Oaxaca is anchored in stones. Square stones can be seen in most of the beautiful old colonial buildings which line the main streets in this old town. Even the streets are mostly of laid stone. You can almost feel the weight and permanence of history here. This post is really about the main street, Calle Alcala.
For us visitors, the street mostly begins with the BIG church. The
Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, with its connected museum, is the religious and architectural anchor of the town. It was founded in 1570 by the Dominican Order, with construction by largely slave labor taking almost 300 years to complete. The Baroque church and monastery were active from 1608 to 1857, when it was taken over by the military and used as a barracks and stable until 1902! We toured the church, courtyard (now a botanical garden), and old monastery, which is now a beautiful museum. As late as 1993 the decision was made to do a full restoration and what we see today was completed in 1999.
An interesting note is that the restoration of the interior of Santo Domingo required more than 60,000 sheets of 23.5-karat gold leaf in the renovation. It is, indeed, one bright gold place inspiring awe and humility in me, and I can only imagine what it means to the simple people who have been coming to the place for centuries.
We watched one, obviously poor, old woman go down the main isle on her knees, with her palms up in supplication. It was a powerful contradiction for me. In the same instant I was in awe of her simple, pure faith life, and angry at the abuse the same church has laid on its people over the years. In looking up at the church from the street, I kept waiting for the central, third-story doors to open and hear, "Do not arouse the wrath of the great and powerful Oz!"
Here are a few more
photos of the Santo Domingo church.
Alcalá is the walking street, free from cars. From the church heading south, you walk through the middle of the main tourist area in Oaxaca. Again, the beautiful stone buildings that line the street, with their tranquil inner courtyards, are a treat for the eyes and the spirit. On a hot day, nothing soothes like the cool air found inside a solid stone structure. Some of these old courtyards are open to the sky because they were used to capture rain in cisterns below the floor. Another lesson a visitor quickly learns is that in the mornings and the late afternoons, the buildings shade the sidewalks. Almost all foot and vendor traffic is shifted to the shady side during those times. If there is no shady side, it's time to get off the street and go inside somewhere for a coffee or even a mid-day meal.
At this link you will see more
pictures of the walking street, Calle Alcalá.
About six blocks south from the Santo Domingo church, you come to yet another big church. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption anchors the popular Zócalo, or the Z as we call it. The Zócalo is the main plaza or square in Oaxaca, and it's where the spirited life of a town happens most evenings. The main plaza often contains religious and government buildings, places to eat, a fountain or bandstand in the middle of the square, and after about 7 PM, it's always full of life. I'll try to paint the picture:
As we approached the Z last night, we saw countless food carts, people walking around with giant bunches of colorful helium balloons, and a group of people watching a speed painting guy producing other-worldly but colorful outer space works of "arte!" As we entered the Z itself, there were restaurants on three of the block-long sides. Each restaurant had a small mariachi group playing for people at tables. These musicians would move between the restaurants and, when they took a break, another mariachi group would take their place. Good music and a lot of chaos.
. . . Many young lovers, on the benches, in dark corners,
and even on the stairs of the church.
Next to the church, there was a crowd around a guy dressed exactly like a circus clown, red nose and shoes, white face and all. He was, apparently, telling funny stories and making good-natured fun of people, because there was lots of laughter. There were no less than 15 small shoe shine stands spread around the Z, countless women selling various crafts, some stray dogs, and many young lovers . . . I mean Many young lovers, on the benches, in dark corners, and on the stairs of the church. The fourth side of the Z was a full-block-long government building, the front of which had been taken over by protesters. There was speech making, giant red signs covering the front of the place, protesters sleeping all around, and a fair amount of spirited dialogue.
Are you getting the idea? If you need more help, here are some
photos of the Z at different times of the day.
More than a few times we've walked the Alcalá, from the church to the Z, for the best people watching in town. We don't spend a lot of time at the Z, but it's a rich experience of the vida Oaxacania.
On the south side of the Z are two huge indoor markets. That is another story of incredible sights, strange smells, crowded passages, and all things Oaxacan. Stand by for that one.
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For now, yup,we're off for another trip down the Alcalá!
Earl and Gwen
