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Historic places in Morelia

9 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Morelia.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Historic places in Morelia

  1. Eat

    Cafe Michelena

    A lovely cafe and bookstore, with part-French, part-Mexican cuisine, situated in the heart of the historical center.

  2. See

    Casa Natal de Morelos

    Hero of the Mexican War for Independence, native son Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, was born, raised, and lived his life in Morelia. There are two Morelos homes in the city, and both are historical museums that chronicle Morelos and his role in shaping Mexico.

  3. See

    Cathedral

    One of the downtown highlights is the baroque cathedral with its surrounding gardens and parks. The cathedral is enormous, covering more than 2 city blocks in area. Architectural details like the flying buttresses and tiled cupolas give it a distinctive look. The Cathedral is the site for the local “Day of the Dead” celebration in early November. It is more of an experience than can be described here. Most of the activities take place after dark, make sure you have a good seat around the square at dark for the outside performance of the choir and the fireworks each night.

  4. See

    Centro Cultural Clavijero

    Palacio Clavijero

    Wonderful colonial era palace with galleries set around a central courtyard and fountain. The galleries feature a range of art, some of it historic indigenous works, but mostly modern and contemporary art.

    Tue-Sun 10:00 - 18:00, closed MonFree

  5. Do

    Conservatory of the Roses

    Conservatorio de las Rosas

    Listen to a concert by the Morelia Boys Choir at the spectacular Conservatory of the Roses. The group is modeled on the Vienna Boys Choir, and their director is a former maestro from Vienna. The Conservatory is housed in a historic monastery built in 1594, though the conservatory traces its roots to the founding of a girls school here in 1743. Besides the famous choir, the conservatory also has an orchestra and other performing arts ensembles.

  6. Eat

    Hamburguesas las Tradicionales de las Tarascas

    A local secret and delicious late-night food spot located just northeast of the historical center. Look for a street stall tucked into a side street, Cal. Universidad de Salamanca, just across from the Poza Rica gas station. It can be a be bit hard to find, but their Mexican-style hamburgers are worth the effort, especially after a night out. Tacos too, of course. Get there before 23:00 to avoid the crowds.

  7. See

    Monument to Lazaro Cardenas

    Historical landmark built as a memorial to Lazaro Cardenas, a general during the Mexican Revolution who served as President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.

  8. See

    Museo de Historia Natural (MUNAH)

    Natural History Museum

    Small museum that explores the natural world with lots of preserved plant and animal specimens and exhibits oriented towards children. The museum can be fully experienced within about an hour.

    Daily 10:00 - 16:00Free

  9. Drink

    Bunbury's Bar

    A very local pub just south of the cathedral.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Morelia (CC BY-SA 4.0).