Pátzcuaro
Encyclopedia
Pátzcuaro (ˈpatskwaɾo) is a large town and municipality located in the state of Michoacán. The town was founded sometime in the 1320s, at first becoming the capital of the Tarascan state
and later its ceremonial center. After the Spanish took over, Vasco de Quiroga
worked to make Pátzcuaro the capital of the New Spain
province of Michoacán, but after his death, the capital would be moved to nearby Valladolid (today Morelia
). Pátzcuaro has retained its colonial and indigenous character since then, and has been named both a "Pueblo Mágico
" and one of the 100 Historic World Treasure Cities by the United Nations. Pátzcuaro and the lake region it belongs to is well known as a site for Day of the Dead
celebrations.
There are several possibilities as to the meaning of "Pátzcuaro." The first is from "phascuaro" which means place dyed in black, or from patatzecuaro, which means place of foundations, another is from petatzimícuaro meaning place of bullrushes, and still others state that it means happy place or seat of temples. Pátzcuaro received its coat of arms in 1553 from Charles V of Spain
.
. It states that two chiefs by the names of Páracume and Vápeani arrived in the area, then called Tarimichundiro, with their tribe, the Chichimecas. Here they began to build their temples, called "cues" by placing four large rocks close together. No date is given for this event, but since the deaths of the two original chiefs occurred in 1360, it is widely supposed that the founding occurred around 1324.
Around this time, three indigenous groups lived around Lake Pátzcuaro
, who continuously fought each other. One group was called the "Coringuaro," another group the "Isleños" and the third the Chichimecas in Pátzcuaro. The Tarascan kingdom began with Tariácuri, the first chief of the area assumed the title of "caltzontzin," or emperor, by conquering his neighbors. Pátzcuaro was the first capital of the Tarascos. The new kingdom was divided into three principalities called Ihauatzio, Tzintzuntzan and Pátzcuaro. Later, power shifted to the Tzintzuntzan principality, becoming the new capital, leaving Pátzcuaro as the ceremonial center, and a retreat for the nobility.
When the Spanish arrived in Michoacán
, many sought refuge in Pátzcuaro. Forts were built in a neighborhood that is still called "Barrio Fuerte" (Fort Neighborhood). Fighting continued between the Tarascans and the Spanish. A meeting between the emperor Tanganxoan II and Cristóbal de Olid
was arranged. Getting down off his horse, Olid embraced the monarch, then forced him to kneel in front of the crowd. Later a chapel was built which is called "El Humilladero" (The Humiliated). In 1526, Nuño de Guzmán came as head of the new Spanish government to punish the Tarascans harshly. This culminated with the torture and death of Tanganxoan II the last Tarascan emperor. After this, most residents of Pátzcuaro fled to the mountains leaving the area mostly unpopulated. Vasco de Quiroga arrived in Pátzcuaro to take over. He expelled Nuño de Guzmán and confiscated his properties. Nuño was eventually sent back to Spain as a prisoner for his crimes in New Spain.
In 1538, the Spanish established their settlement in Pátzcuaro, founding the Diocese of Michoacán with Vasco de Quiroga as first bishop. Pátzcuaro was made the capital of the new Spanish province. The 1540s saw a repopulation of the area with Bishop Vasco de Quiroga convincing many of the Indians to return and brought in a number of Spanish families. For this Vasco de Quiroga is considered to be the founder of modern Pátzcuaro. He renamed the city as the City of Michoacán, which was confirmed by royal decree in 1553, with Pátzcuaro receiving its current coat of arms. The cathedral was constructed over the temple dedicated to the goddess Cueráppari. Vasco de Quiroga wanted to build an ambitious cathedral here, with five naves, but this was declared unacceptable by the Spanish crown and only one of the naves was built. It remains to this day.
Pátzcuaro remained the largest city in the Spanish province until about ten years after Vasco de Quiroga's death. Viceregal authorities then decided to change the capital to the recently founded Valladolid (today Morelia) in 1575. Ecclesiastical authorities moved the diocese and the College of San Nicolás, established by Vasco de Quiroga, to Valladolid as well.
Pátzcuaro remained the economic and spiritual center of the Lake Pátzcuaro region with life dominated by Franciscan and Augustinian friars. In the mid 18th century, the city had a population of about 3,300 people.
During the Mexican War of Independence
, Pátzcuaro was attacked several times. Gertrudis Bocanegra
was shot by firing squad for her participation in insurgent activities by royalist forces on the main square of Pátzcuaro on 10 October 1817. After Independence, the town was the capital of the 12th district of the West Department of Michoacán. In 1831, the state was reorganized and Pátzcuaro became the seat of the municipality of the same name.
During the Reform War
in 1867, Pátzcuaro sided with the Conservatives, who wanted to maintain the second Mexican empire. The city was then attacked by General Régules of the Republican side, who took possession of the town after a bloody fight and named liberal leaders.
During the Porfirio Díaz
period, just before the Mexican Revolution
, the Pátzcuaro area was heavily dominated by large landholders, haciendas and some foreign companies, pushing popular sympathy with the rebels to come. The town became a strategic point for taking the Michoacán capital. The town remained in rebel hands for most of the conflict but was taken in 1913 by Victoriano Huerta
's government. At the end of the conflict, reconstruction of the town included the conservation of its colonial and indigenous look.
, atole
, trout dishes, and a number of cold drinks based on corn. The courtyards and balconies are almost always filled with flowering plants, which is a tradition in Patzcuaro, with many homeowners sharing tips and plants with each other, sometimes even cross breeding a new variety of flower. The most common flower to be seen is the begonia
, which blooms best between July and September. Other common plants include geraniums, mallow
s, bougainvillea
s, tiger lilies
, azalea
s, hydrangea
s, roses and others. Non-flowering plants that can also be seen include palm trees, selaginella and various cacti. Some grow medicinal and culinary herbs such as aloe
, chamomile
, mint, basil and others. Patzcuaro was named as one of the 100 Historic World Treasure Cities by the United Nations. This generated funds for restoration projects such as repairing the old cobblestone streets. It is also one of Mexico's "Pueblos Mágicos" (Magic Towns).
The town center is called the Plaza Vasco de Quiroga or the Plaza Grande. This plaza is large considering the size of the town. The Plaza Grande was dedicated to Vasco de Quiroga in 1964, when a fountain containing a bronze statue of the bishop was placed in the center. This sculpture was done by Costa Rica
n artist Francisco Zúñiga
. The Plaza is surrounded by old, stately ash trees and colonial-era mansions. Unlike most other towns and cities in Mexico, the main church does not face this plaza. While crafts can be seen for sale in all of the town, they are prominent in the Plaza. The main square is filled with stores selling a very wide variety of crafts including carved wooden statues and furniture, brightly painted accents depicting flowers and animals, brilliant piles of woven textiles, draperies, table cloths, bed spreads and napkins, wooden figures, religious art, clay plaques and pots, polished wooden boxes and guitars, picture frames, woolen blankets, copper vases and platters, basketry and items made of woven straw and reed, and sculpted and scented candles. Many of these are on display in the shops set into the colonial buildings around the plaza, with much more inside.
Facing the main plaza is the Palace of Huitziméngari. This structure, like most of the rest of the town, is made of adobe and has a clay tile roof. This palace belonged to Antonio de Huitziméngari, the son of the last Tarascan governor, named Cazonci, and the godson of the first viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza. It has two floors, a sober facade and the inner courtyard is surrounded with round arches and filled with flowers. On the upper floor, there is a statue of a dog, an allusion to Huitziméngari's name which in Tarascan mythology referred to the dog that served the Lord of Paradise. The dog motif is repeated on some of the inside doors.
One block to the north of the Vasco Plaza is the Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra, also called the Plaza Chica. The market off of Gertrudis Bocanegra specializes in woolen goods, kitchen implements, pottery, copper and straw items. Friday is market day, filling the walkways here with stalls with goods from various villages. Near main holidays, such as Day of the Dead, this market can spill over to the other two plazas in town as well. One of the buildings next to this plaza is the Ex Temple of San Agustin, which was founded in the 16th century. Today it houses the Gertrudis Bocanega Library. This library has a mural painted by Juan O'Gorman
depicting the history of Michoacán.
Two blocks east of the Plaza Chica is the most important church in Pátzcuaro, the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud. This church was built by Vasco de Quiroga over a pre-Hispanic ceremonial site to function as the Cathedral of Michoacán. Vasco de Quiroga's original project was ambitious, with five naves surrounding a cupola, but the Spanish Crown thought the project in appropriate and only one of the naves was built. The church served as the Cathedral until 1850, when that function was moved to Valladolid (now Morelia). This church was designated a basilica
in 1924. The facades have been modified since it was built at the end of the 19th century, which is why it now has a Neoclassical
appearance. The inside has a roof decorated to look like a vault but it is really a flat roof. The image here is the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception that originally was in the Hospital of Santa Marta. Now called "Our Lady of Health", it is made with corn-stalk paste and honey that was created in the 16th century. The remains of Vasco de Quiroga are interred here. This basilica is visited every day, but especially on the eighth day of every month to pay homage to the region's patroness.
The Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (Museum of Popular Arts and Industries) is located just south of the Basilica. The building was originally constructed as the College of San Nicolás in the 16th century by Vasco de Quiroga to prepare young men for the priesthood and to teach Indian youth to read and write. After the College was moved to Valladolid in 1580, the building was turned over to the Jesuits to found the College of Santa Catarina which functioned as a primary school. It contains one of the largest collections of lacquered items, models, and other crafts.
The Temple Sagrario was begun in 1693 and completed exactly two centuries later. For this reason, it has incorporated a number of different architectural styles, with different decorative elements. The temple has a Neoclassical interior, with the parquetry floors as the only aspect left of the original construction. It has a Churrigueresque
altar and on the west wall there is a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Dolores on a Baroque
altarpiece. These are the only ones of their type left in Pátzcuaro. The building has functioned as the Sancturary of Nuestra Señora de la Salud since 1924.
The Casa de los Once Patios (House of Eleven Courtyards) was constructed in 1742 for Dominican nuns of the order of Santa Catarina de Sena. They gradually expanded the initial building by buying adjacent houses, which is why the complex once had eleven courtyards, but now that is down to only five. In the west corridor, the oldest part of the complex, there is a fountain and a Baroque portal leading to a room that had a bathtub with hot and cold running water, a rare luxury at the time. In the 1960s, the complex was restored and since then has functioned as workshops and stores for local crafts. The workshops include those that make shawls and lacquered items. Behind the Casa de los Once Patios is the Pila de San Miguel. According to legend, the devil was bothering the women who were coming here to get water. To scare the devil away, Vasco de Quiroga put the image of the Archangel Michael there.
The Church of San Ignacio de Loyola, better known as the Temple of the Company of Jesus, is one of the most relevant religious structures architecturally. It has a sober Baroque facade divided into panels which is typical for this area. The interior guards valuable religious paintings such as a series of angels, and works done in wood. One of these is multicolored panel about Saint Ignatius of Loyola
. The east wall of this church held the remains of Vasco de Quiroga before they were moved to the Basilica. The complex has a large courtyard and a "punished" clock, set high up in a tower. It is considered "punished" as it does not chime at twelve noon. It is said that the machinery for the clock was brought from Spain on orders of Charles V who wanted to get rid of it for marking an hour that was disagreeable to the Crown. Another story states that an unfortunate young woman was killed by the clock when she got in the way of the bell and the pendulum when it was ready to ring twelve. In the 16th century, the complex suffered major damage due to a fire. It was rebuilt to the look that it has now. This temple and the cloister next door housed the Jesuits when they came to Pátzcuaro at the request of Vasco de Quiroga because of their reputation in the field of education. The adjoining building is now the Casa de Cultura.
The Chapel del Humilladero was constructed by Vasco de Quiroga in 1553 on the site where the last Tarascan emperor, Tanganxoan II, was forced to kneel before the Spanish, giving the site its name (The Humiliated). The crucifix of this chapel was sculpted from a single block of cantera stone, both the body and the cross. It is said that Vasco de Quiroga had the piece sculpted in 1553, but it was not finished until 1628.
, and this lake still has important economic and cultural significance for the town. Associated with Pátzcuaro are a number of islands, the best-known of which is Janitzio
, a name that means corn hair. It is recognizable through the forty-meter statue of José María Morelos y Pavón that in on the top of the hill. Underneath the statue is a series of murals about the life of this Mexican hero. There are four other islands in the lake. La Pacanda is in the center. This island has a small pond in it with carp and ducks. Yuneén Island is near the center and its name means half moon. Its attractions include its vegetation, traditional houses and cabins for visitors. Urandenes is closer to Patzcuaro and consists of three islands surrounded by canals in which white fish are raised. Residents here also fish with butterfly nets. Tecuena is the smallest island in the lake and its name means good honey. The docks at Pátzcuaro have boats that travel to these islands.
Until 2007, only Pátzcuaro had a water treatment facility with smaller communities discharging wastewater directly into the lake, causing grave pollution problems. Contamination has mostly been chemical, trash and wastewater, as well as sediment during the rainy season. The government of the state of Michoacán, the federal environmental protection agency and the Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua have started a program to clean up the basin of Lake Pátzcuaro. The plan is to repair the existing water treatment facilities and build two more. It also includes reforestation around the lake, landfills and barriers to prevent the contamination of the streams of the basin.
Pátzcuaro and the surrounding lake area have one of the best-known Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico. Markets catering to Day of the Dead abound in all of Michoacán but the best of what is to be had is in the market in the main plaza of Pátzcuaro. Here is one of the major crafts competitions of the year. Day of the Dead is celebrated very intensely in the towns and villages around Lake Pátzcuaro. Preparations include major cleaning and repair of the local cemeteries and the creation of flowered arches for gates of the atriums of local churches. These are made with a flower called cempasúchil, related to the chrysanthemum
. In the early morning of November 1, the "velación de la angelitos" (wake for the little angels) to honor children who have died during the previous year. This is generally done in the local cemeteries. During this day also is an event called the "teruscan," in which children run around town "stealing" ears of corn, squash and chayote
s from the roofs of neighbors’ houses. The stolen food is brought to the community center to be cooked to feed the community.
Festivities continue to midnight on November 2, which begins the "velación de los difuntos" (wake for the deceased) when again the towns gather in local cemeteries. This time men remain outside. Women and children enter to lay offerings of flowers and food, generally laid on embroidered napkins. Then prayers and chants are recited. For this reason Day of the Dead is usually referred to in Pátzcuaro as Night of the Dead. When daylight comes, a collection of food is taken for the parish priest and most people go to mass.
A parallel event in Pátzcuaro and other towns in Michoacán is the Festival Cultural de la Muerte. Since 1993, this event has been held to exhibit paintings, photographs, film, dance, crafts and altars that are created for this day. Canoeing
competitions on the lake are popular here as well as "torneos de calavaeras"(tournaments of skulls) which are satirical poetry contests with the theme of death and black humor. This festival takes place from 27 October to 2 November.
Other traditional events associated with Day of the Dead here include the Concert of the Basilica of Pátzcuaro and the staging of "Don Juan Tenorio
" in Erongarícuaro
. Both take place at 9 pm on 1 November. Another interesting event is the "Juego Prehispanico de Pelota Encendida (Mesoamerican ball game –lighted) At 7 pm on 1 November in the village of Tzintzuntzan
the game is played in the old ball court, called Las Yácatas, with a ball set on fire. It is also done in the main square of the village.
There is a legend related to the Day of the Dead here about two Tarascan nobles, the princess Mintzita and the prince Itzihuapa. They were in love but unable to unite in part because of the arrival of the Spanish to Michoacán. Princess Mintzita offered the Spanish the treasure that was hidden at the bottom of Lake Patzcuaro for the release of her father. Itzihuapa himself offered to go and get it, but when he did, he was captured by the twenty ghosts that guard treasure, becoming the 21st guardian. This broke Mintzita's heart. However, this occurred on the night that these guardian ghosts come back to life for one night and the two lovers were able to spend time together until daylight.
and Erongarícuaro.
The municipality covers most of the Pátzcuaro basin, which is part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
and surrounded by a number of mountains such as the Cerro el Blanco, Cerro del Estribo, Cerro del Frijol and Cerro del Burro. Almost all the water in Lake Patzcuaro comes from one stream called the El Chorrito and a number of fresh-water springs. The climate is temperate with rains in the summer. Temperatures vary during the year from between 9 and 23C. The municipality is primarily covered in forests with pine, holm oak and cedar trees. Most fauna consists of small mammals and fish found in the lake.
Agricultural activity mostly revolves around the growing of corn, wheat, beans, lentils and tomatoes. Livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep, donkeys, horses and fowl are also raised in the area. Most industry here involves food processing and the making of crafts such as furniture, textiles, jewelry, ironwork, religious figures and other things. Most commerce revolves around catering to tourists and meeting locals’ basic needs. Fishing is still done in the lake. Tourism is mostly based on sites located in the town of Pátzcuaro, along with neighboring archeological sites of Ihuatzio and Tzintzuntzan. Sports such as mountain biking and paragliding have also been introduced.
Tarascan state
The Tarascan state was a state in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, roughly covering the geographic area of the present-day Mexican state of Michoacán. At the time of the Spanish conquest of Mexico it was the second-largest state in Mexico. The state was founded in the early 14th century and lost its...
and later its ceremonial center. After the Spanish took over, Vasco de Quiroga
Vasco de Quiroga
Vasco de Quiroga was the first bishop of Michoacán, Mexico and one of the judges in the second Audiencia that governed New Spain from January 10, 1531 to April 16, 1535....
worked to make Pátzcuaro the capital of the New Spain
New 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...
province of Michoacán, but after his death, the capital would be moved to nearby Valladolid (today Morelia
Morelia
Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the P'urhépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the...
). Pátzcuaro has retained its colonial and indigenous character since then, and has been named both a "Pueblo Mágico
Pueblo Mágico
The Programa Pueblos Mágicos is an initiative led by Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism , in conjunction with other federal and state agencies, to promote a series of towns around the country that offer visitors a "magical" experience – by reason of their natural beauty, cultural riches, or...
" and one of the 100 Historic World Treasure Cities by the United Nations. Pátzcuaro and the lake region it belongs to is well known as a site for Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality...
celebrations.
There are several possibilities as to the meaning of "Pátzcuaro." The first is from "phascuaro" which means place dyed in black, or from patatzecuaro, which means place of foundations, another is from petatzimícuaro meaning place of bullrushes, and still others state that it means happy place or seat of temples. Pátzcuaro received its coat of arms in 1553 from Charles V of Spain
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...
.
History
The only history available about the founding of Patzcuaro comes from a book called Relación written by Viceroy Antonio de MendozaAntonio de Mendoza
Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco, Marquis of Mondéjar, Count of Tendilla , was the first viceroy of New Spain, serving from April 17, 1535 to November 25, 1550, and the second viceroy of Peru, from September 23, 1551 to July 21, 1552...
. It states that two chiefs by the names of Páracume and Vápeani arrived in the area, then called Tarimichundiro, with their tribe, the Chichimecas. Here they began to build their temples, called "cues" by placing four large rocks close together. No date is given for this event, but since the deaths of the two original chiefs occurred in 1360, it is widely supposed that the founding occurred around 1324.
Around this time, three indigenous groups lived around Lake Pátzcuaro
Lake Pátzcuaro
Lake Pátzcuaro is a lake in the municipality of Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico.The natives believe that the lake is the place where the barrier between life and death is the thinnest....
, who continuously fought each other. One group was called the "Coringuaro," another group the "Isleños" and the third the Chichimecas in Pátzcuaro. The Tarascan kingdom began with Tariácuri, the first chief of the area assumed the title of "caltzontzin," or emperor, by conquering his neighbors. Pátzcuaro was the first capital of the Tarascos. The new kingdom was divided into three principalities called Ihauatzio, Tzintzuntzan and Pátzcuaro. Later, power shifted to the Tzintzuntzan principality, becoming the new capital, leaving Pátzcuaro as the ceremonial center, and a retreat for the nobility.
When the Spanish arrived in Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, many sought refuge in Pátzcuaro. Forts were built in a neighborhood that is still called "Barrio Fuerte" (Fort Neighborhood). Fighting continued between the Tarascans and the Spanish. A meeting between the emperor Tanganxoan II and Cristóbal de Olid
Cristóbal de Olid
Cristóbal de Olid was a Spanish adventurer, conquistador and rebel who played a part in the conquest of Mexico and Honduras.Born in Zaragoza, Olid grew up in the household of the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. In 1518 Velázquez sent Olid to relieve Juan de Grijalva, but en route a...
was arranged. Getting down off his horse, Olid embraced the monarch, then forced him to kneel in front of the crowd. Later a chapel was built which is called "El Humilladero" (The Humiliated). In 1526, Nuño de Guzmán came as head of the new Spanish government to punish the Tarascans harshly. This culminated with the torture and death of Tanganxoan II the last Tarascan emperor. After this, most residents of Pátzcuaro fled to the mountains leaving the area mostly unpopulated. Vasco de Quiroga arrived in Pátzcuaro to take over. He expelled Nuño de Guzmán and confiscated his properties. Nuño was eventually sent back to Spain as a prisoner for his crimes in New Spain.
In 1538, the Spanish established their settlement in Pátzcuaro, founding the Diocese of Michoacán with Vasco de Quiroga as first bishop. Pátzcuaro was made the capital of the new Spanish province. The 1540s saw a repopulation of the area with Bishop Vasco de Quiroga convincing many of the Indians to return and brought in a number of Spanish families. For this Vasco de Quiroga is considered to be the founder of modern Pátzcuaro. He renamed the city as the City of Michoacán, which was confirmed by royal decree in 1553, with Pátzcuaro receiving its current coat of arms. The cathedral was constructed over the temple dedicated to the goddess Cueráppari. Vasco de Quiroga wanted to build an ambitious cathedral here, with five naves, but this was declared unacceptable by the Spanish crown and only one of the naves was built. It remains to this day.
Pátzcuaro remained the largest city in the Spanish province until about ten years after Vasco de Quiroga's death. Viceregal authorities then decided to change the capital to the recently founded Valladolid (today Morelia) in 1575. Ecclesiastical authorities moved the diocese and the College of San Nicolás, established by Vasco de Quiroga, to Valladolid as well.
Pátzcuaro remained the economic and spiritual center of the Lake Pátzcuaro region with life dominated by Franciscan and Augustinian friars. In the mid 18th century, the city had a population of about 3,300 people.
During the Mexican War of Independence
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
, Pátzcuaro was attacked several times. Gertrudis Bocanegra
Gertrudis Bocanegra
María Gertrudis Bocanegra de Mendoza de Lazo de la Vega was a woman who fought in the Mexican War of Independence. She was arrested, tortured and executed in 1817....
was shot by firing squad for her participation in insurgent activities by royalist forces on the main square of Pátzcuaro on 10 October 1817. After Independence, the town was the capital of the 12th district of the West Department of Michoacán. In 1831, the state was reorganized and Pátzcuaro became the seat of the municipality of the same name.
During 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...
in 1867, Pátzcuaro sided with the Conservatives, who wanted to maintain the second Mexican empire. The city was then attacked by General Régules of the Republican side, who took possession of the town after a bloody fight and named liberal leaders.
During the Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
period, just before the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
, the Pátzcuaro area was heavily dominated by large landholders, haciendas and some foreign companies, pushing popular sympathy with the rebels to come. The town became a strategic point for taking the Michoacán capital. The town remained in rebel hands for most of the conflict but was taken in 1913 by Victoriano Huerta
Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and president of Mexico. Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution...
's government. At the end of the conflict, reconstruction of the town included the conservation of its colonial and indigenous look.
Town
Since the Mexican Revolution, Patzcuaro has worked to keep its traditional colonial-indigenous look. Unlike the capital, houses in Pátzcuaro are made of adobe and/or wood and generally have tiled roofs. Cobblestone streets dominate the center of town down to the lake. The town is filled with stores and vendors selling a wide variety of crafts, many in bright colors. Patzcuaro is the market hub of the region, with smaller villages bringing in their own specialized crafts such as copperware, black pottery, musical instruments, baskets etc. Local dishes include tamales filled with fish, tarasca soup, red pozolePozole
Pozole is a ritually significant, traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico. Pozole was mentioned in Fray Bernardino de Sahagún's "General History of the Things of New Spain" circa 1500 CE. It is made from nixtamalized cacahuazintle corn, with meat, usually pork, chicken, turkey, pork...
, atole
Atole
Atole is a traditional masa-based Mexican and Central American hot drink. Chocolate atole is known as champurrado or atole...
, trout dishes, and a number of cold drinks based on corn. The courtyards and balconies are almost always filled with flowering plants, which is a tradition in Patzcuaro, with many homeowners sharing tips and plants with each other, sometimes even cross breeding a new variety of flower. The most common flower to be seen is the begonia
Begonia
Begonia is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae and is a perennial. The only other members of the family Begoniaceae are Hillebrandia, a genus with a single species in the Hawaiian Islands, and the genus Symbegonia which more recently was included in Begonia...
, which blooms best between July and September. Other common plants include geraniums, mallow
Mallow
Mallow or Mallows may refer to:Nature:* Malvaceae, family of plants; in particular the following genera:** Abelmoschus** Althaea – Marsh mallow** Callirhoe – Poppy mallow** Corchorus – Jews Mallow, Molokia, Mlukhia...
s, bougainvillea
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is a genus of flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Peru and south to southern Argentina . Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus...
s, tiger lilies
Tiger lily
-Botany:* Lilium catesbaei, a lily species native to southeastern North America* Lilium columbianum, a lily native to western North America* Lilium henryi, an orange lily native to central China...
, azalea
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
s, hydrangea
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is a genus of about 70 to 75 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia and North and South America. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea...
s, roses and others. Non-flowering plants that can also be seen include palm trees, selaginella and various cacti. Some grow medicinal and culinary herbs such as aloe
Aloe
Aloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....
, chamomile
Chamomile
Chamomile or camomile is a common name for several daisy-like plants of the family Asteraceae. These plants are best known for their ability to be made into an infusion which is commonly used to help with sleep and is often served with either honey or lemon. Because chamomile can cause uterine...
, mint, basil and others. Patzcuaro was named as one of the 100 Historic World Treasure Cities by the United Nations. This generated funds for restoration projects such as repairing the old cobblestone streets. It is also one of Mexico's "Pueblos Mágicos" (Magic Towns).
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n artist Francisco Zúñiga
Francisco Zúñiga
thumbJosé Jesús Francisco Zúñiga Chavarría was a Costa Rican and Mexican artist, known both for his painting and his sculpture...
. The Plaza is surrounded by old, stately ash trees and colonial-era mansions. Unlike most other towns and cities in Mexico, the main church does not face this plaza. While crafts can be seen for sale in all of the town, they are prominent in the Plaza. The main square is filled with stores selling a very wide variety of crafts including carved wooden statues and furniture, brightly painted accents depicting flowers and animals, brilliant piles of woven textiles, draperies, table cloths, bed spreads and napkins, wooden figures, religious art, clay plaques and pots, polished wooden boxes and guitars, picture frames, woolen blankets, copper vases and platters, basketry and items made of woven straw and reed, and sculpted and scented candles. Many of these are on display in the shops set into the colonial buildings around the plaza, with much more inside.
Facing the main plaza is the Palace of Huitziméngari. This structure, like most of the rest of the town, is made of adobe and has a clay tile roof. This palace belonged to Antonio de Huitziméngari, the son of the last Tarascan governor, named Cazonci, and the godson of the first viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza. It has two floors, a sober facade and the inner courtyard is surrounded with round arches and filled with flowers. On the upper floor, there is a statue of a dog, an allusion to Huitziméngari's name which in Tarascan mythology referred to the dog that served the Lord of Paradise. The dog motif is repeated on some of the inside doors.
One block to the north of the Vasco Plaza is the Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra, also called the Plaza Chica. The market off of Gertrudis Bocanegra specializes in woolen goods, kitchen implements, pottery, copper and straw items. Friday is market day, filling the walkways here with stalls with goods from various villages. Near main holidays, such as Day of the Dead, this market can spill over to the other two plazas in town as well. One of the buildings next to this plaza is the Ex Temple of San Agustin, which was founded in the 16th century. Today it houses the Gertrudis Bocanega Library. This library has a mural painted by Juan O'Gorman
Juan O'Gorman
Juan O'Gorman was a Mexican painter and architect.-Biography:O'Gorman was born in Coyoacán, then a village to the south of Mexico City and now a borough of the Federal District, to an Irish father, Cecil Crawford O'Gorman and a Mexican mother...
depicting the history of Michoacán.
Two blocks east of the Plaza Chica is the most important church in Pátzcuaro, the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud. This church was built by Vasco de Quiroga over a pre-Hispanic ceremonial site to function as the Cathedral of Michoacán. Vasco de Quiroga's original project was ambitious, with five naves surrounding a cupola, but the Spanish Crown thought the project in appropriate and only one of the naves was built. The church served as the Cathedral until 1850, when that function was moved to Valladolid (now Morelia). This church was designated a basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
in 1924. The facades have been modified since it was built at the end of the 19th century, which is why it now has a Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
appearance. The inside has a roof decorated to look like a vault but it is really a flat roof. The image here is the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception that originally was in the Hospital of Santa Marta. Now called "Our Lady of Health", it is made with corn-stalk paste and honey that was created in the 16th century. The remains of Vasco de Quiroga are interred here. This basilica is visited every day, but especially on the eighth day of every month to pay homage to the region's patroness.
The Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (Museum of Popular Arts and Industries) is located just south of the Basilica. The building was originally constructed as the College of San Nicolás in the 16th century by Vasco de Quiroga to prepare young men for the priesthood and to teach Indian youth to read and write. After the College was moved to Valladolid in 1580, the building was turned over to the Jesuits to found the College of Santa Catarina which functioned as a primary school. It contains one of the largest collections of lacquered items, models, and other crafts.
The Temple Sagrario was begun in 1693 and completed exactly two centuries later. For this reason, it has incorporated a number of different architectural styles, with different decorative elements. The temple has a Neoclassical interior, with the parquetry floors as the only aspect left of the original construction. It has a 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...
altar and on the west wall there is a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Dolores on a 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...
altarpiece. These are the only ones of their type left in Pátzcuaro. The building has functioned as the Sancturary of Nuestra Señora de la Salud since 1924.
The Casa de los Once Patios (House of Eleven Courtyards) was constructed in 1742 for Dominican nuns of the order of Santa Catarina de Sena. They gradually expanded the initial building by buying adjacent houses, which is why the complex once had eleven courtyards, but now that is down to only five. In the west corridor, the oldest part of the complex, there is a fountain and a Baroque portal leading to a room that had a bathtub with hot and cold running water, a rare luxury at the time. In the 1960s, the complex was restored and since then has functioned as workshops and stores for local crafts. The workshops include those that make shawls and lacquered items. Behind the Casa de los Once Patios is the Pila de San Miguel. According to legend, the devil was bothering the women who were coming here to get water. To scare the devil away, Vasco de Quiroga put the image of the Archangel Michael there.
The Church of San Ignacio de Loyola, better known as the Temple of the Company of Jesus, is one of the most relevant religious structures architecturally. It has a sober Baroque facade divided into panels which is typical for this area. The interior guards valuable religious paintings such as a series of angels, and works done in wood. One of these is multicolored panel about Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and was its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation...
. The east wall of this church held the remains of Vasco de Quiroga before they were moved to the Basilica. The complex has a large courtyard and a "punished" clock, set high up in a tower. It is considered "punished" as it does not chime at twelve noon. It is said that the machinery for the clock was brought from Spain on orders of Charles V who wanted to get rid of it for marking an hour that was disagreeable to the Crown. Another story states that an unfortunate young woman was killed by the clock when she got in the way of the bell and the pendulum when it was ready to ring twelve. In the 16th century, the complex suffered major damage due to a fire. It was rebuilt to the look that it has now. This temple and the cloister next door housed the Jesuits when they came to Pátzcuaro at the request of Vasco de Quiroga because of their reputation in the field of education. The adjoining building is now the Casa de Cultura.
The Chapel del Humilladero was constructed by Vasco de Quiroga in 1553 on the site where the last Tarascan emperor, Tanganxoan II, was forced to kneel before the Spanish, giving the site its name (The Humiliated). The crucifix of this chapel was sculpted from a single block of cantera stone, both the body and the cross. It is said that Vasco de Quiroga had the piece sculpted in 1553, but it was not finished until 1628.
Lake Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro sits on the southern edge of Lake PátzcuaroLake Pátzcuaro
Lake Pátzcuaro is a lake in the municipality of Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico.The natives believe that the lake is the place where the barrier between life and death is the thinnest....
, and this lake still has important economic and cultural significance for the town. Associated with Pátzcuaro are a number of islands, the best-known of which is Janitzio
Janitzio
Isla de Janitzio, located at , is the main island of Lake Patzcuaro in the state of Michoacán, Mexico.The town of Janitzio, which means "where it rains", is located atop the hill. Janitzio can only be reached by boats which run regularly back and forth from about 7:30 am to 6 pm,...
, a name that means corn hair. It is recognizable through the forty-meter statue of José María Morelos y Pavón that in on the top of the hill. Underneath the statue is a series of murals about the life of this Mexican hero. There are four other islands in the lake. La Pacanda is in the center. This island has a small pond in it with carp and ducks. Yuneén Island is near the center and its name means half moon. Its attractions include its vegetation, traditional houses and cabins for visitors. Urandenes is closer to Patzcuaro and consists of three islands surrounded by canals in which white fish are raised. Residents here also fish with butterfly nets. Tecuena is the smallest island in the lake and its name means good honey. The docks at Pátzcuaro have boats that travel to these islands.
Until 2007, only Pátzcuaro had a water treatment facility with smaller communities discharging wastewater directly into the lake, causing grave pollution problems. Contamination has mostly been chemical, trash and wastewater, as well as sediment during the rainy season. The government of the state of Michoacán, the federal environmental protection agency and the Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua have started a program to clean up the basin of Lake Pátzcuaro. The plan is to repair the existing water treatment facilities and build two more. It also includes reforestation around the lake, landfills and barriers to prevent the contamination of the streams of the basin.
Day of the Dead
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
. In the early morning of November 1, the "velación de la angelitos" (wake for the little angels) to honor children who have died during the previous year. This is generally done in the local cemeteries. During this day also is an event called the "teruscan," in which children run around town "stealing" ears of corn, squash and chayote
Chayote
The chayote , also known as christophene, vegetable pear, mirliton, pear squash, christophine , chouchoute , choko , starprecianté, citrayota, citrayote , chuchu , chow chow , cho cho , sayote ,...
s from the roofs of neighbors’ houses. The stolen food is brought to the community center to be cooked to feed the community.
Festivities continue to midnight on November 2, which begins the "velación de los difuntos" (wake for the deceased) when again the towns gather in local cemeteries. This time men remain outside. Women and children enter to lay offerings of flowers and food, generally laid on embroidered napkins. Then prayers and chants are recited. For this reason Day of the Dead is usually referred to in Pátzcuaro as Night of the Dead. When daylight comes, a collection of food is taken for the parish priest and most people go to mass.
A parallel event in Pátzcuaro and other towns in Michoacán is the Festival Cultural de la Muerte. Since 1993, this event has been held to exhibit paintings, photographs, film, dance, crafts and altars that are created for this day. Canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
competitions on the lake are popular here as well as "torneos de calavaeras"(tournaments of skulls) which are satirical poetry contests with the theme of death and black humor. This festival takes place from 27 October to 2 November.
Other traditional events associated with Day of the Dead here include the Concert of the Basilica of Pátzcuaro and the staging of "Don Juan Tenorio
Don Juan Tenorio
Don Juan Tenorio: Drama religioso-fantástico en dos partes , is a play written in 1844 by José Zorrilla. It is the more romantic of the two principal Spanish-language literary interpretations of the myth of Don Juan...
" in Erongarícuaro
Erongarícuaro
Erongarícuaro, which means "Place of waiting" in the Purepecha language, is a town in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is located about an hour and a half drive to Morelia or Uruapan and just 20 minutes from the famous colonial town of Pátzcuaro...
. Both take place at 9 pm on 1 November. Another interesting event is the "Juego Prehispanico de Pelota Encendida (Mesoamerican ball game –lighted) At 7 pm on 1 November in the village of Tzintzuntzan
Tzintzuntzan
Tzintzuntzan was the ceremonial center of the pre-Columbian Tarascan state capital of the same name. The name comes from the P'urhépecha word Ts’intsuntsani, which means "place of hummingbirds". After being in Pátzcuaro for the first years of the Tarascan empire, power was consolidated in...
the game is played in the old ball court, called Las Yácatas, with a ball set on fire. It is also done in the main square of the village.
There is a legend related to the Day of the Dead here about two Tarascan nobles, the princess Mintzita and the prince Itzihuapa. They were in love but unable to unite in part because of the arrival of the Spanish to Michoacán. Princess Mintzita offered the Spanish the treasure that was hidden at the bottom of Lake Patzcuaro for the release of her father. Itzihuapa himself offered to go and get it, but when he did, he was captured by the twenty ghosts that guard treasure, becoming the 21st guardian. This broke Mintzita's heart. However, this occurred on the night that these guardian ghosts come back to life for one night and the two lovers were able to spend time together until daylight.
Municipality
As municipal seat, the town of Pátzcuaro is the governing authority over 104 other named communities, with a total population of 79,868 and a territory of 435.96km2. The 2005 census indicates that just under 4,000 people still speak an indigenous language in the municipality. The municipality borders the municipalities of Tzintzuntzan, Huiramba, Salvador Escalante, TingambatoTingambato
Tingambato is a municipality in the north-central part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. Its municipal seat is the city of the same name. The municipality has an area of 188.77 square kilometres and is bordered by the north by the municipalites of Nahuatzén and Erongarícuaro, to the east by...
and Erongarícuaro.
The municipality covers most of the Pátzcuaro basin, which is part of 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...
and surrounded by a number of mountains such as the Cerro el Blanco, Cerro del Estribo, Cerro del Frijol and Cerro del Burro. Almost all the water in Lake Patzcuaro comes from one stream called the El Chorrito and a number of fresh-water springs. The climate is temperate with rains in the summer. Temperatures vary during the year from between 9 and 23C. The municipality is primarily covered in forests with pine, holm oak and cedar trees. Most fauna consists of small mammals and fish found in the lake.
Agricultural activity mostly revolves around the growing of corn, wheat, beans, lentils and tomatoes. Livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep, donkeys, horses and fowl are also raised in the area. Most industry here involves food processing and the making of crafts such as furniture, textiles, jewelry, ironwork, religious figures and other things. Most commerce revolves around catering to tourists and meeting locals’ basic needs. Fishing is still done in the lake. Tourism is mostly based on sites located in the town of Pátzcuaro, along with neighboring archeological sites of Ihuatzio and Tzintzuntzan. Sports such as mountain biking and paragliding have also been introduced.