|
Oaxaca, simply, is
one of Mexico's great colonial cities. She sits almost a mile above
sea level where three central valleys merge. Cortes and his band
conquered this former Aztec stronghold and his descendent family
remained Marques del Valle de Oaxaca until 1910. The powerful Dominican
Order (with the help of the building skills of the indigenous population),
built some of the most spectacular Baroque churches in the New World.
Add courtyards dripping with flowers, intricate iron balconies,
jutting cobblestone streets and a gracious main plaza and park -
all are legacies of Oaxaca's exotic colonial past. |
|
No other colonial city
in Mexico is so vibrantly alive with indigenous cultural treasures
as Oaxaca. Sixteen ethnic groups, descendants of the great Zapotec
and Mixtec civilizations, enliven the present day city with a dazzling
selection of crafts, an irresistibly aromatic cuisine and richly
embroidered costumes. In this city's very air is the aroma of chocolate
combined with an almost addictive blend of spices. The spectacular
indoor and outdoor markets are a heady blend of sights and sounds
found only in the Oaxaca Valley. And in the near distance, the monumental
ruins of Monte Alban, Mitla and Yagul endure as legacies of the
great Pre-Columbian civilizations. |
|
As if the city itself
doesn't have enough to offer, a visit to Oaxaca is incomplete without
a few day-trips to the surrounding villages, each with their own
market day and unique crafts. |
|
|
|
