Taxco Silver Town

Taxco de Alarcón is a steeply terraced colonial mining town in the state of Guerrero, 170 kilometers southwest of Mexico City, built on silver wealth during the 18th century and recognized today as Mexico's silver capital with over 300 silver shops and workshops concentrated in its historic center. The town clings to steep hillsides connected by narrow cobblestone alleys and stairways, with white-washed buildings of uniform height under terracotta tile roofs — a strict building code still enforced today gives Taxco an unusually cohesive colonial appearance rare among Mexican towns. The dominant landmark is the Santa Prisca Cathedral, built between 1751 and 1758 with the personal fortune of silver mine owner José de la Borda, a masterpiece of Churrigueresque baroque in rose-pink cantera stone with twin ornate towers and an elaborately carved portal visible from every vantage point in the city. The interior is equally ornate with gilded retablos (altarpieces) covering the walls from floor to vault. Silver workshops are the main commercial activity — several offer guided tours showing the complete process from raw silver to finished jewelry, and the concentration of shops along the hillside streets allows thorough price comparison. The Teleférico cable car ascends from the edge of town to Hotel Monte Taxco on the ridge above for panoramic views across the valley of white buildings and red roofs. The Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations in Taxco are among the most elaborate in Mexico, with ceremonial processions involving masked penitents dragging chains through the streets at night, drawing large national attention.