Plaza de Armas, Guadalajara

The historic central square of Guadalajara faces the twin-spired cathedral and the government palace, forming the ceremonial core of the city. An ornate French-style bandstand of wrought iron stands at its center, brought from abroad in the early twentieth century, where municipal bands still perform. Shade trees, benches and shoeshine stands give it a relaxed daily rhythm. Murals inside the adjacent palace by José Clemente Orozco draw art lovers, and the square anchors a cluster of colonial plazas that define the old town of Jalisco's capital.