Light ShowFeaturing

La Parroquia – The Parish Church In

San Miguel de Allende

by Ann Bethel

Independencia 1810-2010Viva Mexico!

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Happy Birthday, Mexico!

Mexico celebrated 200 years of independence from Spain September 16, 2010. As part of that celebration, a special light show was created and shown in several cities throughout Mexico.

In San Miguel de Allende, where we have a 2nd home, the light show was projected onto the Parroquia (parish church) which sits on the main square in San Miguel.

Here are some photos of this beautiful show which really do not do justice to the splendid presentation but you will get the idea.

Construction of the Parroquia started in 1789 and finished in 1830.

The church sits on one side of the main square, El Jardin (the Garden) which is the center of social life in San Miguel.

The neo-gothic central tower was added in 1880.

The master builder based the design on postcards showing European churches.

The city of San Miguel de El Grande was founded in 1542 by a Franciscan monk.

San Miguel was an important stopover from the silver mines in Zacatecas to Mexico City and from there to Spain.

It was home to Gen. Ignacio Allende, a leading player in the war against Spain for independence.

General Allende was a “Criollo,” that is, born in Mexico of Spanish parents.

Home of General Ignacio de Allende.

Mexico’s war for Independence from Spain began Sept. 16, 1810 led by Mexican-born Spaniards and like-minded Criollos, who resented Spain’s control.

Even though independencefrom Spain was first proclaimed in 1810, it was not achieved until 1921.

Gen. Allende and several other rebel leaders were eventually captured by the Spanish and beheaded.

In 1826, San Miguel de el Grande changed its name to San Miguel de Allende to honor its patriot son.

By 1900, San Miguel de Allende was in danger of becoming a ghost town.

In 1926, the Mexican government named San Miguel an Historic Monument in order to preserve the city’s colonial character.

Several years later, a Peruvian artist established San Miguel’s first art school at the Instituto de Allende.

He hired an American writer and artist, Stirling Dickinson as Art Director at the Instituto.

Dickinson arrived in San Miguel before daybreak on February 7, 1937.

At the Jardín, Dickinson looked up at the spires of the Parroquia poking through the mist. “My God, what a sight. I’m going to stay here.”

Soon, American ex-G.I.’s first arrived in 1946 to study at the art school.

By the end of 1947, Life magazine assigned a reporter and photographer to do an article on this post-war phenomenon of American G.I.s studying in San Miguel.

The article called San Miguel a GI Paradise: Veterans go to Mexico to study art, live cheaply and have a good time.

As a result of the publicity, more than 6,000 American veterans immediately applied to study at the school.

In addition to art and language schools, by the 1950s, San Miguel became a destination known for its beautiful colonial architecture and its thermal hot springs.

In the counterculture years of the 1960s, San Miguel also became a destination for American expatriates.

The 2005 census recorded 80,000 urban residents in San Miguel, including 10,000-12,000 foreigners.

Of these, 70% were from the U.S., 20% from Canada, and the remaining 10% from 31 other countries.

San Miguel de Allende is in the state of Guanajuato in the mountainous region of central Mexico.

At an elevation of 6,140 feet, summers are cool and its southern location makes winters mild.

In 2008, San Miguel de Allende was named a World Heritage site due to its outstanding Mexican baroque architecture.

Mexico now has 29 cultural and natural World Heritage sites, third in the world after Spain and Italy

But its greatest treasure are its people who are able to do so much with so little. Their love of family, their work ethic and their faith are truly admirable.

Viva Mexico!