Plaza Garibaldi
Encyclopedia
Plaza Garibaldi is located in the historic center of Mexico City
, on Eje Central
(Lázaro Cárdenas) between historic Calle República de Honduras and Calle República de Peru, a few blocks north of the Palacio de Bellas Artes
. The original name of this plaza was Plaza Santa Cecilia, but in 1910 it was renamed in honor of Lt. Col. José Garibaldi, who joined with the Maderistas
in the attack on Casa Grandes, Chihuahua, during the Mexican Revolution
. The Garibaldi Metro station
is named after this plaza.
The Plaza is best known as the Mexico City
home of mariachi
music. At all hours of the day and night, mariachi bands can be found here playing or soliciting gigs from visitors to the Plaza. The Salón Tenampa, which started it all here in the 1920s, is still in business on the north side of the plaza. The plaza and the neighborhoods around it are undergoing extensive rehabilitation to halt the decades-long degeneration of the area. Plans include a remodeled plaza, extensive rehabilitation of the surrounding buildings and streets as well as making the area a zone where it is safe to be 24 hours a day for visitors.
This area was designated as a "Barrio Mágico"
by the city in 2011.
” became extremely popular. These movies featured stars such as Tito Guízar
, Jorge Negrete
, José Alfredo Jiménez
and Pedro Infante
, who would often sing mariachi songs to their leading ladies. On one side of Plaza Garibaldi is the Salón Tenampa, which became a major nightspot in the 1920s when Cirilo Marmolejo
and his mariachi band started playing there regularly. Garibaldi Plaza soon attracted other mariachi musicians, who would be paid by gentlemen to sing to their partners in the style of Marmelojo or the Charro movie stars.
The popularity of Charro movies has waned and Marmelojo died some time ago, but mariachi bands can still be found here day and night. These musicians play for the patrons of the bars, nightclubs and pulque
rias that still surround the plaza, as well as for passers-by. Mariachi bands also line up on Eje Central in front of the plaza to solicit gigs from passing motorists. Over the years other types of bands, such as trios, jarocho
s (music groups from Veracruz
) even groups playing modern music, have joined the mariachis on the plaza. The best time to experience the plaza is on a Friday or Saturday night from 11pm onwards.
state and it arrived in Mexico City in the first decade of the 20th century, when a band led by Cesáreo Medina was hired to play at a party given by Porfirio Díaz
for an official visit by the Secretary of State of the United States, Elihu Root
.
The Salon Tenampa was founded by Juan Indalecio Hernández Ibarra, originally from Cocula, Jalisco, the birthplace of mariachi. Hernández arrived in Mexico City from Jalisco in 1923 and started a cantina/store on Plaza Garibaldi, naming it El Tenampa. The origin of this name is in dispute. Some say it was the brand name of a Cuba
n cigar that has since disappeared, others say it is the name of a ranch in Veracruz and still others say it comes from an indigenous word “tenampal” meaning meeting place.
Hernández opened the establishment to give his fellow “Jalisquenses” a taste of home, with foods such as birria
, pozole
as well as tequila
and mariachi music. Soon after opening his establishment, Hernández located a mariachi musician he knew in Cocula, Concho Andrade, and convinced him to play at El Tenampa. This began the long tradition of major mariachi bands playing here. However, this band did not play here long because of the ongoing Cristero War
that was causing problems back in Cocula, causing most of the band to return to Jalisco to their families. In 1927, Hernández hired Cirilo Marmolejo to play along with other mariachi groups. While one group played inside the club, another would play for crowds outside in the Plaza. The popularity of mariachi music grew and other big names in the genre, such as José Reyes
, would also come and play at El Tenampa. Over the decades, the establishment would host kings, princesses, presidents, prime ministers plus innumerable politicians, artists and intellectuals from Mexico and abroad. Still located on the north side of Garibaldi Plaza, El Tenampa parties every night until 3 am, 4 am on weekends and holidays.
placed near the front, by Eje Central. On either side of the plaza were statues of great Charro singers. Along with the Salón Tenampa, bars, restaurants and nightclubs have surrounded the Plaza. Other popular nightspots have included the Guadalajara de Noche, the Nuevo México Típico and the Tropicana. Places to eat include the San Camilito Gastronomic Market, which is filled with small stands serving Mexican food, many specializing in birria. There is a pulquería here as well, called the Pulquería Hermosa Hortensia. While it is not a traditional pulquería, it is considered to be a safe place for tourists to try the native alcoholic drink of pulque
.
Until 2009, this was the look the plaza had. The kiosk and arcade had witnessed thousands of declarations of love, where couples had mariachi bands serenade them. Others had come to celebrate special occasions, nights out on the town or forget about a lost love. Every year on 21 November, the Day of the Music has been celebrated here.
Unfortunately, the Plaza and the neighborhoods of Guerrero and Tlatelolco surrounding it had been in decline for decades. Infrastructure had not been maintained or updated, but the most serious deterioration for the area has been in the way of security. The area is well-known for thieves, especially on the side streets, indigents and public drunkenness. This deterioration has caused many legitimate businesses to leave these neighborhoods and the number of tourists visiting the Plaza itself has seriously declined.
and Xochimilco
as well. The goal of the Garibaldi project is to recuperate one of the most “emblematic” or “iconic” places, in this case, to return it as one the premier nightspots in Mexico City.
Financing for these projects was solicited from the federal government (50%), the Mexico City government and private sources. The project involves fifteen local government agencies and two federal ones. Of the various revitalization projects relating to tourism in the city, the Garibaldi project is considered the priority, as it is one of the most important attractions for the city, and is a site of Bicentennial Celebrations in Mexico City in 2010
. Of the 120 million pesos budgeted the various projects, 90.6 million is now destined for Garibaldi. This is because monies have been diverted from other projects to this one.
Remodeling of the plaza itself is expected to cost 24 million pesos. 30 million pesos have been set aside to buy properties in the neighborhoods adjoining the Plaza, with the remodeling of these properties expected to cost 32.1 million. The entire project set to be completed in 2010.
(just east of Plaza Garibaldi) extending west and south to the Palacio de Bellas Artes is being created so that the area can be visited 24 hours a day. This area is called the Bellas Artes-Garibaldi Tourism Corridor. Street lighting is being improved along with the rehabilitation of the gardens and sidewalks of the neighboring streets.
More police are being stationed here and two permanent police modules, one on Eje Central and the other in the center of Plaza Garibaldi itself are planned. Security cameras are being installed and traffic flow along Eje Central improved. To rid the area of indigents and drunks, social workers are being employed to lead people to shelters and/or to job training services as appropriate. When necessary, judicial intervention will occur, according to the city. It is hoped that these combined efforts will move “anti-social” elements to move onto other parts of the city allowing businesses and private investment to return. All property owners in the area are being required to invest, co-invest, sell their lands or risk expropriation.
and arcade
have been leveled, as well as some of the older buildings on the east side of the plaza to make for more open space. An agave garden will be the center of the new Plaza. Benches, better walkways, lighting and a tourism information booth will be added. However, most of the remodeling money is going towards the purchase and renovation of the buildings around the plaza, to make them better-suited to commercial and tourism purposes. This includes the facades of thirty two buildings that face the plaza as well as infrastructure projects such as water, drainage and cable burial. New pavement and sidewalks are being installed in the neighboring streets of Republica de Perú, San Camilito, Republica de Honduras, Monteros and Amargura. These streets will also get benches, trash receptacles, better lighting and garden spaces. The goal is to promote new private investment in the area, promoting it as a “Barrio Mágico del Distrito Federal” (Magical Neighborhood of Mexico City) and a Zona de Desarrollo Turístico Sustenable (Sustainable Tourism Development Zone).
Two showpieces of the project are the Museum of Tequila and Mezcal and a School of Mariachi dedicated to the formal training of these musicians. The goal is to present a better image of the square and the culture it represents to foreign visitors.
A lienzo charro
for charreada
has also been planned for this section of the city, as it is tied to mariachi music.
Historic center of Mexico City
The historic center of Mexico City is also known as the "Centro" or "Centro Histórico." This neighborhood is focused on the Zócalo or main plaza in Mexico City and extends in all directions for a number of blocks with its farthest extent being west to the Alameda Central The Zocalo is the largest...
, on Eje Central
Eje Central
The Eje Central is part of a system of roadways built by Carlos Hank González to make Mexico City more automobile-friendly....
(Lázaro Cárdenas) between historic Calle República de Honduras and Calle República de Peru, a few blocks north of the Palacio de Bellas Artes
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes is the most important cultural center in Mexico City as well as the rest of the country of Mexico...
. The original name of this plaza was Plaza Santa Cecilia, but in 1910 it was renamed in honor of Lt. Col. José Garibaldi, who joined with the Maderistas
Francisco I. Madero
Francisco Ignacio Madero González was a politician, writer and revolutionary who served as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. As a respectable upper-class politician, he supplied a center around which opposition to the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz could coalesce...
in the attack on Casa Grandes, Chihuahua, during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. The Garibaldi Metro station
Metro Garibaldi
Metro Garibaldi, also known as Garibaldi/Lagunilla, is a station on the Mexico City Metro. It is a transfer station, serving both Lines 8 and B. It is the northern terminus of Line 8....
is named after this plaza.
The Plaza is best known as the Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
home of mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
music. At all hours of the day and night, mariachi bands can be found here playing or soliciting gigs from visitors to the Plaza. The Salón Tenampa, which started it all here in the 1920s, is still in business on the north side of the plaza. The plaza and the neighborhoods around it are undergoing extensive rehabilitation to halt the decades-long degeneration of the area. Plans include a remodeled plaza, extensive rehabilitation of the surrounding buildings and streets as well as making the area a zone where it is safe to be 24 hours a day for visitors.
This area was designated as a "Barrio Mágico"
Barrios Mágicos of Mexico City
The “Barrios Mágicos” of Mexico City is a list of twenty one areas in the Federal District, which have been named “magical neighborhoods” in order to attract tourism to them. The program is sponsored by the city government but is patterned after the “Pueblos Mágicos” program of the Mexican...
by the city in 2011.
Mariachi Mecca
During the Golden Age of Mexican cinema from the 30s to the 50s,a genre of movies called “CharroCharro
Charro is a term referring to a traditional horseman from Mexico, originating in the central-western regions primarily in the state of Jalisco including: Zacatecas, Durango, Guanajuato, Morelos, Puebla...
” became extremely popular. These movies featured stars such as Tito Guízar
Tito Guízar
Federico Arturo Guízar Tolentino was a Mexican singer and actor. He was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico....
, Jorge Negrete
Jorge Negrete
Jorge Alberto Negrete Moreno is considered one of the most popular Mexican singers and actors of all time....
, José Alfredo Jiménez
José Alfredo Jiménez
José Alfredo Jiménez was a Mexican singer-songwriter in the ranchera style whose songs are considered an integral part of Mexico's musical heritage....
and Pedro Infante
Pedro Infante
José Pedro Infante Cruz , better known as Pedro Infante, is the most famous actor and singer of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema and is an idol of the Latinamerican people, together with Jorge Negrete and Javier Solís, who were styled the Tres Gallos Mexicanos . He was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa,...
, who would often sing mariachi songs to their leading ladies. On one side of Plaza Garibaldi is the Salón Tenampa, which became a major nightspot in the 1920s when Cirilo Marmolejo
Cirilo Marmolejo
Cirilo Marmolejo , was a folk musician of guitarrón and vihuela, and pioneer in the development of the mariachi band. By the year 1918, he was invited to play at Guadalajara city, and then at Mexico city. From that time, the popularization of this type of band spread in the country...
and his mariachi band started playing there regularly. Garibaldi Plaza soon attracted other mariachi musicians, who would be paid by gentlemen to sing to their partners in the style of Marmelojo or the Charro movie stars.
The popularity of Charro movies has waned and Marmelojo died some time ago, but mariachi bands can still be found here day and night. These musicians play for the patrons of the bars, nightclubs and pulque
Pulque
Pulque, or octli, is a milk-colored, somewhat viscous alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, and is a traditional native beverage of Mexico. The drink’s history extends far back into the Mesoamerican period, when it was considered sacred, and its use was limited to...
rias that still surround the plaza, as well as for passers-by. Mariachi bands also line up on Eje Central in front of the plaza to solicit gigs from passing motorists. Over the years other types of bands, such as trios, jarocho
Jarocho
A jarocho is a person, item or style of music from Veracruz, Mexico.One explanation of the origin of the term jarocho is that it evolved from an old Spanish word meaning brusque or disordered. There are many other theories....
s (music groups from Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
) even groups playing modern music, have joined the mariachis on the plaza. The best time to experience the plaza is on a Friday or Saturday night from 11pm onwards.
The Salón Tenampa
Mariachi music was invented in JaliscoJalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
state and it arrived in Mexico City in the first decade of the 20th century, when a band led by Cesáreo Medina was hired to play at a party given by Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
for an official visit by the Secretary of State of the United States, Elihu Root
Elihu Root
Elihu Root was an American lawyer and statesman and the 1912 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the prototype of the 20th century "wise man", who shuttled between high-level government positions in Washington, D.C...
.
The Salon Tenampa was founded by Juan Indalecio Hernández Ibarra, originally from Cocula, Jalisco, the birthplace of mariachi. Hernández arrived in Mexico City from Jalisco in 1923 and started a cantina/store on Plaza Garibaldi, naming it El Tenampa. The origin of this name is in dispute. Some say it was the brand name of a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n cigar that has since disappeared, others say it is the name of a ranch in Veracruz and still others say it comes from an indigenous word “tenampal” meaning meeting place.
Hernández opened the establishment to give his fellow “Jalisquenses” a taste of home, with foods such as birria
Birria
Birria is a spicy Mexican meat stew usually made with pork, goat, lamb, or mutton, often served during festive periods, such as Christmas, New Year's Eve, Mother's Day, and weddings. Originally from Jalisco, it is a common dish in some Mexican food establishments...
, pozole
Pozole
Pozole is a ritually significant, traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico. Pozole was mentioned in Fray Bernardino de Sahagún's "General History of the Things of New Spain" circa 1500 CE. It is made from nixtamalized cacahuazintle corn, with meat, usually pork, chicken, turkey, pork...
as well as tequila
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
and mariachi music. Soon after opening his establishment, Hernández located a mariachi musician he knew in Cocula, Concho Andrade, and convinced him to play at El Tenampa. This began the long tradition of major mariachi bands playing here. However, this band did not play here long because of the ongoing Cristero War
Cristero War
The Cristero War of 1926 to 1929 was an uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government in power at that time. The rebellion was set off by the strict enforcement of the anti-clerical provisions of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and the expansion of further anti-clerical laws...
that was causing problems back in Cocula, causing most of the band to return to Jalisco to their families. In 1927, Hernández hired Cirilo Marmolejo to play along with other mariachi groups. While one group played inside the club, another would play for crowds outside in the Plaza. The popularity of mariachi music grew and other big names in the genre, such as José Reyes
José Reyes
José Bernabé Reyes is a Dominican baseball shortstop.He is a four-time All-Star. He led the major leagues in triples in 2005, 2006, and 2008, and led the National League in stolen bases in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was the NL batting champion in 2011...
, would also come and play at El Tenampa. Over the decades, the establishment would host kings, princesses, presidents, prime ministers plus innumerable politicians, artists and intellectuals from Mexico and abroad. Still located on the north side of Garibaldi Plaza, El Tenampa parties every night until 3 am, 4 am on weekends and holidays.
The “old” plaza
In 1910, Garibaldi Plaza had a garden in the middle of it. Later, the plaza would be completely paved over with a kiosk placed in the center and an arcadeArcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
placed near the front, by Eje Central. On either side of the plaza were statues of great Charro singers. Along with the Salón Tenampa, bars, restaurants and nightclubs have surrounded the Plaza. Other popular nightspots have included the Guadalajara de Noche, the Nuevo México Típico and the Tropicana. Places to eat include the San Camilito Gastronomic Market, which is filled with small stands serving Mexican food, many specializing in birria. There is a pulquería here as well, called the Pulquería Hermosa Hortensia. While it is not a traditional pulquería, it is considered to be a safe place for tourists to try the native alcoholic drink of pulque
Pulque
Pulque, or octli, is a milk-colored, somewhat viscous alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, and is a traditional native beverage of Mexico. The drink’s history extends far back into the Mesoamerican period, when it was considered sacred, and its use was limited to...
.
Until 2009, this was the look the plaza had. The kiosk and arcade had witnessed thousands of declarations of love, where couples had mariachi bands serenade them. Others had come to celebrate special occasions, nights out on the town or forget about a lost love. Every year on 21 November, the Day of the Music has been celebrated here.
Unfortunately, the Plaza and the neighborhoods of Guerrero and Tlatelolco surrounding it had been in decline for decades. Infrastructure had not been maintained or updated, but the most serious deterioration for the area has been in the way of security. The area is well-known for thieves, especially on the side streets, indigents and public drunkenness. This deterioration has caused many legitimate businesses to leave these neighborhoods and the number of tourists visiting the Plaza itself has seriously declined.
Plan to revitalize Plaza Garibaldi
In spite of the area’s serious decline, Plaza Garibaldi remains one of the best-recognized places by foreign visitors in Mexico City. In 2007, a plan to rescue and revitalize Plaza Garibaldi and the surrounding neighborhoods, called the Programa Integral de Remodelación de la Plaza Garibaldi, was made concrete. The plan is part of the ongoing effort to revitalize the historic downtown, and part of more ambitious plans to revitalize tourism in Zona RosaZona Rosa
Zona Rosa is a neighborhood in Mexico City which is known for its shopping, nightlife, gay community, and its recently established Korean community...
and Xochimilco
Xochimilco
Xochimilco is one of the sixteen delegaciones or boroughs within Mexican Federal District. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in the pre-Hispanic period...
as well. The goal of the Garibaldi project is to recuperate one of the most “emblematic” or “iconic” places, in this case, to return it as one the premier nightspots in Mexico City.
Financing for these projects was solicited from the federal government (50%), the Mexico City government and private sources. The project involves fifteen local government agencies and two federal ones. Of the various revitalization projects relating to tourism in the city, the Garibaldi project is considered the priority, as it is one of the most important attractions for the city, and is a site of Bicentennial Celebrations in Mexico City in 2010
Celebration of Mexican political anniversaries in 2010
In 2010, Mexico celebrated both the 200th anniversary of its Independence and 100th anniversary of its Revolution. The entire year was proclaimed by President Felipe Calderón as "Año de la Patria", or "Year of the Nation." 16 September 1810 is the day of the "Grito de Dolores" or Miguel Hidalgo's...
. Of the 120 million pesos budgeted the various projects, 90.6 million is now destined for Garibaldi. This is because monies have been diverted from other projects to this one.
Remodeling of the plaza itself is expected to cost 24 million pesos. 30 million pesos have been set aside to buy properties in the neighborhoods adjoining the Plaza, with the remodeling of these properties expected to cost 32.1 million. The entire project set to be completed in 2010.
Security
The first priority of the project is to improve the security of the Plaza and the surrounding neighborhoods. A “security zone” between La LagunillaMetro Lagunilla
Lagunilla is a station along Line B of the Mexico City Metro located north of the center of Mexico City, near the famous market with the same name ....
(just east of Plaza Garibaldi) extending west and south to the Palacio de Bellas Artes is being created so that the area can be visited 24 hours a day. This area is called the Bellas Artes-Garibaldi Tourism Corridor. Street lighting is being improved along with the rehabilitation of the gardens and sidewalks of the neighboring streets.
More police are being stationed here and two permanent police modules, one on Eje Central and the other in the center of Plaza Garibaldi itself are planned. Security cameras are being installed and traffic flow along Eje Central improved. To rid the area of indigents and drunks, social workers are being employed to lead people to shelters and/or to job training services as appropriate. When necessary, judicial intervention will occur, according to the city. It is hoped that these combined efforts will move “anti-social” elements to move onto other parts of the city allowing businesses and private investment to return. All property owners in the area are being required to invest, co-invest, sell their lands or risk expropriation.
Infrastructure
The old kioskKiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
and arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
have been leveled, as well as some of the older buildings on the east side of the plaza to make for more open space. An agave garden will be the center of the new Plaza. Benches, better walkways, lighting and a tourism information booth will be added. However, most of the remodeling money is going towards the purchase and renovation of the buildings around the plaza, to make them better-suited to commercial and tourism purposes. This includes the facades of thirty two buildings that face the plaza as well as infrastructure projects such as water, drainage and cable burial. New pavement and sidewalks are being installed in the neighboring streets of Republica de Perú, San Camilito, Republica de Honduras, Monteros and Amargura. These streets will also get benches, trash receptacles, better lighting and garden spaces. The goal is to promote new private investment in the area, promoting it as a “Barrio Mágico del Distrito Federal” (Magical Neighborhood of Mexico City) and a Zona de Desarrollo Turístico Sustenable (Sustainable Tourism Development Zone).
Two showpieces of the project are the Museum of Tequila and Mezcal and a School of Mariachi dedicated to the formal training of these musicians. The goal is to present a better image of the square and the culture it represents to foreign visitors.
Museum of Tequila and Mezcal
Located just behind the Agave Garden on the Plaza, the museum will be a three-story building with clear glass walls, stone floors and an area of 220 m2. The architect of the project is Adriana Sepúlveda Vildósola, who is sponsored by the Autoridad de Espacio Público of Mexico City. Offices and other spaces will occupy most of the ground floor. The first floor will be open exhibition area and will contain most of the museum’s exhibition space. The purpose of the museum is to show the drinks’ origins, production and the wide variety, as relating to the history of Mexico and Mexican cuisine. The museum will also contain a tasting room. The project has a budget of 30 million pesos.School of Mariachi
The School of Mariachi, which already exists at an old silk factory nearby, trains mariachi musicians with an eye toward keeping the old traditional ways. Many mariachi purists complain that the music has been over-adapted to modern tastes and that many “pirate musicians,” who do not devote themselves to the music full-time, are ruining one of Mexico’s treasured icons. Many also worry that the music’s popularity in other places in the world, especially in the United States, is bringing unwanted changes to the genre. The School of Mariachi will get a new home in the new Plaza, and will also certify professional mariachi musicians from Mexico and around the world. This particular project has a budge to 32.1 million pesos.Other attractions
The statues of Mexican music greats such as Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, Javier Solís and others are being moved to Republica de Honduras Street. This street will be closed to vehicular traffic and be converted into the Paseo de los Idolos de la Música Mexicana (Boulevard of the Idols of Mexican Music). The San Camilitio Gastronomic Market will remain, but it will be extensively rehabilitated at a cost of 4.5 million pesos. To further gastronomic development here, the city has proposed a Conservatory of Mexican Cuisine. They are also working to get gourmet restaurants in other parts of the city to open here as well, promising to work to promote new restaurants that do open here.A lienzo charro
Lienzo charro
A lienzo charro is an arena where charros hold the events of charreada, torneo de colas and bull riding. A lienzo has two areas: one and a second, circular area in diameter. Charreada is a team competition in which teams go head-to-head to win points in different competitions. The team with the...
for charreada
Charreada
The charreada or charrería is a competitive event similar to rodeo and was developed from animal husbandry practices used on the haciendas of Old Mexico. The sport has been described as "living history," or as an art form drawn the demands of working life...
has also been planned for this section of the city, as it is tied to mariachi music.