Last Updated on: 26th September 2024, 12:35 pm
The state of Guanajuato, home to San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato city, is one of Mexico’s premier tourism destinations. But despite its capital León being one of Mexico’s largest cities, few tourists visit. In the following León guide, we’ll be taking a look at the top things to do and see in this overlooked city.
The city is home to over two million people, making it the fourth most populated in the entire country. A major industrial center, León has a thriving leather industry, and it’s where most of the country’s shoes are made. But as we’ll cover shortly, there’s plenty of historical architecture to discover as well.
For information on transport and accommodation, along with whether León is really worth the visit, be sure to check the end of the article.
Templo Expiatorio
One of Leon’s most striking pieces of architecture is the Templo Expiatorio, also known as the Santuario Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (the Expiatory Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus).
It’s relatively new, having been built about a century ago in 1920. It takes on a neo-Gothic design, though its style is more minimalistic than your typical European Gothic cathedral.
Incredibly, its construction wasn’t even officially completed until as recently as 2012, with the ceremony being officiated by none other than Pope Benedict XVI.
The church is bordered by a spacious plaza, while you should also be sure to step inside to admire its beautiful stained-glass windows.
Arco de la Calzada de los Héroes
The Arch of the Causeway of the Heroes in English was originally built in 1896 and has long been a symbol of the city. But interestingly, a lion wouldn’t be added to it until 1943. While the original was built of brick, it was replaced by the current bronze statue in 1958.
Supposedly, the change was made upon the insistence of Antonio Velázquez, a famous matador and local hero who complained about the brick lion’s quality. But the original can now be found at the city zoo.
On one side of the arch is a pleasant pedestrian-only causeway. And on the other is Calle Francisco I. Madero, a trendy street that connects all the way with the Centro district.
Around Centro
León’s compact historical center is where you’ll find many of the city’s architectural highlights. Among them is the Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Luz, or just the Catedral de León for short.
Work was originally started by the Jesuits in the year 1764, though they’d be expelled from Mexico entirely by the Spanish Crown not long after. The local Obregon family then ensured that construction continued.
The Archdiocese of León would then be established in 1864, with the bishop choosing this church as his seat. But the church’s towers still had to be completed. In modern times, it’s most known for hosting a mass led by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
And as we’ll cover shortly, this cathedral is also home to the excellent Museum of Sacred Art.
To the south of the cathedral, you’ll find two of the city’s main plazas. The western one is known as Plaza de los Fundadores, home to several important landmarks.
In its center stands the Fuente de Los Leones, added in 1976 to commemorate the city’s 400th anniversary. Appropriately, it features four lion heads.
At the edge of the Plaza de los Fundadores, and facing yet another plaza – the Plaza Mártires del 2 de Enero – is the Parroquia de San Sebastian.
The church is believed to be the very first one constructed in León, not long after the city’s founding in the 16th century.
The adjacent Plaza Mártires del 2 de Enero, is home to a well-manicured garden surrounding a kiosco, or central gazebo that nearly every Mexican town or city has.
The plaza was named after a massacre that took place here in 1946, when people protesting what they called an illegitimate election were fired upon by the military.
Yet another significant structure facing this plaza is the Palacio Municipal. Built in the Ionic order of classical Greek architecture, it was originally founded as a seminary college before briefly serving as a military barracks in the 1860s. Shortly thereafter, it was remodeled to more closely resemble its original look, with the intention of turning it into the seat of the local government.
Museum of Sacred Art
For those with an interest in León’s colonial past, be sure to visit the Museum of Religious Art. It’s located behind the Catedral de León, and you can find the museum entrance further north on Calle Hidalgo.
Even if you arrive during opening hours, you may not see anyone at the ticket booth. The best idea would be to wait around until someone walks by so you can get their attention.
Supposedly, this museum came to be when a church official happened to come across these pieces in a backroom in 1999. And so the Diocese of León decided to showcase them to visitors, with the current collection numbering around 400 pieces.
If you are at all familiar with Catholic art, the items and imagery on display here are pretty much what you’d expect. You’ll find paintings, sculptures, priestly garments, tapestries and more spread out across over a dozen rooms.
As mentioned above, Pope Benedict XVI came to visit León in 2012 (which happened to be the year before his resignation). One of the rooms here commemorates his visit, featuring the chair and desk he used during his stay.
One of the reasons the Pope decided to visit the city is because it’s statistically the region of Mexico with the highest percentage of Catholics. Notably, during the trip, he visited only León, avoiding Mexico City out of fear the high elevation there might harm his health.
More Centro Museums
Within León’s Centro district, you can also find a few additional small museums. One is the Museo de las Identidades Leonesas, situated within an old prison. The beautiful structure, however, was originally built to house the Hermanas de la Caridad institution.
The various exhibits focus on the history of the city and its cultural identity as well as the history of the building itself.
Nearby, meanwhile is the Museum of the City. Like many such city museums in Mexico, it merely serves as a showcase of local contemporary art.
The Museum of Art & History of Guanajuato
Unlike most of the attractions featured above in this León guide, the Museum of Art & History of Guanajuato is situated well outside the center. It’s walkable from the main plazas in about thirty minutes, though you could of course take an Uber.
The museum is part of the larger Forum Cultural Guanajuato complex, which also includes a theater, a park and a large library.
As the largest city of Guanajuato, the museum is meant to serve as a showcase of history, art and architecture found throughout the state. But a lot of the focus is on Guanajuato city, and this museum can’t quite compare with the museums you’ll find there.
Following a brief overview of some of the state’s archaeological sites, you’ll find things like scale models of some of Guanajuato’s most remarkable structures – many of them churches.
You’ll also find a model of a mine, as it was the thriving mining industry throughout the colonial era that helped make this region so wealthy.
You’ll also find plenty of written information about the history of the state, though as at many museums in Mexico, English translations are lacking.
One especially interesting piece explains the names and significance of various symbols and shapes found in golden Churrigueresque church altars.
Elsewhere throughout the building, you’ll find additional exhibitions, including one focusing on Don Quijote-inspited art, though it can’t compare with the dedicated Don Quijote museum in Guanajuato.
I also enjoyed the nature photography exhibit on the ground floor. But if you’re short on time, the attractions around the Centro Histórico deserve most of your attention.
More Around León
While this León guide covers a majority of the city’s main landmarks, there are still plenty of other historical buildings to explore. Among them is Templo San Juan de Dios to the southeast of the center.
Another major attraction is the Zona Piel district, situated near the main bus terminal. As mentioned above, a majority of all leather shows made in Mexico come from León, so Zona Piel is the ideal place to go for shoes or other leather products.
Additional Info
While León is a city of over two million people, its historical center is rather compact. And as mentioned in the León guide above, that’s where a majority of the city’s attractions can be found.
When choosing accommodation, as long as you’re within walking distance of Centro, you should be able to easily explore the city on foot. Uber does work well here too, however.
Some of the top-rated midrange hotels near the center include Hotel Leon and Othelo Boutique Hotel Mexico. A popular budget option, meanwhile, is Casa Hostal La Esperanza de Don Alfonso.
If renting a car is not an option, León is easy to reach by both air or bus.
The city’s Aeropuerto Internacional del Bajío serves as the main airport for the entire Bajío region, with direct flights to cities all over Mexico. It also has international flights to Dallas, Houston, Chicago and various cities across California.
León’s main bus station is also well-connected. The city is about an hour away from Guanajuato city, two hours from Aguascalientes, three hours away from Guadalajara and roughly five hours from Mexico City – just to name a few.
You can easily take an Uber between the main bus terminal and the city center.
If it’s your first time in the Bajío region and if you have limited time, you’d be fine leaving León out of your itinerary.
While beautiful, the city just can’t compare with nearby destinations like Guanajuato city, San Luis Potosí or Zacatecas (I would definitely rank León over Aguascalientes, however).
But considering how León is a major transportation hub, you may find yourself passing through when entering or leaving the region. If that’s the case, it’s well worth setting a day aside to explore the attractions featured in this León guide.
If you’re traveling as a group and are looking for a convenient way to explore the sites of León, consider this guided tour from Guanajuato city, which should include many of the landmarks featured above.