After leaving the convent, the rest of our day is busy. We drive to the Hill of Sangremal, site of a historic battle in 1531 between the indigenous people of this area and the Spanish. The Spanish won and the origin of what is currently Queretaro dates to this event.
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| Not everyone is impressed by the historic battle on the Hill of Sangremal. |
We also visit the Regional Museum, housed in a 16th-century structure that was formerly the Convent of San Francisco (Seriously, every block in the old town contains either a convent or a church.)
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Cloister of the Regional Museum, once the Convent of San Francisco
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Our final stop of the day is at the Church of Santa Rosa de Viterbo. Another interesting story. This church was designed in 1752 by Alarife Ignacio Maraiano de las Casas. His critics felt his style too whimsical with its inverted buttresses painted grey and white like snails' shells. So, for them, he added mocking faces. See below.
Church of Santa Rosa de Viterbo
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| Twin entrances to the church |
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| Inverted buttresses don't add support - only for decor |
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| The church style and its buttresses are unique to Queretaro |
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| Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! |
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| A peak inside at the church's gold-embellished design - There's a wedding in progress |
After ingesting much knowledge and history, we earn a great Mexican comida. We dine outside in one of the oldest sections of town.
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| Finally! Lunch at a cafe in the center of town |
Love the post, love the pictures! Looks like the weather was perfect in Queretaro.
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