Taxco

Taxco, which is designated as a national monument, is one of Mexico’s quaintest Colonial towns. Being close to Mexico City and on the route to Acapulco, it has many tourists and is a bit more commercial than some other silver towns that are more off the beaten path. Nevertheless, the charm of this small town, squeezed in amongst barren hills, still prevails. The setting is picture perfect, with narrow, cobbled streets twisting up and down the hill, lined by whitewashed buildings topped by rustic tiled roofs. The colorful plaza in the center hugs one of the few level pieces of ground in town. The church is a masterpiece.One would never expect to find a town in such a precarious setting, but the reason is obvious: silver. Hernán Cortés was constantly on the alert for rumors of gold and silver, hoping to discover mines so that he could please his king by enriching the coffers of Spain. When he learned that the Aztecs traded in silver from the Taxco area, he sent his engineers to investigate and soon mining was under way. SIGHTSEEING IN TAXCOMuseum of William Spratling: This museum, located two blocks from the Plaza Bora, on Calle Porfirio A. Delgado, features William Spratling’s collection of silver and pre-Hispanic art. (Read more about Spratling below.) Plaza Borda: This small plaza in the center of town is a photographers’ delight—the epitome of what one imagines the perfect Mexican square should look like. It is tiny (there isn’t much room to spare in Taxco), but as pretty as can be with shade trees, the typical bandstand, whitewashed buildings with tiled roofs, and wrought-iron balconies everywhere you look. Santa Prisca Church: One would never dream of finding such an incredibly beautiful church as Santa Prisca tucked away in a small mining town, but then most towns didn’t have such a wealthy benefactor as José de La Borda. When the word trickled to Europe that silver had been found in the New World, a Frenchman by the name of José de La Borda packed his bags and rushed (as fast as you could rush in the 18^th century) to Mexico to make his fortune. Finding nothing, he was about to give up and head for home, when his horse slipped and exposed a rich vein of silver. To thank God for this miracle, Borda built the Santa Prisca church, where his son Manuel became priest. No expense was spared and the church is a jewel. Its twin bell towers and ornate dome have become a landmark of Taxco, repeatedly seen on postcards and posters. Shopping: It seems every building has its silver shop. You cannot go more than a few steps before finding another one (at last count there were more than 200). Many sell silver items at the same price, and in similar style, to those found in resort shops throughout Mexico, but what is special, and can’t be found elsewhere, are the shops where individual pieces are designed. Many of these are exquisite, and not inexpensive. The reason for the prolific number of skilled craftsmen here is partly due to the American ambassador to Mexico in the 1920s, Dwight Morrow (father of Anne Morrow, wife of Charles Lindberg). He was a dedicated statesman who went far beyond the line of duty in trying to improve the lot of the local people. Morrow had a friend, William Spratling, a young professor from New Orleans, who fell in love with Mexico. Morrow persuaded him to stay and set up workshops to teach jewelry design to the artisans in Taxco. This he did, and Taxco is now known worldwide for the skill of its designers.Silver Museum: Just across from Santa Prisca is a silver museum run by a local silversmith. At first glance it seems more like a shop, but what is interesting is that on exhibit are award-winning pieces of jewelry. It is fascinating to see the superb designs and craftsmanship in these lovely pieces of art.