Cuartel del Arte

Top choice in North of Mexico City


This gorgeous, sprawling cultural center is an oasis of calm at Pachuca’s bustling heart. Formerly the Convento de San Francisco, the complex includes three excellent museums, an art gallery, a theater, a library and several lovely plazas. Highlight include the excellent Museo Nacional de la Fotografía and the impressive (and still functioning) Parroquia de San Francisco. From Plaza de la Independencia, walk two blocks east to Miguel Hidalgo and about 650m south to the corner of Hidalgo and Arista.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby North of Mexico City attractions

1. Museo Nacional de la Fotografía

0.05 MILES

The excellent Museo Nacional de la Fotografía displays early imaging technology and stunning selections from the 1.5 million photos in the National…

2. Museo de Minería

0.28 MILES

Pachuca’s mining museum provides a good overview of the industry that shaped the region. Headlamps, miners’ shrines and old mining maps are on display,…

3. Reloj Monumental

0.44 MILES

The 40m-high Reloj Monumental, built between 1904 and 1910 to commemorate the independence centennial, overshadows the north end of Pachuca’s remodeled…

4. Macromural de Palmitas

0.9 MILES

This jigsaw puzzle of rainbow-painted houses on a hillside makes up Mexico’s largest mural. The artwork took 14 months to paint, employing ex-gang members…

5. Peña del Cuervo Mirador

5.78 MILES

There are lovely wide-angled views of the green mountains in El Chico National Park from the Peña del Cuervo lookout, located on a peak at 2770m. People…

6. El Chico National Park

6.06 MILES

This 30-sq-km national park was established as a reserve in 1898. In Pachuca and the town of Mineral del Chico you will find plenty of flyers for…

7. Río del Milagro

6.44 MILES

There is an easy 1.5km self-guided walk to this small river dotted with abandoned mines and surrounded by trees. From the left of Mineral del Chico's…

8. Pirámide de la Luna

29.93 MILES

The Pyramid of the Moon, at the north end of the Calzada de los Muertos, is smaller than the Pirámide del Sol, but more gracefully proportioned. Completed…