Cerro del Cubilete and Cristo Rey

A Hilltop Sanctuary Of Christ The King, Topped By A 20 M Bronze Statue Of Christ On A Church, At A Spot Said To Be The Geographic Centre Of Mexico, And A Major Pilgrimage On The Days Around Epiphany, Palm Sunday And Christ The King. Reached By A Road From Silao And By Walking Pilgrimages. Views Over Guanajuato And The Bajio · Silao, Guanajuato

Cerro del Cubilete is a hill above Silao, in Guanajuato state, that is said to mark the geographic centre of Mexico. On top stands the sanctuary of Cristo Rey, a large church crowned by a bronze statue of Christ about 20 m high with open arms, visible for many kilometres across the Bajio plain. The first chapel was raised here in the 1920s, and the hill is tied to the Cristero War, when Catholics rose against anti-church laws and the sanctuary became a symbol of that struggle. It is a working shrine, not a sight, and the big days are the weeks around Epiphany, Palm Sunday and the feast of Christ the King, when pilgrims walk up through the night. The road climbs from Silao, and on a clear day the views take in the Bajio and the ridges toward Guanajuato, about 25 km away. It suits pilgrims, families and travellers who like quiet viewpoints. It is worth the detour if you are already in Guanajuato or Leon with a car; it is not worth it in cloud or haze, or on a pilgrimage weekend if you dislike crowds.

Cerro del Cubilete, the hill with the Cristo Rey sanctuary above Silao and Guanajuato, at the geographic centre of Mexico; coordinates approximate, Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico

The sanctuary is usually open daily from early morning until early evening, with masses at set times through the day and a fuller programme on Sundays and feast days; confirm current times before a long drive. The grounds and viewpoint are FREE to enter, and there is normally no ticket for the church. Some small shops and food stalls may be CLOSED on quiet weekdays, and the upper road can be shut or limited to shuttles during the biggest pilgrimages. Mist in the winter mornings can hide the statue and the view.

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