See and Do

Seeing the City

For visitors Guadalajara's chief attraction is its carefully preserved Historic Center. It consists of four plazas, each with a distinct personality, Plaza Tapatía, Plaza de la Liberación, Plaza de Armas y Plaza de los Laureles, that are perfect for strolling and people watching. Sights along the eight-block-long pedestrian pathway include the cathedral, Regional Museum of Guadalajara, Government Palace, Degollado Theater and Cabañas Cultural Institute.

Tapatio Tour, bright red, open-topped double-decker buses, offers visitors a fun and comfortable way to see the city. Tickets let passengers get on and off all day at 10 different sites of interest. Tel. 3600-1617.

Agua Azul Park A delightful recreation area, with flower-filled gardens, a handicrafts museum and shop, library, aviary, cultural center and children's park.

Archaeological Museum of Western Mexico Displayed in this museum, across from Agua Azul Park, are ancient indigenous artifacts from the states of Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit.

Cabañas Cultural Institute Built in 1803, this magnificent structure is now a center for the arts housing-in addition to works of other artists-two of José Clemente Orozco's masterpieces, Man of Fire and The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Cathedral A combination of several architectural styles including Gothic, Tuscan, Moorish, Mudéjar, Corinthian and even Byzantine, the cathedral was consecrated n 1618. It houses many art treasures donated by Spain's King Fernando VII in appreciation of the financial support the crown received from the city during the Napoleonic Wars.

Church of Our Lady of Aranzazu The simple exterior belies the interior, which contains one of the city's most ornate altars.

Degollado Theater Guadalajara's major cultural center is a lavish 19th century building, decorated with gold leaf and crystal chandeliers. It is the home of the Guadalajara Symphony Orchestra and the Ballet Folklórico.

Guadalajara Regional Museum Displayed in the patios of this 18th-century structure, which once served as a theological seminary, are outstanding Mexican and Spanish paintings, pre-Hispanic relics, regional arts and crafts, colonial period furniture and the carriage used by Emperor Maximilian.

Huentitán Park Not to be missed, this huge park featuring a planetarium and a zoo, with 1,500 animals in 27 special habitats. At the entrance are 17 columns, with a chimp by famed Guadalajara-born sculptor and potter Sergio Bustamante perched atop each, and a huge vertical fountain with 1,200 fantastical animal faces, also designed by Bustamante.

San Francisco de Asis Church Dating from the early years of the Conquest, this historic church is noted for its elaborate façade.

Santa Monica Church Located in the middle of a colonial neighborhood, this church, which dates from the 17th century, has a lovely baroque façade.

State House The Palacio del Gobierno, built in 1643, is of interest for its dynamic murals by Orozco.