Quaretero

Quaretero is the middle of the colonial heartland, about two hours northwest of Mexico City. It’s the center of Mexican history: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave the United States half of Mexico’s territory, was signed here; French emperor Maximilian was executed here in 1867; and Mexico’s last constitution was signed here in 1917. The center of town is a World Heritage site. The Casa de la Corregidora is the former residence of the governor of the state of Queretero. His wife alerted leaders of the independence movement that her husband, the governor, had discovered the plot.

Queretero’s distinguishing feature is the aquaducts, built over 250 years ago by Don Juan Antonio Urrutia y Aranda. It consists of 74 arches and it's almost two kilometers long. The center of town is the Plaza de la Indepencia, to the right of which is the tower of the church of San Francisco.

At the western part of the center of town is the Cerro de las Campanas, where Maximillan was eventually executed. Today there is a statue dedicated to Benito Juarez, one of Mexico’s political heroes, as well as a museum.
The colorful streets of Quaretero.

The acuaducts.

A nativity set.

Plaza de la Independencia.
The Devil (El Diablo) in the Jardin de Los Ninos.

All over Mexico, these electronic signs say how many days remain before September 16, 2010, the bicentenial of Mexico's independence (actually, it marks the bicentenial of Mexico's independence. As I've reported earlier, Mexico was not independent until General Austin Iturbide marched into Mexico City in 1821).

The center of Quaretero is pedestrian-friendly.