
Lagos de Moreno
Tourist Guide
Lagos De Moreno whit 460 years old, is the town with the soul and essence of Jalisco and Mexico.Lagos de Moreno is outstanding among others for having the best historic center well taken care of in the state of Jalisco; it is an ideal place to know the richness of the way of life in the colonial life. To walk around the town in his streets and plazas it is a joy a walk through art and culture. Over showing the well conservation of its patrimony is a reason why it was declared histroric monument Zone by the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia ( INAH), in 1989. In agust 1st of 2010 , it was named World Heritage by the UNESCO In el camino real “inside the land”, and in November 16th it was la named of magic town by the federal ministry of tourism. The heart of the city has the civil and religious buildings constructed most of them, during the XVIII and XIX centenary, afloring the baroque and neoclassical arquitecture a grouped in 149 blocks, with about 356 buildings cataloged by the INAH.


PARISH OF THE ASSUMPTION
This is one of the best examples of the Barocco style in all America. It represents the City Symbol. The actual church has history in three constructions. The first one was small and with a rustic roof. In 1596 starts the construction of the second building using the style of XVI Century with adobe. Until 1741, Guadalajara’s Bishop Juan Gomez de la Parada put the first stone of what is our current church.
The building was constructed all along the century, during this period the towers and the dome were finished, including a tubular organ and a clock. Rome sent to Lagos the body of Saint Hermion in 1791. Inside the Latin cross structure and the main view with an exquisite barocco style.
The main access presents sculptures and a coral window used as a base for a niche with its sculpture, lots of vegetative decorations and medallions all in quarry. Regarding the current composition of the court, this dates from the end of the century XIX; trellis was forged in Comanja de Corona by the artist Juan Nepomuceno Bautista, from Guadalajara.


SQUARE OF THE CONSTITUENTS
In front of the church “Parroquia de la Asunción” we can find “La Plaza Constituyentes”. One of the ancient traditions in Lagos is to go during the weekends to the public Plazas, like “Plaza de los Constituyentes”; In there you will find the Mariano’s Torres Aranda, Albino’s Aranda Gomez, Jesús’ Anaya Hermosillo and Espiridión Moreno Torres busts. With lot of old and well cared trees and gardens, there is a French kiosk. This plaza offers the visitor the opportunity to share your time with lots of people.


ARTS AND CRAFTS SCHOOL
Arts and Crafts School has its origin in 1834 after Miguel Leandro Guerra decided to invest all his fortune in Eduction. The school worked at the beginning teaching girls arts and letters. In 1963 the concept changes to Arts and Crafts School were people can take classes in painting, drawing,dancing and music.. Inside the building you will find a garden rounded by arches where there is an expresident Adolfo’s Lopez Mateos bust.
The insider windows are decorated with floral motives made in quarry.
CORNER OF CAPUCHINAS
Wonderful buildings round this Plaza, like Agustin’s Rivera House and Ex convent of Saint Joseph Church better known as Capuchinas that combine architectonical and historical values. The original church was built by Don Diego Cervantes, in 1742. By 1755 the place became in a convent for Capuchina’s Nuns. It is neoclassical style Church with XIX Century paintings, the frontal area shows windows and doors with quarry decored in a pure colonial style. Inside you will see its two levels with the arches. At the stairs you will enjoy the mural from Gabriel Flores painted in 1962. The back part is beside the Ribera with the original wall.


TEMPLE AND FORMER CONVENT OF MERCED
Arts and Crafts School has its origin in 1834 after Miguel Leandro Guerra decided to invest all his fortune in Eduction. TheThis place has its origin in 1685 when Lagos people asked for a school directed by mercy friars whose came from Aguascalientes. A year after this school began in convent, it started the construction of La Merced Church. The construction process will late around 70 years to be finished, finally it was completed in 1756. It is a neoclassical temple, with a latin cross with polygonal cupola, the altars present work in quarry with corintian columns. Decoration with floral motives and a niche dedicated to the Virgen de la Merced. The tower with three bodies and tuscan details, jonical and corintian at the top the lighters. The church has a cell in a tower that was used as a chapel for insurgents sentenced to death. At the side of the altar of this church is buried the skull of the insugent Pedro Moreno. school worked at the beginning teaching girls arts and letters. In 1963 the concept changes to Arts and Crafts School were people can take classes in painting, drawing,dancing and music.. Inside the building you will find a garden rounded by arches where there is an expresident Adolfo’s Lopez Mateos bust.
The insider windows are decorated with floral motives made in quarry.
RINCONADA DE LA MERCED
A construction from the end of XVII Century. During the colony used to work as a Restaurant where Cura Miguel Hidalgo arrived with the pilgrims from San Felipe Torres Mochas to celebrate the Virgin of la Merced ceremonies. History says that Miguel Hidalgo standing on the balcony talked to the people, maybe the independence could began there if the opposition not discovered the independence movement. Now there is a plaque giving testimony of the last Cura Hidalgo’s visit to this house in 1808.


THEATRE JOSE ROSAS MORENO
It is a French neoclassical style, a Porfirian Architecture wonderful example. Starting its construction in 1867 and finishing on 1907, it starts to work with the opera “Aida” from Verdi, a performance of the Italian Company “Azali”. With two floors and five axles, the first level shows a half point arc and pillowed columns, the metal work is beautiful on its door and art nouveau lighters. In the second level you will see the windows with their wonderful quarry balconies. It has capacity for 600 people.
CALVARY TEMPLE
At the top of the “Calvario” mountain you will find the great Templo del Calvario ( The Crist passion church) which is the most representative symbol of the city. Finishing its construction in 1885. Standing on its stairs, visitors will be able to see a complete panoramic of the city. Architects that designed this church tried to copy the image of Saint Peters Cathedral from Rome, the Building has stairs, a half point arc, tuscan columns, a lined front crowned by 10 images, all of them sculpted in Cantera (Red stone) Inside the temple you will see an octagonal cupola with some lighters, it is based on a drum with closed windows with vitrals, most of the church has “mezquite” wood floor.


SACRUM ART MUSEUM
The Museum of Sacred Art has a hall where it expresses the town history and its more important patrimonial places. The following halls are dedicated to the sacred art with oleos sculptures and more artistic objects, two more halls have interactive elements where it shows the history of the town. Open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am. To 6:00pm
HACIENDAS AND CASONAS
Arround the city there are many Haciendas from the Colony and from Porfifio Díaz times. Some of them offer differents services, like: lodging, tours , horseback riding, outdoor experiences , event spaces and beautiful views.


GASTRONOMY
Lagos gastronomy has its origins in the mestizo cuisine. Stand as delicious dishes like “las Pacholas” and the “mole de arroz”, the “birria tatemada” of sheep meat , goat or calf , “gorditas” of corn and wheat as well, and the “pozole rojo”. The elaboration of cheese of very high quality as well. The delicious milksweets are part of a great gastronomic tradition and craft like: jamoncillos, “cajeta” of quince, pepitorias, crystallized fruit or in almibar, “cajeta de higo”; jamonsillos of walnut and pinion.
CRAFTS
In lagos de moreno you may find a good diversity of crafts; such as figures made of clay and pottery , figures and ornaments made of corn husk , raffia manufactures, saddlery, tule figures ; very unic in the whole country, this because the only few persons that make them live in an old indígena town of San Juan Bautista de la laguna, aluminum objects ( pewter), feather art, knitted, openwork, etc.
