History
Last updated: October 2026
The Monumento al Pípila commemorates Juan José de los Reyes Martínez Amaro, nicknamed 'El Pípila', a miner who became a symbol of Mexico's War of Independence. The 28-meter stone sculpture on Cerro de San Miguel is today one of Guanajuato's most famous viewpoints.
Its story links a 1810 battlefield event with a 20th-century monument built to honor it. Below are the verified facts and the context that explain why this figure dominates the city.
Juan José de los Reyes Martínez Amaro, known as El Pípila, was a miner born in Guanajuato. His nickname, 'pipila', was a local word for people with flat or calloused feet, typical of those who walked barefoot through the mines.
During Mexico's War of Independence, El Pípila entered history through a single act of great courage during the Siege of Guanajuato on September 28, 1810.
In the first days of the uprising, insurgent forces took Guanajuato and fortified themselves in the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a large public granary turned Spanish stronghold. Taking that building was key to controlling the city.
El Pípila laid a heavy stone slab on his back as a shield against bullets, advanced to the wooden door and set it on fire with his torch and tar. The door gave way, the insurgents entered and took the Alhóndiga. The deed made him a popular independence hero.
Centuries later, Guanajuato's city council commissioned a monument to honor El Pípila on top of Cerro de San Miguel. Work began on January 15, 1939, and the monument was inaugurated on February 5, 1940.
It is not an obelisk but a stone commemorative sculpture: a male figure holding a torch, by sculptor Juan Fernando Olaguíbel with architect Augusto Petriccioli. Its size made it visible from much of the city.
Today the monument is both a historic site and Guanajuato's most iconic panoramic viewpoint: from its plaza you take in much of the city and the valley, which is why thousands of visitors climb each year.
The figure recalls individual courage in the independence struggle and has become a symbol of Guanajuato's identity. The esplanade is also the scene of civic events and one of the best spots to photograph the city at sunset.
Juan José de los Reyes Martínez Amaro, a Guanajuato miner nicknamed 'El Pípila', hero of Mexico's War of Independence for his action at the Siege of Guanajuato in 1810.
On September 28, 1810 he carried a stone slab as a shield, reached the door of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas and set it on fire, letting the insurgents take the building.
Work began on January 15, 1939 and the monument was inaugurated on February 5, 1940.
No. It is a 28-meter stone commemorative sculpture: a male figure with a torch, designed by sculptor Juan Fernando Olaguíbel and architect Augusto Petriccioli.
Because from the monument plaza you see much of Guanajuato and its valley; it is the city's best-known panoramic point and a symbol of its identity.
Know the history and complete your plan with how to get there, opening hours and the best times to photograph the viewpoint.