Born of silver mine, bathed in the blazing light of Mexico’s huge northern desert, and surrounded by mountains rich in resources, Chihuahua was destined for success. Although today cattle ranching, industry, and timber have replaced mining as the mainstays of the economy, the city contuse to prosper and the silver mines still produce.

Elegant colonial buildings, precocious Victorian mansions, and self-confident modern sculptures make the Chihuahua a city to be admired. Although the city’s outer limits sprawl, the historic district is attractive and divers. Remains of an eighteenth century aqueduct give portions of the city an old European air. Well-tended gardens surround the wrought-iron bandstand, imported form Paris in 1893, at Plaza de Armas, the city’s principal square.