Compulsory giraffe.
"Puerto Vallarta's Famous Stone Artist" -- These rocks are BALANCED into sculptures about eight feet tall.
Sunny Rafa.
The Malecón.
This seaside strollway, is a great place to experience what makes PV so Mexican. In the past, the local social life in town centered around the main square, then later in the 1930s along the malecon.
"Malecón" is the Spanish name for a "esplanade along a waterfront".
Rafael Zamarripa's famous "The Boy on the Seahorse" (Little Seahorse) statue on the Malecón has become a symbol of Puerto Vallarta, now placed in a new location with better space and stairs to sit around it. It's a 3 meter high bronze replica of the statue that was placed initially on a group of rocks called "Las Pilitas" at the end of Los Muertos Beach, but it was thrown over by the waves and strong winds, so in 1976 the artist was requested a new version which was then installed by the old Lighthouse on the Malecón.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish (Church)
Puerto Vallarta's parish Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is a city icon. It dominates Vallarta's downtown skyline and is one of the favorite symbols and landmarks of the city.
There's always activity around and within the church, the church bells are rung by the sextants 30 and 15 minutes prior to each service, but it reaches almost a level of frenzy in the 12 days of Our Lady of Guadalupe Festival (also known as Feast of Guadalupe), held every year from December 1st to the 12th.
During these festivities you'll notice a mix of both traditional Christian and Aztec motifs, young warriors dance in the streets, processions advance through the streets and include lots of banners, music, singing and colorful decorated floats mainly with scenes that include the Virgin and Juan Diego, commemorating the miraculous apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe to the indian peasant called Juan Diego on December 12th, 1531. These festivities are attended by tens of thousands, locals and visitors.
Processions lit by candlelight start off on Av. Juárez close to the Woolworth Store and advance toward the Our Lady of Guadalupe church. Along all the side streets and the Main Square, you'll find vendors selling all kinds of food, sweets, souvenirs, toys and more. Tip: don't even consider driving into town during these celebrations.
As any town in the lands that were part of the Spanish conquest of America, you'll find a church, that is always placed by the main square in the village or town, many are out of proportion with the size of the city or town, others are very simple, with almost nothing more than an altar. Puerto Vallarta is of course no exception, the history of this important church in town is quite interesting and represents in a building the changes the town had along the way, going from a small village all the way to a big city. In the church you'll recognize various styles, like the neoclassical in the main building and the renaissance-styled towers.
The foundations of the church were started in 1903, but at the time there was already a small chapel there dedicated to Virgin Guadalupe. In 1915 father Francisco Ayala arrived and he, with foresight, suggested that a bigger temple than the one that had been designed, be built instead.
The existing foundations were strengthened and finished by 1917, including the main pillars and walls. Construction really started in the early 20's around the still functioning chapel, including the blessing of the "eucaristía", the main bell. The official start date, celebrated at the church each year with a mass, is October 12, 1921.
Construction work halted completely in 1926 when a conflict between church and state escalated to outright war, known as the Cristero War, which ended in 1929.
Church construction started in 1930 with the beginning of the dome. By 1940 the entire building was finished, except the two towers. On December 12, 1951, the chancel and the Hammond organ installed in it were used for the first time (notice the date). The father at that time, Rafael Parra wanted the main tower finished at that date, but this wouldn't be the case until 1952.
To "crown" the Parish, what better than a crown. It was placed on the main tower in 1965 (based on the city historian, Carlos Munguía Fregoso) and was sketched by the priest Rafael Parra Castillo, same person who designed the tower. The original crown was designed and sculputed by José Esteban Ramírez Guareño in 1965.
The crown IS NOT, as normally found online, a replica of one supposedly worn by Carlota, the mistress of Emperor Maximilian in the 1800's, which - as explained on the Parish website - would only have been a tiara based on her hierarchy within the nobility.
Under father Ramirez's supervision both the front side and lateral towers were finally finished in 1987 and what we know as the Our Lady of Guadalupe church was finally ready.
The church itself, not a cathedral, as many name it (it's not presided by a Bishop), is not really a sophisticated architectural design, it's a mix of styles that is result of the different parish priests' tastes and ideas that appeared along the way, elements are neoclassic, as the main building, the crown is reminiscent of baroque European temples, the side towers have a renaissance touch, and so on.
The end result is surprisingly appealing and certainly makes for a beautiful landmark in Puerto Vallarta.
The original design of the church indicated that it is a tribute to the original Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. In the church there is an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that people venerate, a 1945 oil replica by Ignacio Ramirez, an artist from Guadalajara.
The original crown on the church was damaged by weather and erosion and was restored in 1981. On October 9, 1995 it fell off and was destroyed by a strong earthquake in Colima.
It was replaced with a temporary fiberglass model and since then has been replaced with a crown sculptured by the famous Jaliscan artist, Carlos Terres, read more about the crown itself.
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