Mexico’s Bicentennial Celebration

Mexico is getting ready for an extraordinary celebration in honor of its 200th anniversary of its Independence and 100th anniversary of its Revolution. Everything designed to commemorate these two great dates is linked to the ideal of renewing Mexico’s identity and historic continuity.

Highlighted among the many projects designed are exhibits of prehispanic, Spanish, modern and contemporary Mexican art at the most important capitals of the world, historic routes, shows, publications, seminars, the opening of 10 new archeological sites, maintenance to the country’s most important prehispanic sites and the remodeling of 30 museums that will serve as venues to the Independence’s Bicentennial and the Revolution’s Centennial in the year 2010.

This work involves a complex museography and the consolidation of historic buildings in six States to commemorate the Independence and eight States to commemorate the Revolution, with a budget of over 300 million pesos.

The venues were chosen by taking into consideration their accessibility by land, routes that go over the steps of those who fought the battles that concluded in the consummation of Mexico’s Independence and Revolution. For this great celebration, these routes combined are known as “Ruta 2010”, for which the Ministry of Communication and Transportation will destine its resources for signaling these roads and provide tourism information in print at strategic points of the highways and through its website.

The museums highlighted along the Route of Independence start with Casa del Marques at Mexico City’s Historic Center and in Acapulco with the San Diego Fort Museum, where Morelos fought his famous battle for the country’s Independence. Other venue museums in this celebration chosen for their priceless content in honor of these two unforgettable dates are Museum of the Viceroyalty, the National Anthropology Museum, the National History Museum, the Allende Museum, The Casa Morelos Museum, Alhóndiga de Granaditas and the Museum at the Home of Father Hidalgo.

The Independence road includes the Freedom Route, traveling on the footsteps of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla from Corralejo in Guanajuato to Chihuahua, passing by Queretaro and Michoacán.

The Nation’s Feelings Route explains the military campaign lead by José María Morelos y Pavón through the States of Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Morelos, Mexico, Puebla, Veracruz and Chiapas. Places through which Morelos’ troops were commanded by Matamoros, the Galeana brothers, the Bravo family, Guadalupe Victoria and Vicente Guerrero, among other illustrious heroes.

The Trigarante Route traces the road followed by Agustin de Iturbide in his fight for the Consummation of the Independence, from Iguala in Guerrero to Mexico City, in 1821.

The Revolution’s Routes include the Democracy Route, outlining the road taken by Francisco I. Madero from Ciudad Juarez in order to triumphantly enter Mexico City after being elected president in 1911. This route starts in Parras, Coahuila, his hometown, and passes by San Luis Potosi, Ciudad Juarez, Piedras Negras, Torreon, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and Leon.

The Zapatista Route refers to the operations of the Southern Liberation Army along the States of Morelos, Puebla and Mexico. The Constitutionalist Revolution Route was traced according to the military actions carried out by four key characters in the revolutionary battle. The route in honor of Venustiano Carranza starts at Cuatro Cienegas and passes by Saltillo, Monclova and the Guadalupe Estate in Coahuila, to continue through Hermosillo, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Veracruz, Queretaro and Puebla.

The section of the Constitutionalist Revolution Route in honor of the Northwestern Division, guided by Alvaro Obregon, goes through Nogales, Cananea, Guaymas, Culiacan, Naco, Topolobampo and Mazatlan in the States of Sonora and Sinaloa, all the way to San Angel in Mexico City, passing by Tepic in Nayarit and Guadalajara in Jalisco. The Route’s itinerary traced in honor of the Northern Division commanded by Francisco Villa starts at San Juan del Río in Durango to conclude in Hidalgo del Parral, Chihuahua. It also covers the Loma Estate, Ciudad Juarez, Torreon, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Mexico City and Canutillo.

This Route’s fourth section corresponds to the battles fought by the Northeastern Division, guided by Pablo Gonzalez, starting at Lampazos in Nuevo Leon and going through Monclova, Ciudad Victoria, Monterrey, Tampico, Saltillo, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro and Mexico City, concluding in Aguascalientes.

Angel of Independence

At a distance of 350 meters from Hotel Casa González is the Angel of Independence mexico city.

One of the most representative symbols of México City and the whole country, the Angel of Independence stands majestically in Paseo de la Reforma.

The first stone of this renowned monument was placed on January 2nd 1902 by Porfirio Díaz. The project was directed by the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, who was also responsible for the Juarez Theatre in the City of Guanajuato.

This monument was inspired by a project that arose during the government of Antonio López de Santa Anna, meant to pay tribute to the heroes of Mexico’s Independence; it consisted in a stone zócalo, built in the middle of the Plaza of the Constitution, from which a Corinthian column would rise, crowned by an angel. However, this project didn’t come through, and by the end of the 19th Century, the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado retook it getting inspiration from famous columns in the world like the Tarajano in Rome, the one in Vendome Plaza in Paris and the one with Alexander in Saint Petersburg. All these columns were erected to commemorate the triumph of ideals in their respective countries.

It was in this way that this architect designed a circular zócalo upon which a cubic base would stand, supporting on each of its corners four statues, crafted by Enrique Alciati, representing Peace, Law, Justice and War. The remains of some of the most outstanding leaders of the Mexican Independence movement like Miguel Hidalgo, Vicente Guerrero and Ignacio Allende rest inside this base, which also includes the sculptures of said insurgents and a beautiful sculpture of a lion guided by a boy which represents the dominance of truth and intelligence over strength. Upon this base, a 35 meter high Corinthian column made of Chiluca stone, was erected, and placed on top was the famous “Winged Victory” (or Nike) a symbol of triumph among the ancient Greeks.

This monument was inaugurated on September 16th 1910 as a culminating event of the festivities commemorating the 100th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence, which were attended by important diplomats, ambassadors, civil servants and the general population to enjoy the fireworks, parades and concerts that took place in Paseo de la Reforma on that occasion.

Years later, in 1957, the monument to Independencce, popularly known as “The Angel” lived its hardest moment when the golden sculpture fell off the column as a consequence of a strong earthquake. Nevertheless, to the delight of the people, the sculpture was replaced a short time after and has stayed where it belongs ever since.

Today, due to its importance, the Angel of Independence is, along with the Zócalo, one of the two places in which Mexican people gather to celebrate or to protest in special occasions like political meetings and manifestations, or victorious performances of the Mexican football team in world championships.