THE 10 MOST RELEVANT TOURIST PLACES IN QUERÉTARO - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Among the tourist places of Querétaro are the Cerro de las Campanas, the regional museum and the Santa Cruz convent. Querétaro has a rich architecture; many historical religious and civil buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries are located there.

The Historic Center of Querétaro was declared a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1996.

This state is considered the cradle of Mexican Independence, which is why it is recognized for its historical architecture.

This colonial city has many cultural tourist attractions. You can enjoy many outdoor activities, such as city tours, fairs and traditional celebrations that take place every year. There are also archaeological sites.

Querétaro de Arteaga is located in central Mexico. It is one of the smallest Mexican states and its capital is Santiago de Querétaro.

In 1531 the Spanish conquered the Otomí and Chichimeca Indians, who were originally from this region. This started the colonization of this area.

During the colonial period, Querétaro was known for its mix between natives and Spanish.

You may also be interested in the typical traditions of Querétaro.

The 10 main tourist places of Querétaro

1- Hill of the Bells

It has great historical importance because it was the place where the struggle between the Republic and the Spanish Empire ended.

Here they shot the Austrian Archduke Maximiliano de Habsburgo, Emperor of Mexico, and his generals Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía. This event began the period known as the restoration of the Republic.

Today the mountain has become a national park, with vast green areas, an artificial lake, a theater and a small museum called "The magic of the past."

In this park is a chapel commemorating the execution of Maximilian of Austria, which was built in 1901 by the Austrian government. You can also find a spectacular statue of Benito Juárez.

2- El Cerrito archaeological site

It is a pre-Hispanic settlement with great Teotihuacan influences. It is located about 7 kilometers from the city of Querétaro.

Its name comes from the main structure that looks like a pyramidal plinth, which looks like a hill when viewed from afar.

Important archaeological discoveries have been discovered in this area: sculptures, hieroglyphic calendars and statues, among others.

This site is from the time of the beginning of the first millennium and its restoration began in 1995.

3- Theater of the Republic

It is a historical place, since many important events in Mexican history happened in this space.

This old functional theater with impressive chandeliers is a modest building located on one of the cobbled streets in the historic center.

In this theater the national anthem was sung for the first time in 1856 and the fate of Emperor Maximilian was decided in 1867.

The Constitution of 1917 was also signed in this place. On the stage curtain you can find the names of the signatories and the states they represented.

4- The old convent of San Agustín (Museum of Art of Querétaro)

It was founded in 1728 and is one of the most impressive constructions made by the order of Saint Augustine in New Spain at the height of the 18th century Baroque movement. It is one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Latin America.

The old convent was restored in 1889 to function as government offices, but since 1988 it has been home to the Querétaro Museum of Art.

Today the museum exhibits national and European paintings and sculptures from the 17th to the 20th century. It also has a temporary exhibition of recent trends in the fine arts.

5- Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve

Established in 1997, this reserve is located in the Sierra Madre Oriental, covering the northeast third of Querétaro.

This place has 15 different types of vegetation and fauna. You can find semi-deserts, tropical forests, rare orchids and jaguars.

There are areas for hiking to the falls, camping, staying in cabins and visiting the communities that live there and make crafts.

6- Regional museum

It is located in what was the great convent of San Francisco, built in the 16th century. This museum highlights the importance of Querétaro in Mexican history.

It has several pieces that tell the history of Querétaro, beginning with the pre-Hispanic period until the colonial era.

The building itself is also considered a museum piece due to its rich history.

7- The aqueduct

This aqueduct is located on Bernardo Quintana Boulevard and is a symbol of pride for the inhabitants of this city.

It is considered the most important urban construction of the 18th century and was made to transport fresh water. It began to be erected in 1726 and the process lasted nine years.

It is made of pink limestone. It has 74 arches that reach 23 meters in height and are 1280 meters long.

Currently the city's water supply still comes via the aqueduct, where it is stored in 10 public and 60 private sources. The construction of the fountains ended in 1738.

8- Small market in Querétaro

It is the cultural and culinary place where the best merchants in the state meet and sell the gastronomic delights they make by hand.

There you can find products such as wines, cheeses, local sweets, fresh fruits, vegetables, chocolates and wind fritters, among others. The small market takes place on the first Saturday of each month.

9- Temple and convent of the Holy Cross

This convent was the site of battle where the miraculous appearance of Santiago occurred, which caused the Otomí to surrender to the conquerors and to Christianity.

Emperor Maximilian had his barracks there while under siege from March to May 1867. After his defeat and death sentence, he was imprisoned at this site while waiting for the firing squad.

The tree of the cross, an ancient tree in the convent garden, is said to have cross-shaped thorns. They indicate that this miracle occurred when a friar's staff touched the ground in 1697.

Today it works as a religious school. Tourist visits must be guided and in groups.

10- Temple of San Felipe Neri

It is located on Madero street, on the outskirts of the historic center. This impressive building was built with red tezontle stone (volcanic rock) and marks the transition of styles from the baroque to the neoclassical.

The historic Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gave the first mass in this temple in the 19th century. In 1921 it was granted cathedral status.

It is very common for tourists to think that the Temple of San Francisco, located in the Garden of Zenea, is the cathedral. But in reality the cathedral of the city is the Temple of San Felipe.

References

1. Queretaro little market. Recovered from zonaturistica.com
2. Theater of the Republic. Recovered from lonelyplanet.com
3. Hill of the bells. Recovered from travelbymexico.com
4. Temple and convent of the Holy Cross. Recovered from lonelyplanet.com
5. The regional museum. Recovered from zonaturistica.com
6. Queretaro state. Recovered from britannica.com
7. Sierra gorda biosphere reserve. Recovered from lonelyplanet.com

Attractions in Queretaro, Mexico: What to do and where to go. Recovered from bestday.com