In Mexico we not only enjoy life, we also celebrate death, and we do so by remembering the people who are no longer with us, but who will always live in our memory. One of the main celebrations of our culture is the Day of the Dead, a season that fills us with colors and flavors that also takes shape in the well-known Altar of the Dead, placed on the last days of October and that, according to the Mexican culture , leads the souls of the deceased through nine descending levels towards Mictlán or Land of the Dead.
The Altar. According to pre-Hispanic belief, the souls of the dead, once they finish their journey through life, begin a journey in which they have to face a series of tests to reach the land of the dead, once there, year Every year they reunite with their loved ones and visit the land of the living, thanks to the people who still remember them and dedicate an Altar to them; Hence, each element that is placed in it is a key piece to achieving such a long-awaited meeting. The cempaxúchitl flowers and the candles help guide the dead back to the land of the living through the papel picado, an element that is considered the portal between both worlds. While the salt and copal help purify the souls of the deceased and aid them in their journey back to the land of the dead, the water quenches their thirst after the journey, the photographs and chocolate or sugar skulls represent each one of them and give them a place in the celebration.
Over time, elements were added to these altars, such as traditional food or the visitors' favorite drinks and the now well-known bread of the dead. While the Catholic cross was adopted after the evangelization that colonization brought with it.
At Central Hoteles, we want to rescue the best of our traditions with an artisanal offering that arises from a totally original and 100% Mexican creation process, at the hands of artisans Yolanda Reséndiz Barrón and Jesús Rentería, who with their Serpentina collection fill the Hotel Zócalo Central, with its boxes, vessels, vases and other products made from rolled and hand-molded paper, which attract attention for their great beauty and creativity. The serpentine is one of the most traditional elements in any Mexican celebration, in the hands of our artists they become contemporary pieces that blend perfectly with our pre-Hispanic roots, taking on shapes and colors that become memories and that you should not miss during your trip. visit to Mexico City.
Cultural Events. A series of events takes place in various parts of Mexico City, filling it with the traditional color of the season, music and party.
In addition to these parades, various installations have been held in various parts of the city that will remain for several days after November 2, such as the Mexicráneos exhibition, 53 monumental pieces that have been placed on Paseo de la Reforma and will remain until the 10th. of November. While, in the Chapultepec Forest, from October 30 to November 3, you can tour the forest and live an experience full of light and music, while you enjoy 11 unique experiences and admire the monumental offering “Celebrating Eternity.” With more than 26 years since the staging of “La llorona”, experience a trajinera ride through the canals of Xochimilco while you enjoy the representation of one of the most endearing Mexican legends, with music, dance and colors. Lastly, but being one of the most important representations of this season, visit the installation of the Monumental Offering, which this year is called “Altar of Altars” and which will be inaugurated on October 25 and will be exhibited until October 17. November in the Zócalo of the City. In October and November, we want you to celebrate with us the best of our traditions. Stay with us just a stone's throw from the Zócalo Capitalino and enjoy our festivities full of color and joy.
Travel, culture and traditions in Mexico City.
