Located 25 miles from the City of Guanajuato and 12 miles from the city of Silao, this is the geographical center of Mexico. It is located 8500 feet above sea level.
Incredibly, there is an enormous sculpture of Christ the King at its summit.
There is also a viewpoint with awesome views of Guanajuato. The current statue, built in the 1940’s, replaced one that was bombarded during the Cristero War.
The statute stands upright, with his hands extended as if welcoming all visitors. There are two angel sculptures at its base, one with the thorn crown and the real crown.
The Christ the king sculpture is made of bronze and measure 65 feet. It can be seen from a distance. The statute lies above a balloon-shaped temple.
Christ the King
Though small, the temple has a sculpture in the shape of a crown on the ceiling, which surrounds the entire altar. This temple is unlike others in the city because it employs a more modern look.
This Christ the King statute is very important for Catholics, it is one of the most visited religious sites in Mexico. A celebration is offered to honor Christ the King on November 21st. Despite being away from the city, you mustn’t leave Guanajuato without coming here. There are two ways of getting here. One is to take the toll road going from Guanajuato to Silao. The road towards the top is rocky and curvy which makes it a slow uphill drive. However, the view is very scenic and worth the drive. The other way to get here is to take an hour long bus drive from the City of Guanajuato. The bus route passes by many villages and is a slightly faster route but it is a dirt road and you wont be able to enjoy the panoramic views that taking the toll road offers.
After having trekked all the way to the temple and taken a picture with the statue in the background, you’ll definitely be hungry. I recommend eating in one of the many “fondas” nearby. A “fonda” is a small fast food restaurant. The cost will amuse you since one meal only costs around 3 dollars. Some of the typical dishes include; rice, cactus, dry shrimp patties, beans, cheese-stuffed peppers, meat in red sauce and best of all, handmade tortillas. You can also ask for quesadillas to go along with your meal. Something I really enjoyed were the local avocadoes. These are called paper shell avocadoes. Their peel is so thin that it can be eaten. I’ts delicious with some salt.
As a final note, this place is very crowded on Sundays so to better enjoy it, visit it on a Saturday afternoon. Without a doubt, The “Cerro del Cubilete” will be a place you won’t forget.
