Barrio Arriba / Silicon Barrio

With an important historical, architectural, cultural and religious heritage, Barrio Arriba is one of the oldest and most traditional areas in the city of Leon, Mexico. It is a place that for decades, has housed the sector leather-footwear, one of the productive activities more representative in the city.

Its foundation goes back to the Colonial times, after obtaining the official recognition as Villa de Leon. In the 20th century, it is a space rooted in the past within a modern urban context. Entering the neighborhood is to move from the city agitation to the calm of the ancient towns of Mexico.

Barrio Arriba provided important socio-cultural manifestations and elements of identity to the people of León, consolidating itself as an industrial area for footwear and tannery. Within the neighborhood there are several cultural lampposts, it is the cradle and origin of a very traditional soccer team: Curtidores, besides being the scenario for several “legendary”  ghostly and demonic apparitions” and many will-o’-the wisps also known as ignus fatuus, due to gases emanated  by the metal coins buried as a banking and saving strategy devised by the old houses owners, this phenomenon attracted treasure hunters from all over the world. Tours guided by storytellers disguised as monks offer the legends related to the streets of Barrio Arriba during Dia de Muertos.

The Silicon Barrio project, aims to reactivate the economic activity in the neighborhood keeping the Barrio Arriba cultural heritage. The name of Silicon Barrio is allusive to Silicon Valley, southern San Francisco, United States, renowned for its high technology in its corporations and the adoption of thousands of small businesses. In Leon, the idea arose a year ago by two people after witnessing an abandoned Barrio Arriba, after being one of the areas with greater commercial competition in the city for many years. Gentrification starts in 3, 2…