Sacred Heart Parish in Navojoa

A Picturesque, Inspirational and Interesting Place to Visit

Groundbreaking for the temple of the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Navojoa began in early 1920. The parish’s first mass was celebrated on the site on May 20, 1920, officiated by Bishop Don Juan Navarrete.

Work continued on the structure during the 1920s, but was halted during the period of the Cristero War in Mexico, a rebellion caused by the Mexican government’s enforcement of secular provisions of the 1917 Mexico Constitution. During that time, some protesters took images of saints from the church and smashed them on Calle Morelos.

The building of the temple was renewed after that time, and the church’s apse was completed in 1940. Construction on the rest of the temple began anew in 1952 and the church building was completed in December of 1957.

The Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is a beautiful place of worship located just a block from the city’s Plaza Cinco de Mayo. It is not only a spiritual center in Navojoa, but also a popular place for tourists to visit.

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Sacred Heart Parish in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

Walk the Monuments in Navojoa and Learn about Mexican History

Boulevard monument on Calle No Reeleccion in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

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Get Some Exercise While Learning about History

The city of Navojoa, Sonora has a number of busts and statues along its city boulevards and street that represent key figures and symbols in Mexican history. And they also represent a chance to do some urban hiking while learning about the history of the Republic of Mexico.

Depictions of heroes of the Mexican Independence and Mexican Revolution, along with presidents and other important people in the history of the republic are on display in the thoroughfares that extend outward in eight directions from the cities rounded-square-shaped Plaza Cinco de Mayo, most of them on the boulevards of Calle No Reeleccion.

Whether intentional or not, these impressive monuments offer a mobile history lesson, where you can learn while getting exercise and becoming more familiar with the city.

Located on intersections with the plaza are: a monument that is a replica of the famous Angel of Independence in Mexico City (a monument to honor the heroes of the Mexican Independence); a statue of Mexican President Benito Juarez; an angel guarded by two lions; and a statue of Miguel Hidalgo, the priest who famously shouted “Viva Mexico!” as a call to Mexican independence.

If you walk west for six blocks on Avenida Obregon, you will find the impressive monument to Don Alvaro Obregon, erected by his friends and admirers in 1930, two years after his assassination.

Walking north from the plaza along Calle No Reeleccion, you will see busts and information about Mariano Matamoros, Francisco Javier Mina, Antonio Rosales, Melchor Ocampo, Hermenegildo Galeana and Francisco I. Madero.

Take the southbound boulevard (Calle No Reeleccion Sur), after passing the monument to Miguel Hidalgo you will find monuments to Vicente Guerrero, Ignacio Lopez Rayon, Andres Quintana Roo, Nicolas Bravo, Mariano Abasolo, Mariano Jimenez, Doña Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez and Leona Vicario.

And if you have walked that far, stop to rest at Plaza Santa Fe and make a visit to the Regional Museum of the Mayo.

There is an Une bus that travels in both directions on Calle No Reeleccion, so if you get tired you can take the bus to the next monument.

Be sure to take rest breaks and drink plenty of water. Be careful when crossing the street and entering traffic. And bring your Spanish translation app, because the information on the monument plaques is in Spanish. Even if you do not have a translation tool though, you can get the gist of the biographical information.

And enjoy your monumental Mexican history learning experience!

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Francisco Javier Mina - the monuments of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

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Matamoros - the monuments of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

Josefa Ortiz - The monuments of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

Vicente Guerrero - the monuments of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

The monuments of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

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Obregon Monument in Navojoa, Sonora

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Navojoa Honors One of Its Own

One of the most impressive monuments in Navojoa is a large white obelisk sitting atop a chamber whose center point is a bust of one of Sonora’s greatest native sons – General and President Alvaro Obregon Salido (February 19, 1880 – July 17, 1928).

President Obregon was a chickpea farmer from the municipality of Navojoa whose agricultural work was interrupted by the Mexican Revolution of 1910 – 1920. He became president of Mexico in 1920, and his presidency provided much-needed stability in a country that had been torn apart by war.

After returning to battle in 1923 to prevent another civil war, Obregon left office in 1924 when his hand-picked successor and fellow Sonoran general, Interior Minister Plutarco Elias Calles, was elected to the presidency.

But although Don Alvaro Obregon retired to Sonora after he left office, he still held political sway, and he was again elected to the presidency of the republic in 1928.

However, before he was to take office Alvaro Obregon was assassinated in July of 1928 by José de León Toral, who shot Obregon in the back of the head while showing him a caricature he had drawn.

Obregon is entombed in the city cemetery of nearby Huatabampo, Sonora. Huatabampo also has a museum dedicated to President Obregon, located in a house where he once lived.

The monument to this great Sonoran was built in 1930 by his “friends and admirers” in Navojoa. It represents not only the admiration for President Obregon in the state of Sonora, but in all of Mexico.

The monument to Don Alvaro Obregon Sacido is located at the intersection of Boulevard Obregon and Boulevard Cuauhtémoc Sur in Navojoa. The easiest way to find it is to take Boulevard Obregon six blocks west from the Plaza Cinco de Mayo. Read more about President Obregon.

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Monument to Alvaro Obregon in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico

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Plaza Cinco de Mayo in Navojoa, Sonora

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Navojoa Plaza 5 de Mayo

Plaza 5 de Mayo in Navojoa, Sonora is named in remembrance of the Battle of Puebla, a victory for Mexican forces against French troops.

Construction began on the plaza began in 1916, and electricity was added to the plaza in 1922. Many changes and improvements were made to the plaza over the years, to include the removal of the original kiosk and the addition of a subterranean concert and entertainment venue.

One hundred years after construction originally began on the plaza, in February of 2016 the latest changes to the plaza were inaugurated.

Modifications included renovations to the concert venue and the addition of a fabulous piece of metalwork art depicting the symbol on the national seal of Mexico – an eagle perched on prickly pear cactus with a snake in its mouth.

In many ways the plaza is Navojoa’s city center. It is adjacent to the palacio municipal, Navojoa’s municipal building, and its rounded-square shape is the hub from which boulevards, streets and avenues extend in eight directions.

And each of the intersections with the plaza has one or more monuments, adding to the stately charm of the place.

Plaza 5 de Mayo in Navojoa is a great place to sit and relax on a shaded bench as you enjoy its ambiance and perhaps meet a new friend. And be sure to explore its many photogenic sites, like the mural painted behind the concert shell.

The plaza is also a popular place for the people of Navojoa to gather, especially on weekends, when musicians and artists circulate among the crowds.

If you plan to visit Navojoa, definitely put Plaza 5 de Mayo on your list of places to visit.

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Concert shell mural in Navojoa's Plaza 5 de Mayo

Plaza Santa Fe in Navojoa, Sonora

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Navojoa Plaza Santa Fe

Plaza Santa Fe, located on Calle No Reeleccion in Navojoa, Sonora, is a nice, quiet place to rest during your exploration of Navojoa.

The plaza is located on an Une city bus route, which you can catch from the downtown Mercado Muncipal (Municipal Market). It features interesting statues that honor Mothers and Teachers, as well as an open-air space with a stage at one end and an inlaid tile mosaic of a Mayo deer dancer.

Another reason to visit Plaza Santa Fe is that it is adjacent to the Regional Museum of the Mayo (Museo Regional del Mayo) So you can visit the plaza to relax before or after your visit to the museum.

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Monument to Mothers in Navojoa Plaza Santa Fe

Statue in honor of teachers in Navojoa Plaza Santa Fe

Backstage mural at Navojoa Plaza Santa Fe

Mayo deer dancer mosaic at the Navojoa Plaza Santa Fe

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The Regional Museum of the Mayo in Navajoa, Sonora

Profesor Lombardo Ríos Ramírez

The Regional Museum of the Mayo in Navojoa, Sonora

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Museo Regional del Mayo

The Regional Museum of the Mayo in Navajoa, Sonora offers a glimpse back into the culture and history of the indigenous Mayo people and this region in Southern Sonora they have inhabited for centuries.

The Museo Regional del Mayo is in a two-story red brick building that was constructed in 1923 as the railroad office for the Railroad of the Mayo River, and it is still located adjacent to the railroad tracks. It is named after its founder, Profesor Lombardo Ríos Ramírez, who is an expert on the flora, fauna, archaeology and native peoples of the region and has been a driving force in establishing cultural museums and learning centers in the area.

Former Mexican President and General Alvaro Obregon, who was born in Navojoa, planned the railroad to continue south to the Sonoran coastal village of Yavaros and west to Huatabampo, to provide a means of transportation to Navojoa for the rich agricultural production of the region.

The museum has a section dedicated to President Obregon, who was born in the municipality of Navojoa and was assassinated in April of 1928 at the age of 48.

After the building was no longer used as a railroad office, it was occupied for a time by the Ronaud family. The museum was opened in July of 2002, and is a must-see stop when you are exploring Navojoa.

I toured the museum in April of 2017, and as someone who loves learning about history and culture I enjoyed the experience. For a nominal entrance fee, I was given a guided tour by a very friendly and knowledgeable guide who not only explained the meaning of the various exhibits, but also provided interesting background information about the displays.

And even if you do not speak Spanish the photos and artifacts also speak for themselves. If you would like to visit the museum with a large group, they ask that you please notify them in advance – contact information is listed below.

There are six main themes in the Museo Regional del Mayo, all related to the history and cultural heritage of the region. They are: Prehistory and colonization; temporary exhibits; Mayo ethnology and ethnicity; the history of the museum property; and historical archival photos of Navojoa from the 20th century.

The Museo Regional del Mayo is located on Calle No Reeleccion in Navajoa, adjacent to the Plaza Santa Fe. The sites are both along an Une city bus route.

Museo Regional del Mayo Profr. Lombardo Ríos Ramírez
Ayuntamiento de Navojoa

Open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday – Saturday
Closed Sunday and Monday

Leona Vicario 200
Colonia Juárez
CP 85860
Navojoa, Navojoa, Sonora
Tel.: +52 (642) 421-5531
Email