| The city of Cuernavaca
(elevation: 1,548 meters, 4,856 feet) boasts one of the most agreeable
climates in the country and is adorned with colorful flowers year-round.
HISTORY
Capital of the state of Morelos,
Cuernavaca has a storied past.
What is today the state of Morelos
was inhabited by several indigenous groups including Chichimecs,
Xochimilca and later the Tlahuica, who founded Cuauhnáhuac,
which the Spanish renamed Cuernavaca in 1521.
The city boasts one of the most agreeable climates
in the country and is adorned with charismatic colonial architecture.
The cradle of Spanish language instruction in Mexico,
Cuernavaca has been home to foreigners learning español since
the 1960s when the town was put on the map by students attracted
by the offer of slow adventures and immersion learning.
CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS
Cuernavaca served as the residence of Spanish conqueror
Hernan Cortés. The Palacio de Cortés, built between
1522 and 1532, showcases the country's history, culture and tradition.
The building is located on the main square. The second floor is
adorned with murals that depict Mexican history by Diego Rivera.
The Museo Robert Brady, Calle Netzahualcoyotl #4,
was the home of U.S. artist and collector Robert Brady. The museum
includes several paintings by well-known Mexican artists, including
Kahlo, Tamayo and Covarrubias and also has an extensive mask collection
from around the world. Open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Modest
entrance fee.
The kid's museum is Papalote
at Vicente Guerrero #205.
Tlaltenango used to be a separate town but is now
a neighborhood of Cuernavaca. The church compound containing the
Church of San José and the Church of Nuestra Señora
de los Milagros de Tlaltenango are the main attraction. San José
is one of the oldest churches in Mexico, built between 1521
and 1523.
NEARBY
A pleasant excursion is Lagunas de Zempoala National Park, 25 kilometers
(16 miles) northwest of the city.
Some of the park's seven lakes are stocked with game fish. In terms
of biological diversity or even entertainment, this is adequate,
but not representative of Mexico's grandeur. You'll find well-worn
paths for hiking and even some areas for camping. All in all, it
is an easy day trip. To get there from the highway between Mexico
City.and Cuernavaca, turn off the main road at Tres Marías
and head west through the town of Huitzilac.
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