Guadalajara Part 2
GOVERNMENT PALACE
We will continue visiting Guadalajara, we are now in front of the Government Palace. It is a neo-classical building, built in 1650.
The most important landmark of the building is the Mural of Jose Clemente Orozco. This famous muralist artist only had one arm, and red was the
typical color of his murals. He painted first in the US, he became famous over there and afterward came to Mexico.
THE INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT The struggle of the Mexican people, trying to acquire freedom. Hidalgo is leading the people to liberty, and the battle between siblings. The other section is THE REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT Period of confusion, conceived by the artist in a very critical judgment. It has clowns who hold swastikas, hammers, and scythes, with military men of that period with very violent features, ridiculing them, the red flag with blood, and a
serpent, and many crosses.
It was a meeting place for the aristocracy who gathered here in the early evening hours to hear bands playing in the gazebo; this 1910 gazebo is an art nouveau piece with eight muses as columns, with different musical instruments. Before the pandemic, there were concerts here three times a week in the evening.
THE DEGOLLADO THEATRE
It is a neoclassical style building with Italian influence; it has 16 Corinthian columns, built in the mid-XIX century. Named after the Governor of the State, Santos Degollado. Due to political unrest, the construction stopped several times, taking 63 years to finish.
The marble frontispiece has the theme of Apollo and the muses. With the legend, “Never accept the rumor of discord” Inside there is a painting of Dante Alighieri’s 4th song of the Divine Comedy, and a gilded eagle holding a Mexican Flag with its claws and a chain in its beak.
It was inaugurated in 1866 with the Mexican Opera Singer Angela Peralta singing Lucia de Lammermoor.
PLAZA TAPATIA
Governor Flavio Romero inaugurated The PLAZA TAPATIA in 1982; they destroyed the old area, mainly slums, to build the plaza. In the middle there is a modern sculpture called the IMMOLATION OF QUETZALCOATL. Along the plaza, there are fountains and the emblem of Guadalajara. This plaza leads to the CABAÑAS CULTURAL CENTER.
THE CABAÑAS CULTURAL CENTER
Former hospice until 1980, has 23 patios, neo-classical style, 106 rooms, two chapels, and 23 courtyards. The architect was Manuel Tolsa.
Jose Clemente Orozco painted a mural of 250 mts. called THE MAN OF FIRE, representing the four elements FIRE, WATER, AIR, AND EARTH., as well as 14 other panels. This is his most famous of his murals.
The murals of Jose Clemente Orozco are usually very complex themes. They always represent social struggles, Mexican identity, the heritage of the prehispanic cultures, and humanity’s condition. There are also 340 art pieces of the artist in a permanent exhibition.
SAN JUAN DE DIOS MARKET
Also called Mercado Libertad, or Liberty Market. It is the largest covered market in Latin America, four thousand square mts. They sell food, clothing, handicrafts,
electronics, jewelry, purses, shoes, birds, and everything under the sun.
THE MARIACHI PLAZA is where groups of mariachis get together since 120 years ago. The music starts at 9.30 p.m. There are restaurants and bars, and the mariachis sing until early in the morning. In the past you could come and hire a mariachi group to take serenade to your loved ones, but now that is forbidden, you have to get a special permit and very expensive, however you can hire the group for private parties.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING LOVING MEXICO.
We will continue next week with more of Guadalajara.
Fragments of History of Guadalajara,
Guadalajara.gob.mx
Fragments of the University of Guadalajara
Fragments of Mexico Desconocido
Fragments of the book Guadalajara
Department of Tourism
Fragments of Government of the State
Personal comments.