CAÑADA OF THE VIRGIN FROM SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

The first archaeological zone to be declared a national monument by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) during López Obrador’s presidency so far, the site is more than 1,000 years old and researchers believe it served as an Otomi ceremonial center. Archaeologists believe that what is now known as Cañada de la Virgen was most active between 600 and 900 B.C., long before the Mexica (also known as Aztecs) conquered the Otomi peoples who occupied the present-day states of Puebla, Guanajuato and Hidalgo in the 14th century. A unique site situated on a symmetrical axis, it is oriented towards the sunrise at the front, unusual compared to similar sites in the area, and the moonrise at the back. It was built according to the daily path of the sun across the sky, and its temples are aligned with the celestial bodies.