Located in the state of Aguascalientes, this Magic Town offers a rich architecture with a mining flavor. Find out!
Real de Asientos: A mining past covered with cacti
Surrounded by a fascinating semi-desert landscape, Real de Asientos is a simple town of mining origin located east of the state of Aguascalientes, with a museum of sacred art, several temples and an interesting past. For this reason, in the 17th century it became one of the most important stops in the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.
Here you can listen to curious legends about its good times, as well as visit chapels and haciendas. Cactaceae stand out in the panoramic view, while walking through its streets and getting to know its monuments you will perceive its ancient wealth that is no longer found in the bowels of the earth, but has remained for posterity in architectural samples, canvases, walls and traditions. .
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The full name of Real de Asientos is Real de Asientos de Nuestra Señora de Belén de los Asientos de Ibarra, after the parish built in 1705 by Diego de Ibarra, the first owner of the area in 1548. The city was founded in 1694.
Typical
The craft par excellence in the region is the traditional clay pottery, present in numerous pieces such as pitchers, flowerpots, pots, vases and ashtrays. The artistic streak of its inhabitants can also be seen in the pink quarry work that abounds in various constructions in the region.
Parish of Our Lady of Bethlehem
Sample of the architectural value whose Articulated christ Made with human remains about 500 years ago (skull, ribs and teeth), it impacts those who visit this site, in addition to being estimated to be very miraculous. Its facade is simple and the interior has a single nave with Ionic columns. Under the parish, built between 1705 and 1715, some tunnels pass, marvels of 18th century engineering, used to dislodge the water that threatened the structure of the building.
The parish is located in front of the main garden, called Juarez Square. We recommend you go to underground tunnels found under the temple. Built at the end of the 18th century, their objective was to filter the water to avoid flooding. They have several branches, as well as altars dedicated to Our Lady of Bethlehem, the Virgin of San Juan and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Right there you can see the Waterhole, a spring formed by two wells.
Parish Gallery
It is to one side of the Parish and houses a magnificent collection of altarpieces from the 17th and 18th centuries. A unique painting in Latin America that represents the circumcision of the Child Jesus is surprising. Also on display are the clothing that the priests used at that time and works of sacred art, including one signed by Miguel Cabrera. Ask the guide to show you the work of Osorio that represents the baptism of Jesus; it has some impressive optical illusions.
Miner's House
It is to the left of the parish and was once a stingray shop. Its exterior draws attention to the quarry work and the blacksmithing of the doors.
Shrine of Guadalupe
With beautiful pink quarry work and ironwork on doors and windows, this magnificent building was erected in 1765. Its interior contains beautiful paintings of the apostles, the work of the artist Teodoro Ramírez; while on its façade there is a carved image of the Virgin.
Do not stop knowing the cemetery, a mysterious place from the eighteenth century, the oldest in Aguascalientes, where Spaniards used to be buried according to their social level depending on whether they were priests, rich or poor. Admire the Last Judgment paintings on the wall that connects the cemetery to the sanctuary.
Temple and Ex Convent of the Lord of Tepozán
Built at the beginning of the 17th century, on the outskirts of Real de Asientos, it stands out for its wooden gate, its chapels and frescoes. It preserves the cells where the Franciscan monks lived; it also has a museum with local altarpieces, relics and instruments.
The temple houses a miraculous representation of the Lord of Tepozán, patron of the miners, found next to a Tepozán tree on which the altar and the sanctuary were erected.
Living Museum of Cactaceae
Not everything in Asientos is art, you can see beauties of nature in this enclosure that preserves an impressive collection of more than 1,500 plants of 45 species, mainly agavaceae, cacti and crassulaceae, from seizures of species traffickers. In its facilities there is an agavary, greenhouse, cactus, herbarium and reproduction area. It is not always open, so you will have to make an appointment at the Tourist Information Office.
On one side stands the Chapel of the Cerrito, the best place to watch the sunset and have a panoramic view of the town.
* A good option to get to know the town, its attractions and legends is to get on The Piojito, a train of several wagons pulled by a tractor that you can take in the Plaza Juárez. Its stops include the Coyote Shot -One of the first mines of the place- and the galley of the African slaves.
Real de Asientos is 27 years older than the state capital, the city of Aguascalientes, having been founded in 1548.
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