Cuernavaca

Cuernavaca is the main city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It is thought to be one of the places where the Mesoamerican civilization began, with important Olmec artworks found nearby. The city is south of Mexico City, about a 90-minute drive away on the Federal Highway 95D.

The name Cuernavaca comes from Nahuatl words meaning 'surrounded by or close to trees'. The city is famous for its warm weather and green scenery, earning it the nickname "City of Eternal Spring". Many people from Mexico City visit or have homes there because it is close and beautiful. The area also attracts visitors and students who come to learn the Spanish language.

The city

City of Eternal Spring

Cuernavaca is sometimes called the "City of Eternal Spring." This name comes from a traveler named Alexander von Humboldt, who wrote about the area in 1810. The city has warm, comfortable weather, staying between 21–26 °C (70–79 °F) most of the year. It is located on the slope of a mountain range, where warm air rises in the morning and cooler air comes down in the afternoon. The city is known for its beautiful flowers, like the bougainvillea.

Because of its nice weather and scenery, many important people have lived in Cuernavaca over the years. This includes royalty, nobles, and leaders from other countries. The city attracts people who enjoy its pleasant climate and natural beauty.

Cuernavaca metropolitan area

Cuernavaca has long been a favorite place for people from Mexico City to visit and relax. In the 1940s, the city's nice climate began to draw foreigners as well. The area grew quickly from the 1960s onward. Today, the metropolitan area includes several nearby towns such as Emiliano Zapata, Jiutepec, Temixco, Tepoztlán, and Xochitepec.

Many people from Mexico City now have second homes in Cuernavaca to escape the busy city life. Some have even moved there permanently. This growth has brought economic benefits but has also challenged the city's resources and infrastructure. Most of Cuernavaca's housing is for middle-income families, while lower-income housing is found closer to the city center.

History

Indigenous peoples

Burials from around 1000 BCE were found north of Cuernavaca.

The Tlahuica, a Nahuatl-speaking people, were the first major culture here. Their main settlement was where Cuernavaca is today. The Matlatzincas were also in this region as late as the 19th century.

People from the Valley of Mexico moved south into this area in the 12th century. A lord named King Xolotl conquered most of the Valley of Mexico. An allied Chichimeca tribe also moved south.

The first Aztec emperor began expanding his empire south in the 1370s. The conquered area was renamed Cuauhnahuac by the Aztecs.

Spanish Conquest and colonization

At the time of the Spanish Conquest, Itzohuatzin governed Cuauhnahuac. The Spanish, led by Gonzalo de Sandoval and later Hernán Cortés, marched on Cuernavaca before taking the Aztec capital. The Spanish changed the city's name to Cuernavaca.

Cortés returned in 1523 and built his favorite residence there. The Franciscans arrived in 1529 and built a monastery and chapel, which later became the Cuernavaca Cathedral.

Independence to Revolution

During the Mexican War of Independence, José María Morelos was imprisoned in Cuernavaca. After independence, the area became part of the State of Mexico. Cuernavaca was declared a city in 1834.

During the Mexican-American War, Cuernavaca was captured by U.S. forces. During the Reform War, President Juarez used Cuernavaca as a base.

The State of Morelos was created in 1869, with Cuernavaca as its capital. A highway and rail connection were built in the late 19th century.

Mexican Revolution and 20th century

During the Mexican Revolution, Emiliano Zapata took control of Cuernavaca. The city later fell to government forces.

Wealthy people from North America and Europe built homes in Cuernavaca. In the 1920s and 1930s, Cuernavaca became a popular place for vacations.

21st century

A large earthquake in 2017 damaged many buildings in Cuernavaca. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city had to close restaurants and bars and set curfews.

Points of interest

Palace of Cortés

The Palacio de Cortés is east of the Morelos Garden and is one of the most important buildings in Cuernavaca. Built by Hernán Cortés, it was finished in 1535. It is one of the oldest European-style buildings in the Americas. The central terrace, the battlements, and the thick walls show its original style. It is said that this building looks much like a mansion built in Santo Domingo by Diego Colón, the son of Christopher Columbus. Just outside the front of the building is an old pyramid base over which Cortés built the structure. Petroglyphs found at the site and around the city are on display. The petroglyphs are named Lagarto de San Antón, Aguila de Chapultepec, Piedra Chimalli, or Piedra de los Encantos.

After being the home of Cortés and his family for many years, the building served as a warehouse, a jail, a military base, and then became the State Government Palace. From 1971 to 1973, the building was restored and now houses the Museo Regional Cuauhnáhuac, showing the history of Morelos State. It often is called "the Palacio of Cortes". It has ten rooms with maps, photos, art, and everyday items from different times, showing life from the earliest settlements to today. It has murals by Diego Rivera showing Morelos and Mexican history. Next to the Palacio is a market where you can buy silver jewelry, T-shirts, beaded bracelets, pottery, hammocks, blankets, and more.

Morelos and Juárez Gardens

The Juárez and Morelos Gardens are in the center of the city, both are squares lined with trees. Between them is the State Government Palace, a three-story building with a tezontle façade built between 1955 and 1969. The Morelos Garden dates from 1908 and has a large stone statue of José María Morelos, called "Morelotes". The Juárez Garden is north of the State Government Palace and is the oldest public square in Cuernavaca. The Garden has a kiosk sometimes said to be designed by Gustave Eiffel and brought from Britain in the late 1800s. Unlike most main squares in Mexico, neither of these leads to the main cathedral. The main cathedral in Cuernavaca is a few blocks west of the square.

These two gardens are known as the "zócalo". People often dance the "danzón" or other popular dances here, and "estudiantinas" in old Spanish clothes play instruments and dance. There are also free concerts. Clowns perform with balloons and tricks for children. Locals sell honey, yogurt, candies, and crafts in the plazas. Street food such as corn on the cob, snow cones, candies, fruit smoothies, and more are available.

Cathedral

Cuernavaca Cathedral is the main church of the monastery of the Third Order of the Franciscans, called La Asunción, dating back to the 16th century. It sits on the corner of Hidalgo and Morelos streets, a few blocks west of the town center.

The cathedral was built by Cortés to also serve as a fortress, with cannons on top. Over time, the church changed and had new decorations inside. In the mid-20th century, the old decorations were removed and stored away. The restoration showed wall paintings about the martyrdom of Philip of Jesus, the first Mexican saint. The only other decoration inside now is a modern crucifix and an image of the Assumption of Mary. The restoration was done by Bishop Sergio Méndez Arceo.

After laws changed in the 1860s, most of the monastery became state or private property, leaving only the cathedral and a few small chapels. The church became the Cathedral of Cuernavaca in 1891.

Next to the cathedral is the "open chapel" (capilla abierta) of San José, built in the 16th century. It was restored by Bishop Méndez Arceo and is one of the oldest buildings on the site. The building has a vault with three arches facing the square. Inside the arches is an altarpiece from the 17th century.

The main entrance is on Hidalgo Street, between two large chapels called the Chapel of Santa Cruz and the Chapel of the Tercera Orden. The Tercera Orden chapel is important for its detailed early Baroque style. Inside, there is a later Churrigueresque main altar. A third chapel, called the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, is near the Open Chapel of San José. The bell tower was added in 1713. The cathedral was damaged in the September 2017 earthquake but has been restored.

Other churches of interest

• Parish of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (El Sagrario) was built as a family chapel in the 18th century. The façade is Baroque but has deteriorated due to acid rain. The cupola is special.
• Parish of Los Tres Reyes Magos in Tetela was built in the 16th century by Franciscan monks. It is Baroque style, and there is a fresco inside by Marcos Aldaña. The stone fence around the church was designed by British sculptor John Spencer in the 1980s.
• El Calvario refers to two buildings north of the Historic Center of Cuernavaca. The smaller is a chapitel (open-air chapel) built in 1538 at the old city entrance. It is named for the cross on top. There is a fountain called Fuente de los Leones or Fuente de las Ranas in front. In 1772 the chapitel was dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, and there is a large fair every 12 December. The larger building is the church of San Jose, built in 1939.
• The Church of Tepetates, built in the 16th century, was named after the soil in the area. It is in the old district of Tecoac. For years it was a symbol of the city due to its façade with two cypresses. This temple is in neoclassic style, dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth. The church has a small garden, an open chapel, and a nave with two bells from 1791. Fr. William Wasson founded the orphanage Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos here in 1954. It is believed the church was built on a teocalli (Prehispanic temple).
• Santuario de Tlaltenango. Temple of San José is said to be the first church built in the American continent (1523) on Hernán Cortés's hacienda. Next to this is the larger Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tlaltenango built in 1730. The largest belltower in Morelos was built in 1886. There is a large street fair every 8 September. A few blocks away is the Chapel of San Jerónimo, built in the late 16th century for ordinary people.
• Parish of St. John the Apostle, built in the 18th century (Chapultepec). There is an image of el Señor de las Batallas, a representation of Christ as a soldier.
• Parish of San Luis Obispo (Amatitlan), built in the 17th century. The church is run by Franciscans.
• Parish of San Miguel Arcangel, built in the 18th century. (Acapantzingo)
• Church of San Nicolás Tolentino, built in the 16th century. (Ahuatepec). There is a mausoleum with the remains of revolutionary general Antonio Barona, a companion of Emiliano Zapata, who was killed by another general.
• Church of San Lorenzo Mártir, built in the 16th century. (Chamilpa)
• Church of El Divino Salvador a Baroque church built by Franciscans in the 16th century (Ocotepec). During a siege in 1914, the people of the town gave their bells to be melted for cannonballs. Near Ocotepec is a Benedictine monastery designed by Gabriel Chávez de la Mora.

There are a number of non-Catholic churches in Cuernavaca also, notably the Episcopal Cathedral of San Miguel Arcángel located at the corner of Calles Guerrero and Santos, Centro Historico.

• Landmarks and monuments of Cuernavaca

  Teopanzolco, Aztec, date from the Middle to Late Postclassic Period (1300-1521)

Cuernavaca Cathedral and Convent, built in 1529-late 17th century, by the Franciscans. A UNESCO WHS.

Chapel of Santa María, chapel of the Cuernavaca Cathedral

Palace of Cortés, built between 1523 and 1747 by Hernán Cortés and Gregorio Cayetano Durán.

Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, built in 1784.

Parish El Divino Salvador de Ocotepec, built in 1530-1592 by the Franciscans friars.

Chapel of San José Tlaltenango, built in 1523.

Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros de Tlaltenango, built in 1720-1730.

Asunción de María y San José Parish, built in the 16th century.

Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (El Castillito), house built in early 20th century.

Museo de Arte Indígena Contemporáneo, building built in 17th century.

Teopanzolco

Teopanzolco is an archeological site east of downtown Cuernavaca. Until recently its construction was dated to 1427, but new evidence from the 19 September 2017 earthquake suggests the original structure was built between 1150 and 1200 CE. Teopanzolco was an important ceremonial center during the 15th and 16th centuries when the native Tlahuicas were ruled by the Aztecs. The site shows significant Aztec influence. It has a large pyramidal base, called the Gran Basamento, with two shrines on top, much like the Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlan. Only the stone columns of these shrines remain today. The sacred plaza contains fourteen monuments including a circular altar dedicated to the wind deity Ehécatl. There are also two concentric structures separated by a moat or ditch. Both might have been dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the feathered-serpent deity, or to Tlāloc, god of rain. The ruins were discovered during the Siege of Cuernavaca in 1914 as the Zapatistas used the heights to place their cannons.

Centro Cultural Teopanzolco

The Cultural Center next to the pyramids has recently been remodeled and now includes several concert halls. There is outside seating facing the pyramids where one can see a video mapping of the pyramid site (Spanish only). centro-cultural-teopanzolco/ English (Retrieved Dec 16, 2016)

Borda Garden

The Borda Garden is near the cathedral on Morelos Street. Originally, this was a house bought by José de la Borda, the mining magnate of Taxco in the mid-18th century. Later, his son, Manuel de Borda y Verdugo, turned the grounds into gardens with flower and fruit trees. These gardens also have fountains and an artificial lake finished in 1783. Today the complex has an art gallery, offices, a restaurant, and an open-air theater. In 1865, this was the summer home of Emperor Maximilian I and his wife Carlota Amalia. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Borda Garden hosted events. Today the area is a public park where the gardens are kept and you can take a boat ride on the lake. The house has been turned into a museum. Six halls are for temporary exhibits while the other seven show life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is next to the Borda Garden, and was built by Manuel de la Borda in 1784. It has a Baroque façade and what is considered the best cupola in the city. The cupola was damaged in the earthquake of 2017.

Robert Brady Museum

The Robert Brady Museum is on Nezahualcoyotl Street and occupies the building known as the Casa de la Torre, originally part of the monastery of La Asunción. In 1960, it was bought by U.S. artist Robert Brady, who turned it into his home and a private art and collectible museum. It contains art and crafts from around the world as well as the original Self-Portrait with Monkey painted by Frida Kahlo. Other works are by artists such as Miguel Cobarruvias, Pelegrí Clavé, María Izquierdo, and Rufino Tamayo. Non-Mexican paintings include those from North America and Europe. Other objects in the collection include antique furniture, African and Indian crafts, and archeological pieces. The collection is in fourteen rooms of the old house, kept mostly as it was when Brady died in 1986 and left the house and its contents to the city.

Tlaltenango

Tlaltenango used to be a separate town, but now is a neighborhood of Cuernavaca city. The main attraction there is the church compound containing the Church of San José and the Church of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros de Tlaltenango. San José is one of the oldest churches in Mexico, built between 1521 and 1523. Two centuries later an image of the Virgin appeared to village members, leading to the building of the second church. This is the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, built in 1730, with its bell towers built at the end of the 19th century.

Hacienda Atlacomulco

The Hacienda de San Antonio Atlacomulco is south of Cuernavaca and was established by Hernán Cortés as one of the first sugar plantations in Mexico. Descendants of the Conquistador held the property until the 19th century, when it became the property of Lucas Alamán, who modernized the facility. The hacienda lost its surrounding properties during the Mexican Revolution and all that remains is the main house. After restoration, the hacienda now houses an exclusive hotel for conventions and banquets.

Museum of Traditional and Herbal Medicine and the Ethnicbotanical garden

South of the city center is Acapantzingo, now part of the city. A large farm owned by Emperor Maximilian I existed there in the 1860s. It was named Olindo, referring to a character in a poem by Torquato Tasso. The emperor used this as one of his residences in Cuernavaca. On this farm is now the Museum of Traditional and Herbal Medicine (Museo de Medicina Tradicional). The museum holds workshops and classes on using plants to make soap, cremes, dyes, decorative objects and more. Outside is an ethnicbotanical garden with exhibits including 800 species of plants organized by uses.

Children's "Kite" Museum

Located on Avenida Vicente Guerrero 205, Colonia Lomas de Selva is the Papalote Children's Museum an interactive children's museum with up to thirty exhibitions and artistic experiences for children, such as a bed of nails, Vincent van Gogh room, Lego, garden, sandbox, bubble factory, and others. Some exhibits are for children under 3.

Chapultepec Ecological Park

The Chapultepec Ecological Park is about four km southeast of the Cuernavaca city center. It contains fresh-water springs, which form the beginning of a river, and is surrounded by large trees called Chapultepec. It is a public park managed by the State Commission of Water and Environment. In addition to playgrounds, the park has habitats for monkeys, birds, butterflies, crocodiles, reptiles, aquatic plants, and orchids. It also has a petting zoo, environmental museum, planetarium, house of terror, theater, and tour train. Beginning December 2018, Diana Ríos, a Mexican designer and artist is creating a new façade called "Metamorphosis" inspired by evolution and species changes as well as the love of nature in Morelos. Featured species are the cangrejito barranqueño (a crab), the carpita morelense (carp), and the amate amarillo (yellow fig tree).

Chapitel del Calvario

The Chapitel del Calvario is a church at the corner of Morelos and Matamoros Streets, built in 1532. The word "chapitel" means "spire" as the church is named after two spires that define its appearance. It also has a fourteen-meter-high dome. It was built in the 16th century and was the last building encountered within Cuernavaca, as one left the city on the road to Mexico City. In 1772, this church was dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe.

El Castillito

The Museo de Fotografía Antigua, also known as El Castillito (the little castle), is located one block from the Chapitel del Calvario. It is a small, brick building from the early 20th century when it was built as a home for the caretaker of the park next to the bridge built by Porfirio Diaz. It was later abandoned until Governor Vicente Estrada Cajigal remodeled it as his residence. Since 1986 it has been a small museum dedicated to antique photographs of the city of Cuernavaca.

Salto de San Antón / St. Anthony Waterfall

The Salto de San Anton is a large ravine with a thin but tall waterfall in the neighborhood of San Anton Analco on the west side of Cuernavaca. The waterfall is 36 metres (118 feet) high, with its water coming from a small tributary of the Zempoala River. The vertical walls of the ravine are of basalt and broad-leafed vegetation grows in nooks and crannies of the stone. Stairs and platforms have been built to enable access to the waterfall area from the park above.

Museo Morelense de Arte Contemporáneo Juan Soriano

The Juan Soriano Museum of Contemporary Art is located east of downtown near the Adolfo López Mateos Market in Colonia Amatitlan. The museum opened amidst controversy on 8 June 2018, and includes a collection of 1,200 paintings, sculptures, drawings, and photographs, including a permanent collection of works by the artist Juan Soriano. The museum was designed by the architect Javier Sanchez and it cost 300 million pesos (US$15 million) to build.

Ravine of Amanalco Park / Barranca de Amanalco

The ravines of Cuernavaca play a major role in regulating the city's climate. One of the most important is the Ravine of Amanalco, which served as a natural defensive line for the city of Cuauhuanauc during the Spanish conquest of 1520, until Hernán Cortés managed to cross it where the modern "Puente del Diablo" is located.

The Ravine of Amanalco Park opened in the 1990s and features a 352-meter long walkway beginning at the Porfirio Díaz bridge and ending at the arches of a colonial-era aqueduct of Carlos Cuagila Street. It is a peaceful walk under dense foliage, and the only sounds you will hear are the birds and the running water.

One can view of the under area of the bridge, which was built at the end of the 19th century to connect the center of the city and the railway station via trolly.

La Tallera David Alfaro Siqueiros / David Alfaro Siqueiros House & Studio

The David Alfaro Siqueiros House and Studio in Cuernavaca, was donated to "the people of Mexico" by David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896–1974). In the late fifties, Siqueiros was creating the mural Del Porfirismo a la Revolución (1957–66). On 9 August 1960, this project was abandoned because he was charged with the crime of "social dissolution" and the muralist was imprisoned. When he left prison in 1964, Siqueiros finished the mural and built a house and workshop in the city of Cuernavaca. There, he lived and executed the mural La Marcha de la Humanidad (1971–73), currently located at the Polyforum Siqueiros.

The house/workshop is located in Parque Siqueiros at the intersection of Calles Marte and Venus, Colonia Jardines de Cuernavaca. It is recommended that one enter from Calle Marte in order to fully appreciate the recently restored murals outside. Free. Siqueiros Park & Studio (English) Retrieved Dec 16, 2018

Other museums

La Casona Spencer (Spencer House) is a cultural center designed to promote the arts. Opened in 2006, the building, located across from the cathedral, dates from colonial time. It was donated to the city upon the death of British artist John Spencer.

Morelos Museum of Popular Arts is located downtown on Hidalgo Street between the cathedral and the Cuauhnahuac Museum. The museum opened in 2016 and features traditional art of Morelos and other parts of Mexico, including ceramics, wax sculpture, and pottery. The exhibits are changed often, and there is a gift shop.

City Museum / Museo de la Ciudad de Cuernavaca (MuCIC) is located in a two-story colonial building on Avenida Morelos next to the Borda Garden. There are six halls for permanent exhibitions and six halls for temporary exhibitions. Since its beginnings in the 16th century, the building has been closely associated with the religious, social, and cultural life of the city. There is a retrospective exhibit of the life of Emiliano Zapata Salazar on the second floor.

Museum of Contemporary Indigenous Art harbors works of 12 ethnic groups of Mexico: Rarámuri, Yoreme, Yaqui, Purhépecha, Huichol, Mazahua, Otomí (or Hñahñu), Nahua, Mixtec, Tzotzil, Tzeltal, and Zapotec, besides spaces dedicated to the cultural communities of Mata Ortiz and the peoples of Morelos. We can view textiles, pottery, wood carvings, and ceramics. The collection belongs to the foundation Pro-Niño Marginado N.G.O. The Autonomous University of Morelos (UAEM) is the custodian of its protection, preservation, research, and exhibition. The building it occupies today was constructed in the 16th century. It is the oldest civilian building on Morelos Avenue, in downtown Cuernavaca.

Museo Güelu is a small modern art museum that is run by Fundacion Fernando Cue Gomez, A.C.. It is located on Ixtalapa Street across from the pyramids in Vista Hermosa.

Science Museum / Museo de Ciencias is located in San Miguel Acapantzingo Park, Colonia Cantarranas, where the state penitentiary stood from 1934 to 2000. This is a hands-on museum designed for informal teaching related to scientific issues. There are two permanent exhibition halls: one dedicated to water and the other dedicated to climate change. The museum offers workshops for children on Mechatronics and Robotics, as well as a 120-seat auditorium and temporary exhibit halls. There is a separate building dedicated to Planet Earth in the park, and there is a Cuexcomate (traditional silo) on the site.

Museum of Sacred Art / Museo de Arte Sacro de Cuernavaca is located within the cathedral, spread over two floors of what was once the cloister. There are numerous religious objects on view.

Parks and diversion

Solidarity Park / Parque Alameda Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta is located on Paseo Cuauhnáhuac east of the freeway. It was named in honor of a presidential candidate who was assassinated in 1994. Entering the park, there is a large fountain built to resemble the ball court in Coatetelco archaeological site. Directly ahead is a public library "Biblioteca 17 de Abril", which has a large mural depicting the history of the State of Morelos. There is also a statue of José María Morelos in front of the building. Visitors can enjoy volleyball, basketball, and mini-soccer fields, as well as a bicycle path, rollerblading rink, and an artificial lake.

San Miguel Acapantzingo Park is located on Calle Altlacumolco in Colonia Cantarranas south of the market. The site was previously the state penitentiary (1934–2000), and you can see a small section of one of the cells there. The Science Museum, Casa Tierra (Earth House), a dancing fountain, a jogging path, a playground, and a Cuexcomate (traditional silo) are in the park. There is also a Byzantine mural called Despertar en Primavera (Waking up in Spring).

Tlaltenango Ecological Park is located on Avenida Zapata at the traffic circle in the north of the city. This park has a projection room for children's movies, exhibit halls for artists, tennis courts, and an open-air gym.

Chapultepec Ecological Park is located off Plan de Ayala in Colonia Chapultepec near the IMSS hospital. The park covers 11 hectares of land and runs lineally for more than 1.5 km. Near the entrance, there is a spring which runs into a crystal-clear stream surrounded by trees, some of which are more than 250 years old. Species include ahuehuetes (cypress), amates (fig trees), guava, and others. There is a butterfly sanctuary, an orchid exhibit, and several species of birds, mammals, and reptiles on display. There is a house of horror, a planetarium, a tourist train, a petting zoo, a solar house, a large exhibit hall, and an artificial lake with paddle boats. There are also cultural spaces for dance, music, and theater. A fair selling local, natural products is held on Sundays.

Melchor Ocampo Garden of Art was inaugurated by Porfirio Díaz, on 11 December 1897, and was built as part of the festivities for the arrival of the railroad to Cuernavaca. Governor Vicente Estrada Cajigal in 1934, built a rudimentary zoo and a swimming pool and the name was changed to "Parque Emiliano Zapata". The zoo and park are mentioned in the novel Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry. The park was remodeled in 2013 and its name reverted to Melchor Ocampo, a space where natural or vegan products are bought and sold, and crafts are exhibited and sold. Every last Sunday of the month, dogs and cats are sterilized for free while others are offered in adoption. The park is located in the Barrio de Gualupita, near the Pullman de Morelos/Selva bus station.

Revolution Park is downtown. There is a basketball gym, a volleyball gym, a 25-meter swimming pool, and an area for playing chess.

Unidad Deportiva Centenario (Centennial Sports Center) near the UAEM has a soccer stadium, baseball field, and gyms for a variety of different sports.

El Miraval is a sports complex (including soccer field) in the neighborhood of the same name (Valley Overlook).

Parque lineal Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca is a bicycle path that follows the former rail line between Av. Rio Mayo and Av. San Diego. The bicycle path is also popular with rollerbladers, dog walkers, and joggers. Cyclists can continue all the way to the Picacho-Ajusco highway.

La Cascada (the waterfall) water park features a small waterfall, Olympic swimming pool, picnic area, parking, and basketball and volleyball courts. It is located on Vicente Guerrero Street in Colonia Las Granjas.

Barranca de Chalchihuapan (Chalchihuapan Ravine) is in the town of Santa María Ahuacatitlán, north of Cuernavaca. There are rustic ponds and a river for raising trout. Visitors can choose the fish they like which is then caught and prepared on site. Visitors can also enjoy the mixed forest, a natural spring, and during the rainy season, there is a waterfall. Visitors can take guided tours, and go camping and birdwatching.

Children and adults can visit El Túnel (the tunnel), an important source of drinking water for Cuernavaca. El Túnel was discovered by Eugenio Jesús Cañas in 1898, and in 1932 pipes were laid. The tunnel is located on Fco. I. Madero, Colonia Miraval.

Cuernavaca has two private golf courses: Club de Golf Tabachines located near the expressway and Club de Golf de Cuernavaca located a few blocks south of downtown.

Monuments

Morelotes is a large statue of Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon designed by sculptor Juan Olaguíbel in the 1940s. It is located in the Zocalo. There is a smaller statue of Morelos in front of the library at Solidarity Park.

Cuauhtemoc (1496-1525) was the last emperor (tlatoani) of Tenochtitlan. He was infamously tortured by Hernán Cortés, who wanted him to reveal where he kept his gold. The statue is located at the intersection of Teopanzolco and Nueva Belgica, Fracc Rincon Del Valle, and was dedicated while Rogelio Sanchez Gatica was Presidente Municipal (2012). (Statue was previously near the train station.)

Paloma de la Paz (Dove of Peace) is located at the traffic circle at the intersection of Av. Heróico Colegio Militar and Av. Domingo Diez. Designed by Víctor Manuel Contreras, it is the first thing visitors from Mexico City see as they get off the tollway.

Monument to General Carlos Pacheco Villalobos who fought alongside Benito Juarez against Maximiliano. He was the first governor of the state (1877-1879). The statue is located in front of the Palace of Cortes.

Monument to Manuel Ávila Camacho is located at the traffic circle of the street that bears his name and Calzada de los Compositores in Lomas de Atzingo. The bronze statue of the president was built in October 1957 by Everardo Hernández Rodríguez.

Monument to Vicente Guerrero is located on Av. Vicente Guerrero in Colonia Lomas de la Selva. Guerrero was a military leader during the Mexican War of Independence and Mexico's second president.

A statue of Emiliano Zapata is located at the traffic circle at Av. Zapata and Av. Heróico Colegio Militar.

A statue of the Niño Artillero, Narciso Mendoza, is located at the traffic circle at the intersection of Av. Morelos Sur and Juarez Blvd. in Las Palmas. As a twelve-year-old, Mendoza bravely fired a cannon at the royalist troops during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla.

Libertad de Expression (Freedom of the Press) is located on Teopanzolco in Vista Hermosa. Of the 264 names of journalists who have been killed since the 19th century, 115 have been killed in the 20th century (up to Dec. 2018).

A statue of Alexander von Humboldt is located in front of the Spencer House on Hidalgo Street downtown. Humboldt nicknamed Cuernavaca The City of Eternal Spring during his 1805 visit.

A statue of Benito Juarez is located on Juarez Blvd. at Motolinia St., south of the Palacio de Cortes. It was erected by the local Mason lodges. At the same site, there is a smaller work to honor the Winter Solstice of 21 December 2012, also erected by the Masons.

There is a bust of Maria Felix in Plaza Maria Bonita in front of Parque Melchor Ocampo in Gualupita.

Acueducto de Gualupita Calle Carlos Cuaglia, Gualupita, at the Barranca de Amanalco.

Porfirio Díaz bridge was built in the 1890s to connect downtown and the train station via a horse-drawn trolly. The other entrance to the Barranca de Amanalco is located here. The Photography Museum was originally built for the gardener who took care of the area surrounding the bridge.

Stampeding Horses, Five Bathing Nymphs, and Diana the Huntress is at Plaza Gustavo Baz are in Colonia Vista Hermosa. A sign notes that Scouts de Mexico meets at Plaza Gustavo Baz on Saturdays.

Capilla Culhuacán de los Dolores and Capilla de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores are in Ocotopec. Capilla de los Santos Reyes is a 16th-century chapel in Tetela del Monte in the north of the city. The bell tower dates from the 17th century, and the chapel is constructed in a primitive Baroque style. Artist John Spencer rebuilt the walls in the 1980s. Capilla de los Tepetates (Jesus de Nazareth) is on Arteaga St. downtown, off Guerero Street. Capilla de San Diego (or San Diegito) is a small 16th century chapel on Galeana St. in Acapantzingo. His feast is in mid-November. Capilla de San Francisco was built in the 16th century before the Cathedral so the monks would have a place of worship during the construction of the latter. It is on Galeana Street downtown. Capilla de San Miguel Acapantzingo was built in the 16th century on Matamoros Street in Acapantzingo, across from the Casa de Maximiliano/Botanical Garden. The chapel suffered some damage during the 2017 earthquake, but it has been restored. His feast is 29 September. Parroquia de la Resurección del Señor y Santa María de Guadalupe is outside Melchor Ocampo Park. Parroquia de San Antonio de Padua is a colonial church on Jesús H. Preciado St., San Antón on the west side of the city, near the Cascada de San Antonio. There are several places to purchase potted plants in the neighborhood. Templo de Guadalupe on Av. Morelos, Centro is an 18th-century church built by Jose de la Borda next to the Jardin Borda. Templo de San Pablo is on Humboldt Street downtown. 18th century. Capilla de San Juan Evangelista is on Calle Sn. Juan, Col. Chapultepec. 18th century.

The train station dates from the late 19th century and is located east of Plan de Ayala. Today it hosts a dance studio.

Cine Morelos on Av. Morelos, Centro, was constructed in the 19th century. Today the theater shows art films.

Puente del Diablo bridge crosses the Barranca de Amanalco at the point where the devil himself, Hernán Cortés, entered the city of Cuauhnahuac in 1521.

Calle Rufino Tamayo was previously called Cinco de Mayo, and before that, it was called Camino al Pueblo de San Miguel Acapantzingo. The bridge across the ravine is called La Emperatriz Muralist Diego Rivera lived at a house located at the corner of Rufino Tamayo and Morelos St. in Colonia Acapantzingo from 1951 to 1957. Artist Rufino Tamayo (1899–1991) lived in a house on the Privada located near Calle Humboldt.

There is a statue dedicated to women at the corner of C. Humboldt and Salazar, across from La Vecindad (the Neighborhood) Children's Cultural Center. The statue was erected on 8 March 1982. A statue of Blind Justice is in front of the Palacio de Justicia behind the Cortes Palace. A plaque on a building on Hidalgo St. in the Historic Center, across from the Cortes Palace, notes that artist Jorge Cazares Campos was born there. The plaque is dated 20 November 2005. He was born on 20 November 1937, and several of his works are on display throughout the city.

Festivals and dance

The Feria de la Flor began in 1965. This flower festival happens from May 2 to May 12. During the festival, flower growers from all over Mexico show their flowers and compete for prizes. There are fair rides, horse competitions, and music events. Neighborhoods in Cuernavaca also celebrate their patron saints on special days in May, June, and August. These celebrations include dances and foods like mole and pulque. Since 1965, Cuernavaca has also held a carnival.

The Huehuechis dance group started in Cuernavaca in 1870. Young people dressed in old clothes and boots, covered their faces, and danced in the streets. This tradition became popular and spread to other places. In Tepoztlan, the dance changed and became known as the "Chinelos", with new costumes and masks.

Cuernavaca has been a popular place for famous people since Aztec times. Many artists, intellectuals, and film stars have lived there. The city has hosted important events and continues to attract people from around the world.

The municipality

Cuernavaca has 12 towns: Acapantzingo, Ahuatepec, Amatitlan, Buenavista del Monte, Chamilpa, Chapultepec, Chipitlan, Ocotepec, San Anton Analco, Santa Maria Ahuacatitlan, Tetela del Monte, and Tlaltenango. As the main city of Morelos, Cuernavaca helps govern 142 smaller communities. It is located in the northeast part of the state and touches the areas of Huitzilac, Temixco, Miacatlán, Tepoztlán, Zapata and Jiutepec. Together with nearby areas, it forms the Cuernavaca Metropolitan Area.

In 2005, only 3,041 people spoke an indigenous language. By 2015, the total population had grown to 366,321. The city of Cuernavaca is in the southern part of the municipality, and about 38% of the area is covered by buildings, including the city and a few nearby suburbs.

The land of Cuernavaca lies between the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt to the north and the Sierra Madre del Sur to the south, in a mountain range called the Sierra del Chichinautzin. It covers 151.2 square kilometres (58.4 square miles). Some of this land is used for farming, some for fishing, some is built up, and some is forest. The average height above sea level is 2,200 metres (7,200 feet), but it varies between 1,255 and 2,355 metres (4,117 and 7,726 feet). The highest points are in the east and north.

During the rainy season, small rivers form in places like Minaltepec and Ajomulco, and they all join to become the Cuernavaca River. Other small streams flow into different rivers and waterfalls. There are also several springs around Cuernavaca. The area is part of the Amacuzac River Basin.

Geography

Climate

Cuernavaca has a warm climate because of its height above sea level. The warmest month is May, with an average temperature of 23.5 °C. The coolest month is January, with an average of 18.7 °C. The city has two climate areas. The north has milder weather with summer rains and forests of pine and oak trees. The south is warmer, with grasslands and some rainforest. The average yearly temperature is about 20.9 °C. Temperatures rarely get hotter than 34 °C or colder than 10 °C.

Economy

Cuernavaca's economy is mostly based on retail trade, with many shops and businesses in and around the city. Agriculture and fish farming employ fewer people, though the area has good resources for these activities. The far north is not well-suited for farming because of its rocky and volcanic soil. The southeast is better for farming. Lower areas around 1,800 metres are good for fishing and fish farming. Middle areas between 1,800 and 2,100 metres are used for a mix of farming and forest products. Higher areas above 2,100 metres are mainly forests. Fish farming faces challenges from urban growth, especially in the Ahuatepec region east of the city.

Outside Cuernavaca, there are some plant nurseries that grow and sell plants, flowers, and seeds, even sending them internationally. Many famous gardens worldwide get flowers from this region. Industry here is small, mostly involving printing, framing, ceramics, making clothes, and producing cleaning supplies. Most people work in retail and service jobs, which depend on tourism. Local crafts include ceramics and wax products, such as beeswax shaped into fun figures, along with flowerpots, clay objects, handmade paper, and painted wood masks.

Education

Cuernavaca has many schools for children of all ages, both private and public.

The city is also home to several universities, including UNAM and the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos. Visitors can learn Spanish in classes that include cultural activities.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Mexico

Twin towns – sister cities

Cuernavaca has friendly partnerships with cities around the world. It is twinned with:

• Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States
• New York, New York in the United States
• Denver, Colorado in the United States
• Ōtaki, Chiba in Japan
• Minoh, Osaka in Japan

Popular culture

Some famous books and stories are set in Cuernavaca. These include Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry, Please Write For Details by John D. MacDonald, and Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde.

A few songs and TV shows mention Cuernavaca. For example, the movie Under the Volcano was filmed there, and some episodes of shows like La Fea Mas Bella and The Pretender show the city.

Transportation

The city is about 90 minutes from Mexico City by car.

There is a commercial airport nearby called Cuernavaca airport. It has had service from airlines such as the now-closed Mexicana, as well as Aeromexico and VivaAerobus, and others.