Yohualichan
A Small Totonac Site With Niche Covered Pyramids In The Style Of El Tajin, Set In Cloud Forest Country Above The Pueblo Magico Of Cuetzalan. Quiet, With A Short Visit Of An Hour Or So And A Landscape Of Coffee And Mist, Usually Combined With The Waterfalls And Market Of Cuetzalan · Cuetzalan, Puebla
Yohualichan is a small Totonac site in the cloud-forest hills about 5 km from Cuetzalan, in the Sierra Norte of Puebla. Its stepped pyramids are lined with rows of square niches, the same idea as the great Pyramid of the Niches at El Tajin in Veracruz, and the buildings stand on grassy terraces among coffee plants and tall trees. It is quiet, often almost empty on weekdays, and a visit takes about an hour or a little more. It suits anyone already in Cuetzalan who likes ruins, photographers, and travellers who have seen El Tajin and want a smaller cousin. It is worth the short detour from town, ideally in the same morning as the waterfalls or the Sunday tianguis. It is not worth a long trip on its own for someone who wants big monuments, towering stairways or elaborate museums. Mist and rain are normal, and in cloud the site turns moody and green, so bring a jacket and shoes with grip, and carry a little cash for the ticket and coffee.
Yohualichan archaeological site, about 5 km south-east of Cuetzalan in the Sierra Norte of Puebla; coordinates approximate, Cuetzalan, Puebla, Mexico
The site is normally open in daytime hours, commonly from morning to late afternoon, but times, the closing day and the entry price are set by the national institute and can change, so confirm in Cuetzalan before you go. Many INAH sites close one day a week, often Monday, and rain can shorten the day. Walking in the nearby village and looking at the setting from the road are FREE; the archaeological zone itself usually has a small ticket, and Sundays are often free for Mexican nationals and residents. The inner stairways are CLOSED to climbing, and the site shuts at dusk.