Guanajuato

Town in Mexico and administrative capital of the state of Guanajuato, situated on the banks of the Rio Guanajuato; population (1995 est) 128,200. Gold and silver are mined, and the town has some small-scale industry, primarily ceramics and bakeries. Situated in a narrow gorge amid wild scenery, the town stands at an altitude of 2,018 m/6,621 ft. Guanajuato has many fine Spanish colonial churches and buildings and has developed a considerable tourist industry.

Guanajuato has a university, founded in 1732. The Alhóndiga de Granadita, originally a huge granary, then a fortress, is now a museum. Breads from Guanajuato are renowned throughout Mexico. Silver mining began in Guanajuato in 1548. The town was the birthplace (in 1886) of the painter Diego Rivera. The annual Festival International Cervantino, with music, dancing, and plays, is held each October in honour of the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes and his characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Zone, because of its historical interest.