Mexico boasts some of the richest and most colourful history any country can claim to have. You’ll be torn between enjoying the beaches and surveying the stunning vistas on top of the various Aztec and Mayan temples. There’s simply too much to see.
- Discover MexicoAl_HikesAZ / Foter / CC BY-NC
Mexico often attracts two different kinds of tourist. There’s the kind that will not want to leave the beaches of Cancún, and the kind that won’t be able to figure out if they’d rather see the train routes used by Pancho Villa, or the ancient ruins of the Olmecs. If the latter applies to you, read on to get an idea of what else you should be seeing.
Whether you like taking luxury all-inclusive holidays with Club Med, or if you’re just in the country for sightseeing, there are certain historical sites that you just need to visit.
The Monastery of Churubusco
Known in Spanish as the Ex-Convent de Churubusco, the Monastery is a 17th-century building that was the site of a skirmish between the Mexican and American armed forces during the Mexican-American War of 1846-48.
The Mexicans lost the key battle, which took place in 1847. The Americans took Ex-Convent de Churubusco as the first victory that led to the conquest of Mexico City. When you visit now, you’ll be able to see the National Museum of the Interventions, which details the history of foreign intervention in Mexico.
Alhondiga de Granaditas
Alhondiga de Granaditas is located in Guanajuato City. It was originally a granary warehouse between 1798 and 1809, but it later became a focal point of the battle between the Spanish colonialists and the Mexican rebels during the Mexican War of Independence.
The Mexicans ultimately lost Guanajuato City to the Spanish, who executed the four main rebel leaders, beheading them and placing their heads on display as an example. Alhondiga de Granaditas became a prison afterwards. Today, it has a colonial museum in it.
Calixtlahuaca
Calixtlahuaca is located on the outskirts of the city of Toluca. It’s a fairly well-preserved Aztec site that used to be a city, belonging to the Matlatzinca people of the Toluca Valley. Visiting, if you’re in the area, is an absolute must. There are loads of amazing structures that have made it through the centuries, which simply have to be seen.
Chacchoben
Chacchoben is a stunning Mayan site that boasts some very beautiful pyramid temples. Nested in a lush green jungle, historians are not quite sure about the precise historical background surrounding Chacchoben. Some estimate the pyramids to have been constructed around 700 AD, whereas others claim that the Mayans were there long before then.
There’s more to Mexico than beaches and tequila – so in between enjoying those things, seek out the sites that made modern Mexico what it is today.
