Get to know the interior of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas or also known as the Regional Museum of Guanajuato, which in Arabic means warehouse or grain market. Are you ready to know the history and the secrets it hides?

History of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas

It is one of the most representative buildings regarding the Mexican War of Independence, where the importance of the past history is exhibited, preserved, promoted and disseminated. Everything inside the museum aims to bring Mexican society and the tourists who visit it closer to the important legacy that has been left behind.

Among many other attractions, you can see the murals that tell the story of the battle that took place in 1810. It stands out for being a neoclassical building in which different heritage identities come together, in addition to being a World Heritage Site in the city of Guanajuato, one of the most populated cities in Mexico.

Its construction began in 1796 by order of Viceroy Miguel de la Grúa and was carried out by architect José del Mazo y Avilés; the work was finally completed in 1809. Initially, the building was to have a totally different function from what it is today, as it was intended to be a warehouse for storing grain.

However, this became the scene of the first battle for Mexican independence in which the insurgent Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his army took the alhóndiga with the help of Juan José de los Reyes. Since 1967, the reconverted Regional Museum of Guanajuato is one of the most important and largest in Mexico, with more than 9,000 objects exhibited in its different rooms.

What will you find inside? you can see the collection of works of the state’s artisans, an exhibition of old photographs of the inhabitants of the city or documentation of the Mexican War of Independence, among many other attractions.

Battle of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas

In 1810 the Alhóndiga de Granaditas conflict began. This was one of the first battles to achieve Mexican independence with the entrance of the insurgents to Guanajuato to take the city.

Juan José de los Reyes is remembered as the one who helped burn the door of the Alhóndiga, protected by a large stone slab, so that Miguel Hidalgo’s army could win the battle. Citizens of all ages had taken shelter inside the building, believing they would be safe; however, when the insurgents entered the Alhóndiga, they killed everyone inside. This massacre was one of the worst committed during the entire war.

Heads at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas

When the independence fighters, including Miguel Hidalgo, died, their heads were paraded around the city to be later hung and exhibited in the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, in order to provoke fear among the citizens, as well as to demonstrate how the inhabitants of Guanajuato could end up if they revolted. They were kept in every corner of the building from 1811 to 1821.