Taxco de Alarcón, Colonial mining city in Guerrero, Mexico
Taxco de Alarcón is a city in Guerrero, Mexico, set in mountainous terrain at 1778 meters elevation. White houses with iron balconies follow the natural lines of the hills, and streets wind between them.
Spanish colonizers established silver mines in the 16th century and transformed the former Tlapanec settlement into a major mining center. Wealth from the mines later enabled the construction of grand churches and buildings.
Santa Prisca Church from 1751 shows Mexican Baroque craft with stone carvings, two towers and three interior altars. Around the city silversmiths work in small workshops, continuing techniques passed down through generations.
The steep cobblestone streets require comfortable shoes and a slow pace when walking, as many lanes are narrow and winding. Modified Volkswagen Beetle taxis help visitors move between different neighborhoods.
A network of steep cobblestone streets made modified Volkswagen Beetle taxis necessary to navigate the narrow passages between colonial buildings. These small cars can handle the curves and inclines that are too difficult for regular vehicles.
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