Oaxaca de Juárez, Capital city in southern Mexico.
Description
Oaxaca de Juárez is the capital of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, set in a valley at 1555 meters elevation, surrounded by the Sierra Madre del Sur and crossed by the Atoyac River. Streets in the center follow a regular grid around the central square, with low buildings of green volcanic stone and shaded arcades along the sidewalks.
History
The Spanish founded the city in 1529 on an area previously inhabited by Zapotec communities. The full name was adopted in 1872 to honor President Benito Juárez, who was born in the region.
Culture
The name comes from a Nahuatl word for a tree that grew in the mountains around the valleys. Today the city combines colonial buildings of green stone with markets where Zapotec and Mixtec families sell textiles and pottery.
Practical
Most accommodations in the center lie within a short walk of the main square, many in converted colonial houses with interior courtyards. Early mornings work well for walking before the sun becomes too warm in the streets.
Did you know?
The quarries for the green volcanic stone used to build colonial facades still lie in the hills north of the city. This material gave the city its nickname Verde Antequera, commonly used in the 18th century.
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Monte Albán
4.9 km
Árbol del Tule
9.6 km
Zaachila
12.3 km
San José Mogote
14.5 km
Estadio Tecnológico de Oaxaca
3.1 km
Basilica of Our Lady of Solitude
631 m
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, Oaxaca
109 m
Auditorio Guelaguetza
1.1 km
Teatro Macedonio Alcalá
220 m
Benito Juárez National Park
12.1 km
Dainzú
19 km
Ex-monastery of Santiago Apóstol
9.5 km
Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca
730 m
Lambityeco
26.7 km
Estadio Benito Juárez
1.6 km
Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca
11.5 km
Eduardo Vasconcelos Stadium
1.7 km
Oaxaca México Temple
2.5 km
Centro Académico y Cultural San Pablo
340 m
Church of San Pablo
3.2 km
Museo Textil de Oaxaca
252 m
Museo de Filatelia de Oaxaca
726 m
Archaeological Zone of Atzompa
6.4 km
Museo Del Ferrocarril Mexicano Del Sur
1.5 km
Library Fray Francisco de Burgoa
702 mCentro Fotográfico Manuel Álvarez Bravo
487 m
Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo
345 m
Museo de Sitio Casa Juárez
769 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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