Love, Anarchy and Crime
Querétaro is a historic city of more than 500 years, a key place for the formation of the nation, and therefore, with a great cultural richness, which houses hundreds of stories that give identity to the people of Querétaro. Among the legends that run through its streets, there are three unforgettable women who went down in memory for their exploits, for their crimes and even for their love affairs.
The Aqueduct
The iconic symbol of the city of Querétaro was built thanks to a forbidden love.
Legend has it that the most famous of the Querétaros, Don Juan Antonio de Urrutia y Arana, better known as El Marqués de la Villa del Villar del Águila, was smitten by his wife's niece, a beautiful woman who, unfortunately for him, was a Capuchin nun.
Unable to reciprocate, she offered him love based on mutual understanding and asked for proof of her appreciation by doing the largest charity in history, an aqueduct that would bring clean water to the city, and thus prevent people from dying from diseases related to the contaminated water of the river.
In this way, the Marquis of Villa del Villar was personally in charge of the construction of this imposing work, financing the project alone and ensuring the supply of water to the main fountains, mansions and squares of the city, and of course, to the Convent of Capuchinas. In this way, the Aqueduct passed down to posterity as a sign of an impossible union.
The Carambada
Leonarda Martínez is a character about whom many uncertain facts are told, such as that she was a lady-in-waiting of the Empress Carlota or that she was the murderer of Juárez. What is known is that she was a famous assailant at the time of the Second Empire and the Restoration of the Republic, who from an early age was accompanied by bandits who taught her to ride a horse, to brandish swords and use pistols with dexterity, to rob the rich and give to the poor.
Legend has it that among his scams against high society, she fell in love with José Joaquín Ortiz, a military man who was taken prisoner and sentenced to be shot. Then, the Carambada went to ask the president of the Republic himself, Benito Juárez, for mercy, but he denied her forgiveness. A few days after his visit, the president died of angina, although rumors said that he was poisoned as revenge with a tea of twenty-one, a deadly herb.
La Zacatecana
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, a wealthy couple from Zacatecas, without children and with few trusted servants, came to live in a large house on Calle de La Flor Alta, today Independencia Street.
For work reasons, the husband was absent from home for long periods, which began rumors that the woman was unfaithful to him when he was not there. What fueled the gossip even more was that one day the husband mysteriously disappeared and was never heard from again.
One morning, the Zacatecana woke up hanging on her balcony without knowing who had been the author of the crime or why, until the servants reported that the woman ordered her husband to be killed and then murdered her executor herself, burying them stealthily in the cavalry of the house.
These and many other legends from Querétaro await you in a magical tour of legends that will take you for a walk through the Historic Center of the city at night, following in the footsteps of the dramatized characters between scares and surprises. You can find tour operator contacts specialized in legends, below in the Contact section, or in the Tour Operator Directory.
Contact these legendary tour operators
Do you already know the Hotel Mexico Plaza Querétaro? Stay in a place with all the amenities, ideal for rest and work, with a privileged location in the capital of Querétaro. Find out about their offer and booking.
Travel back in time and learn about the history of Querétaro. Hop on one of the Stagecoaches and tour some of the most emblematic places in the city, enjoy a ride that will make you feel like you are in another era.
Incredible cabins with pools, perfect for vacationing with the family and enjoying hot days to the fullest.
Contact these legendary tour operators
Contact these legendary tour operators
