CULTURAL TOURISM IN SITES OF MINING HERITAGE
The patron saint of miners who every January 16 goes to “visit” Our Lady of the Rosary, in her parish. Our Lord of Zelontla is carried to her parish where he remains for a day; and the next day, the virgin, carried by parishioners walks him halfway home to finally say goodbye until the following year. Until a few years ago, some 20 years, another tradition was to take children to the sanctuary and putting them inside a little wooden box they were blessed; very often the boxes used were the ones used as well as explosive containers in the mines, this tradition was to protect children from mining dangers and surely to protect their lives.
The second temple built by Franciscan brothers in this town by the mid-17th century, its main altar has an image of Saint Francis of Assisi. At the moment of publishing this work, the chapel is under restoration and it has been closed for more than 20 years.
Inaugurated in 1907 thanks to an agreement reached between Real del Monte and Pachuca Company and miners; the result of this agreement was a hospital complex consisting of four buildings: external medicine, internal medicine, morgue, contagious diseases area, and a house for the nurse in charge of the place. The three main buildings surround a beautiful garden with big apple trees and a fountain in the center. In 2004 the Historical Archive and Museum of Mining A.C., adapted this building to open a Cultural Center called Nicolás Zavala and a Museum of Occupational Medicine.
Although this temple was dedicated to the Assumption Virgin on May 7, 1578 when the building was consecrated, currently Our Lady of the Rosary is at the main altar and the town is very devoted to her. The current building was financed by Pedro Romero de Terreros in 1762; one of its two towers has a clock paid by miners and installed in 1842, two bells were donated by miners as well in 1904.
Can be observed on top of the hill known as the “Jew Hill”; undoubtedly this is one of the most singular places of this mining town, standing out due to its landscape and elegance. Tombs with Masonic symbols such as the broken column, the compass and the square, and the ones reproducing part of the Methodist Church facade, in the middle of centennial pines, are covered with fog most of the year.
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Archive photos AHMMAC, contemporary photos Marco Antonio Hernández, © Copyright All rights reserved.