Malinalco
Zona ArqueolóGica (INAH) / Pueblo MáGico · Malinalco, Estado de México
A Pueblo Magico in a green valley about two hours south-west of Mexico City, with an Aztec temple carved out of the living rock of the mountain above it. The Cuauhcalli, the house of the eagle and jaguar warriors, was cut from a single cliff face around 1500, and its doorway is a serpent's open mouth. Inside, on a curved bench, eagle and jaguar skins are carved from the same stone as the floor. It is one of very few monolithic temples in the Americas, reached by about four hundred steps from the town. In the centre, an Augustinian convent of the 1540s holds sixteenth-century murals of a paradise garden painted by indigenous artists. The honest warning is that Malinalco is a weekend town, busy and a bit pricey on Saturdays and Sundays, while weekdays are quiet. The archaeological zone closes on Mondays and usually in late afternoon. Allow a half day for the temple and a half day for the town.
Zona Arqueológica Cuauhtinchan, Malinalco, Malinalco, Estado de México, 52440, Mexico
The Cuauhcalli archaeological zone keeps INAH daytime hours and closes Mondays; INAH Sunday free admission applies to Mexican nationals and residents only. ⚠ IT IS REACHED BY ABOUT 400 STEEP STEPS; the carved chamber is viewed from its doorway, not entered. The Augustinian convent and its murals are free. The Museo Luis Mario Schneider holds a full-size replica of the temple interior. ⚠ WEEKENDS ARE BUSY; the road from Mexico City is winding - do not drive it after dark. ⚠ HOURS AND PRICES NOT VERIFIED FOR THIS FILE.