The term Tzintzuntzán means in Purepecha language instead of hummingbirds. Cultural Importance The prehispanic city of Tzintzuntzan, was undoubtedly one of the largest and most important to the arrival of the Spanish in the sixteenth century populations, being the capital of the Lordship Tarasco , from where the most important economic and religious policy decisions, a large territory covering almost the entire state of Michoacan and parts of Guerrero, State of Mexico, Guanajuato and Jalisco. were taken Tzintzuntzan The ancient city was built through extensive terraces and large platforms to be accommodating on the slopes of the Yarahuato and Tariaqueri hills, on which their homes and religious and administrative buildings desplantaron. In this city they lived the Lords Uacúsechas Eagle Gentlemen, this important domain leaders who in through a hereditary dynasty they ruled it. Tzintzuntzan was a city containing the most important squares and yácatas ritual spaces (pyramidal bases), besides being royal residence Irecha or Cazonci.

The remains of Tzintzuntzan , ancient capital of the Tarascans, lie 15km north of Pátzcuaro on the road to Quiroga. The site was established around the end of the fourteenth century, when the capital was moved from Pátzcuaro, and by the time of the Conquest the Spaniards estimated that there were as many as 40,000 people living here, with dominion over all of what is now Michoacán and large parts of the modern states of Jalisco and Colima.

Homes and markets, as well as the palaces of the rulers, lay around the raised ceremonial centre, but all that can be seen today is the artificial terrace that supported the great religious buildings (yácatas), and the partly restored ruins of these temples. Even if you do no more than pass by on the road, you can’t fail to be struck by the scale of these buildings and by their semi-circular design, a startling contrast to the rigid, right-angled formality adhered to by almost every other major pre-Hispanic culture in Mexico. Climb up to the terrace and you’ll find five yácatas, of which four have been partly rebuilt. Each was originally some 15m high, tapering in steps from a broad base to a walkway along the top less than 2m wide.

Devoid of ornamentation, the yácatas are in fact piles of flat rocks, held in by retaining walls and then faced in smooth, close-fitting volcanic stone. The terrace, which was originally approached up a broad ceremonial ramp or stairway on the side furthest from the water, affords magnificent views across the lake and the present-day village of Tzintzuntzán.

The ruins are around 1km from the village and are signposted “Zona Arqueológica” up a side road. Down in the village, which has a reputation for producing and selling some of the region’s best ceramics, you’ll find what’s left of the enormous Franciscan Monastery founded around 1530 to convert the Tarascans. Much of this has been demolished, and the rest substantially rebuilt, but there remains a fine Baroque Templo de San Francisco and a huge atrium where the indigenous people would gather for sermons.

Vasco de Quiroga originally intended to base his diocese here, but eventually decided that Pátzcuaro had the better location and a more constant supply of water. He did leave one unusual legacy, though: the olive trees planted around the monastery are probably the oldest in Mexico, since settlers were banned from cultivating olives in order to protect the farmers back in Spain. The broad, veined trunks certainly look their age, and several only have a few living branches sprouting from apparently dead trees.

Tzintzuntzán has several good fiestas. Carnaval here takes the form of a week-long party called La Fiesta del Señor del Rescate, celebrating a miracle in which, during a nineteenth-century measles epidemic, the sexton of the church discovered an old painting of Christ hidden away in the crypt, and made a vow that if prayers to this image would rescue the town, he would pay for a huge party in celebration; the prayers duly worked, and the party is held every year to this day. Unfortunately the miraculous image itself was destroyed by fire in 1944. Also big here is Semana Santa (the week before Easter Sunday), when the Thursday sees the ceremony of Washing the Apostles’ Feet, followed on Good Friday by further scenes from Christ’s Passion acted out around town.

Services available in the area. office, parking, service unit and Site Museum.

Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 18:00.

Contact: Michoacan INAH Center 01 (443) 3 12 88 38.

It is recommended to visit the nearby archaeological site of Ihuatzio, located in the municipality of Tzintzuntzan, another important Tarascan capital, as well as a tour of the islands and Lake Patzcuaro.

From Morelia number 120 you come to the site through the federal highway , direction Quiroga point where you need to take the road that leads south to Tzintzuntzan. Access to the archaeological site is located just inside the urban area, to the north, next to the village cemetery. To access the site via public transport, you can take buses leaving Patzcuaro and moved to the town of Tzintzuntzan.