Guanajuato is a UNESCO World Heritage city, which was founded in 1559. Its rich silver and gold deposits helped to establish Guanajuato as an important economic center of the region. Today, visitors are introduced to a rich and vibrant cultural experience replete with museums, bustling plazas, and brightly-colored buildings and houses on steep slopes winding throughout the city. There are many marketplaces and restaurants and the University helps to support and promote the various cultural activities including films, theatre, music and the acclaimed annual international arts festival, Festival Cervantino.