Monte Alban Archaeological site: Located at 9 km. from the Oaxaca's Downtown, Monte Alban is the most important ceremonial centre of the Zapotec culture. The temples, courts, palaces and the ball game plaza are extended over an immense esplanade.
Mitla: Mitla was the second most important ceremonial centre after Monte Alban; the largest attraction in Mitla is without a doubt, the varied ornamentation of its buildings, and the great tombs from the Zapotec royalty. It is located at 44km from Oaxaca and you can find a great variety of excursions to get to this beautiful place.
¨Tule Tree¨: It is located in the town center of Santa Maria del Tule, just at 9 km from Oaxaca and there are many operators that offer the guide. It is considered one of the biggest and oldest trees in the world. With 10 meter diameter base and over 2000 yearr old, this great ¨ahuehuete¨ specimen is still alive and growing, and can be recognized by its dense foliage reaching 43 meters high.
Ciudad de las Canteras: The quarries from where the stone for the city´s monumental churches and public buildings were extracted, it´s now turned into a beautifully landscaped park.
The 17th-century Cathedral: Originally constructed in 1153, the Cathedral dates from a time when the Mexican Church and State were unified. The façade is Baroque- style and the interior contains 14 side chapels.
Santo Domingo Church: One of the best examples of Mexican Baroque Architecture and the city´s tallest building, the Santo Domingo Church has functioned as a place of catholic worship, museum, and even a military barrack in the Revolution.
Museum of Oaxaca's Cultures: The museum houses Mixtec, Zapotec, and Colonial artifacts, but the prime attraction is the treasure extracted from one Tomb in Monte Alban: the gold, silver, jade, turquoise and obsidian jewelry are some of the greatest Zapotec materials ever found.
Palacio de Gobierno: Constructed in the mid-19th century, Oaxaca`s Palacio de Gobierno, has contemporary art expositions and great murals by Arturo Garcia Bustos.
Etnobotanical Garden: This garden preserves different species of native plants, agaves used to make mezcal, pulque and tequila, and a great variety of cacti and flowering trees.
Markets: The colorful markets and varied crafts of Oaxaca are among the most attractions of the region. You can visit: The November 20 Market, Benito Juarez Market, and Hand-craft Market. |