Mercado Benito Juárez

The Mercado Benito Juárez fills a whole block just south of the Zócalo in Oaxaca's historic centre, between Flores Magón, Las Casas, 20 de Noviembre and Aldama streets. It is the city's oldest covered market and the everyday shopping hall of the centro: the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, famous for its grills and food stalls, sits on the next block to the south, so most visitors walk through both in one go.

The ground has been used for trading since before the Spanish arrived. The present building went up in 1893 under a British company and opened on 2 April 1894 as the Mercado Porfirio Díaz, named after the president of the day. In 1912 it was renamed for Benito Juárez Maza, then governor of Oaxaca and son of President Benito Juárez. Like other markets of the period, it copies the European iron halls, with a metal frame and high roofs; the frame is bolted together rather than welded, a design meant to ride out the region's frequent earthquakes.

Inside, hundreds of stalls are packed along narrow aisles. Food takes up much of the hall: pastes of mole, balls of quesillo, chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), dried chiles, Oaxacan chocolate, pan de yema, honey, herbs, fruit, flowers and bulk grains, plus sections for meat and seafood. Juice and agua fresca stands, such as Aguas Casilda, are a popular stop, and a few stalls on the south side serve hot meals. The rest of the market sells huaraches and leather goods, hats, knives, woven baskets and palm containers, embroidered textiles, black and green clay pottery, alebrijes, mezcal and everyday clothing. Mornings are the liveliest and least crowded time to wander it.