Commemoration of the birthdays of Juan Aldama González and Juan José de los Reyes Martínez Amaro (“El Pipila”)

As you might have guessed, "Aldama" street, which ends at the Jardin,  was named after this man, Juan Aldama Gonzalez, who fought as a revolutionary soldier during the Mexican War of Independence.  In case your history is a little rusty, this war was fought in 1810 to gain independence from Spain.                         

Ever wonder why that guy in the glorietta near Mega is carrying a big rock on his back? A lot of local people call this glorietta "El Pipila", a nickname of Juan José de los Reyes Martínez Amaro, another hero in the War of Independence.  At the beginning of the war, a group of Spanish soldiers had taken refuge in a stone fortress with a wooden door. Brave "Pipila" tied a huge, flat stone onto his back as protection against enemy muskets and set fire to the door, which he and the other rebel soldiers were then able to storm.

Happy Birthday to two brave heroes of the Independence!