Mexico/Guanajuato: Dolores Hidalgo
Here’s another small market town that is often overlooked by tourists rushing to either Guanajuato or San Moguel. But Dolores Hidalgo is quite picturesque and beautiful and authentic. The town’s full name is Dolores Hidalgo Cuna de la Independencia Nacional (“cradle of national independence”). The town was just a small provincial town known simply as Dolores, although it had a beautiful yellow stone church – Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. Then in 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo y Castillo uttered his famous call for the independence of Mexico in front of this church, which became known as “the Cry of Dolores” that triggered the war for Mexican independence. After Mexico achieved independence, the town was renamed Dolores Hidalgo. The church is indeed spectacular with the main and side altars cut and gilded with insane elaboration.
