Culture of Monterrey. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

The best introduction for tourists to the sightseeing attractions of Monterrey is the stroll through the central square Macroplasa. It was established over 30 year ago. The large square is sinking in rich greenery. The main attraction on the square is Neptune Fountain graced with statuary bronze group. The curious feature is that there are no water basins on the territory of the city except of the river of Santa Catarina which for its most part flows under the ground.

Still the fans of on-water recreation and entertainment will not get bored in the city as the most important landmark of the city is the Canal De Santa Lucia. Each day engaging canal excursions are held for the guests and visitors of the city which at best perform the majesty of the manmade canal and the breath-taking beauty of the sightseeing attractions set around the canal. The same important tourist attraction of the city is the Faro del Comercio. The unveiling of this novel landmark was coincided with the first anniversary of chamber of commerce and industry, the height of the pharos is about 17m.

Since its unveiling the pharos is still the highest object in the city attracting hundreds of curious tourists to admire the beauty of the monument. Zona Rosa is the next tourist destination attracting travelers. This is the luxury city borough where the rich and luxury mansions, hotels and upscale restaurants and boutiques are placed. Many travelers visit this borough to see the architectonic masterpieces of modern art. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

There are some permanently working tourist attracting museums which give the visitors a deeper insight into the history and culture of Monterrey. A vast collection of works of art is presented in the museum of contemporary arts – Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey. The visitors can see inestimable historical artifacts and listen to the engaging stories about the history of Monterrey in the museum of Mexican history Museo de Historia Mexicana. The museum and the theater of puppets is situated in the Barrio borough which will turn of great interest to all the family members. Each day the youngest visitors can watch interesting performances after which anyone who feels like finding out more on antique and vintage puppets can walk through the galleries of the museum. The age of some showpieces presented in the museum is about 100 years.

In the capital of Nuevo Leon, you can see a lot of beautiful religious attractions that will fascinate any visitor. The main church is Catedral Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de Monterrey. It was built in 1791 in the baroque style. The building attracts exactly with its luxurious exterior. The interior of the church is quite modest, which doesn’t diminish its significance. Another interesting church is Basilica de la Virgen de Guadalupe. It was built by the project of architects Pedro Ramirez Vazquez and Antonio Elosua Mugarza in the second half of the 20th century. On the 12th December, the sanctuary can be called the Mecca of the devotees of Our Lady of Guadalupe because the holiday dedicated to her is celebrated on this day.

Other religious monuments are Templo del Sagrado Corazón that impresses with its interior and Iglesia de San Luis Gonzaga that attracts with its interesting history and exterior combining Arabic and traditional elements. The Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) deserves your attention too. It is not only one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country, but also a beautiful construction. It was founded in 1943 and is still an impressive example of modern architecture.

Government buildings in Monterrey, for example, Palacio Municipal and Antiguo Palacio Federal with an attractive exterior, are worth being visited too. They impress with their interior. Tribunal Superior de Justicia fascinates with its mosaics on the ground floor and the fountain depicting historical scenes. In the capital of Nuevo Leon, there are a lot of interesting museums. One of them, Museo del Noreste, acquaints visitors with the history of Mexico. Also, temporary themed exhibitions are held here.

A sweet tooth should visit Museo del Dulce and learn about the production of sweets from famous brands. You should visit the Carapan to see the collection of handicrafts. Those who want to admire sacred art will be impressed by Museo Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacro where they can see sculptures and paintings depicting saints, as well as some relics of different religions (Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam).

In the territory of one of the main attractions in Monterrey, picturesque Parque Fundidora, there are several interesting museums. Museo del Acero Horno 3 is a former steel plant where you can learn about the industry of Monterrey. Also, visit the Muscera Museum where you can see the collection of wax figures of famous people. Besides Mexicans (Frida Kahlo and Juana Ines de la Cruz), there are figures of other historical persons (Fidel Castro and Barack Obama). There is also the sector dedicated to film and cartoon characters. In Fundidora Park, there is Papalote Museo del Niño.

Besides, there are also several concert halls where interesting events take place: Conarte, Niños Conarte, and Auditorio Citibanamex. Sports fans and fans of beautiful constructions should visit the Arena Monterrey. Visit the observation platform Mirador los Hornos to admire a breathtaking view of the capital of Nuevo Leon and hike along picturesque channels in the park, Paseo De La Mujer Mexicana and Paseo Santa Lucía. Interestingly, Parque Fundidora is not the only park complex in Monterrey. You should also hike in picturesque Parque Ecologico Chipinque and reach the cave Grutas de Garcia.