Monte Albán — The Scribes' Lost Code

Your quest begins at Oaxaca's Zócalo, officially named Plaza de la Constitución in 1812. This central square, founded in the 16th century, is the vibrant heart of the Spanish colonial city, covering approximately 15,000 m². Surrounded by arcades and historic buildings, it has always been a site for demonstrations and traditional markets, including the mercado de artesanías. Here, you will search for the first traces of the scribes who worked at the crossroads of Zapotec and colonial cultures, marking the beginning of your thematic circuit through Oaxaca's heritage.

Walking up Calle Alcalá, an 800-meter paved pedestrian street named after Archbishop Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros (1436-1517) and closed to cars since 2004, you reach the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Built between 1570 and 1608 by the Dominicans in Mexican Baroque style, this edifice boasts a 32-meter high facade adorned with 14 sculpted niches of saints. The interior, decorated with 18,000 gold leaves covering 6,000 m², holds clues about the transmission of ancient knowledge, even after serving as an anti-clerical barracks from 1857 to 1939. It is a National Historic Monument of Mexico that reveals the layers of Oaxaca's history.

Adjacent to the temple, the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca, housed in the former Convento de Santo Domingo, built from 1575 to 1608 and classified as a Historic Monument in 1938, is a crucial stop. It was here that archaeologist Alfonso Caso excavated Tomb 7 of Monte Albán in 1932, revealing a Mixtec treasure of 500 gold pieces. The fray Francisco de Burgoa Library, with its 50,000 ancient volumes, may hold the keys to your enigma, while the 1,200 m² central patio and its 16th-century octagonal fountain attest to the grandeur of this historic site.

Your exploration will then lead you to the Plaza de la Danza, located 200 meters from the Zócalo via Calle Alcalá. Paved in 2003, this 4,000 m² square can accommodate 5,000 spectators and is named for the annual Zapotec dances held there since 1932, notably the Valles de Guelaguetza in July, a Guelaguetza Intangible Cultural Heritage. This vibrant place offers a contrast to the solemnity of religious buildings, immersing you in the living traditions of Oaxaca, a true Pueblo Mágico Oaxaca.

The culmination of your walk will be the Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca, founded in 1994 on a 16th-century conventual site. Spanning 2.7 hectares, it houses a collection of 1,200 Oaxacan plant species, including agaves and cacti, essential to local culture. Night guided tours by torchlight have been offered there since 1998. 800 m from the Zócalo via Calle Reforma, this garden is not only a botanical oasis but also a place of memory where nature and the history of Oaxaca intertwine, offering you a final perspective on ancestral knowledge and the richness of this city in Mexico.