La Laja: Camino Real, Chapel and Agave Culture
Accommodation in La Laja
Explore La Laja through the various traces of its history: the Camino Real, the civic square with its stone fountain, and the local agave and tequila history. If you are looking for a culturally rich place for your trip, these themes offer a concrete impression of what makes La Laja distinctive.
Traces of the Camino Real and the town centre
Historically, La Laja was also known as Paso de La Laja. The name is connected to the town’s location on the Camino Real between Guadalajara and the Altos de Jalisco. The present-day road network offers another point of reference: La Laja is located on the free road between Guadalajara and Zapotlanejo. These two details tell different aspects of the town’s connection to its surroundings—the historical significance of the Camino Real and its location on the road mentioned above.
West of La Laja, Puente La Laja still stands, practically in ruins. It was built towards the end of the colonial period. A document from 1802 proposed building the bridge together with the Calderón Bridge. Both the surviving bridge and the plans made at the time are part of the town’s history; its ruined state is an essential part of its present-day appearance.
The civic square is considered the centre of La Laja and was renovated during the 1998–2000 administration. A large stone fountain stands in its centre. There is also a sculpture depicting tequila production, created by José Lomeli in 2000. The square, fountain and sculpture give the town centre a distinctive connection to local tequila history.
Chapels and the San José Obrero Church
La Laja’s first chapel was built in the 19th century. Its façade and interior are simple; the bells hang in an espadaña, an open bell gable. This is distinct from the San José Obrero Chapel, located at Calle Allende 40, opposite the civic square. The San José Obrero Church has a rectangular floor plan with three naves. Its façade is unfinished and clad in unplastered bricks. A small metal tower on the west side holds the bell that summons the faithful to services.
The furnishings of San José Obrero are also defined by simple, clearly identifiable details. The altarpiece depicts Jesus on the cross and features a sculpture of Saint Joseph. There is also a lithograph of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the western pedestal. Together with the three-nave floor plan and the unplastered façade, these features give a concrete picture of the architectural design without conflating the individual elements.
Agave and tequila history
Blue agave is grown in La Laja. The Newton tequila distillery was founded here in 1920; Tequila Cuervo has been based in La Laja for several decades. Agave cultivation, the founding of the distillery and Tequila Cuervo’s long-standing presence are distinct facets of the town’s tequila history. If you are particularly interested in the connection between local history, religious architecture and agave culture, you can take these themes into account when deciding whether La Laja suits your travel interests as a place to stay.
More town pages: Tequila, La Garita, Municipio San Gabriel, La Barca, Terreros, Chacala, Tonalá, Ocotlán.
For the wider travel overview: Jalisco.
