Interesting Places & Architecture

The capital of Michoacán is renowned for its impressive civil and religious constructions built between the 16th and 19th centuries, most of which are concentrated in the Historical Center, declared a World Heritage Site in 1991. Morelia contains magnificent examples of the baroque and other styles such as the neoclassical and plateresque, as well as 18th and 19th century buildings.

Iglesia and ex convento de San Francisco (Church and ex convent of San Francisco)

Plateresque construction built in 1531. Since 1972 it has housed the Casa de las Artesanías de Michoacán.

Museo de Arte Colonial (Museum of Colonial Art)

Occupies the site of the city’s first printing press. Since 1985, it has displayed works of various origins. Av. Benito Juárez 240.

Palacio Clavijero (Clavijero Palace)

Undoubtedly one of the most impressive baroque constructions in the city, built in the 17th century. Located at Nigromante 79.

Templo and Conservatorio de las Rosas (Las Rosas Temple and Conservatory)

Baroque construction erected in the 18th century. The School of Music was established there in the late 1940¿s and it currently houses the Morelia Boys¿ Choir. Set on the corner of Eduardo Ruiz and Nigromante.

Templo and ex convento del Carmen (Temple and ex convent of Carmen)

Monumental baroque complex dating from 1593 with magnificent white and blue tiled domes. Av. Morelos Norte 485.

The Aqueduct

The need for water in Morelia (and in other parts of the country) moved the architects and engineers of New Spain to build this aqueduct, of which, today, 253 of its arches along a construction of 1,700 meters still stand. This aqueduct was built in the 17th century, but suffered a great deal of damage, which required heavy remodeling and repair work.

The Government Palace Morelia

This old 18th century building used to be the Tridentino Seminary. It has three patios and was later decorated with mural paintings by Alfredo Zalce. Its sober, baroque façade has a replica of the Dolores bell that is in honor of such heroes of the Independence movement as Morelos, Iturbide and Matamoros. These three men were all once students at the seminary.

The San Agustin Church

The Augustine monks built a series of monasteries dedicated to Santa María de Gracia in Morelia in the 16th and 17th centuries. This building includes a cloister, a church, and a side chapel with several paintings. The interior is decorated in the neoclassical style; the outside has a Plateresque and Renaissance façade.

The Plaza de Armas ( Arms Square) or the Plaza de los Mártires ( Martyr’s Square) is of historical interest as many of the leaders of the insurgents in the Independence movement were executed there.

Plaza de Armas Morelia

Two insurgent leaders were executed just next to this plaza in 1814, and from this stems the name of the garden in the square, Jardin de Mártires (The Garden of the Martyrs). Today, it has a beautiful kiosk surrounded by trees and old colonial buildings.