Travel Guide Durango

Nicknamed the "Pearl of the North", the city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the promotion of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. Its architectural heritage includes no less than 1,000 historic buildings dating from the 16th to the 19th century. Its foundation dates back to 1563, when the Spaniards, in search of a mountain of silver, first came across a mountain of iron (the Cerro de Mercado, located in the centre of the present-day city of Durango), before discovering other deposits of noble metals, mainly silver. Its original urbanism respects the segregationist canons of the time: Spaniards, Tepehuanes from the region and Indians from the centre of Mexico are installed in respective districts. The anniversary of the four hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the city gave rise to an unprecedented development of its historic centre: cable car, pedestrian areas, remodelled squares and the inauguration of new museums make it a more than interesting destination, original and little visited despite its great beauty.