Although the city of Guanajuato is the capital of the state of Guanajuato, the seat of the state government is not downtown. Governance is conducted in a neighborhood southeast of the center of the city near La Presa de la Olla. The original dam, or presa, dates from 1749.
But what captured our interest in the neighborhood was the architecture, much of it with art nouveau details in contrast to the ancient colonial buildings in the historic center. Presumably, this is where the social elite during the rule of Porfirio Diaz chose to erect modern homes reflecting their wealth enhanced by the dictator’s long rule.
Note added later in the day: This headline was changed as a more knowledgeable reader politely nudged me that these images reflected art nouveau styles, not art deco.
Postcards from Barton Springs 