Another major street that crisscrosses the center of town is Insurgentes. It is nowhere as long as Calle de la Canal, which I described in my last article, but it passes by many significant historical sites. It begins just beyond its intersection with Loreto, shown below as it was in the 1950s when a pulqueria—a bar that sells pulque—occupied the spot. Pulque is a traditional Mexican alcoholic beverage brewed from the juice of the maguey, with a fairly low alcohol content similar to that of beer. It’s an ancient drink used by the Aztecs as offerings to the gods, and for medicinal purposes. Prior to its being a pulquería, the property was the home of the family of the Oratorian priest, Father Romulo. The name, Los Llanos de Apan—the Valleys of Apan—refer to the region of Mexico where production of pulque has gone on for centuries.
There is a small detail on the building across the street, almost on the corner. It is a billboard attached to the wall, something quite common in the last century and before. Whereas these days we look for announcements of events on social media, in the past these could be found on walls of public buildings, and would let residents know about bull fights, concerts, and public meetings. It is impossible to read this particular announcement. That wall along Loreto Street is part of the entire Oratorio complex, it was church property then and it still is.
Something else is of interest here. Along that same wall, as it turns the corner along Insurgentes, is a fragment of something—perhaps a plaque, or an inscription. To find out what it is, you need to see it in the present, as in a current photo I took recently. It is an iron frame that holds announcements—in this case, events for December 2024. In the old picture the small portion that is seen is the identical iron frame. A remnant from the past, still here, after at least 70 years.
I find it fascinating, and fun, to compare old photos of the city with the way it is today. To see a familiar corner from many years ago is a treat for someone interested in history, and it is my hope that this will also please those who follow this blog. The changes that have occurred are stark, but what is perhaps even more interesting is how much has been preserved. That, of course, is immensely related to our status as UNESCO Heritage Site, which requires the city to safeguard its past. But it also implies taking care of the buildings, applying paint when needed, and so on, which can be seen in today’s San Miguel de Allende.
Another intriguing, historical note about the pulqueria building is the small niche visible in the right corner of the building. From the perspective of the photo above, one can hardly distinguish it as such; but having studied the niches in the city, I have additional information.
This niche dates back to the 18th century, which means that the building is at least as old. The niche is empty, with just traces of the figure that most likely was there originally. The figure disappeared many years ago. The location of the niche, behind the Santa Casa de Loreto, and at the beginning of the street of the same name, makes it almost certain that it must have been dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto. It is small but finely done; framed by Baroque motifs and an oyster shell. The pedestal is semicircular with two tiny valances on the side.
Below is a view of the same corner as it is today. The three doorways are still there, and look the same as they did in the 1950s, and most likely the same as when the building was constructed sometime in the 1700s. The corner is now occupied by a pharmacy. At the top is the previously described niche.
The sidewalk leads to the Chapel of Loreto, then to the Oratory Church, and farther yet, the church of La Salud. That entire trajectory, from this point on, up until the next intersection which is Colegio Street, is pedestrian only as it passes through a plaza.
Insurgentes Street makes a turn after Loreto and connects with the pedestrian street La Soledad which goes through the plaza, originally Plaza de la Soledad, and now Plaza Civica. The street that runs through until reaching Mesones is called Pepe Llanos, one of the shortest streets in the city.
Above is Insurgentes Avenue as it begins at the plaza, looking to the west. The building in the foreground to the left is still there, it is now a red color, and an addition has been built in front so that the niche we see here in the distance, on the corner of the building is no longer at the corner. The niche—of the Virgin of Loreto—now appears farther along that wall. Nowadays a man sells churros from his stand on the sidewalk in front of that building. It is also the place where the local buses stop to pick up passengers. Across from it is the low wall before the atrium of the Oratorio church.
The Plaza Civica, and its evolution through the years, deserves a full article, and I will dedicate one to its fascinating history in the future. Let us return to Insurgentes Avenue then. Its original name was Calle de Santa Ana—St. Anne’s Street—as it appears on a plaque on a wall opposite Loreto Street. Sometime after the 1810 War of Independence ended, the street’s name changed to honor the revolutionary fighters, the insurgents.
When you continue westward along Insurgentes, the next intersection is with Relox, and two significant buildings rise at that corner. The first doorway you reach on the right is that of Santa Ana Church, a late 18th century addition to the city. It is a non-assuming church noted for its high fortress-like façade. The interior is unassuming, but it has a few worthy pieces of religious art work which I have described in a previous article about the church.
The next doorway, as you go west, is the entrance to the Biblioteca Publica, the Public Library. The entire building was originally part of the Santa Ana Church complex, with that portion being used as a shelter for single women. The space went through many iterations and uses—from women’s shelter to slaughterhouse, to flea market, to finally a space for books, art, and education that it is today.
Insurgentes Avenue continues west, crosses a bridge over Arroyo los Cachinches, and ends a short distance after, at a small plaza appropriately called Plaza Pequeñito, because it is indeed a very small, though charming plaza. And it is here, in the neighborhood of San Rafael that Insurgentes ends its course through the city.
