While strolling through the streets of Guanajuato, a colonial city, you have the opportunity to discover the renowned Alley of the Kiss. According to local legend, this corner was once the meeting place for a young couple who exchanged romantic kisses from their respective balconies.
Guanajuato resembles a city plucked from the pages of a fairy tale. Its Historic Center immerses visitors in a timeless ambiance, with its vibrant facades and narrow winding pathways evoking the charm of picturesque European villages. However, it is not only its captivating allure that attracts throngs of tourists from all over the world; the city is also known for its enchanting tales and legends.
One of their most famous ones, deeply rooted in tradition, unfolds within a narrow alley measuring just 68 centimeters wide in Guanajuato’s downtown area (address: number 36000). The tale unfolds as follows:
Carmen, the sole daughter of an authoritative and violent man, captured the affection of Luis, a destitute miner from a nearby town. Discovering their secret love, Carmen’s father confined her and threatened to send her to a convent, intending to arrange her marriage to an elderly nobleman in Spain to enhance his own wealth.
After nights filled with tears, Carmen entrusted Brígida, her loyal companion, with delivering a letter to Luis, bearing the distressing news. In response, Luis decided to relocate to the house directly opposite Carmen’s residence. This particular house boasted a balcony that faced a remarkably narrow alley, where one could easily touch the opposing wall with a mere outstretched hand.
One fateful day, as the enamored pair conversed from their respective balconies, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a dispute. Carmen’s father and Brígida engaged in a heated argument, with the latter endeavoring to shield Carmen’s chamber from the intruding patriarch. Eventually, Carmen’s father succeeded in gaining access and, consumed by fury, he plunged a dagger into her chest.
According to the tale, even in death, Carmen’s hand remained clasped in Luis’s grip, which he tenderly kissed for hours on end.
This romantic yet tragic legend has transcended time and become an integral part of the city’s cultural fabric. Nowadays, tourists flock to the famous Alley of the Kiss, where they create their own destinies through a gesture far removed from the fate of Carmen and Luis: sealing their love by exchanging a kiss on the third step.
TYT Newsroom
