San Miguel de Allende (World Heritage)
The small town of San Miguel was founded by Franciscans in 1542 and flourished until the 18th century. The historic cityscape with its baroque and neoclassical buildings and churches embodies a connection between Spanish and Latin American culture. This is also evident in the nearby pilgrimage church of Jesús de Nazareno in Atotonilco with its impressive pictures and wall paintings.
San Miguel de Allende: facts
| Official title: | Fortress of San Miguel de Allende and the pilgrimage church of Jesus de Nazareno in Atotonilco |
| Cultural monument: | Fortified city in the highlands of central Mexico (1,910 m above sea level) with a variety of baroque and neoclassical buildings from the 18th century; Founded in 1542 by Juan de San Miguel as a missionary station for the Franciscans, later named after the Mexican national hero Ignacio Allende (1779-1811), one of the leaders in the war of independence against Spain; Cityscape with a thoroughly colonial character (e.g. Loreto Chapel from 1736 with baroque portals, La Concepción monastery from 1734, also secular buildings with baroque facades); Buildings in the characteristic »Mexican Baroque«, a combination of the powerful, curved European style, richly decorated with Indian, colored elements; 14 km away a mighty Jesús de Nazareno de Atotonilco pilgrimage church from the 18th century. |
| Continent: | America |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Location: | San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato State |
| Appointment: | 2008 |
| Meaning: | Unique architectural ensembles with masterpieces of Mexican architecture; extraordinary example of the connection of colonial European and Latin American architecture in a homogeneous urban landscape with ornate buildings; Testimony to the mixing of Indian, Spanish and Creole cultural influences |
Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve (World Heritage)
The biosphere reserve, around 100 km northwest of Mexico City, is the center of a natural spectacle of a very special kind. Here, at around 3,000 m above sea level, is the winter quarters for almost a billion monarch butterflies (Spanish: “Mariposa Monarca”). The butterflies migrate over eight months from Canada or the north of the USA about 4000 km to the south and color the landscape there in a sea of orange.
Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve: Facts
| Official title: | Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve |
| Natural monument: | Protection zones established in the highlands of the Mexican states of Michoacán and Estado de México in the 1980s for the wintering of the so-called monarch butterfly, Dana | us plexippus, a North American species of the Danaidae butterfly family; annual winter refuge of approx. 560 km² for hundreds of millions of specimens of the orange-brownish-colored migratory butterfly with a wingspan of 9 cm; This eastern species of butterfly is native to the Great Lakes in North America and Canada; from there, every year in autumn, the migration over up to 4,000 km south to the winter meeting places in the Mexican Oyamel fir forests, lasting up to two months; there optimal temperature just above freezing point for a reduction of the metabolism and favorable humidity due to the permanent fog; flight back north in spring; The background to this migration behavior is still largely unclear |
| Continent: | America |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Location: | 100 km northwest of Mexico City |
| Appointment: | 2008 |
| Meaning: | Overwhelming natural spectacle and a unique example of the phenomenon of insect migration; Extensive protection for the living areas of the animal species threatened by changed weather conditions and deforestation |
University of Mexico City (World Heritage)
According to franciscogardening, the campus was built in the south of Mexico City from 1949 to 1952. It is an outstanding example of the connection between modern architecture and art, between tradition and urbanity. Over 60 architects and artists contributed to the design of the university. The esplanades, courtyards and gardens between the individual buildings are characteristic. Around 270,000 students are enrolled at UNAM today.
University of Mexico City: Facts
| Official title: | University campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México |
| Cultural monument: | Integrated university city by amalgamating the National Autonomous University (UNAM) institutes previously distributed in downtown Mexico City in one place; Open, green campus built from 1950-1954 based on an overall urban and landscape design under the leadership of Pani and Enrique del Moral (based on an idea by Teodoro González de Léon); Participation of over 60 architects, engineers and artists in the design of buildings, gardens, paths, open spaces; Linking local cultural traditions with diverse aspects of modern art and architecture; outstanding buildings, including: windowless book tower of the central library with facade mosaic by J. O’Gorman, medical faculty with facade mosaic, high-rise building with wall paintings by JD Alfaro Siqueiros |
| Continent: | America |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Location: | Mexico City |
| Appointment: | 2007 |
| Meaning: | Outstanding example of the development of modern architecture in Latin America; extraordinary combination of modern, urban planning principles with local and historical traditions, also from pre-colonial times; Unique, homogeneous ensemble for the creation of high quality living and training conditions and ensuring free access to education |
