El Pípila Monument, Guanajuato, Independence monument on San Miguel hill in Guanajuato, Mexico

The Monumento al Pípila stands on San Miguel hill: a colossal statue of a bearded man in a short tunic, a heavy chain around his waist, his right arm raised and his left hand on a thick stone slab. It rests on a tall pedestal of large rectangular blocks, with dark metal lettering on the front reading "AUN HAY OTRAS ALBORADAS POR LEGION..." and "GUANAJUATO SEPTIEMBRE-1971".

The monument commemorates the siege of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas in September 1810, when a hero set fire to the grain storehouse door. That act became a turning point in Mexico's independence war.

The figure is El Pípila, the nickname of Juan José de los Reyes Martínez, a miner from Guanajuato. The monument's base carries an engraving whose phrase was written by Ernesto Arnoux Siqueiros, provisional governor of the state. The hilltop is a traditional tourist spot, and a staircase with a commemorative plaque leads up to the monument.

The site is accessible on foot or by funicular railway from Teatro Juárez. The paths are generally clear and lead directly uphill to the location.

From the top, you see how the colonial buildings and old mining tunnels weave through the city in unexpected ways. Most visitors miss this hidden view of how the city is actually built.