High in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro, Franciscan missionaries led by Junípero Serra in the mid eighteenth century built five mission churches, and their facades are an explosion of carved and painted plaster: angels, saints, flowers, fruit, mermaids and symbols that blend Catholic imagery with the local indigenous world. The mission of Santa María del Agua de Landa, in the village of Landa de Matamoros, has one of the most elaborate facades, glowing in pink and ochre. The five missions were listed together as a World Heritage Site in 2003. Serra went on to found the missions of California.
The Sierra Gorda is a biosphere reserve and one of the most ecologically diverse regions of Mexico, ranging from semi desert to cloud forest within a few kilometres. Deep canyons, pine forests, waterfalls and rivers make it a beautiful and wild landscape, home to jaguars, bears and many birds.
For riders, Route 120 through the Sierra Gorda is one of the great roads of Mexico. From San Juan del Río and Cadereyta it climbs through cactus and desert, over the pass near Pinal de Amoles at over two thousand five hundred metres, with countless curves, then plunges down to Jalpan in the warm valley. The section around Pinal de Amoles is known for its hairpins and for fog that can close in suddenly. Surfaces are generally good, but landslides, trucks and livestock require attention.
Look closely at the Landa facade and you start to pick out the details: mermaids holding instruments, the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception in the centre, saints of the Franciscan order, and plant forms that seem to grow out of the stone. The local Pame people, who did much of the work, brought their own vision to it, and the colours, once restored, are surprisingly vivid against the green hills. In the evening, when the plaza fills with families and the light turns warm, it is a fine place to sit.
Jalpan, sixteen kilometres away, is the main town of the region, with the largest of the missions, fuel and services. Landa de Matamoros is a small village with basic shops. The other missions, at Concá, Tilaco and Tancoyol, are reached on side roads. Local food includes enchiladas serranas and fresh fish from the rivers. Ride in daylight and keep fuel topped up in the mountains.