unicorns. The church served as the chapel of the Colegio de San Francisco de Sales next door.

The Colegio de San Francisco de Sales was as important as the college of San Ildefonso in Mexico City in the 18th century. Both Ignacio Aldama and Ignacio Allende attended school here.

Very close to the Nuestra Señora de la Salud and Oratorios de San Felipe Neri churches is the Plaza Civica or Civic Plaza. This plaza was originally constructed in 1555 and was supposed to be the original center of the town. It is next to the Plaza de la Soledad and served as the main marketplace. Today, it has an equestrian statue of Ignacio Allende, which dominates it.

The San Francisco Church was begun in 1778 and was finished more than twenty years later, when architectural styles were changing. The façade is pure Churrigueresque with stone figures and fine columns. The later bell tower was constructed in 1799 in Neoclassical style by architect Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras.

The Biblioteca Pública or Public Library serves as the community center for San Miguel’s large foreign population. This library was established by Helen Wale, a Canadian, who wanted to reach out to local children.

It is the largest privately funded, publicly accessible library in Mexico, with the second largest English language book collection. The library has a café, sponsors tours, and prints a bilingual newspaper.

While self-supporting, it also sponsors educational programs for local youth, including scholarships, donations of school supplies, and free English and computer classes for children. The library offers free English classes for children and the “Club de Amigos” so that Mexicans and foreigners can get to know one another.

To the far south of the historic center is Parque Juárez or Juarez Park. This park was established at the beginning of the 20th century on the banks of a river in French style with fountains, decorative pools, wrought iron benches, old bridges, and footpaths.

There is an area for children with a playground and basketball. The garden area is filled with plants and trees of the region, chirimoyas, various berries, and walnuts. The water areas host a large number of herons.

After dark on many days, it is possible to catch an impromptu concert by local amateur musicians. Nearby, there is a small commercial center on Zacateros Street where typical objects of the area, such as objects made of brass and glass, can be found.

Near here, there is a fountain dedicated to Ignacio Allende.

Another important market is the Mercado de Artesanias, which sells a wide variety of items such as those made from wool, brass, papier mache, and blown glass. There are also piñatas, tin lanterns, silver jewelry, and more.

One figure that features prominently on merchandise is that of a frog, as the state’s name of Guanajuato, means “place of frogs”. The market is located in a narrow alley, filling three blocks behind the city’s main fruit and vegetable market.

The merchandise here is more authentic and cheaper than that found around the main square.

The Institute Allende is located in an enormous complex, which the De la Canal family built as a retreat and hacienda. The old house is filled with various courtyards, a private chapel with colonial-era frescos, a modern art gallery, and a restaurant. In 1951, it was converted into an art institute that offers courses in silverwork, ceramics, and Spanish, attracting hundreds of students each year.

Other important churches in the town include the Santo Domingo church, the Santa Cruz del Chorro Chapel, the Tercera Orden Church, and the San Juan de Dios Church. The Santo Domingo church was part of a monastery complex.

The church has a sober façade and dates from 1737. The Santa Cruz del Chorro Chapel is one of the oldest religious buildings. The Tercera Orden Church dates from the beginning of the 17th century.

The San Juan de Dios Church and San Rafael Hospital were attributed to Juan Manuel de Villegas in 1770.

The complex has a main portal in sandstone with two portals. The first has an access arch and a door made of mesquite wood, with reliefs of geometric shapes, fish, and more, along with a hand with a pomegranate in sandstone. These symbolize the Archangel Raphael and John of God.

The Casa de Inquisidor (Inquisitor’s House) is located between Hernandez Macias and Hospicio streets. It was built in 1780 with an elaborate French façade and was the seat of the inquisition in the late 18th century.

The Angela Peralta Theater was originally designed to host opera. It was inaugurated in 1873 with a performance by the most famous soprano of Mexico at that time, Angela Peralta. Today, it still hosts a variety of musical events such as the Jazz Festival and the Chamber Music Festival.

Other cultural venues include the Otra Cara de Mexico, the bullring, the old train station, the casa de Marqués de Jaral de Berrio, the Casa de los Condes de Loja, and the Museo de la Esquina and Museo Interactiveo Fragua de la Independencia.

La Otra Cara de Mexico (The Other Face of Mexico) is a small private museum sponsored by Bill Levasseuro, which has a large number of masks from Mexico’s traditional cultures. On Calle de Recreo is the bullring that was constructed at the end of the 19th century.

The old train station was part of the Mexico City – Laredo (Tamaulipas) line of the Ferrocarril Nacional Mexicano. This line was constructed in the 1880s, with service beginning in 1888. The Casa del Marqués de Jaral de Berrio was constructed at the end of the 17th century, as well as the Casa de los Condes de Loja.

The Museo de la Esquina (Corner Museum) is dedicated to traditional Mexican toys. Its collection comes from all parts of the Mexican Republic, which was gathered over 50 years. The Museo Interactivo Fragua de la Independencia (Fire of Independence Interactive Museum) is dedicated to the Mexican War of Independence and San Miguel’s role in it.

“Stirling Dickinson is without doubt the person most responsible for San Miguel de Allende becoming an international art center,” says John Virtue, author of Model American Abroad, a biography of Dickinson.

Although only an amateur painter himself, Dickinson became co-founder and director of the Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes, an art institute that he opened in a former convent only a few months after his arrival.

Due to its growth as a tourist destination, some of the most obvious culture seen on the streets of the town relates to visitors, both foreign and Mexican. To cater to these visitors, the town contains organic cafes, boutiques, art galleries, upscale restaurants and hotels, and a wide variety of bars and nightclubs.

Bars and nightclubs range from DJs or loud bands catering to young people, to jazz clubs, sports bars, and even those that specialize in traditional Mexican music, such as mariachi. Some were founded by foreigners and reflect that ownership, for example, the Berlin Bar & Bistro.

Shops around the Jardin Principal sell art, handcrafts, furniture, and decorative items. The Fabrica La Aurora is an old textile mill that has been converted into galleries and shops selling art, furnishings, and antiques; it has a lot of open space along with a café and restaurant.

San Miguel has several schools for learning Spanish, most catering to foreign visitors. These include the Instituto Allende (with credits transferable to U.S. or Canadian colleges), Language Point, and Warren Hardy Spanish.

Some universities, such as the University of Texas-Pan American, offer study abroad programs in the city, not only in Spanish but also in arts and literature, and creative writing.

Many of the festivals here are purely Mexican, combining social activity with religious expression. Throughout the year, there are pilgrimages, all-night vigils, ringing church bells, processions, and fireworks.

The largest celebration of the year is that of the town’s patron saint, the Archangel Michael. The angel’s feast day is 29 September, but festivities take place for an entire week. Activities include private parties, sporting events, cultural events, indigenous dance, and more.

The week is popularly called the Fiestas de San Miguel de Allende. An event, now discontinued for safety concerns, was the “Sanmiguelada”, a running of the bulls event similar to that in Pamplona.

Youths fill the streets showing off their “matador” talents in front of the bulls. The finale is a parade through the street in honor of Michael and a fireworks “castle” competition to see who can build the most elaborate frame from which fireworks are lit.

Holy Week begins with an exhibition of altars dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows and ends with the Procession of Silence. Before the Procession of Silence, there is a reenactment of the judgment of Jesus by Pontius Pilate, on one side of the San Miguel Parish.

Then the procession begins, which represents the fourteen scenes of the Passion before his crucifixion. Many of the townspeople participate in the event, with children dressed as angels and adults in period clothing carrying statues of Jesus.

The procession winds its way along the main streets of the historic center completely in silence. Another large religious celebration is the feast of Nuestro Señor de la Columna

There are also secular, cultural festivals during the year. The annual Festival de Música de Cámara or Chamber Music Festival, occurs each year in August in the city’s historic center. One of the purposes of the event is to bring this type of music to the streets and other public venues, as well as traditional concert halls such as the event’s home of the Angela Peralta Theater.

The 2009 edition had over 100 singers invited to various events, three major conferences, an instrument exhibition, and ten classes taught by prominent persons in the field. Some of the groups invited that year included Yale Glee Club, the Cuerdas Amernet Cuartet, the Alientos de Bellas Artes Trio, soprano Guadalupe Jimenez, and pianist Natasha Tarasova.

Other events include the Jornada de Cultura Cubana in March, the Festival de Tìteres in April, the Festival de Convivencia y Hermandad Universal in May, the Desfile de Locos in June, the Festival Expresiones Cortos in July, the Feria Nacional de Lana y Latón and the Festival de Jazz y Blues in November, and the Festival de San Miguel de Allende in December.

The most important political celebration is the reenactment of the “Grito de Dolores”, as the original occurred in the nearby town of Dolores Hidalgo, marking the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence.

As the birthplace of Ignacio Allende, the town was a focal point of the 2010s Bicentennial celebrations, with reenactments of events such as the arrival of the message from Queretaro from Josefa Ortiz. Bicentennial celebrations also included events such as the Ballet Mazatl.

Festivities were concentrated in and around the Jardin Principal, the Ignacio Allende House, and the Centro Cultural.

SMART is a multi-media cultural festival, held annually in May, that combines exhibits by Mexican artists with a variety of culinary and social events at local hotels, including the festival founder Hotel Matilda, Dos Casas Hotel, and L’Otel.

Arts, literature & films

San Miguel de Allende has long had a reputation as a haven for visual artists. Since the 1950s, when Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros worked there, it has attracted professional and amateur painters, sculptors, and printmakers to the classes and workshops frequently held. In addition to two major art institutions (Instituto Allende and Bellas Artes), artists and art venues can be seen in various parts of the town.

One notable art gallery is the Galería Manuel Chacon, which carries contemporary art.

On the streets, it is not unusual to see someone sketching people on the street or selling their work.

Some notable expat painters associated with San Miguel are Canadians Leonard Brooks, Toller Cranston, Marion Perlet, Gary Slipper, and Andrew Osta. More recently, the town has been attracting writers, filmmakers, and musicians as well.

The town annually hosts an important free of charge film festival, the GIFF.

One annual event that caters to the writing community is The Writers’ Conference, which brings together authors, editors, and literary agents.

The 2009 event attracted names such as Erica Jong, Todd Gitlen, and Josephine Humphreys.

Writers have lived here since the mid-20th century. Beat poet Neal Cassady died on the railroad tracks just outside town. Other writers who have lived or spent time here include W.D. Snodgrass, Beverly Donofrio, Sandra Gulland, Tony Cohan, Joe Persico, Gary Jennings, Vance Packard, Lynette Seator, Richard Gabrio, and Dianna Hutts. Some have written books about the town, such as Elisa Bernick, who wrote The Family Sabbatical Handbook: The Budget Guide To Living Abroad With Your Family, and Rue, who wrote “My Favorite Second Chance” (Book 2 of The Lake Effect Series).

Another writing event is Poetry Week, which began in 1997. Barbara Faith, a well-known author of romance books, lived in San Miguel with her husband, Alfonso Covarrubias.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico and And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself were filmed almost entirely in San Miguel.

Atotonilco

With only 597 people as of 2005, Atotonilco (formally Sanctuary of Atotonilco) is not the largest community in the municipality, but it is the best known due to its religious sanctuary, which has World Heritage Site status along with the historic center of San Miguel.

The sanctuary is located fourteen km outside of the main town and dates from the 18th century. The church building itself has plain, very high walls on the outside, and consists of one large church, with several smaller chapels.

It is officially called the “Santuario de Dios y de la Patria” (Sanctuary of God and Country), but it is better known as the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco. It is the church from which Miguel Hidalgo took the Virgin of Guadalupe standard for his army.

The Atotonilco sanctuary has plain, high, fortress-like walls. However, the inside is completely covered in murals with a large number of personages and scenes from the Bible, without much overall structure in how these images were placed.

All of the wall and ceiling space is completely covered with little space. This mural work was done by Miguel Antonio Martínez de Pocasangre over thirty years ago. The style of the painting imitates Flemish painting, which was known through Belgian prints that the Spanish brought over from Europe.

The World Heritage Organization calls it an “exceptional example of the exchange between European and Latin American cultures” and “one of the finest examples of Baroque art and architecture in the New Spain.”

The structure and the mural work reflect the doctrine of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and the church has been called the “Sistine Chapel of America.” Atotonilco has been a pilgrimage site since the colonial period. The complex still functions as a religious retreat for people who come from all over Mexico for prayer, penance, and mortification, but all are done in private.

El Charco del Ingenio

El Charco del Ingenio is located outside of the town, is an ecological reserve and botanical garden, which is privately funded. It is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Mexican flora and propagates species in danger of extinction.

The reserve is centered on a canyon, at the bottom of which is a fresh spring that forms a natural pool. The canyon was the center of several myths and legends during the pre-Hispanic period. There are the remains of a colonial-era aqueduct and other waterworks on the property.

An old dam still holds back stream waters in a part of the park. Areas of the reserve are crisscrossed with walking paths. There are opportunities for mountain biking, rock climbing, bird watching, camping, and horseback riding. There is a gift shop, a juice bar, and a cafeteria.