In pre-Hispanic times the region corresponding to the present-day municipality of Dolores Hidalgo was called Cocomacán, a word that derives from Nahuatl and means “place where turtle doves are hunted.”

The city is located in the north of the state of Guanajuato, on a plain delimited by flatlands to the north and mountainous areas on the other three sides.

In pre-Hispanic times it comprised a number of scattered indigenous settlements that the Spanish set about grouping together.

Between 1534 and 1540 the Spanish founded the “Hacienda de la Erre,” dedicated to raising small livestock. Within this a village of indigenous people called Nuestra Señora de los Dolores emerged that, little by little, became independent from the hacienda and established a community.

In 1610 it became a village known as San Cristóbal, and in 1643 it was elevated to the category of an independent congregación. From then on it ceased to be legally and administratively dependent on the hacienda, and became subject to the town of San Miguel el Grande, today San Miguel de Allende.

In 1710, the congregation was granted permission to build its parish church, streets and blocks were laid out, and new houses were built. This transformed the original appearance of the town and opened up new sources of work. The priest Álvaro de Osio y Ocampo was responsible for building the church and in 1747 he bought land for cultivation from the hacienda, which was distributed among the local population.

From that time on, the Congregación de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores began to enjoy economic growth based on livestock raising and agriculture. In 1790, it changed its name to Pueblo Nuevo de los Dolores, gained independence from the jurisdiction of the town of San Miguel el Grande, and the new authorities who would take charge of its administration were appointed.

At the beginning of the 19th century the economic development of the town was promoted by the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, who first arrived here in 1803. During his years as a parish priest, he focused on promoting agriculture and local development through artisan workshops where he taught crafts to the indigenous people. It is also said that this is where the weapons that were later used in the War of Independence were manufactured.

Miguel Hidalgo, along with Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez and Miguel Domínguez, among others, formed part of the “conspiracy of Querétaro” that sought to establish a Junta that would govern the viceroyalty while the Spanish throne was usurped by the French. When the plan was discovered, Miguel Hidalgo summoned the people of Dolores to take up arms against the “bad government” in the early morning of September 16, 1810. This episode marked the beginning of the independence movement in Mexico.

Due to its historical importance, in 1824, the Constituent Congress elevated Dolores to the category of villa and, in 1863, President Benito Juárez granted it the title of city. Later, in 1947 it became known as “Dolores Hidalgo, Cradle of National Independence.”

Today the city has become a symbol of Mexican nationalism, since, in addition to being considered the cradle of the nation, it is the birthplace of José Alfredo Jiménez, one of Mexico’s most famous composers.

Dolores Hidalgo was declared a Zone of Artistic and Historical Monuments in 1982. The Zone of Historical Monuments covers an area of 0.316 km2, which comprise 27 blocks, forming a uniform grid. Its urban plan is characterized by buildings with historical value dating from the 16th to the 19th century. These include the churches of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, Jesús Nazareno, the Tercera Orden, Nuestra Señora de la Saleta, Calvario, Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, Santa Cruz and the Hospital de los Salamanca.

The remaining buildings are intended for educational purposes and welfare services, as well as for the use of civil authorities, and present architectural expressions typical of each historical period. These include: the former Municipal Jail, the Hidalgo Market, the house of Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, and the jail where he was imprisoned; as well as the house of Mariano Abasolo, an insurgent from this city.

The Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores was built in the Churrigueresque Baroque style and is the building of greatest historical value in the city, as it was the site of the Cry of Dolores. To commemorate this event, every year, from September 4 to 19, activities such as craft exhibitions, fireworks, and cultural and sporting events are held.