San Miguel de Allende is a beautiful colonial town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, founded by Franciscan monk, Fray Juan de San Miguel in 1542. It’s located in the geographical center of Mexico, at an altitude of 6,200 feet, with temperate weather year round. The streets are cobblestone, with 7 great churches around the center, and many historic Spanish colonial buildings whose architecture is preserved. In July, 2008, San Miguel and the nearby village of Atotonilco were named by Unesco as World Cultural Heritage sites. San Miguel played a central role during the fight for independence in 1810, when Ignacio Allende, a Spanish officer, joined with the campesinos in their struggle.
In the 1950’s San Miguel became a destination for many artists, able to study at the newly founded Instituto Allende on the GI bill. Now it is a destination for artists and visitors from around the world because of its history, beauty and climate. It’s grown from a village to a town of about 90,000 residents, many of whom are in the foreign community – from the U.S., Canada and Europe.
The calendar year is filled with celebrations and religious rituals that are famous all over Mexico for their rich pageantry and extraordinary fireworks. Whether you live here or just visit for a week, you’ll experience San Miguel’s most-mentioned fact: “You never know what you’ll encounter when you leave your house or round a corner on any day or at any moment.” The other single word is: MAGICAL! LIFE is always happening, there’s no illusion about perfection, so we’re not bothered about fixing everything, and the whole human family is visible, friendly and gracious. MAGICAL San Miguel!
San Miguel also grows many non-profit organizations that fill many needs for the local population: feeding the hungry, educating the children, offering medical care… the list goes on and the opportunities to volunteer time, talent & money are legion. San Miguel de Allende is a multi-cultural community with a huge heart in one of the most exciting places on earth. VIVA MEXICO ~ VIVA SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE!
No comments:
Post a Comment