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Easter is considered to be the most important religious holiday here, and commences with celebrations honoring Viernes de Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) on the final Friday of Lent. During the following week special altars are built and displayed in churches, public plazas, and in shops and homes. On Viernes Santo (Good Friday) at midday the Passion of the Christ is reenacted in front of the basilica, and in the evening the Procesíon de Silencio (Silent Procession) winds through the streets. Many tourists visit from other parts of Mexico at this time, and room rates are generally double.
Basílica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato
Built from 1671 to 1696. Inside this church there is a 1000-year-old statue donated by Spanish King Charles I who tried to protect it from the Arab invasion in Spain.
Templo de la Compañía de Jesús / Oratorio San Felipe Neri
Built between 1747 and 1765.
Built in 1726, this was a Jesuit school in the latter half of the 18th century.
Iglesia de San Diego
This is the only surviving building from the original 17th-century convent, with a splendid rococo exterior.
Templo de San Francisco
A former Franciscan convent, built between 1792-1828.
Templo de la Valenciana / Templo de San Cayetano Confesor
Built from 1765-1788 with funding from the rich silver mines, this is considered to be one of the best examples of Mexican Churrigueresque architecture. Particularly noteworthy are the finely-carved, elaborate altars covered in gold leaf.