Discover Zacualpan de Amilpas through three distinct experiences: the Ex-Convento de la Inmaculada ConcepciĂłn, the Sunday barter market, and festivals held on set dates throughout the year. For planning, the calendar is therefore just as important as choosing which sights to visit: a Sunday offers a different perspective from a trip for the Mojiganga or the Fiesta Patronal. Before you travel, check the market hours as well as the specific festival dates and programs.
Monastery Architecture and Augustinian Tradition
The Ex-Convento de la Inmaculada Concepción is part of the serial UNESCO World Heritage Site “Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatépetl.” Construction of the monastery began in 1535. Zacualpan de Amilpas is thus home to a precisely located part of the World Heritage Site and an early chapter in monastic history.
The open chapel sits slightly higher than the atrium. Architectural details also include a large round arch and an adjoining portal with two arches. The walls of the cloister at the Templo y Exconvento de la Inmaculada Concepción feature a detailed painted family tree of the Augustinians. The architecture and mural draw attention to different aspects of the complex: its spatial layout and the order’s religious artistic tradition.
Sunday Market and Annual Festivals
The Festival del Trueque takes place every Sunday from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. Local producers exchange fruit, flowers, vegetables, sweets, and pottery without using money. The market is shaped not only by its goods but also by the barter system; the mix of products can change from one market day to the next. If you’re planning a visit, confirm the hours again before your trip.
The Mojiganga takes place on the last Sunday in September and is considered a tradition at least 180 years old. Organized Comparsas wear costumes made from regional materials and dance to the music of a brass band. Check the date and program for your chosen year, as the participating groups and the staging can vary.
The Fiesta Patronal de la Virgen del Rosario takes place on the first Sunday in October at the Iglesia de la Inmaculada ConcepciĂłn in Zacualpan de Amilpas. The festival includes Voladores de Papantla, colorful carpets of flowers and sawdust along the procession routes, and fireworks. Individual events and the exact schedule may vary from year to year.
Hacienda History and Traditions in Tlacotepec
The municipality’s history extends beyond the town center of Zacualpan de Amilpas. In Tlacotepec, a locality in the municipality, construction of the Ex Hacienda Chicomocelo began in the early 17th century and was completed in 1650. Large millstones from the hacienda were brought to the center of Tlacotepec to preserve them and display them to tourists.
The Ex Hacienda de San Nicolás Cuautepec in Zacualpan de Amilpas was founded by Jesuits in the 16th century to grow and process sugarcane. An irrigation system with aqueducts carried water to the growing fields. The administrative center included the owner’s residence, offices, a sugar mill, a chapel, and housing for permanent workers. Together, these details show the agricultural and operational context of sugar production.
In Tlacotepec, Las Malinches takes place every year on September 16 in the town center. Girls and young women from the community perform songs, recitations, and dances; check the specific program locally. Pan de Tlacotepec is also part of local tradition: it is baked in wood-fired ovens and sold on Sundays in special baskets at the main town square. If you’re looking for it, check ahead to find out when it will be sold.
Discover more destinations: Tlayacapan, Tepoztlán, Temixco, Totolapan, Ocuituco, Animas, Cuautla, Tequesquitengo.
For the broader travel guide: Morelos.
