-House of Ecala: It was the property of Tomas Lopez
de Ecala y Baquedano, a mayor of Queretaro who refurbished the façade
of his house every now and then, though the negative part of this
matter is that he made use of this constant remodelling to appropriate
a chunk of the adjacent lots, until one day one of his neighbours
sued him.
Besides the sentence of the judge, the parties had agreed on that the loser had to shut close his main balcony, the maximum offence in those times.
The case was won by Don Tomas who, strengthen by his victory, devoted
himself to the ornamentation of his house, turning it into one of
the most sublime samples of the baroque of the XVIII century in
Queretaro, becoming since then a source of inspiration
for architects and designers. The façade of the House of Ecala is
superbly decorated, with outstanding large windows (one of them
shows a delicate rock carving resembling a drape), balconies of
cast iron and an elegant doorway.
It is located at one side of the Plaza de Armas.
-House of the Dogs: Also called the Big House (due
to its large dimensions), it is a notable example of civil architecture
of the XVIII century in
Queretaro. Its façade presents
numerous gargoyles sculpted in quarry stones with the appearance
of dogs (its name comes from this detail), while there is a prodigious
fountain of water, flanked by four effigies, in the patio.
It is said that the house was designed and built by Ignacio Mariano de las Casas, illustrious architect who inhabited the residence until the time of his death in 1773. Later it would be occupied by Mrs Josefa Vergara Hernandez, generous benefactor of social good works.
The premises are currently used by a kindergarten. It is located between General Arteaga Avenue and Allende Street.
-House of the Earl of Sierra Gorda: It is another
interesting house of the XVIII century which characterises for the
baroque style of its façade and for presenting a main patio with
an arcade with combined straight and curved sectors.
The house was property of Spanish captain José de Escandón, earl of Sierra Gorda. It is located on Manuel Hidalgo Avenue, corner with Allende.
-House of the Lady from Zacatecas: Its rooms show
the opulence of Queretaro in the XVII century. The architectonic
extravagance of its baroque façade extends to its elegant rooms
and patios, in which very fine suites and clocks, pottery pieces,
sculptures, religious objects (a collection of images of Christ),
and everyday objects proper of the colonial residences in the City.
Its name is related to a dark legend, referred to a beautiful woman from Zacatecas who lived in here in the mid of the XIX century. One day the pretty lady, with the complicity of one of her servants, murdered her husband (owner of rich mine deposits), whom she would bury in the stables.
Later on, the "saddened" widow would put an end to the life of her accomplice, disappearing him in a like manner.
It is currently the seat of a museum and cultural centre. It is located on N° 50 Independencia Avenue, in the Historic Centre.
