During our visit to the UNESCO town of San Miguel de Allende (SMA), we stayed in Centro, which allowed us to walk everywhere. Our goal was to explore the old town with its unique architecture and view the vibrant art scene that we had heard about. When we are in a position to buy art, I’m sure we will return to SMA and take an even closer look at the galleries and shops. For now, viewing everything and getting a feel for the town was our goal.
The Centro Area
The main square is located a few minutes walk up the hill from the typically dry river bed. It is a modest climb. The terrain gets steeper as you ascend the hill beyond the main square, so the judicious selection of housing is advised unless you are looking to give your calves a good workout.
Many of the streets in the Centro area are paved with centuries-old, hazardous cobblestones. This has earned SMA the nickname “City Of Fallen Women”. It’s best to leave the heels at home unless you don’t mind sporting a turned ankle from your visit.
I was especially careful getting around town since I was still rehabbing my knee from the replacement 3 months earlier. During our time in town, I also found time to have physical therapy, one therapist even came to our hotel room and tortured me there. I am happy to report SMA did not claim me as another victim during our stay.
Since the town is a UNESCO site, the paint colors and the style of the buildings must be maintained. As a result, the Centro area has many low, 2-stories maximum, buildings painted brick red. The entire town reminded us of Santa Fe with its old trees, low red buildings, and artistic bent.
The Parish Inspiration
The dominant feature of SMA is La Parroquia parish, which is so unusual it inadvertently created a new style of architecture: Mexican neo-Gothic. The style is a hodge-podge of Modernism and Gothic. How it came to be is an interesting tale.
Until a century ago, the elite in San Miguel were content with creating their own, self-aggrandizing dwellings with little concern for public spaces. That was until one of the upper classes did the Grand Tour and was inspired by the fabulous cathedrals in Europe.
The Parish Realized
The grand dame returned with a black and white postcard of the Cathedral of Cologne and convinced her peers they should undertake to build such a temple. The project seemed fated to fail when their chosen architect quoted them a princely sum to realize their vision. Undaunted, the gentry selected a construction foreman with no architectural experience because he said he could do it for an acceptable cost.
Having no training and being guided loosely by the postcard, he did his best to realize their vision. Still, the final product was a mish-mash of styles, not really fitting into any one category. Similar to the Eiffel Tower, the parish was ridiculed at first but eventually transformed into a favorite child of sorts that eventually defined this new style.
Building Decoration
More than most towns I’ve seen, residents and business owners take a lot of pride in the appearance of their city. The facades are well-preserved, clean, and free of graffiti. Many doorways and windows are adorned with flowering plants. It is common to see beautifully carved wood doors with cast iron hardware.
Many of the buildings sport inviting interior courtyards, a really private outdoor space within the town. It’s fun to wander around looking for glimpses through open doors into the oases within. Many of the courtyards now house shops and restaurants.
Why Art in SMA?
The vibrant building decoration is a result of the artistic nature of the town and its mostly uniform brick-red color. Before arriving in San Miguel de Allende, we were told that it was a very artsy community. We found this assessment to be true. Art of all kinds is abundant everywhere including lots of live music events. Statuary outside, ceramics and paintings inside most of the shops and restaurants. We were excited to experience the sensory stimulation. The artist community began in the 1940s when writers, artists, and other creative types came to San Miguel to study at the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts).
During our first walking tour, we were taken to the Art Institute. Today it is a place for artists to work and for community outreach. The institute is in part of a several hundred-year-old former convent. Credit for how the Instituto Allende transformed San Miguel has been given to U.S. ex-pat Stirling Dickinson. Dickinson was the director and did a fine job of marketing SMA, learning Spanish, and art workshops for veterans.
As a result of the support Dickinson got from the US government’s GI Bill, American veterans were able to come to Mexico and study Spanish and art. That action started a migration of American artists to SMA. We even heard that veterans could use the GI Bill to buy a house in town. Many artists from other countries followed suit and migrated to SMA. So, the influx of artists in the 1940s and 1950s led to the artist community that exists today.
Places to See Art
In addition to the many galleries and shops where you can buy art, there is art in most of the local restaurants. The closest restaurant to our hotel had some beautiful ceramic pieces. Unfortunately, we still aren’t in a position to buy any art. There are also many galleries spread around town and you can visit them as you wander around town.
Aurora de Fábrica
Any time we asked locals where we should go to see art, they all told us to visit Aurora de Fabrica. Aurora is a former fabric and weaving factory that was converted into a series of art galleries and studios. There are at least 50 different studios all in one place, which makes finding art for all tastes pretty easy. Some of the art was similar from shop to shop but some were truly unique and outstanding enough for us to return should we feel we need to buy art.
Also in the series of buildings are a few cafes, restaurants and we even found a wine tasting room. In addition to the beautiful sunny, flower-filled environment, we were able to try some of the local wine. Since making wine in this part of Mexico is fairly new, I will reserve my opinion on the quality for a few years. I will say that it was all drinkable, and better than we thought Mexican wine would be.
Music in Town
In an artistic town like SMA, we weren’t surprised to also find music all around. As frequently happens to us, we stumbled upon a jazz concert. Apparently, SMA hosts an International Jazz and Blues Festival every year. We happened to show up on the day when they were giving a concert in the central courtyard of an old palazzo. There was a keyboard, bass, guitar, and drums joined by a number of guest singers. The concert was enjoyable in the relaxed environment created in San Miguel.
Overall the architecture, history, UNESCO status, and art give SMA a unique vibe and I can understand why people want to visit and live there. On one tour, we were told that SMA had more visitors each year than Paris. I’m not sure I believe that but the town is definitely worth checking out.
What appeals to you most about San Miguel de Allende?
