Tzintzuntzan

About Tzintzuntzan

Tzintzuntzan is a lakeside town on the northeastern shore of Lake Pátzcuaro that was once the capital of the Purépecha state, one of the most powerful civilizations in pre-Hispanic Mexico. The name is often translated as place of hummingbirds. After the Spanish arrival, the town became an early Franciscan center, so ancient ruins and colonial buildings stand only minutes apart.

Above the town, the Yácatas archaeological zone preserves a set of unusual keyhole-shaped pyramids lined up on the Grand Platform, with wide views over the lake. A small site museum explains Purépecha history and finds. Down in town, the former San Francisco monastery has an atrium shaded by old olive trees believed to date from the early colonial period. La Soledad church holds the revered Santo Entierro, and the cloister and craft stalls sell straw figures, pottery and woodwork from the lake communities.

Tzintzuntzan is usually visited on a half-day trip from Pátzcuaro, a short drive away, and suits travelers interested in archaeology and indigenous history. Ihuatzio, another Purépecha site, can be combined in the same outing, as can boat trips to Janitzio on Lake Pátzcuaro. The town also takes part in the region's Day of the Dead observances.