Santa Clara: Colonial Church, Festive Culture and Thermal Spring

Santa Clara combines colonial church architecture with religious festive culture and distinctive connections to water. The Parroquia de Santa Clara de Asís is considered an architectural gem from the colonial era. Religious festivals bring together music, dance, and gastronomy. This means several ways of experiencing the place sit alongside one another: a landmark building, festive culture, and the landscape of the municipality.

Church, Festivals, and Local Memory

Santa Clara’s patron saint’s day is celebrated on August 12 with a fair and religious festivities. If you would like to plan your trip around this occasion, check the current festival program. Santa Clara’s historic monuments include a monument to Benito Juárez; “La Virginia” is one of the municipality’s representative songs. The Archivo Histórico Municipal de Santa Clara is located at Constitución número 10, Norte, in the Centro, CP 35890, Santa Clara, Durango. If you plan to visit the archive, ask about visiting arrangements in advance.

Rivers and Landscape in the Municipality

The Río de Santiago, also known as the Río Santa Clara, irrigates a large part of the Municipality of Santa Clara. The Arroyo El Saucito rises in the Sierra del Temazcal and is called Mazamitote farther downstream. The waterways therefore involve both the use of water and different names: the river is important for irrigation at the municipal level, while the arroyo’s source and its downstream name help orient visitors. For travelers who see the landscape as more than just a backdrop, this brings the local geography to life.

Ojo Caliente: Thermal Spring in San Marcos

Ojo Caliente is located in the municipality of San Marcos and is a thermal spring and natural bathing spot. Its flow exceeds 10 inches; the water temperature is 45 to 51 °C. This puts the focus on something different from the area’s religious and architectural culture: thermal water and its temperature. Check the current facilities before your visit.

Getting Around and Choosing a Vacation Rental

The road section from Santa Clara through El Naranjo to the border with Simón Bolívar has been repaired. Check current road conditions before driving. When looking for a vacation rental in Santa Clara, you can also weigh up your preferred travel focus: local culture and festivities offer a different experience from the area’s connections to water and Ojo Caliente.

Culture in the Wider Destination of Durango

The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro runs through the state as part of the wider destination of Durango; it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Another archaeological area of interest is La Ferrería in Lerdo de Tejada, Municipality of Durango. La Ferrería was an important religious center, featuring the foundations of circular temples, a pyramid with a sunken courtyard, ball courts, shrines, terraces, and rock paintings and engravings. The Chapel of San Antonio de Padua in the municipality of Amado Nervo, Nombre de Dios, Durango, is also part of this regional historical context: it was built in the 18th century on the former Hacienda San Antonio de Juana Guerra and was an important overnight stop for travelers on the Camino Real.

Discover more destinations: Santa Clara Municipality, Victoria de Durango, Pueblo Nuevo.

Return to the wider travel overview: Durango.