One of the largest cities in all of northcentral Mexico, Chihuahua owes its earliest beginnings to the rich silver strikes that were made in the nearby mountains in the 18th century.
Parts of the city are quite modern looking, but the older sections of town contain some fine examples of colonial architecture. Among them are the State Capitol (Palacio de Gobierno) on Hidalgo Plaza, on the grounds of which Father Hidalgo was executed in 1811 during the War for Mexican Independence; the Federal Palace (Palacio Federal), also on Hidalgo Plaza, where Hidalgo was held prisoner while awaiting execution; and the immense cathedral facing the zocalo, or public square (Plaza de la Constitucion). Explore the wide boulevards (Paseo Bolivar, Avenidas Victoria, Cuahtemoc, and Caranza) lined with ornate colonial mansions, and the narrow downtown streets with thick walled adobe houses whose windows are barred, roofs turreted, and courtyards enclosed for protection from the Apache Indians who once plagued this region.
Among the attractive parks are Lerdo de Tejada where sunday concerts are held, and Parque de Mortero, at the end of Avenida Matamoros. Parque de Mortero surrounds an ancient Spanish mill and arched aqueduct.
Another place of interest is La Quinta Luz, the home of Pancho Villa's widow, Senora Luz Corral. Open to the public, it houses a collection of weapons and personal effects of Mexico's 20th century guerrilla revolutionist. Combination villain and benefactor a sort of Mexican Robin Hood Villa and his band of terrorists ranged across the northern states, ostensibly serving the cause of La Revolucion. They robbed trains, captured towns and cities, and ambushed and plundered the countryside at will. Villa's reputation still survives, but mostly because of his colorful exploits (made even more colorful by the U.S. press) rather than for his noble service. (To capture Chihuahua, for example, he disguised his army as burro drivers.) When the revolution ended, Villa dropped into obscurity for a time before he was ambushed and shot in Parral in 1923. One of the most interesting items in La Quinta Luz is the old Dodge touring car in which Villa was assassinated.
Another unusual building worth a visit is the great Victorian mansion on Bolivar Boulevard that now houses the Chihuahua public museum.
One of the largest cities in all of northcentral Mexico, Chihuahua owes its earliest beginnings to the rich silver strikes that were made in the nearby mountains in the 18th century.
Another place of interest is La Quinta Luz, the home of Pancho Villa's widow, Senora Luz Corral. Open to the public, it houses a collection of weapons and personal effects of Mexico's 20th century guerrilla revolutionist. Combination villain and benefactor a sort of Mexican Robin Hood Villa and his band of terrorists ranged across the northern states, ostensibly serving the cause of La Revolucion. They robbed trains, captured towns and cities, and ambushed and plundered the countryside at will. Villa's reputation still survives, but mostly because of his colorful exploits (made even more colorful by the U.S. press) rather than for his noble service. (To capture Chihuahua, for example, he disguised his army as burro drivers.) When the revolution ended, Villa dropped into obscurity for a time before he was ambushed and shot in Parral in 1923. One of the most interesting items in La Quinta Luz is the old Dodge touring car in which Villa was assassinated.
