Zacatecas – Cultural Capital of the Americas 2021
It was at the end of September 2019, when Mexico received the great news: again, a Mexican entity was named American Capital of Culture, and the state of Zacatecas won the title for 2021. After 5 times for an entity in Mexico already, now as 6th time, the state of Zacatecas with its hononimous capital was chosen by the Bureau of American Capital of Culture, after this title had been given 2 times already to Mérida in Yucatán (2000 & 2017), as well as once each to Guadalajara in Jalisco (2005), to the state of Colima (2014) and to San Miguel de Allende in state of Guanajuato (2019).
The Bureau of the American Capital of Culture was founded by the end of last century, with the aim of highlighting the cultural diversity of the Americas, emphasising their great works and distinctive directions – thereby deepening curiosity and mutual interest and ultimately understanding and respect.
Not only places in Mexico have received the title of American Capital of Culture, but also cities and regions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
The rationale for choosing Zacatecas for 2021, and quoting here the president of the office, Xavier Tudela: “has been for three different but complementary reasons: for the quality of the candidacy project; for the institutional consensus around the candidacy and for wanting to make the Capital of Culture a project of social cohesion and inclusion as well as an instrument of economic development.”
Zacatecas has now received this title from its predecessor Punta Arenas in Chile on 1 January 2021. Throughout this year, Zacatecas will celebrate its historical and actual culture in several of its municipalities, with which the state had also put itself forward for election, with architecture, museums and exhibitions, as well as concerts and other events. The year 2021 is also a commemoration of the poet Ramón López Velarde, born in zacatecan town of Jérez in late 19th century, who achieved the level of national poet in Mexico and who is being remembered this year on the 100th anniversary of his death.
The architecture of Zacatecas, from pre-Hispanic to the various expressions and influences in colonial and also that of independent Mexico, has made the state of Zacatecas one of the places most favoured by national and international tourism. The religious and urban architecture in the city of Zacatecas and in the adjacent Magical Town of Guadalupe alone is captivating, for example the splendid design of the portal of the Cathedral of Zacatecas in the Churigueresque style of the Mexican Baroque, the neoclassicism of many urban buildings and the colonial style in the Monastery of Guadalupe, as well as in the unique collection of religious art in the museum there, which dates back to the time of the Spanish Viceroyalty on Mexican grounds and the Christian mission in those times of 15th and 16th century. The historic city centre of Zacatecas is one of the largest of its kind in terms of extent and preservation, a fact that has permitted Zacatecas to successfully participate and finally win the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
The other municipalities of the state included and working in the bid for the current title also have a significant share in the splendour of Zacatecas. For example, the Magical Town of Jerez de García is one of such places, where visitors can be enchanted by the architecture of the old and recently beautifully restored churches, as well as by the museum-like Dolores Cemetery and the Hinojosa Theatre in the rustic style of a provincial stage from the century before last. Not to forget the traditions still lived there today, on the gastronomic side with the dish Asado de Boda, for example, and in the handicraft facettes with the fantastic embroideries with cactus thread in leather – a look in the market and in the small restaurants of Jerez allows countless insights.
In the Magical Town of Sombrerete with the neighbouring municipality of Chalchihuites, the village ensemble from the early colonial period stands out in the former – Sombrerete was founded in the middle of the 16th century – with the church of Saint Francis by Asisi. in Chalchiuites is the archaeological site of the same name, whose name means precious stone and according to anthropologists probably arose and flourished through mining activity and with the trade of turquoise in the classical phase of Mesomarica.
The municipality of Villanueva is not only home to one of the most beautiful town halls in the state of Zacatecas, but also to an atmosphere in the town of the same name that is still characterised by ways of life that seems to have been transported from decades ago. Charro horse riders, which are like mexican cowboys, are a common sight in the village, with their great sombrero hats against the brilliant sun and the artfully leather seats covering the horses’ backs, in a way that can hardly be seen elsewhere. The community also has many former haciendas where, for example, the so traditionally Mexican pulque was produced and is still produced today. This drink, made from the fermented juice of Maguey agave, also shows an aspect of the rich fusion of the colonial and pre-Columbian worlds, because the production of pulque dates back to the time before the arrival of the Spanish in America. On the grounds of one of the ex-haciendas there is one of the most interesting archaeological sites in the state of Zacatecas: La Quemada. This is also the name of the former hacienda, but the site is also called by the Nahuatl name Chicomóztoc, because science ascribes this place to the Mexica culture, which originated in the area that today belongs to the very north of Mexico and the bordering southern USA. After stops here in La Quemada/Chicomóztoc, for example, they finally arrived in the central highlands of Mexico to found the centre of the later Aztec empire with its capital Tenochtitlán.
The importance of Zacatecas as a state and cultural centre of Mexico cannot be underestimated. A look at the calendar of events with concerts, exhibitions and traditional festivities in every village and town, on several dates in every month of the year, already gives a preview of the liveliness that welcomes the visitor in this special cultural year 2021 for Zacatecas, as it always has been opening its precious doors to everyone.
