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OAXACA |
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The state capital OAXACA sprawls across a grand expanse of deep-set
valley, 1600m above sea level, some 500km southeast of Mexico City. Its
colour, folklore, numerous fiestas, the huge extent of its indigenous
market and its thoroughly colonial centre combine to make this one of
the most popular, and most rewarding, destinations for travellers, many
of whom come here to study. Even the increase in package tourism and the
pedestrianization of Macedonia Alcalá, the main thoroughfare from the
zócalo to the cathedral, a street now lined with high-class handicraft
and jewellery shops, have done little to destroy the city's gentle
appeal. Furthermore, Oaxaca is also widely seen as the artistic centre
of Mexico, with several state-run and private galleries, resident
artists, art and jewellery master classes and regular exhibitions (including
free ones in the zócalo). In the market and in shops everywhere, you'll
find Oaxaca's trademark fantastical and fantastically coloured model
animals.
Once central to the Mixtec and Zapotec civilizations, the city later
took a lesser role. Cortés , attracted by the area's natural beauties,
took the title of Marques del Valle de Oaxaca, and until the Revolution
his descendants held vast estates hereabouts. But for practical purposes,
Oaxaca was of little interest to the Spanish, with no mineral wealth and
no great joy for farmers (though coffee was grown). Nevertheless, by
1796 it had become the third largest city in Nueva España, thanks to the
export of cochineal and subsequently textile manufacturing. Meanwhile,
the indigenous population was left to get on with life far more than was
generally the case, with only the interference of a proselytizing Church
to put up with. An earthquake destroyed much of the city in 1854 and the
slow rebuilding was shaken to pieces by another quake in 1931. The
city's most famous son, Benito Juárez , is commemorated everywhere in
Oaxaca, a privilege not shared by Porfirio Díaz , the second most famous
Oaxaqueño, whose dictatorship most people choose to forget.
Nowadays Oaxaca is becoming an industrial city - the population is well
over 200,000, the streets choked and noisy, with large numbers of people
choosing to retreat here from Mexico City, resulting in an increase in
property values - yet it seems set to remain easy to handle. In the
colonial centre , thanks to strict building regulations, the provincial
charm is hardly affected, and just about everything can be reached on
foot. Provincial it remains, too, in its habits - the big excitements
are dawdling in a café, or gathering in the famous zócalo to stroll and
listen to the town band; by eleven at night much of the city is asleep,
although late-night dancers are still going strong.
Surrounding Oaxaca is some fantastic topography, making an impressive
backdrop to the city skyline at sunset. The Sierra Madre del Sur enters
Oaxaca state from the west, while the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca runs down
from Mexico's central volcanic belt. The two ranges meet in the centre
of the state and between them, converging in Oaxaca town, lie the three
Valles Centrales
The City
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Simply being in Oaxaca, absorbing its
life and wandering through its streets,
is an experience, especially if you
happen to catch the city during a
fiesta (they happen all the time -
we've listed the most important ones),
but you should definitely take time out
to visit the State Museum and the
Museo Tamayo , the market
(shopping in Oaxaca is quite simply some
of the best in the entire country), the
churches of Santo Domingo and
La Soledad , and to get out to
Monte Albán and Mitla . All
in all it could be a long stay.
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