Tepotzotlan
A Colonial Town Whose Chief Monument Is The Jesuit Church And College Of San Francisco Javier, One Of The Most Gilded Churrigueresque Interiors In Mexico And Now The National Museum Of The Viceroyalty. A Cobbled Pueblo Magico With Markets, Sweets, A Lake Nearby And Easter And Christmas Festivals. An Easy Day From Mexico City · Tepotzotlan, Estado de México
Tepotzotlan is a Pueblo Magico about 40 km north of Mexico City, built around the former Jesuit college and Church of San Francisco Javier. The church has some of the most gilded Churrigueresque altarpieces in Mexico, walls of carved and gold-covered wood that glow in low light, and the college next door is now the National Museum of the Viceroyalty, with colonial painting, silver and furniture. Outside, the cobbled streets hold markets with sweets, the stone aqueduct called Arcos del Sitio stands on the edge of town, and Easter and Christmas bring Pastorelas, folk plays of shepherds and devils. It suits art lovers, families and day trippers from the capital. It is worth the trip for the church interior alone, which many Mexican art historians rank among the finest in the country,, and less so for hikers or those who dislike crowds. Weekends are busy, so go early on a weekday if you can, and check the museum day first. The town sits at about 2,300 m, so it is cool in the morning and bright at noon.
Tepotzotlan, a Pueblo Magico about 40 km north of Mexico City, centred on the former Jesuit College of San Francisco Javier; coordinates approximate, Tepotzotlan, Estado de México, Mexico
The town is open all day and its plaza, streets and markets are FREE to walk. The Church of San Francisco Javier and the museum are run as one complex, normally open in daytime hours, and the museum is commonly CLOSED on Mondays, so confirm before you go. Museum entry is ticketed, often with free entry for children, seniors or on certain days for Mexican residents. Market stalls and sweet shops generally run from morning to early evening, with the greatest activity on weekends. The Arcos del Sitio can be seen from outside at any time, with no entry fee.