San José de Gracia

San José de Gracia is a small town in Aguascalientes, known for its 29-meter-high "Broken Christ" statue and as a playground for outdoor enthusiasts coming to play on the lake or on the rocks and caves of the nearby Boca del Tunel park. The town is designated as one of Mexico's Pueblos Magicos.

Understand

Broken Christ statue

The "broken Christ" isn't just a decoration, it's an artistic statement about the community's resilience in the face of industrial "progress." The original town of San Jose lies deep below the lake surface, inundated when the Plutarco Dam was built in 1927 to provide hydroelectric power to the region and to serve as a reservoir for drinking and irrigation water. The town was re-established in its current location. The missing limbs represent families displaced from their homes and businesses and lives disrupted. The statue has become a symbol of the displaced and of lost causes. People come to pray and leave offerings at the statue, which has become one of the most recognized landmarks in the state.

The town had a short glimpse of the national spotlight during the War of Independence when Miguel Hidalgo took refuge in San Jose de Gracia after defeating the Spanish army at Puente Calderon. Hidalgo stayed a few days before moving on.

Get in

The two closest airports to San Jose de Gracia are 1 hour away: Queretaro (QRO ^IATA) and 1½ hour away: Zacatecas (ZCL ^IATA).

From the city of Aguascalientes it is a 40-minute taxi ride to San Jose de Gracia on a modern highway. This is the best way to get there.

Get around

Embarcadero in San José de Gracia

• 1 Embarcadero (Docks), Embarcadero. 08:00 - 19:00. Pontoon boats pick up passengers who want to visit the island with the Broken Christ statue. Boats run continuously throughout the day. 

See

• 1 Cristo Roto (Broken Christ). 29-meter-high sculpture of Christ without a right arm or right leg. The statue is the work of artist Miguel Romo. It is an unmistakable icon that looks over the lake, excellent vistas from the pavilion around it. 

Do

• 1 Parque Aventura Boca de Túnel (Mouth of the Tunnel Adventure Park), Calle Nuevo Boca de Tunel, ☏ +52 465 118 3512. 10:30 - 16:00. Deep canyon area with a lagoon on the bottom and sheer rock walls. A variety of outdoor adventure activities can be experienced here from horseback and mountain bike riding, to zip lining, climbing, and caving. The site has 2 zip lines and 13 suspension bridges. 

Festivals

• Feria del Maíz, 6 January. Regional celebration.
• Semana Santa, March-April. Parade and fair.
• Fiesta de San Juan, 24 June.

Buy

Several workshops in the area produce low-temperature ceramics.

Eat

The town has a couple of regional specialties that would be worth seeking out. Pachalas are ground beer flavored with chiles and other spices. Membrillete is steamed quince sweetened with sugar.

• 1 Playas 2, Juan Domínguez 517, ☏ +52 465 967 3830. 11:00 - 19:00. Traditional open-air palapa-style restaurant. Generous portions, the pork chop (chuleta) is recommended. Large free parking lot. (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 El Mirador, Carretera Pabellón de Arteaga - San José de Gracia km 10.5, ☏ +52 449 890 5472. 11:00 - 19:00. Moderate family-style restaurant with absolutely incredible views of the canyon. Food is mostly seafood (ceviche, filetes, etc.) M$200. (updated Jul 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Hacienda Rocha, Juan Cristóbal el Mozo 306, ☏ +52 465 967 3852. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Modern hotel with large, clean rooms, plenty of hot water, good service. (updated Jul 2023)

Connect

Expect slow or intermittent internet or cell phone reception. 4G is available in town but 5G has not yet made it to San Jose de Gracia.

Go next

• Pabellón de Hidalgo
• Asientos
• Zacatecas
• Aguascalientes