The
Plaza Principal is the site of
several neat attractions. As I walked through this part of town, I was
struck by how clean the streets and sidewalks were. This plaza is
surrounded by the Liberty Garden which has many painted white iron
benches to sit on. On the outside of the plaza are shops and commercial
businesses. There aren't a lot of touristy type shops, as you would find
in certain places elsewhere in Mexico. There are a few local handicraft
shops. Some of the paintings are quite good, and relatively inexpensive.
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In this plaza you will find the large Cathedral, named the
Santa
Iglesia. It is located on the east side of this plaza. It was
originally constructed on its present day site in 1527 but due to the
many earthquakes since, the current building dates from 1941.
If you have a look next to the church you will see the
Palacio de
Gobierno, which was built between 1884 and 1904. Take a look at the
murals on the stairway in this building. They show scenes of Mexican
history after the Spanish conquest. Miguel Hidalgo was once a parish
priest here. |
As you work you way around the plaza, don't miss the
Museo de
Historia de Colima. Inside this museum you will find many ceramic
vessels and pots, as well as lots of different figurines. All this
figurines were discovered in the state of Colima. Note: this museum is
open from Tuesday through Sunday from 10am until 2pm and then again from
4pm until 8pm. Check out the neat stamp collection that is located here.
Admission is FREE. For more information call PHONE NUMBER (331) 2-9228.
If you wander through this museum, don't forget to visit the changing
art exhibits next door at the University building. Admission is also
FREE and the hours of admission are the same as the Museum.
A few blocks away from the main plaza (several minutes walking distance)
is the
Hidalgo Theatre. It is located on the corner of Degollado
and Independencia and was built between 1871 and 1883. The land that it
currently sits on was originally donated to the city by Miguel Hidalgo.
The earthquakes of 1932 and 1941 did a lot of damage this building so
most of what you see today dates from after the 1941 earthquake. There
are several small churches near this theatre. When I was there, I saw
several small Mexican weddings. Saturdays are a great day to sit on a
bench outside churches and watch local weddings.
The
Casa de la Cultura is located at Calzada Glavan at Ejercito
Nacional, about a half mile north east of the main plaza. This building
contains art displays, has art schools, and is the home to a theatre.
This theatre seats about 800 people. The grounds are nicely landscaped.
There is a small cafe on the ground floor of "the workshops
building" which is located near the theatre. A good place to visit
before visiting this center, is the tourism office located in the main
plaza. They can give you times and schedule information of the exhibits
and the theatre performances. You can also call this center at PHONE
NUMBER 2 31 55. The main building in this center is open every day from
9am until 9pm.
The main art display at this Cultural Center is the Museum of Western
Cultures. This museum displays literally hundreds of figurines and
ceramics that date before the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico. These
objects are all from the State of Colima. The explanations are all in
Spanish. If you do not understand Spanish bring a translator! This
museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9am until 7pm. Admission is
FREE.
The main art exhibit features Colima's famous modernistic painter
Alfonso Michel. Sometimes other art exhibits are also featured here.
The
University Museum of Popular Cultures is located in the
Instituto Universitario de Bellas Artes, which is on the corner of 27 de
Septiembre and Manuel Gallaro. This location is a little over 1/2 mile
north of the main plaza. This museum contains folk art from the state of
Colima as well as masks, musical instruments, furniture, and ceramics.
They are open Monday through Saturday from 9am until 2pm, and then again
from 4pm to 7pm. They are open holidays from 9am until 2pm, and they are
closed on Sunday. Admission is FREE of charge.
Lastly, be sure to check out the display about reproducing ancient
Colima figurines. There also is a small store at the museum where you
can purchase modern day crafts from around the state of Colima.
There are several nice parks in the city of Colima
The
Parque Regional Metropolitano is located on Degollado,
several blocks south west of the main plaza. This park contains a small
zoo, a swimming pool, an indoor theatre, and a small lake where you can
rent boat and row around to your heart's content.
Another neat park is the
Parque Piedra Lisa, just east of the
main center of town. In this park you will find the famous "sliding
stone" of Colima. Legend has it, that if you slide down this stone
you will be destined to return to Colima someday.
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