Teatro Degollado and Hospicio Cabanas

Tuesday morning's tour of the museums was so much fun that I decided to stick around downtown and take a second tour in the afternoon. In between, I visited two different landmarks: Teatro Degollado and Hospicio Cabanas.

Teatro Degollado was finished in 1866. It has a very deep stage (officially 54 meters deep). There is a beautiful painting on the ceiling painted by Jacobo Galvez to reflect part of Dante's Divine Comedy. Ornate, gilded, Corinthian columns frame the box seats closest to the stage. This theater is still in use today. On Mondays it is closed. However, on most other days, it's open (and free) to the public with a guide explaining the architecture and history. In case you'd like to see a show here, tickets to upcoming shows are available on Ticket Master.

Hospicio Cabanas is a former home for orphans and homeless in Guadalajara. People were telling me that the murals by Jose Clemente Orozco in the Government Palace are nothing compared to the ones in the Hospicio Cabanas. Tuesday is the free day at the Hospicio. Otherwise, the cost is 70 pesos (~$5.75). My photos don't do any justice to Orozco's awe-inspiring murals. The most famous portion is in the dome, El Hombre de Fuego (The Man of Fire). After seeing his work, I'm surprised that Orozco isn't as famous as Diego Rivera. Hospicio Cabanas hosts special exhibits within its many rooms. However, after seeing the Orozco murals, everything else paled in comparison.

Orozco's murals

El Hombre de Fuego (The Man of Fire)