Texcaltitlán
Encyclopedia
Texcaltitlán is a town and a municipality of the State of Mexico in Mexico
. It is located 65 km from Toluca
on the high plains south of the Nevado de Toluca
volcano. The name Texcaltitlán comes from the Nahuatl
: texcalli = “rock”; titla= "among", with the complete meaning as “among rocks”.
AD, possibly as early as 300
AD. It was dominated by the Teotihuacán
civilization, then by the Toltec
s and lastly, between 1250 to 1520 it was dominated by the Aztec
s. During the late Aztec Empire, Texcaltitlán was an important town and was the head of the towns of Temascaltepec, Tejupilco, and Tuzantla
, as well as a number of communities that no longer exist such as Ciutepeque, Ocelotequepue, Yexvaca, Cuahtepeque, Oztotitipac, Tlapatlapan and Melamamaloya. After the Spanish Conquest, the area came under the governorship of Don Antonio de Caicedo. In the 18th century, the town suffered from outbreaks of the black plague leading the Franciscans to build their church in nearby San Francisco Coaxusco, rather than in the town itself in 1775. The first church built in the town was built in 1789. During the Mexican Revolution
, the town was sacked various times, with the principle targets being businesses, esp. those tied to the nearby city of Toluca. Texcaltitlán's history for the rest of the 20th century consists of modernization of its infrastructure and increasing economic ties with Toluca, the state capital.
As of 2005, the town had a population of 2,361 people and is situation at an altitude of 2,400 meters above sea level. The church in the town of Texcaltitlán is surrounded by black battlements dating from the eighteenth century and wooden baroque-style altarpieces that are in the chapels of the communities of Santa Maria and San Francisco. Tuesday is market day in Texcaltitlán and is one of the oldest traditions of the municipality, which has been preserved from the time of the first settlers. Now is one of the biggest in the State of Mexico.
The current municipality was founded in 1861 and borders the municipalities of Temascaltepec, Sultepec
, Almoloya de Alquisiras
, Coatepec Harinas
, Tejupilco and San Simón de Guerrero
. It has a territory of 142.45 km2. The total municipal population was 15,824 as of 2005.
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...
. It is located 65 km from Toluca
Toluca
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
on the high plains south of the Nevado de Toluca
Nevado de Toluca
Nevado de Toluca is a large stratovolcano in central Mexico, located about west of Mexico City near the city of Toluca. It is generally cited as the fourth highest of Mexico's peaks, after Pico de Orizaba, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, although by some measurements, Sierra Negra is slightly...
volcano. The name Texcaltitlán comes from the Nahuatl
Nahuatl
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...
: texcalli = “rock”; titla= "among", with the complete meaning as “among rocks”.
The town
The area now known as Texcaltitlán was settled at least as early as 800800
Year 800 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. It was around this time that the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years, so from this time on, the years began being known as 800 and onwards.- Europe :* December 25 - Pope Leo III...
AD, possibly as early as 300
300
Year 300 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Valerius...
AD. It was dominated by the Teotihuacán
Teotihuacán
Teotihuacan – also written Teotihuacán, with a Spanish orthographic accent on the last syllable – is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, just 30 miles northeast of Mexico City, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas...
civilization, then by the 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 lastly, between 1250 to 1520 it was dominated by the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
s. During the late Aztec Empire, Texcaltitlán was an important town and was the head of the towns of Temascaltepec, Tejupilco, and Tuzantla
Tuzantla
Tuzantla is a municipality in the eastern part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The municipality has an area of 1,018.49 square kilometres and is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Jungapeo and Hidalgo, to the east by Juárez and Susupuato, to the south by Tiquicheo and the state of...
, as well as a number of communities that no longer exist such as Ciutepeque, Ocelotequepue, Yexvaca, Cuahtepeque, Oztotitipac, Tlapatlapan and Melamamaloya. After the Spanish Conquest, the area came under the governorship of Don Antonio de Caicedo. In the 18th century, the town suffered from outbreaks of the black plague leading the Franciscans to build their church in nearby San Francisco Coaxusco, rather than in the town itself in 1775. The first church built in the town was built in 1789. During 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 town was sacked various times, with the principle targets being businesses, esp. those tied to the nearby city of Toluca. Texcaltitlán's history for the rest of the 20th century consists of modernization of its infrastructure and increasing economic ties with Toluca, the state capital.
As of 2005, the town had a population of 2,361 people and is situation at an altitude of 2,400 meters above sea level. The church in the town of Texcaltitlán is surrounded by black battlements dating from the eighteenth century and wooden baroque-style altarpieces that are in the chapels of the communities of Santa Maria and San Francisco. Tuesday is market day in Texcaltitlán and is one of the oldest traditions of the municipality, which has been preserved from the time of the first settlers. Now is one of the biggest in the State of Mexico.
The municipality
As municipal seat, the town of Texcaltitlán has governing jurisdiction over the following communities: Acatitlán, Arroyo Seco, Carbajal, El Chapaneal, Chiquiuntepec (Chiquintepec), Gavia Chica (Rincón), Hueyatenco, Jesús del Monte, Llano Grande, Noxtepec, Palmillas, San Agustín, San Francisco, San Miguel, Santa María, Texcapilla, Tlacotepec, Venta Morales (El Pedregal), Ejido Venta Morales (La Laguna), Yuytepec, Palo Amarillo, Las Tablas (Las Tablas San José), Rastrojo Largo, Las Paredes, Agua del Trébol, Ojo de Agua, Nueva Santa María, San José, Las Lágrimas, El Agostadero, Los Lirios and La Angostura.The current municipality was founded in 1861 and borders the municipalities of Temascaltepec, Sultepec
Sultepec
Sultepec is a town and municipality in Mexico State in Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 552.52 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 24,986.-References:...
, Almoloya de Alquisiras
Almoloya de Alquisiras
Almoloya de Alquisiras is a town and municipality, in Mexico State in Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 167.38 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 14,196....
, Coatepec Harinas
Coatepec Harinas
Coatepec Harinas is a town and municipality in Mexico State, Mexico. The original name is "Coauhtepetl" which means 'serpent hill' in Náhuatl. Around 1825 because of a boom in flour production, the name "Harinas" was added.-The town:...
, Tejupilco and San Simón de Guerrero
San Simón de Guerrero
San Simón de Guerrero is a small town and municipality, in Mexico State in Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 127.42 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 5,408....
. It has a territory of 142.45 km2. The total municipal population was 15,824 as of 2005.