Luis Barragán House and Studio
Photo by Leonardo Cañón
Luis Barragán was a Mexican engineer and architect. His home and studio, built in 1948, represent a masterpiece of the new developments in the Modern Movement, integrating traditional, philosophical and artistic currents into a new synthesis. The house and studio of Luis Barragán are located in Mexico City and can be visited by appointment.
Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque
Photo by Carlos Adampol
At its height between AD 500 and 700, Palenque is an exquisite example of a Mayan sanctuary of the classical period. When it was at its peak, Palenque's influence extended throughout the area of the Usumacinta River basin. The elegance and craftsmanship of the buildings, as well as the lightness of the sculpted reliefs with mythological themes, attest to the creative genius of the Mayan civilization.
Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen Itza
Joe Sohm/Getty Images
One of the greatest Mayan sites of the Yucatán peninsula, Chichen Itza illustrates two major periods of Mesoamerican history. The vision of the world and the universe of both the Maya and the Toltecs is revealed in the stone monuments of the site. Read more about Chichen Itza, or see photos of Chichen Itza.
Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan
© Suzanne Barbezat
The holy city of Teotihuacan ('the place where the gods were created') is situated some 50 km north-east of Mexico City. Built between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D., it is characterized by the vast size of its monuments – in particular, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, laid out on geometric and symbolic principles. As one of the most powerful cultural centres in Mesoamerica, Teotihuacan extended its cultural and artistic influence throughout the region
Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal
The ruins of the ceremonial structures at Uxmal represent the pinnacle of late Mayan art and architecture in their design, layout and ornamentation, and the complex of Uxmal and its three related towns of Kabáh, Labná and Sayil admirably demonstrate the social and economic structure of late Mayan society.Protective town of San Miguel and the Sanctuary of Jesús de Nazareno
Photo by Esparta Palma
San Miguel de Allende constitutes an exceptional example of the interchange of human values; due to its location and functions, the town acted as a melting pot where Spaniards, Creoles and Amerindians exchanged cultural influences, something reflected in the tangible and intangible heritage. The Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco constitutes an exceptional example of the cultural exchange between European and Latin American cultures; the architectural disposition and interior decoration testify to the interpretation and adaptation of the doctrine of Saint Ignacio de Loyola to this specific regional context.
Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco
From c. 100 B.C. to A.D. 1300, the Sierra de San Francisco (in the El Vizcaino reserve, in Baja California Sur) was home to a people who have now disappeared but who left one of the most outstanding collections of rock paintings in the world. They are remarkably well-preserved because of the dry climate and the inaccessibility of the site. Showing human figures and many animal species and illustrating the relationship between humans and their environment, the paintings reveal a highly sophisticated culture.Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California
The site comprises 244 islands, islets and coastal areas that are located in the Gulf of California in north-eastern Mexico. The Sea of Cortez and its islands have been called a natural laboratory for the investigation of speciation. Moreover, almost all major oceanographic processes occurring in the planet’s oceans are present in the property, giving it extraordinary importance for study. The site is one of striking natural beauty in a dramatic setting formed by rugged islands with high cliffs and sandy beaches, which contrast with the brilliant reflection from the desert and the surrounding turquoise waters.Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
© Suzanne Barbezat
The 56,259 ha biosphere lies within rugged forested mountains about 100 km northwest of Mexico City. Every autumn, millions, perhaps a billion, butterflies from wide areas of North America return to the site and cluster on small areas of the forest reserve, colouring its trees orange and literally bending their branches under their collective weight. In the spring, these butterflies begin an 8 month migration that takes them all the way to Eastern Canada and back.
