ZAPOPAN
Zapopan , the closest neighborhood to the centre of Guadalajara , is famous throughout the country for the image of the Virgin of Zapopan created in the 16th century by local craftsmen from pieces of cornstalk ( Zapopan was for a long time the largest producer of corn in the country ). According tot he legend , as soon as it was complete the sculpture began to work wonders , putting an end to a plague epidemic and war between the conquistadors and local Chichimeca Indian tribe . The miraculous Virgin Mary was later officially recognised by the Vatican , and Pope John Paul II even visited the city . In 1689 , the eponymous basilica ( Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan ) was built , where the image can still be seen today .
Zapopan is home to Andares , Guadalajara ’ s most prestigious neighborhood . Built in the late 2010s to resemble Florida ’ s Bal Harbour , this glamorous development combines two shopping centres with upmarket boutiques , fine dining restaurants and trendy bars , a gourmet market , club apartments , offices and five-star hotels , and its streets are decorated with original sculptures by contemporary artists , most memorable of which is Lust by Cuban sculptor Rafael San Juan . Giant steel wings rise out of the water against a backdrop of mirrored facades that reflect the sky . The sculpture is the symbol of Andares and represents what the artist calls the “ will to live , to dream and to fly ”.
PHOTO : SHUTTERSTOCK . COM