Mexico City is famous for many things and certainly, its markets and tianguis, which hold a prehispanic tradition, are one of the places to visit if you really want to get to know the city and its true lifestyle. One of those markets is Mercado de Sonora, a place where you can easily find toys or vegetables and flowers or even lucky charms, candles to attract wealth, and sacred items for those who practice santería.
Its origins
This public market was inaugurated on September 23, 1957, as an attempt to concentrate and regulate street vendors that followed the prehispanic tradition of a tianguis, which is a street market where local farmers and producers offer their own products or services.
It is located just a few minutes from the historic downtown, which before and during the colonial period, was an important center of trade.
What can be found at the Mercado de Sonora?
As a public market, originally it was designed to concentrate vegetables, fruits, flowers, and meat vendors, but as it grew small businesses were dedicated to toys, kitchen appliances, home décor, ceramics, religious imagery, and artisan work.
However, its esoteric and exotic aisle is what makes this public market famous.
The exotic part of el Mercado de Sonora
From candles that give abundance to incense rituals to a “mooring” to find love, everything is valid in the Sonora Market.
In its famous aisle 8, you can find everything you need for witchcraft or santería. It usually is cramped, full of saint imagery, charms, candles, and herbal scents, and yelling from tenants offering all sorts of products that can go from a love scent to a limpia (energy cleanse mainly done with an egg) or a tarot or hand reading.
But is in here where you can also find Santa Muerte (death) imagery for those who pray to it or even exotic animals that sometimes end up being used in rituals.
Because of its clear picture of Mexican culture is and how it lives with a syncretism that has been strengthened since the Spanish conquest, like many Latin American countries, is one of the must place to visit in Mexico City.
Where is it and how to get there?
The Mercado de Sonora is located just a few minutes from historic downtown in
Av. Fray Servando Teresa de Mier 419, Merced Balbuena.
The best way to get there is by subway, either Merced station or Fray Servando station, and walk to it.
We recommend you to visit it by daylight mainly because is when most businesses are open and before taking any pictures, ask for permission.
Images: EFE agency