Español   Spanish  More about Totimehuacán   IXEH  NET VISITORS ONLINE GUIDE TO TOTIMEHUACAN (Puebla, Mexico) General Information Points of Interest Nearby Attractions Street Directions and Map The Barrios Mercado (Market) Festival Days Getting There To Learn More General Information. The historic town of San Francisco Totimehuacán (pronounced TOH-TEE-MEH-WAH-KAHN) is located in the State of Puebla, Mexico, 8 km south of the City of Puebla on the Valsequillo Highway (Puebla Route 708, also known as "Boulevard Valsequillo"). Totimehuacán means "place of the people of the bird and the arrow" in Nahuatl, the indigenous language of central Mexico. Do not confuse it with "Teotihuacán", meaning "place of the gods", the famous archeological site near Mexico City. Totimehuacán, though less well known, was also a precolumbian ceremonial center. Its pyramids are 2,700 years old. A century ago the townspeople wore distinctive native costumes, spoke Nahuatl, and earned their living as corn farmers. Today they wear store-bought clothes, speak Spanish, and work primarily in industry, commerce and services. But many households continue to grow corn or raise dairy cattle as a sideline. The community combines a rural lifestyle with some urban amenities. The estimated population of Totimehuacán in late 2000 was about 10,000. Points of Interest. Located in the center of town are the Zócalo (main plaza), the Presidencia (town hall), and three colonial sanctuaries--the Iglesia de San Francisco (parish church), the Ex-Convento de San Francisco (16th-century Franciscan mission complex), and the Antigua Capilla de San Juan. Other historic sites, located farther from the town center, are the colonial chapels of Santa Catarina, La (Virgen de) Asunción, and San Miguel. All three remain in use today. There is also the Nueva Capilla de San Juan (under construction), and the modern chapels of the Virgen de Guadalupe-Tlatelpa, Los Reyes, and Santa Clara. For more information and a virtual tour, see The Sanctuaries of Totimehuacán. Just beyond the northern limits of the town are the Pirámides del Tepalcayo (BC 700-AD 90), a complex of precolumbian pyramids hidden under grass-covered hills. In the southwest corner of Totimehuacán is El Chiquihuite, a small mountain with breathtaking views of the Puebla Valley. Atop El Chiquihuite is the Cristo Rey monument, an impressive statue of Christ the King.. Nearby Attractions. Africam and Valsequillo Lake are a short drive further southeast on the Valsequillo Highway. Africam is a 200-acre, safari-style zoo where the animals roam free. Visitors, from the safety of their cars, can watch and photograph more than 250 species from Africa and elsewhere. Valsequillo Lake, while too polluted to permit swimming or water sports, does feature beautiful scenery, vacation homes, and lakeside restaurants. Street Directions and Map. Click to see Street Map. Few streets in Totimehuacán have signs to orient the visitor. The zócalo (town plaza) is located at the corner of Avenida Zaragoza and Valsequillo Highway. Totimehuacanos give directions according to the distance from the zócalo, the highway, and other local landmarks. Also, "Arriba" ("up") refers to the blocks north of the zócalo and "Abajo" (down) means the blocks located to the south. The Barrios. The community is organized barrios, each with its own chapel, festival days, and more or less fixed territorial boundaries. If one begins in the northwest sector of the town and walks in clockwise order, the seven barrios are: (1) San Juan, one km. west of the zócalo; (2) Santa Catarina, directly north of the town hall; (3) Guadelupe-Tlatelpa, one km. to the northeast; (4) La Asunción, south and east of the zócalo; (5) Los Reyes, directly south of La Asunción barrio; (6) San Miguel, south and west of the zócalo; and (7) Santa Clara, west of San Miguel barrio, on the slopes Chiquihuite mountain. Mercado (Market). Totimehuacán is famous for its homemade carnitas (fried pork), gorditas (tortillas stuffed with various fillings), and other antojitos (traditional snacks). In the past these dishes were served at picnic tables in the the zócalo. In October 2001 the vendors moved to the Mercado Municipal Lic. Mario Marín Torres, the new municipal market located two blocks west of the zócalo, along the Valsquillo Highway. Other traditional products sold in the town center, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays, are clay cooking pots, straw hats, muebles rústicos (colonial-style wooden furniture), plastic toys, and potted plants. An open-air tianguis (market) specializing in used clothing operates in the patio of the Ex-Convento on Sundays. Festival Days. Totimehuacanos observe all the major feast days of the Roman Catholic Church. They also celebrate the days listed below, at the locations indicated in parentheses. Among the festivities are processions or parades, pageants, public banquets and special worship services. A red asterisk (*) indicates that there are public entertainments on the following weekend, which can include dances, concerts, and sports (boxing matches, soccer games, rodeos, etc.). January 6, Los Santos Reyes--Three Kings Day (Barrio Los Reyes). * February 2, La Virgen de la Candelaria--Virgin of Candlemass (Barrio Sta. Catarina). Palm Sunday, Nuestro Señor de Los Ramos--Our Lord of the Palms (Parish church Monday of Holy Week, El Señor Ecce Homo--Christ Sentenced by Pilate (Barrio Sta. Catarina). Holy Week, Semana Santa--Processions and liturgical observances remembering the Passion of Christ (Parish church and some barrio chapels). First Sunday after Pentecost, La Santísima Trinidad--Holy Trinity (Barrio San Miguel). Second Thursday after Pentecost, El Santísimo Sacramento-Corpus Christi (Parish church). June 24, San Juan Bautista--St. John the Baptist (Barrio San Juan). * July 25, Santiago Apóstol--St. James the Greater (Barrio La Asunción). August 11-12, Santa Clara--St. Clare of Assisi (Barrio Santa Clara). * August 15, La Virgen de la Asunción--Virgin of the Assumption (Barrio La Asunción). * September 15-16, Fiesta Patria--Independence Day (Zócalo ). September 27, Santos Cosme y Damián--Sts. Cosmo and Damian (Barrio San Miguel). September 29, San Miguel Arcángel--St. Michael the Archangel (Barrio San Miguel). * October 4, San Francisco de Asis, Fiesta Patronal--St. Francis of Assisi, Town Patron Saint's Day (Parish church). * Ten days beginning October 4, Feria Anual--Annual Town Fair (Zócalo). * October 7, La Virgen del Rosario--Virgin of the Rosary (Barrio San Juan). October 18, San Lucas--St. Luke (Barrio La Asunción). November 25, Santa Catarina--St. Catherine of Alexandria (Barrio Sta. Catarina). * Last Sunday before Advent, Cristo Rey--Christ the King (procession from the parish church to the barrios). December 12, La Virgen de Guadalupe--Virgin of Guadalupe (Barrio Guadalupe-Tlatelpa, and Barrio La Asunción). * Weekend festivities in Barrio Guadalupe-Tlatelpa only. December 13-January 5, Posadas, Acostadas del Niño Dios and Levantadas del Niño Dios --Christmas season festivities honoring the Child Jesus (Parish church and barrio chapels). Getting There. Taxi Service. At the main bus terminal, the Central de Autobuses Puebla (CAPU), kiosks sell government-authorized taxi rides to Totimehuacán for a flat rate. Pay the attendant at the kiosk for your ticket. Pay no money to the driver except for an appropriate tip (10% of the fare). The flat rate in November 2005 was 123 pesos. The trip takes 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic. Note: Taxi tickets often misspell the town name as "Teotimehuacan" and ticket sellers sometimes know the town only as "San Francisco." Authorized taxi-service kiosks can be found elsewhere in the city of Puebla as well. If you need to hail a taxi in the street, which is not recommended, use only marked cabs and negotiate the fare with the driver before accepting the ride. Always write down the taxi identification number for your protection Driving Yourself. In the City of Puebla, take any road that leads to Valsequillo Boulevard, for example, Calle 11 Sur (South Eleventh Street) or the Periférico (Puebla Beltway). Heading east, Valsequillo Boulevard becomes the Valsequillo Highway and passes through the center of Totimehuacán. If starting at the Central de Autobuses Puebla (CAPU bus terminal), the quickest driving route is Boulevard Norte/Boulevard Atlixco, heading south. At the Periférico turn left (east). At the Valsequillo Highway turn right (east), then follow theValsequillo Highway about two kilometers to to Totimehuacán. You will cross a bridge over the Alseseca River shortly before arriving at the town square, which will be on your right (south). Public Bus. In the City of Puebla, take any bus marked "Totimehuacán" or "San Francisco" that is traveling south along Calle 15 Sur (South Fifteenth Street) or Heroes 5 de Mayo Boulevard, or traveling east on Valsequillo Boulevard. Most of the buses are "combis", that is, Volkswagon mini-vans equipped to hold twelve passengers. The bus fare in November 2005 was four pesos. TO LEARN MORE about this historic town, visit the Cyber Portal. Topics include the precolumbian kingdom, colonial and modern sanctuaries, religious art, and the "Day of the Dead", all illustrated with photographs and drawings. Graphics Credits Parish Church, San Francisco Totimehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. © 1994 E.M. Mulhare. Ruins of the Ex-Convento de San Francisco, 16th-century Franciscan mision complex, San Francisco Totimehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. © 1994 E.M. Mulhare. Precolumbian Pyramid (Tepalcayo No. 1), San Francisco Totimehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. © 1992 E.M. Mulhare. Valsequillo Lake, Puebla, Mexico. © 2000 E.M. Mulhare. Christ the King monument, Chiquihuite mountain, San Francisco Totimehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. © 1994 E.M. Mulhare. Mole poblano, San Francisco Totimehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. © 1979 E.M. Mulhare. Colonial Arch of the Jaguar, San Francisco Totimehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. © 2000 E.M. Mulhare. Information Sources Mulhare, Eileen M. 1986. Occupation and Choice: The Women of Totimehuacán, Mexico. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, Publication No. 8702017. Mulhare, Eileen M. 1995. Totimehuacán: Su historia y vida actual. Prologue by Herón García-Martínez. Colección Catalejos, No. 3. Puebla, Mexico: Secretaría de Cultura del Gobierno del Estado de Puebla. Mulhare, Eileen M. 2001. Totimehuacán: Su historia y vida actual. 2nd edition, revised and updated. Prologue by Herón García-Martínez. Puebla, Mexico: H. Ayuntamiento del Municipio de Puebla, Programa de Atención a la Cultural Popular. (More about this book). Visitors since 23-May-2004: Copyright ©1998, 2001-2006 by E. M. Mulhare, Hamilton, NY 13346 USA. All rights reserved. All text, graphics and artwork are by the author unless otherwise noted. Published electronically as Visitors Guide to Totimehuacán, Mexico. Original text, 04-Mar-1998. Web site created 17-Feb-2000. This page last modified 05-Jan-2006. This Web site is a service of ixeh.net. 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