Huejotzingo (municipality)
Encyclopedia
Huejotzingo is a small city and municipality
located just northwest of the city of Puebla
, in the central Mexico
. The settlement’s history dates back to the pre-Hispanic period, when it was a dominion, with its capital a short distance from where the modern settlement is today. Modern Huejotzingo is located where a Franciscan monastery was founded in 1525, and in 1529, the monks moved the indigenous population of Huejotzingo to live around the monastery. Today, Huejotzingo is known for the production of alcoholic apple cider
and fruit preserves
, as well as its annual carnival
. This carnival is distinct as it centers around the re-enactment of several historical and legendary events related to the area. The largest of these is related to the Battle of Puebla
, with about 2,000 residents representing French and Mexican forces that engage in mock battles over four days.
and the city of Puebla, and is part of the metropolitan area of Puebla. The town is marked by large eucalyptus
trees lining the road and surrounded by large apple orchards. In the distance to the west and southwest, the two volcanoes of Popocatepetl
and Iztaccíhuatl
can be seen on the horizon. The center of the town is marked by a plaza larger than most in central Mexico, and most of it is shaded by trees. It is named after Juan de Alameda, who built the town’s 16th-century former monastery. In this park, there is a stone cross, which marks the Spanish settlement’s division into four neighborhoods. From this plaza, eleven streets lead into the various parts of the city. Surrounding the plaza are the municipal palace, the Portal Iturbide (a commercial center), and a small plaza called the Plazuela de San Diego, which leads to the monastery. The municipal palace contains a mural of the legend of the Daughter of the Corregidor (roughly mayor), which is also re-enacted at the building each year. The town also has a municipal market
. Here and in restaurants, local specialties such as fava bean soup, red or green pipian
, and a sweet and salty stew called "manchamantel" (literally tablecloth stainer) can be found.
There are two major religious monuments in the city. The first is the San Miguel Arcángel (Archangel Michael) monastery, a very large structure built in the 16th century that is part of the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl World Heritage Site
. The second is the San Diego Temple. This church was also built 16th century, between 1598 and 1600. The building surrounds a well, and it is said that the church was built here because of a miracle that occurred at this well. The main facade is done in sandstone ashlar
masonry. The main portal is flanked by pilaster
s and cornice
s that reach to the choral window. There are also pinnacles and a rectangular pediment
. Topping this is a pedestal with a sculpture of Diego of Acalá. The bell tower has various arched openings with a small dome and "linternilla" to let in light. The interior has a Latin cross layout, covered by two types of vaults and a cupola
over a pendentive
. The altars are decorated in gold leaf varying between Baroque
and Churrigueresque
styles. There are also a number of oil paintings, but the most important of these depicts the miracle that supposedly occurred here. A child who has fallen into the well is saved by the saint for whom the church is named.
The city hosts a number of fairs and festivals during the year, the best known and largest of which is carnival. For the six weeks prior to Holy Week
, ornamental altars depicting different Biblical passages are displayed in front of homes in the town of Huejotzingo. As the area is known for its production of apple cider, the city hosts a Feria de la Sidra (Cider Fair) each year in September.
. It was dedicated to the Archangel Michael, who would eventually become the patron of the Spanish settlement of Huejotzingo and is the current patron of the modern municipality.
The current building is the third to have been built on the site. The first was a very modest construction that lasted from 1524 to 1529. In 1529, the Franciscans under Juan de Alameda moved the indigenous settlement to an area next to the monastery. Legend states that it was because the friars were tired of making the climb to the indigenous village for evangelization purposes. It was likely, however, to take advantage of indigenous labor to construct a larger monastery. The first monastery was demolished and a second complex was built in its place between 1529 and 1539. However, this building would not survive either, except for old plans and part of a foundation and walls, which were found during renovation work in 1980. The third and current complex was begun in 1544 and completed in 1570, and built under the direction of Juan de Alameda. Construction ended when Alameda died, and he was buried in the monastery. In the colonial era, it was described as being as luxurious as the church of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo
and one of the most beautiful in Mexico. Since then, the complex has survived a number of earthquakes with little damage. In the 1990s, it became one of fourteen monasteries around the Popocatepetl volcano declared a World Heritage Site
. The state of Puebla
promotes tourism of the monastery through its "Franciscan Route," which connects it with other 16th-century Franciscan monasteries in Calpan
and Cholula
.
The basic elements of the complex are the atrium with its corner chapels called "capillas posas," cloister
, and main church. It is all constructed on a rectangular platform that measures 14,400m2 and rises six meters above the adjacent land. The complex is isolated from the outside by a thick stone atrium wall topped by merlon
s. These merlons are repeated on the walls of the church and cloister. These merlons are not the typical European style. Their form is similar to elements found in various pre-Hispanic constructions. The thick walls, merlons and narrow windows made the complex a fortress, not only to protect the monks from hostile native populations initially, but also to provide the local community later with a shelter in case of attack.
The atrium
of the monastery faces west, towards the main plaza of the modern city. Between this plaza and the main access there is a small plaza. From this small plaza, one climbs a series of stairs to the atrium gate, which is an arcade of three arches with decorations in relief. The atrium takes up most of the monastery grounds and is rectangular, measuring sixty meters long. The most elaborate feature of the atrium is the four chapels embedded in each of the area’s four corners, constructed around 1550. They were used for processions, especially for the storage of the Host
for processions, but they were also used as chapels to serve the many indigenous of the area in the 16th century. They are elaborately decorated with the Franciscan coat of arms, cords like those worn by Franciscan monks with tassels and other symbols. This decorative feature can be seen in other parts of the complex as well. In the center of the atrium, on the pathway between the main atrium entrance and the entrance to the church, there is an atrium cross. Most histories of the monastery, but not all, state that this atrium cross is not the original, but rather used to belong to one of the corner chapels. The cross is done in sandstone and imitates two knotty tree trunks, with a crown of thorns at the foot.
The monastery also has associated with it a system of aqueducts to bring water here from the Xopanac River. Remnants of it can be seen today.
The architecture of the large church and monastery area is a mix of medieval and Renaissance styles, with Plateresque
and Moorish
elements standing out. The Plateresque is evident in the large smooth areas with little ornamental work on the facade and north side of the church. This side has a portal decorated with leaves and thistle
s. The entrance to the church is flanked by tall classical columns, whose capital
s support a narrow cornice to form an alfiz
. This is decorated with a Franciscan-style cord and seven anagrams in Greek and Latin. Moorish influence is seen in the door arch of the main portal.
The interior has only one nave
. There are remnants of frescos on the walls, the best preserved of which show a precession of men in hoods, called "Los encapuchados" (The hooded ones). The main altar is one of the few from the 16th century that remain in Mexico, made by Simon Pereyns
. Another unusual feature is the stonework around the door to the sacristy
, which forms a crisscross pattern of flowers.
The entrance to the monastery area is on the south side of the complex’s facade. It consists of two wide arches supported in the center by a large column. The interior of the cloister retains all of its original architectural elements, and includes the courtyard, fountain, monks’ cells, refectory
, kitchen, gardens, and a meditation/prayer room called the sala de profundis. This room contains the best preserved mural work in the complex, including a depiction of the first twelve Franciscans to arrive in Mexico, headed by Martin de Valencia . This cloister today houses the Museo de Evangelización del ex convento de San Miguel (Evangelization Museum of the former monastery of San Miguel), under the administration of the INAH with Gabiel Maritano Garci as director. It contains a modest collection of artworks and other artifacts from the colonial period such as baptismal fonts and religious paraphernalia as well as displays explaining the evangelization work done by the Franciscans after the Conquest.
to produce. Only about 250,000 comes from the local government, with the rest coming from donations by the local residents. The costumed participants are residents of the municipality and range in age from five to over fifty, and many families have participated for generations. All of the costumes are produced locally, including the "Turkish" shoes (modified running shoes), hand-carved wooden muskets, and elaborately decorated pants, shirts, and other clothing items. Up to 10,000 are in some kind of costume for the event. The firing of the many muskets over the four days can use as much as five tons of gunpowder and there have been accidents which have resulted in injuries and even death. Historically, this carnival has been linked to both the pre-Hispanic festivities related to the god Tlaloc
and the "flower war
s" of the same epoch. There was a festival dedicated to the rain god, but this was transformed in the colonial period into a festival with masked dancers. Elements of the modern carnival are also said to allude to the wars, in which the objective was not to kill or conquer, but rather to capture warriors for sacrifice. The modern carnival event officially began in 1869 and has been held annually ever since.
Preparations begin in January, with a formal meeting/party on the first Sunday of the year. There is masked dancing to live music. This event is called desfiguros (disfigured) or los viejitos (the little old ones). Officially, carnival begins on the weekend before Ash Wednesday
. Saturday begins with a parade at about four in the afternoon. The organizers of the year’s event, called generals, enter the municipal palace to have the municipal president sign a document turning over the main plaza of the town to the "general in chief." Then the other generals hang banners around the center blocks of the city to announce that carnival has begun. For the next four days, people listen and dance to music, set off fireworks and more, but what makes the Huejotzingo carnival different is the reenactment of three elements of the area’s history and lore, which occur repeatedly over the course of the event. The first is the kidnapping of the daughter of the Corregidor by Agustín Lorenzo. The second commemorates the Battle of Puebla, and the last depicts the first marriage of Indians by Catholic rite in Latin America.
Agustín Lorenzo was a bandit during the colonial period, whose story has since been romanticized. According to legend, he and the daughter of the Corregidor were in love. At the beginning of this reenactment, the woman who plays the daughter arrives at the municipal palace to climb up to the balcony to be kidnapped. The man playing Lorenzo arrives on horseback to take the woman, climbing up a rope ladder. He descends with the woman, who is already dressed in white. As the couple flees, they are pursued by lawmen also on horseback. Spectators, including those playing French and Mexican soldiers for another reenactment, generally cheer on the bandit and his bride. As those on horses leave, a small hut is burned on the main plaza. This is because it is said that Lorenzo carried the woman away to his hut and the Corregidor ordered it burned. The reenactment ends with the wedding of Lorenzo and the daughter by a priest and Lorenzo becomes an honest man. While this wedding is happening, on the other side of the same plaza, another wedding takes place. This is the reenactment of the first indigenous couple to be wed with Catholic rites in the area. Tradition states it was the first of its kind on the Americas.
The most extensive event is based on the Battle of Puebla, which occurred in the 19th century between French and Mexican troops in this region. For this, the residents of the four principal neighborhoods of the city are divided into four "battalions," each headed by a "general." Over all four days, these battalions, totaling about 2,000 people, participate in mock battles, firing their wooden muskets at each other, which fills the air with gunpowder smoke. During this time, the battalions eat together and even visit the graves of former members who have died. About thirty percent of the participants are women, who are dressed and masked as men. The four battalions divide into two battalions representing the French and two battalions representing the Mexicans. However, the uniforms are not historically accurate. The "French" are costumed as Zouave
s and "zapadores", which are based somewhat on French attire, but others dress as "Turks" complete with turbans. The Mexican side are costumed as "serranos," "zacapoaxtlas," and "apache
s" (with headdress).
Each participant pays a fee of between 300 and 500 pesos to participate, along with buying the approximately four kilos of gunpowder they will burn over the event. The generals hire the bands that play for the four days, which cost about 60,000 pesos per band over the four days. Participants also put a lot of money into the costumes that they wear. The values of garments worn can be as high as 30,000 pesos, depending on the type of garment (zacapoaxtla, traje serrano, etc.) and the quantity and quality of the adornments. All carry wooden rifles or muskets, which are also decorated.
The zacapoaxtla is a shirt with loose pants made of natural cotton cloth. At the front and back they are adorned with colored stripes which are embroidered often adding sequins, beads and other elements. Added to this are white embroidered hosiery, bags that carry ammunition and/or a pistol holder. It is finished with a leather mask, which has a beard woven from real human hair. The traje serrano consists of a black cotton shirt and pants, with an animal skin around the shoulders, a hat made of palm fronds, and huarache sandals
. If worn with a pre-Hispanic headdress and jewelry, it is called a traje de apache. A zapador is an outfit with a shirt, a short blue jacket, and red baggy pants and an embroidered apron-like garment. The wearer also has a hat and a mask with mustache and beard. "Turco" (Turkish) dress consists of a white shirt and pants, with a small blue vest, a turban with a peacock feather, and a mask with a mustache and beard. They can also have silk capes embroidered with the images of Mexican heroes.
The most important day is Tuesday, when activities begin at one or two in the morning, with a gathering of food and drink by the battalions. At around six am, the participants eat the gathered breakfast and then go to the local cemeteries to pay honor to dancers who may have died during the year. At twelve pm, parades and other events take places similar to the days before. At six pm, the battalions are officially "dismissed" and partying until midnight begins.
The Carnival is extremely popular with local children, who are often seen on the streets in costume with miniature rifles. The Sunday after Ash Wednesday is reserved for a "Children’s Carnival" (Carnaval Infantil). In this event, there is strict control over the use of fireworks and gunpowder to protect the children.
, walnuts, and various fruits such as pears, plums, apricots, peaches, and tejocotes. The municipality contains a large number of fruit orchards, and much of the fruit is sold as preserves. Livestock includes dairy and meat cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, and domestic fowl. Deforestation has significantly diminished the forestry industry, and it is minimal. There is a reservoir by the name of San Joaquin and a pond named San Mateo that is stocked with fish. Trout
are raised on farms along the Alseseca and Xopana rivers.
About 31% of the population of Huejotzingo is involved in manufacturing, mining, and construction. The traditional industries of the area are the making of alcoholic apple cider and fruit conserves and sweets. Cider has been made in the municipality since 1920, when its production was started by Miguel Ortega y Rojas. There are five major cider production facilities, which produce about a million and a half bottles of the beverage each year. The city used to be surrounded by apple orchards, but the construction of the airport destroyed most of them. Most apples for cider production now come from an area called Salvador El Seco. The municipality has a growing industrial corridor by the name of Quetzalcoatl, along Federal Highway 190 between kilometer marks 74 and 91. It consists of four sections, which are developed as new businesses move in. The first is dedicated to metals, machinery, construction, and food processing. The second and third are still untouched brushland with plans for auto parts manufacturing in the future, and the fourth is primarily for the pharmaceutical industry. Mining is limited to the extraction of clay.
About 28% of the population is involved in tourism, commerce, and services. Most commercial businesses serve local and regional needs, but they also include shops selling the area’s signature cider and fruit conserves. The municipality receives a certain amount of tourism principally due to the monastery with its museum and its annual carnival.
and means "place of small willows," as the area used to be filled with willow trees growing in area bog
s and marsh
es. Huejotzingo received its coat of arms in 1553 from Carlos V
. It shows a silver fortress on a red field, which has a blue flag with the Cross of Jerusalem in gold. There is also a palm tree in gold. On either side of the fortress there are two lions. Surrounding all of this is a decorative border with five blue stars on a silver background, with the words "Carolus Quintus Hispaniarum Rex."
This area on the slopes of Iztaccíhuatl was settled first by groups of Olmec
s and Xicalacas and later by Toltec
s and Chichimeca
s. First were a number of villages, which then coalesced into a dominion. Between the 13th and 14th centuries, this dominion reached its peak, entering into treaties with the Mexica
dominions of Tenochtitlan, Tacuba and Texcoco as well as those in Tlaxcala
, and with both areas, it entered into the Xochiyaotl or Flower Wars to obtain victims for human sacrifice. According to one story, the lord of Huejotzingo protected both Moctezuma Ilhuicamina and the Nezahualcoyotl
, who were being chased by the Tepanecas. When the two became rulers of Tenochtitlan and Texcoco, respectively, they never forgot the favor. The pre-Hispanic Huejotzingo was located on high ground closer to the Iztaccihuatl volcano, possibly because of the ready supply of water and possibly because of its defensible position. The area came under Aztec domination in the 15th century, but the people’s relationship with the empire was poor. When the Spanish arrived, they broke Huejotzingo’s ties to Tenochtitlan, and the town decided to ally itself with the Spanish against the Aztecs in 1520.
After the Conquest, the area became the encomienda
of Diego de Ordaz
. A short time later, it came under direct control of the viceroy
. The Franciscans established a monastery in 1525, which was one of several early prominent ones along with those in Texcoco and Tlaxcala. The head of this monastery, Juan de Alameda, moved the pre-Hispanic settlement of Huejotzingo, resettling the population around the monastery, the current location of the city. The moved settlement was organized into four neighborhoods, one on each side of the monastery. The first civil construction was the "portales," a commercial area and a government building. A textile industry was also established. The indigenous community protested the annual levy of tribute in 1560. Despite a census of 11,328 indigenous, the Spanish Crown demanded payment equal to a population of 25,000. However, the town lost and was forced to pay.
Much of the area’s political history is dominated by cacique
s and caudillo
s, who ruled through force and/or political connections, generally stifling the economic growth of the area. The appendage of de Nieva was added in 1861 in honor of Ignacio Nieva, who died fighting in the Reform War
era in Texmelucan
. The cemetery was established in the Barrio del Carmen in 1899.
For most of the 20th century, the municipal presidents came from one party, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), and two local families, which rejected industrialization and the building of highways. In November 1995, elections for municipal president were held between Jesus Mensus of the PAN
party and Miguel Angel Martinez Escobar of the then-nationally ruling PRI party. The PAN candidate received the largest number of votes, but PRI asserted that there were irregularities at eleven polling stations. The state electoral commission nullified the votes at these stations, which then allowed the PRI to win by 28 votes. Mensus supporters then occupied the municipal palace as talks between the two political parties broke down. In May, the PAN and the protests resulted in a reconsideration of the election commission’s decision and PAN was declared the winner.
on the far east side are part of the Valley of Puebla, more specifically the plains of Huejotzingo. Between 2,500 and 3,000 masl are the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada, and above this on the far west side, the territory is part of the mountain chain and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
. The east side of the municipality is flat. Heading west, the land begins to rise gradually in the middle of the territory, then the altitude increases sharply on the west end, as it is the foot of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano. Near this volcano, there are a number of other elevations such as Ocotepec, Tepechichipa and Zacatalatla. The steepness of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano makes it prone to rockslides as snowmelt runs down the side, especially from a depression on the side where snow tends to accumulate, called Ayolócotl. Visible along various areas of the volcano are areas devoid of vegetation where rockslides have violently disrupted the ecology.
The municipality belongs to the upper basin of the Atoyac River, one of the most important basins of the state, where the river begins at the border between Mexico State and Puebla on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Rivers and streams generally cross the area from southwest to northwest, coming from the Sierra Nevada, and all are tributaries of the Atoyac. These include the San Diego, Cuaxupila, Pipinahuac, Alseseca, Achipitzil, Tolimpa, Losa Cipreses, Actiopa, and Xopanac. Some of these rivers and streams have suffered reduced water flow due to deforestation. Today the Xopana River is mostly dry, and filled with garbage in places. Some of the rivers have cut deep ravines and small canyons into the landscape, including the La Manga, Xeniqui, Ocoxaltepec, Xacatiotlapa, Hueyatitla, Tepetla, Coxocoaco, Apitzato, and Hueacaclán. The snowmelt of the volcanos feeds most of these streams and rivers, and water and snow stored in depressions on the mountain allow for river flow during the dry season. In addition, rain and snowmelt feed underground aquifers and freshwater springs.
The climate of the municipality divides into three zones. The lower valley areas have a temperate semi-humid climate with rains in the summer. A somewhat cold and semi-humid climate with rains in the summer predominates at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. On the upper slopes of the volcano, the climate is cold. Similarly, vegetation divides into three zones. The low flat areas are all given over to farmland and urban areas. The foothills area is generally characterized by forests of pine, holm oak
, and oyamel, with areas of brush land, but much of this area is being deforested and converted into new farmland. The upper slopes of Iztaccíhuatl are characterized by snowy rocky land with areas of alpine meadow .
, San Felipe Teotlalcingo
, Chautzingo, Domingo Arenas
, San Nicolás de los Ranchos
, Calpan
, Tlaltenango
, Juan C. Bonilla
, San Martín Texmelucan
with the State of Mexico on the west side. Other major communities in the municipality include Santa María Atexcal, San Mateo Capultitlan, San Luis Coyotzingo, Santa María Nepopulaco, San Juan Pancuac, Santa María Tianguistengo, San Miguel Tianguizolco, and Santa Ana Xalmimilulco. There are municipal offices in the following communities: San Juan Pancoac, San Miguel Tianguizolco, San Luis Coyotzingo, Santa Ana Xalmimilulco, San Mateo Capultitlan, Santa Maria Atexcac, Santa Maria Nepopualco, and Santa Maria Tianguistenco.
Festivals include the Feria Regional de Huejotzingo in September, Feria del Santuario de la Preciosa Sangre on the fourth Friday of Lent in Santa Ana Xalmimilulco, and the feasts of the patron saints of the following communities: Santa Ana Xalmimilulco (26 July), San Luis Coyotzingo (19 August), San Mateo Capultitlan (21 September), San Miguel Tianguizolco (29 September), Santa Maria Tianguiztenco (12 May), Santa Maria Nepopualco (5 August), San Juan Pancoac (24 June), and Santa Maria Atexcac (20 January) .
Just under 40% of the total municipal population of 59,822 lives in the city proper. Since 1995, the municipality has experienced population growth of about 2.77%. The overwhelming majority are Roman Catholic, with the next largest group, Evangelical/Protestant, accounting for 4.4% of the population. There are a number of Nahua families, with 725 speaking an indigenous language according to the 2005 census.
is located in the municipality, 20 minutes by highway from the city of Puebla and an hour from Mexico City. Its official name is the Aeropuerto Internacional de Puebla Hermanos Serdán. Inaugurated in 1985, the airport is one of the newest in Mexico and serves primarily the Puebla and Tehuacán
regions. Most flights in and out are domestic with some international service, mostly to the United States. It served 550,000 passengers in 2009. The major airline to operate out of the facility is Volaris
. In total there are six that provide service to Monterrey
, Guadalajara, Tijuana
, Mexico City, and Dallas, Texas. Buses and taxis connect the airport to the city of Puebla, as well as rental cars. There is parking for 230 cars, but no hotel on the premises.
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
located just northwest of the city of Puebla
Puebla, Puebla
The city and municipality of Puebla is the capital of the state of Puebla, and one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico. Being a planned city, it is located to the east of Mexico City and west of Mexico's main port, Veracruz, on the main route between the two.The city was founded...
, in the central Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The settlement’s history dates back to the pre-Hispanic period, when it was a dominion, with its capital a short distance from where the modern settlement is today. Modern Huejotzingo is located where a Franciscan monastery was founded in 1525, and in 1529, the monks moved the indigenous population of Huejotzingo to live around the monastery. Today, Huejotzingo is known for the production of alcoholic apple cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
and fruit preserves
Fruit preserves
Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits and sugar, often canned or sealed for long-term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves today often involves adding commercial or natural pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used, as well. Prior to World War II, fruit preserve...
, as well as its annual carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
. This carnival is distinct as it centers around the re-enactment of several historical and legendary events related to the area. The largest of these is related to the Battle of Puebla
Battle of Puebla
The Battle of Puebla took place on 5 May 1862 near the city of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico. The battle ended in a victory for the Mexican Army over the occupying French forces...
, with about 2,000 residents representing French and Mexican forces that engage in mock battles over four days.
The town
The small city of Huejotzingo is one of a number of settlements along the old main highway between Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and the city of Puebla, and is part of the metropolitan area of Puebla. The town is marked by large eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
trees lining the road and surrounded by large apple orchards. In the distance to the west and southwest, the two volcanoes of Popocatepetl
Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at , the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba...
and Iztaccíhuatl
Iztaccíhuatl
Iztaccíhuatl , is the third highest mountain in Mexico, after the Pico de Orizaba, , and Popocatépetl, . Its name is Nahuatl for "White woman"....
can be seen on the horizon. The center of the town is marked by a plaza larger than most in central Mexico, and most of it is shaded by trees. It is named after Juan de Alameda, who built the town’s 16th-century former monastery. In this park, there is a stone cross, which marks the Spanish settlement’s division into four neighborhoods. From this plaza, eleven streets lead into the various parts of the city. Surrounding the plaza are the municipal palace, the Portal Iturbide (a commercial center), and a small plaza called the Plazuela de San Diego, which leads to the monastery. The municipal palace contains a mural of the legend of the Daughter of the Corregidor (roughly mayor), which is also re-enacted at the building each year. The town also has a municipal market
Traditional fixed markets in Mexico
Traditional fixed markets in Mexico go by a variety of names such as "mercados públicos" , "mercados municipales" or even more often simply "mercados"...
. Here and in restaurants, local specialties such as fava bean soup, red or green pipian
Mole (sauce)
Mole is the generic name for a number of sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces...
, and a sweet and salty stew called "manchamantel" (literally tablecloth stainer) can be found.
There are two major religious monuments in the city. The first is the San Miguel Arcángel (Archangel Michael) monastery, a very large structure built in the 16th century that is part of the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl World Heritage Site
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site are fourteen 16th century monasteries which were built by the Augustinians, the Franciscans and the Dominicans in order to evangelize the areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico...
. The second is the San Diego Temple. This church was also built 16th century, between 1598 and 1600. The building surrounds a well, and it is said that the church was built here because of a miracle that occurred at this well. The main facade is done in sandstone ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
masonry. The main portal is flanked by pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s and cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
s that reach to the choral window. There are also pinnacles and a rectangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
. Topping this is a pedestal with a sculpture of Diego of Acalá. The bell tower has various arched openings with a small dome and "linternilla" to let in light. The interior has a Latin cross layout, covered by two types of vaults and a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
over a pendentive
Pendentive
A pendentive is a constructive device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room or an elliptical dome over a rectangular room. The pendentives, which are triangular segments of a sphere, taper to points at the bottom and spread at the top to establish the continuous circular or...
. The altars are decorated in gold leaf varying between Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
and Churrigueresque
Churrigueresque
Churrigueresque refers to a Spanish Baroque style of elaborate sculptural architectural ornament which emerged as a manner of stucco decoration in Spain in the late 17th century and was used up to about 1750, marked by extreme, expressive and florid decorative detailing, normally found above the...
styles. There are also a number of oil paintings, but the most important of these depicts the miracle that supposedly occurred here. A child who has fallen into the well is saved by the saint for whom the church is named.
The city hosts a number of fairs and festivals during the year, the best known and largest of which is carnival. For the six weeks prior to Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
, ornamental altars depicting different Biblical passages are displayed in front of homes in the town of Huejotzingo. As the area is known for its production of apple cider, the city hosts a Feria de la Sidra (Cider Fair) each year in September.
Monastery of San Miguel Arcángel
The Franciscans founded the monastery of San Miguel Arcángel in 1525, in an area outside of the pre-Hispanic settlement of Huejotzingo. That settlement was located on higher ground, closer to the slopes of Iztaccíhuatl, in what is now known as San Juan Loma. Its early founding makes it one of the oldest monasteries in the Americas, and one of the first four Franciscan monasteries established in New SpainNew Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
. It was dedicated to the Archangel Michael, who would eventually become the patron of the Spanish settlement of Huejotzingo and is the current patron of the modern municipality.
The current building is the third to have been built on the site. The first was a very modest construction that lasted from 1524 to 1529. In 1529, the Franciscans under Juan de Alameda moved the indigenous settlement to an area next to the monastery. Legend states that it was because the friars were tired of making the climb to the indigenous village for evangelization purposes. It was likely, however, to take advantage of indigenous labor to construct a larger monastery. The first monastery was demolished and a second complex was built in its place between 1529 and 1539. However, this building would not survive either, except for old plans and part of a foundation and walls, which were found during renovation work in 1980. The third and current complex was begun in 1544 and completed in 1570, and built under the direction of Juan de Alameda. Construction ended when Alameda died, and he was buried in the monastery. In the colonial era, it was described as being as luxurious as the church of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo
Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo
The Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes is a historic monastery in Toledo, Spain, built by the Catholic Monarchs .-A monument to celebrate:...
and one of the most beautiful in Mexico. Since then, the complex has survived a number of earthquakes with little damage. In the 1990s, it became one of fourteen monasteries around the Popocatepetl volcano declared a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. The state of Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
promotes tourism of the monastery through its "Franciscan Route," which connects it with other 16th-century Franciscan monasteries in Calpan
Calpan (municipality)
Calpan is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico.-References:...
and Cholula
Cholula
Cholula is a city and district located in the center west of the state of Puebla, next to the city of Puebla de Zaragoza, in central Mexico. Cholula is best known for its Great Pyramid, with the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios sanctuary on top and its numerous churches...
.
The basic elements of the complex are the atrium with its corner chapels called "capillas posas," cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
, and main church. It is all constructed on a rectangular platform that measures 14,400m2 and rises six meters above the adjacent land. The complex is isolated from the outside by a thick stone atrium wall topped by merlon
Merlon
In architecture, a merlon forms the solid part of an embattled parapet, sometimes pierced by embrasures. The space between two merlons is usually called a crenel, although those later designed and used for cannons were called embrasures.-Etymology:...
s. These merlons are repeated on the walls of the church and cloister. These merlons are not the typical European style. Their form is similar to elements found in various pre-Hispanic constructions. The thick walls, merlons and narrow windows made the complex a fortress, not only to protect the monks from hostile native populations initially, but also to provide the local community later with a shelter in case of attack.
The atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
of the monastery faces west, towards the main plaza of the modern city. Between this plaza and the main access there is a small plaza. From this small plaza, one climbs a series of stairs to the atrium gate, which is an arcade of three arches with decorations in relief. The atrium takes up most of the monastery grounds and is rectangular, measuring sixty meters long. The most elaborate feature of the atrium is the four chapels embedded in each of the area’s four corners, constructed around 1550. They were used for processions, especially for the storage of the Host
Sacramental bread
Sacramental bread, sometimes called the lamb, altar bread, host or simply Communion bread, is the bread which is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist.-Eastern Catholic and Orthodox:...
for processions, but they were also used as chapels to serve the many indigenous of the area in the 16th century. They are elaborately decorated with the Franciscan coat of arms, cords like those worn by Franciscan monks with tassels and other symbols. This decorative feature can be seen in other parts of the complex as well. In the center of the atrium, on the pathway between the main atrium entrance and the entrance to the church, there is an atrium cross. Most histories of the monastery, but not all, state that this atrium cross is not the original, but rather used to belong to one of the corner chapels. The cross is done in sandstone and imitates two knotty tree trunks, with a crown of thorns at the foot.
The monastery also has associated with it a system of aqueducts to bring water here from the Xopanac River. Remnants of it can be seen today.
The architecture of the large church and monastery area is a mix of medieval and Renaissance styles, with Plateresque
Plateresque
Plateresque, meaning "in the manner of a silversmith" , was an artistic movement, especially architectural, traditionally held to be exclusive to Spain and its territories, which appeared between the late Gothic and early Renaissance in the late 15th century, and spread over the next two centuries...
and Moorish
Moorish architecture
Moorish architecture is the western term used to describe the articulated Berber-Islamic architecture of North Africa and Al-Andalus.-Characteristic elements:...
elements standing out. The Plateresque is evident in the large smooth areas with little ornamental work on the facade and north side of the church. This side has a portal decorated with leaves and thistle
Thistle
Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles often occur all over the plant – on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These are an adaptation that protects the...
s. The entrance to the church is flanked by tall classical columns, whose capital
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
s support a narrow cornice to form an alfiz
Alfiz
The alfiz is an architectonic adornment, consisting of a moulding, usually a rectangular panel, which encloses the outward side of an arch...
. This is decorated with a Franciscan-style cord and seven anagrams in Greek and Latin. Moorish influence is seen in the door arch of the main portal.
The interior has only one nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
. There are remnants of frescos on the walls, the best preserved of which show a precession of men in hoods, called "Los encapuchados" (The hooded ones). The main altar is one of the few from the 16th century that remain in Mexico, made by Simon Pereyns
Simon Pereyns
Simon Pereyns was a Flemish painter. He moved to Lisbon, Portugal in 1558 and later to Madrid, Spain. In 1566, he moved to Mexico where he gained fame as a painter of numerous works, most of which have not survived...
. Another unusual feature is the stonework around the door to the sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
, which forms a crisscross pattern of flowers.
The entrance to the monastery area is on the south side of the complex’s facade. It consists of two wide arches supported in the center by a large column. The interior of the cloister retains all of its original architectural elements, and includes the courtyard, fountain, monks’ cells, refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
, kitchen, gardens, and a meditation/prayer room called the sala de profundis. This room contains the best preserved mural work in the complex, including a depiction of the first twelve Franciscans to arrive in Mexico, headed by Martin de Valencia . This cloister today houses the Museo de Evangelización del ex convento de San Miguel (Evangelization Museum of the former monastery of San Miguel), under the administration of the INAH with Gabiel Maritano Garci as director. It contains a modest collection of artworks and other artifacts from the colonial period such as baptismal fonts and religious paraphernalia as well as displays explaining the evangelization work done by the Franciscans after the Conquest.
Carnival
The carnival of Huejotzingo is unlike any other carnival in Mexico or in the world, and it is famous both in Puebla and other parts of the country. The annual event can draw up to 35,000 visitors from both Mexico and abroad, and costs about 2 million pesosMexican peso
The peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
to produce. Only about 250,000 comes from the local government, with the rest coming from donations by the local residents. The costumed participants are residents of the municipality and range in age from five to over fifty, and many families have participated for generations. All of the costumes are produced locally, including the "Turkish" shoes (modified running shoes), hand-carved wooden muskets, and elaborately decorated pants, shirts, and other clothing items. Up to 10,000 are in some kind of costume for the event. The firing of the many muskets over the four days can use as much as five tons of gunpowder and there have been accidents which have resulted in injuries and even death. Historically, this carnival has been linked to both the pre-Hispanic festivities related to the god Tlaloc
Tlaloc
Tlaloc was an important deity in Aztec religion, a god of rain, fertility, and water. He was a beneficent god who gave life and sustenance, but he was also feared for his ability to send hail, thunder and lightning, and for being the lord of the powerful element of water. In Aztec iconography he...
and the "flower war
Flower war
A flower war or flowery war is the name given to the battles fought between the Aztec Triple Alliance and some of their enemies: most notably the city-states of Tlaxcala, Huejotzingo, Atlixco and Cholula.-Sources:...
s" of the same epoch. There was a festival dedicated to the rain god, but this was transformed in the colonial period into a festival with masked dancers. Elements of the modern carnival are also said to allude to the wars, in which the objective was not to kill or conquer, but rather to capture warriors for sacrifice. The modern carnival event officially began in 1869 and has been held annually ever since.
Preparations begin in January, with a formal meeting/party on the first Sunday of the year. There is masked dancing to live music. This event is called desfiguros (disfigured) or los viejitos (the little old ones). Officially, carnival begins on the weekend before Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
. Saturday begins with a parade at about four in the afternoon. The organizers of the year’s event, called generals, enter the municipal palace to have the municipal president sign a document turning over the main plaza of the town to the "general in chief." Then the other generals hang banners around the center blocks of the city to announce that carnival has begun. For the next four days, people listen and dance to music, set off fireworks and more, but what makes the Huejotzingo carnival different is the reenactment of three elements of the area’s history and lore, which occur repeatedly over the course of the event. The first is the kidnapping of the daughter of the Corregidor by Agustín Lorenzo. The second commemorates the Battle of Puebla, and the last depicts the first marriage of Indians by Catholic rite in Latin America.
Agustín Lorenzo was a bandit during the colonial period, whose story has since been romanticized. According to legend, he and the daughter of the Corregidor were in love. At the beginning of this reenactment, the woman who plays the daughter arrives at the municipal palace to climb up to the balcony to be kidnapped. The man playing Lorenzo arrives on horseback to take the woman, climbing up a rope ladder. He descends with the woman, who is already dressed in white. As the couple flees, they are pursued by lawmen also on horseback. Spectators, including those playing French and Mexican soldiers for another reenactment, generally cheer on the bandit and his bride. As those on horses leave, a small hut is burned on the main plaza. This is because it is said that Lorenzo carried the woman away to his hut and the Corregidor ordered it burned. The reenactment ends with the wedding of Lorenzo and the daughter by a priest and Lorenzo becomes an honest man. While this wedding is happening, on the other side of the same plaza, another wedding takes place. This is the reenactment of the first indigenous couple to be wed with Catholic rites in the area. Tradition states it was the first of its kind on the Americas.
The most extensive event is based on the Battle of Puebla, which occurred in the 19th century between French and Mexican troops in this region. For this, the residents of the four principal neighborhoods of the city are divided into four "battalions," each headed by a "general." Over all four days, these battalions, totaling about 2,000 people, participate in mock battles, firing their wooden muskets at each other, which fills the air with gunpowder smoke. During this time, the battalions eat together and even visit the graves of former members who have died. About thirty percent of the participants are women, who are dressed and masked as men. The four battalions divide into two battalions representing the French and two battalions representing the Mexicans. However, the uniforms are not historically accurate. The "French" are costumed as Zouave
Zouave
Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...
s and "zapadores", which are based somewhat on French attire, but others dress as "Turks" complete with turbans. The Mexican side are costumed as "serranos," "zacapoaxtlas," and "apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
s" (with headdress).
Each participant pays a fee of between 300 and 500 pesos to participate, along with buying the approximately four kilos of gunpowder they will burn over the event. The generals hire the bands that play for the four days, which cost about 60,000 pesos per band over the four days. Participants also put a lot of money into the costumes that they wear. The values of garments worn can be as high as 30,000 pesos, depending on the type of garment (zacapoaxtla, traje serrano, etc.) and the quantity and quality of the adornments. All carry wooden rifles or muskets, which are also decorated.
The zacapoaxtla is a shirt with loose pants made of natural cotton cloth. At the front and back they are adorned with colored stripes which are embroidered often adding sequins, beads and other elements. Added to this are white embroidered hosiery, bags that carry ammunition and/or a pistol holder. It is finished with a leather mask, which has a beard woven from real human hair. The traje serrano consists of a black cotton shirt and pants, with an animal skin around the shoulders, a hat made of palm fronds, and huarache sandals
Huarache (shoe)
Huaraches are a type of Mexican sandal.Huaraches are pre-Columbian in origin, and are made from woven leather. The leather is traditionally hand-woven. The name "Huarache" is derived from the P'urhépecha language term kwarachi...
. If worn with a pre-Hispanic headdress and jewelry, it is called a traje de apache. A zapador is an outfit with a shirt, a short blue jacket, and red baggy pants and an embroidered apron-like garment. The wearer also has a hat and a mask with mustache and beard. "Turco" (Turkish) dress consists of a white shirt and pants, with a small blue vest, a turban with a peacock feather, and a mask with a mustache and beard. They can also have silk capes embroidered with the images of Mexican heroes.
The most important day is Tuesday, when activities begin at one or two in the morning, with a gathering of food and drink by the battalions. At around six am, the participants eat the gathered breakfast and then go to the local cemeteries to pay honor to dancers who may have died during the year. At twelve pm, parades and other events take places similar to the days before. At six pm, the battalions are officially "dismissed" and partying until midnight begins.
The Carnival is extremely popular with local children, who are often seen on the streets in costume with miniature rifles. The Sunday after Ash Wednesday is reserved for a "Children’s Carnival" (Carnaval Infantil). In this event, there is strict control over the use of fireworks and gunpowder to protect the children.
Economy
Overall, the municipality is considered to have a low level of economic marginalization, with about one third of its community considered to have a high or somewhat high level. The major economic activity in Huejotzingo is agriculture, followed by industry. Agriculture, forestry and fishing employ about 39% of the municipality’s population. Principal crops include fava and other kinds of beans, wheat, alfalfaAlfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
, walnuts, and various fruits such as pears, plums, apricots, peaches, and tejocotes. The municipality contains a large number of fruit orchards, and much of the fruit is sold as preserves. Livestock includes dairy and meat cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, and domestic fowl. Deforestation has significantly diminished the forestry industry, and it is minimal. There is a reservoir by the name of San Joaquin and a pond named San Mateo that is stocked with fish. Trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
are raised on farms along the Alseseca and Xopana rivers.
About 31% of the population of Huejotzingo is involved in manufacturing, mining, and construction. The traditional industries of the area are the making of alcoholic apple cider and fruit conserves and sweets. Cider has been made in the municipality since 1920, when its production was started by Miguel Ortega y Rojas. There are five major cider production facilities, which produce about a million and a half bottles of the beverage each year. The city used to be surrounded by apple orchards, but the construction of the airport destroyed most of them. Most apples for cider production now come from an area called Salvador El Seco. The municipality has a growing industrial corridor by the name of Quetzalcoatl, along Federal Highway 190 between kilometer marks 74 and 91. It consists of four sections, which are developed as new businesses move in. The first is dedicated to metals, machinery, construction, and food processing. The second and third are still untouched brushland with plans for auto parts manufacturing in the future, and the fourth is primarily for the pharmaceutical industry. Mining is limited to the extraction of clay.
About 28% of the population is involved in tourism, commerce, and services. Most commercial businesses serve local and regional needs, but they also include shops selling the area’s signature cider and fruit conserves. The municipality receives a certain amount of tourism principally due to the monastery with its museum and its annual carnival.
History
The name comes from NahuatlNahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
and means "place of small willows," as the area used to be filled with willow trees growing in area bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. Huejotzingo received its coat of arms in 1553 from Carlos V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
. It shows a silver fortress on a red field, which has a blue flag with the Cross of Jerusalem in gold. There is also a palm tree in gold. On either side of the fortress there are two lions. Surrounding all of this is a decorative border with five blue stars on a silver background, with the words "Carolus Quintus Hispaniarum Rex."
This area on the slopes of Iztaccíhuatl was settled first by groups of Olmec
Olmec
The Olmec were the first major Pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco....
s and Xicalacas and later by Toltec
Toltec
The Toltec culture is an archaeological Mesoamerican culture that dominated a state centered in Tula, Hidalgo in the early post-classic period of Mesoamerican chronology...
s and Chichimeca
Chichimeca
Chichimeca was the name that the Nahua peoples of Mexico generically applied to a wide range of semi-nomadic peoples who inhabited the north of modern-day Mexico and southwestern United States, and carried the same sense as the European term "barbarian"...
s. First were a number of villages, which then coalesced into a dominion. Between the 13th and 14th centuries, this dominion reached its peak, entering into treaties with the Mexica
Mexica
The Mexica were a pre-Columbian people of central Mexico.Mexica may also refer to:*Mexica , a board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling*Mexica , a 2005 novel by Norman Spinrad...
dominions of Tenochtitlan, Tacuba and Texcoco as well as those in Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala (Nahua state)
Tlaxcala was a pre-Columbian city state of central Mexico.Tlaxcala was a confederation of four altepetl — Ocotelolco, Quiahuiztlan, Tepeticpac and Tizatlan — which each took turns providing a ruler for Tlaxcala as a whole.-History:Tlaxcala was never conquered by the Aztec empire, but was...
, and with both areas, it entered into the Xochiyaotl or Flower Wars to obtain victims for human sacrifice. According to one story, the lord of Huejotzingo protected both Moctezuma Ilhuicamina and the Nezahualcoyotl
Nezahualcoyotl
Nezahualcoyotl was a philosopher, warrior, architect, poet and ruler of the city-state of Texcoco in pre-Columbian Mexico...
, who were being chased by the Tepanecas. When the two became rulers of Tenochtitlan and Texcoco, respectively, they never forgot the favor. The pre-Hispanic Huejotzingo was located on high ground closer to the Iztaccihuatl volcano, possibly because of the ready supply of water and possibly because of its defensible position. The area came under Aztec domination in the 15th century, but the people’s relationship with the empire was poor. When the Spanish arrived, they broke Huejotzingo’s ties to Tenochtitlan, and the town decided to ally itself with the Spanish against the Aztecs in 1520.
After the Conquest, the area became the encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
of Diego de Ordaz
Diego de Ordaz
Diego de Ordaz , born in Castroverde de Campos, Zamora province, Spain, in 1480, died in Venezuela in 1532, was a Spanish explorer and soldier.-Early career:Diego de Ordaz arrived in Cuba at a young age...
. A short time later, it came under direct control of the viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
. The Franciscans established a monastery in 1525, which was one of several early prominent ones along with those in Texcoco and Tlaxcala. The head of this monastery, Juan de Alameda, moved the pre-Hispanic settlement of Huejotzingo, resettling the population around the monastery, the current location of the city. The moved settlement was organized into four neighborhoods, one on each side of the monastery. The first civil construction was the "portales," a commercial area and a government building. A textile industry was also established. The indigenous community protested the annual levy of tribute in 1560. Despite a census of 11,328 indigenous, the Spanish Crown demanded payment equal to a population of 25,000. However, the town lost and was forced to pay.
Much of the area’s political history is dominated by cacique
Cacique
Cacique is a title derived from the Taíno word for the pre-Columbian chiefs or leaders of tribes in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles...
s and caudillo
Caudillo
Caudillo is a Spanish word for "leader" and usually describes a political-military leader at the head of an authoritarian power. The term translates into English as leader or chief, or more pejoratively as warlord, dictator or strongman. Caudillo was the term used to refer to the charismatic...
s, who ruled through force and/or political connections, generally stifling the economic growth of the area. The appendage of de Nieva was added in 1861 in honor of Ignacio Nieva, who died fighting in the Reform War
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
era in Texmelucan
San Martín Texmelucan de Labastida
San Martín Texmelucan de Labastida is a city in the west-central part of the state of Puebla in Mexico, adjacent to the southwest corner of the state of Tlaxcala. It is the municipal seat of the municipality of San Martín Texmelucan...
. The cemetery was established in the Barrio del Carmen in 1899.
For most of the 20th century, the municipal presidents came from one party, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), and two local families, which rejected industrialization and the building of highways. In November 1995, elections for municipal president were held between Jesus Mensus of the PAN
National Action Party (Mexico)
The National Action Party , is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. The party's political platform is generally considered Centre-Right in the Mexican political spectrum. Since 2000, the President of Mexico has been a member of this party; both houses have PAN pluralities, but the...
party and Miguel Angel Martinez Escobar of the then-nationally ruling PRI party. The PAN candidate received the largest number of votes, but PRI asserted that there were irregularities at eleven polling stations. The state electoral commission nullified the votes at these stations, which then allowed the PRI to win by 28 votes. Mensus supporters then occupied the municipal palace as talks between the two political parties broke down. In May, the PAN and the protests resulted in a reconsideration of the election commission’s decision and PAN was declared the winner.
Geography, climate and ecology
Huejotzingo is located on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, 25 km northwest from the capital on Highway 150. The geography of the land varies depending on the proximity to the Sierra Nevada. Areas at altitudes under 2,500 maslMeters above sea level
Meters above sea Level is a standard metric measurement of the elevation of a location in reference to historic mean sea level; the determination of what actually constitutes mean sea level over time however, may be determined by other parameters, such as the effects of climate history and climate...
on the far east side are part of the Valley of Puebla, more specifically the plains of Huejotzingo. Between 2,500 and 3,000 masl are the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada, and above this on the far west side, the territory is part of the mountain chain and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
Trans-Mexican volcanic belt
The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt also known as the Transvolcanic Belt and locally as the Sierra Nevada , is a volcanic belt that extends 900 km from west to east across central-southern Mexico...
. The east side of the municipality is flat. Heading west, the land begins to rise gradually in the middle of the territory, then the altitude increases sharply on the west end, as it is the foot of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano. Near this volcano, there are a number of other elevations such as Ocotepec, Tepechichipa and Zacatalatla. The steepness of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano makes it prone to rockslides as snowmelt runs down the side, especially from a depression on the side where snow tends to accumulate, called Ayolócotl. Visible along various areas of the volcano are areas devoid of vegetation where rockslides have violently disrupted the ecology.
The municipality belongs to the upper basin of the Atoyac River, one of the most important basins of the state, where the river begins at the border between Mexico State and Puebla on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Rivers and streams generally cross the area from southwest to northwest, coming from the Sierra Nevada, and all are tributaries of the Atoyac. These include the San Diego, Cuaxupila, Pipinahuac, Alseseca, Achipitzil, Tolimpa, Losa Cipreses, Actiopa, and Xopanac. Some of these rivers and streams have suffered reduced water flow due to deforestation. Today the Xopana River is mostly dry, and filled with garbage in places. Some of the rivers have cut deep ravines and small canyons into the landscape, including the La Manga, Xeniqui, Ocoxaltepec, Xacatiotlapa, Hueyatitla, Tepetla, Coxocoaco, Apitzato, and Hueacaclán. The snowmelt of the volcanos feeds most of these streams and rivers, and water and snow stored in depressions on the mountain allow for river flow during the dry season. In addition, rain and snowmelt feed underground aquifers and freshwater springs.
The climate of the municipality divides into three zones. The lower valley areas have a temperate semi-humid climate with rains in the summer. A somewhat cold and semi-humid climate with rains in the summer predominates at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. On the upper slopes of the volcano, the climate is cold. Similarly, vegetation divides into three zones. The low flat areas are all given over to farmland and urban areas. The foothills area is generally characterized by forests of pine, holm oak
Holm Oak
Quercus ilex, the Holm Oak or Holly Oak is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It takes its name from holm, an ancient name for holly...
, and oyamel, with areas of brush land, but much of this area is being deforested and converted into new farmland. The upper slopes of Iztaccíhuatl are characterized by snowy rocky land with areas of alpine meadow .
The municipality
The small city of Huejotzingo is the local governing authority for over one hundred other named communities, which cover a territory of 188.91 km2. The municipality is located in the center west of the state, on the border with the State of Mexico. The municipality borders the municipalities of San Salvador el VerdeSan Salvador el Verde (municipality)
San Salvador el Verde is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico. It is best known as the site of the Chautla Hacienda, which was the property of Eulogio Gillow, the first archbishop of Antequera and contains an English style residence called locally called "El Castillo"...
, San Felipe Teotlalcingo
San Felipe Teotlalcingo (municipality)
San Felipe Teotlalcingo is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico.-References:...
, Chautzingo, Domingo Arenas
Domingo Arenas (municipality)
Domingo Arenas is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico.-References:...
, San Nicolás de los Ranchos
San Nicolás de Los Ranchos (municipality)
San Nicolás de Los Ranchos is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico.-References:...
, Calpan
Calpan (municipality)
Calpan is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico.-References:...
, Tlaltenango
Tlaltenango (municipality)
Tlaltenango is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico....
, Juan C. Bonilla
Juan C. Bonilla (municipality)
Juan C. Bonilla is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico....
, San Martín Texmelucan
San Martín Texmelucan de Labastida
San Martín Texmelucan de Labastida is a city in the west-central part of the state of Puebla in Mexico, adjacent to the southwest corner of the state of Tlaxcala. It is the municipal seat of the municipality of San Martín Texmelucan...
with the State of Mexico on the west side. Other major communities in the municipality include Santa María Atexcal, San Mateo Capultitlan, San Luis Coyotzingo, Santa María Nepopulaco, San Juan Pancuac, Santa María Tianguistengo, San Miguel Tianguizolco, and Santa Ana Xalmimilulco. There are municipal offices in the following communities: San Juan Pancoac, San Miguel Tianguizolco, San Luis Coyotzingo, Santa Ana Xalmimilulco, San Mateo Capultitlan, Santa Maria Atexcac, Santa Maria Nepopualco, and Santa Maria Tianguistenco.
Festivals include the Feria Regional de Huejotzingo in September, Feria del Santuario de la Preciosa Sangre on the fourth Friday of Lent in Santa Ana Xalmimilulco, and the feasts of the patron saints of the following communities: Santa Ana Xalmimilulco (26 July), San Luis Coyotzingo (19 August), San Mateo Capultitlan (21 September), San Miguel Tianguizolco (29 September), Santa Maria Tianguiztenco (12 May), Santa Maria Nepopualco (5 August), San Juan Pancoac (24 June), and Santa Maria Atexcac (20 January) .
Just under 40% of the total municipal population of 59,822 lives in the city proper. Since 1995, the municipality has experienced population growth of about 2.77%. The overwhelming majority are Roman Catholic, with the next largest group, Evangelical/Protestant, accounting for 4.4% of the population. There are a number of Nahua families, with 725 speaking an indigenous language according to the 2005 census.
Education
The municipally has 25 preschools, 21 primary schools, ten middle schools, and four high-school-level institutions. There is also a CECATI technical and vocational school. There is one major institution of higher education called the Universidad Tecnológica de Huejotzingo, which was established in the community of Santa Ana Xalmimilulco in 1998. The institution primarily offers technology-related degrees in fields such as mechanical engineering, information and communications technologies, administration and evaluation of projects, and textile industry design and production.Transportation
The International Airport of PueblaHermanos Serdán International Airport
Hermanos Serdán International Airport is an international airport located near Puebla, Puebla, Mexico. It handles national air traffic for the city of Puebla....
is located in the municipality, 20 minutes by highway from the city of Puebla and an hour from Mexico City. Its official name is the Aeropuerto Internacional de Puebla Hermanos Serdán. Inaugurated in 1985, the airport is one of the newest in Mexico and serves primarily the Puebla and Tehuacán
Tehuacán
Tehuacán is the second largest city in the Mexican state of Puebla, nestled in the Southeast Valley of Tehuacán, bordering the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz. The 2010 census reported a population of 248,716 in the city and 274,906 in its surrounding municipality of the same name, of which it serves...
regions. Most flights in and out are domestic with some international service, mostly to the United States. It served 550,000 passengers in 2009. The major airline to operate out of the facility is Volaris
Volaris
Concesionaria Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A. de C.V., operating as Volaris, is a low-cost airline from Mexico, and the country's second largest airline after Aeroméxico, thus being a leading competitor in the Mexican domestic market, with a market share of around 13-14% of domestic...
. In total there are six that provide service to Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Guadalajara, Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
, Mexico City, and Dallas, Texas. Buses and taxis connect the airport to the city of Puebla, as well as rental cars. There is parking for 230 cars, but no hotel on the premises.