May 3, 2023, Guadalupe

Today is a rest day in Guadalupe. We did a walking tour of the town based on a map from the front desk of the hotel. There were 23 buildings/sights of significance here that we checked out in the morning. Each of these buildings had a plaque with Spanish and English text.

Then it was off to tour the Real Monasterio de Santa Maria de Guadalupe which became a world heritage site in 1993.

Built in the 14th century it has been in constant use since its construction and has buildings of different styles and periods. Inhabited for more than four centuries by the same Order, the Order of St. Jerome, it has undergone restorations and reconstruction works. However, the ensemble retains its original form and appearance. 

According to the unesco World Heritage Convention:

“The Monastery symbolises two significant events in world history that occurred in the same year, 1492, namely the final expulsion of the Muslim power from the Iberian Peninsula and the discovery of the American continent by Christopher Columbus. Its influence on the evangelisation of the Americas was substantial; the statue of Santa María de Guadalupe became a powerful symbol of the Christianisation of much of the New World. The Monastery was, and remains, a centre of pilgrimage for the Western world and Latin America.” 

Here’s a snap of the interior courtyard. No photography allowed inside.

Here are some scenes from our wanderings of Guadalupe.

Very steep cobbled streets down

and steep cobbled streets up.

It was interesting to see how the facades have evolved over time. This looks like concrete blocks cover the old stone wall but it’s just plaster with “caulk” lines painted on to make it look like blocks.

Many old doorways are still intact (more or less) but a wall of some sort has been built on the other side of the door.

Around 7:30 pm we got a table in the town square for dinner. We’d heard that the horses from a festival outside of town called “Romeria de la Cruz” were to parade across the square at 8:00 pm. We waited and watched as the square filled with spectators.

And then at 8:45 the horses came up a side street and raced across the square and on up another side street. (I wish I could have shared the video I took. It was much more exciting.)

After a little while all the horses came back down to the square and got their well deserved drink at the fountain.

Quite the exciting end to a well deserved rest day in Guadalupe.