Diario las Américas., 1958-07-30
Know thy
NeishborI
BY ANTONIO RUIZ

MEXICO. - On a picturesque
valley, about 5000 feet above sea
level, surrounded by majestic
mountains, was the city Of Cuauh-
nahuac, capital of the Tlahuica
Kingdom. Today it is the progress.
siye city of C%uernavaca, capital Of
the State of Morelos, a favorite
site of recreation since pre-HiSpa-
mic times. This delightful city,
which has a semi-tropical climate,
is connected with the Capital of
the Republic by a magnificent SUI
per highway and one al drive
there in only fifty minutes from
Mexico City.
Before the arrival of the Spanish
ConquistadOreS, Cuauhnahuac was
one of the most important native
cities. The ruins of Teonpanzolco,
and those of Tepoztlan are clear
evidence of the high degree of CT
vilization that the surrounding re,
gion had achieved. After the con-
quest of Mexico by Herman Cor
ties, the Spaniards changed the
name of the city to Cuernavaca, be-
cause they believed the indigenous
name sounded just like that in
Spanish. CorteS built in the old
Tlahuica capital a magnificent pa
lace, which now houses the Gov
eminent of the State of Morelos.
The Spanish Crown granted Cor
ties the rights of possession over
~Cuernavaca, in recognition of all
his victories and conquests. 1t was
thus that he owned this city, among
many other possessions, granted to
him. Charmed with the mildness
of the climate and the great va
riety of flowers of bright and
beautiful colorS, Cortes established
his favorite residence there. In
1929 he sponsored the foundation
of a Franciscan monastery and
built a church, helped by the In
dams, whom he allowed to carve
Aztec symbols on the stones. This
ancient and artistic temple is now
the Cathedral, one of the most in
teresting buildings in Cuernavaca.
In 1716, Jose de la Borda, ia
nous French miner who had al
ready amassed a great fortune in
the silver mines of Taco and Ia
catecas, was attracted by the mild
climate and the beautiful flowers,
and built a Sumptous mansion in
Cuernavaca, surrounded by exotic
and beautiful gardens. Much later,
the Emperor Macmillan of Habs-
burg and his wife Charlotte Amalie
made of Borda'S house their favo.
rite place for spending the winters,
and where they tried to forget the
many problems confronting them
and which actually were never
solved. Nearby is the little village
of Acapanzingo, where Emperor
Macmillan had a small cabin of
retreat, which is now almost in
ruins. At the palace of CorteS the
visitor can admire the marvellous
murals depicting the Mexican revo-
luton, painted by Diego Rivera,
and a visit can also be made to
the Borda Gardens, which have
preserved their large swimming pool
and gardens as beautiful as ever,
and are again open to the public.
Cuernavaca has become one OF
the main centers OF tourist at
traction in Mexico. In its many
stores, the visitor can get many
! objects and materials made by the
natives: hand-painted leather arti'
Giles. straw sandals, huaraches, etc,
Also many articles of silver with
Indian sketches carved in them,
which have real artitic value.
At a short distance from the Rail.
way Station is the Teopanzolco
pyramid, the last westige of the
Tlahuica capital and about Is miles
away are the ruins of Xochicalco,
of Toltec origin, a city that was
prosperous around 1000 A. d. In
T%epoztlan, also at a very short
distance from Cuernavaca, one can
see the shrine of Tepozteco, the
pulque god, and there is a very fine
convent in the little town, made
famous in the U. S. by the study
made by Stuart, before it became a
tourist attraction. Near Cuernava.
ca Is the waterfall of st. Anton,
surrounded by high, green noun
tains, in which hunting is excel
lent.
apauisk vorsion pase 2