The View from El Pípila

When touring Guanajuato, visiting the monument to El Pípila is a must. The view of the city from the monument is beautiful. The brightly colored buildings set against deep blue skies and a mountainous backdrop make for beautiful photos.

Monument to El Pípila

The story of Pípila dates to the Mexican Revolution. The Spanish troops were quartered in the Alhondiga de Granitas, a fortified grain storage building. The Revolutionaries wanted to take the building, but the Spanish had many muskets defending it. Pípila approached the building with a flat stone tied to his back to protect himself, then set fire to the building. The Revolutionaries were then able to storm the building and take it. While the accounts of the battle vary, there was no doubt Pípila was a hero. He is recognized with a large statue that looms over the city. From this statue, the views are fantastic.

To get to the top, you can take the funicular, which is basically a train car which runs up the side of the hill on a small track. The cost is $18 pesos each way. The ticket office is behind the Teatro Juarez. At the top are places to enjoy the view, plus some small tourist shops. To return, you can take the funicular back down, or follow one of the paths.

You can also climb up the hill via the narrow streets and stairs. Although I did this, I became somewhat lost and couldn’t say exactly how to do it again, other than I started up next to the San Francisco church and headed up Del Potrero. Just keep going up, and eventually you should get there. This is very strenuous — better to take the funicular if you’re not in great shape.

This photo was taken from the top: