ESTADO DE MÉXICO CENTRO DE MÉXICO ENGLISH VERSION Toluca María Morelos University History El Oro Museum, Mariano Bárcena Mete- Capital of the State of Mexico since orological Observatory Museum, This “magical town” retains the aura 1830, Toluca is a city with a long his- Physics, Chemistry and Medicine of times past in its houses and streets, tory. Founded in 1522, it is now a Laboratories Museum, Dr. Manuel as well as in buildings dating to the major industrial and commercial M. Villada Natural History Muse- era of its greatest splendor at the end center. At 2680 m (8790 ft.) above um, Sciences and Industry Model of the 19th and early 20th centuries. sea level, it is the highest city in all Museum, and the museums of Folk Visit the Mining Museum or go trout El Oro. of Mexico. Its downtown Historic Cultures, Modern Art, and An- fishing at nearby Brockman Dam. ALONSO DE LOURDES MARÍA PHOTO: Center hosts buildings attesting to thropology and History, in the Centro Cultural Mexiquense com- its past, such as the Capilla Exenta, Valle de Bravo Monarch Butterfly the Church of Santa Veracruz, plex. The Cosmovitral Botanical Biosphere Reserve Church of the Tercera Orden, the Garden with its contemporary A charming town with colonial archi- Church of Santa María de Guada- stained glass is a stunning Art Nou- tecture that has earned it the Tourism This woodland zone, named a UNESCO lupe with its baroque façade, the veau building. Ministry’s title as a “magical town,” World Heritage Site, is important as a Civic Plaza, and Arcade. Toluca is it is home to a colonial mansion with refuge for a unique natural phenom- also a city known for its many mu- Nevado de Toluca a gabled tile roof housing the enon: the annual winter migration seums: José María Velasco, Muse- Joaquín Arcadio Pegaza Museum, from Canada to Mexico of close to a um, Fine Arts Museum, Watercol- This majestic volcano is the fourth cobblestone streets, and a wealth of billion monarch butterflies. or Museum, Luis Nishizawa highest peak in Mexico: 4680 m natural beauty. Take in local attrac- Workshop Museum, Numismatic (15,354 ft.) above sea level. Also tions such as the dam or lake –ideal Chalma Museum, Print Museum, Felipe known as Xinantécatl, it is a major for water sports– and the Archaeo- Santiago Gutiérrez Museum, Bi- symbol of the state. Visitors can en- logical Museum. The location of the Sanctuary of centennial Towers Museum, Nat- joy visiting its dense forests, beauti- Nuestro Señor de Chalma, one of ural Sciences Museum, Leopoldo ful lagoons, and its incomparable PHOTO: SECTUR ESTADO DE MÉXICO SECTUR ESTADO PHOTO: Sierra Nanchititla the most popular and well-known sa- Flores University Museum, José snowy landscapes in wintertime. Cathedral and Arcade. CLAUDIO CONTRERAS KOOB PHOTO: cred pilgrimage sites in Mexico. Monarch butterflies. Decreed a natural park in 1977, it is one of the most beautiful wooded ar- P CITY OF TOLUCA ASEO eas in Central Mexico. It is an ecolog- DE LOS M ical reserve with pine and oak forests FEDE ATLATZINCAS RICO PED H R and an enormous waterfall 105 m AR O DY CO RTEZ (344 ft.) high with several falls. AVO R B Aculco ICOLÁS N CRISTÓ BAL O Known for its pink cantera stone, LMEDO Spanish Square dairy goods (cheese and cream), it is Fine Arts Museum Church of El Carmen also famed for its 16th-century Parish SANTOS DEGOLLADO of San Jerónimo, and natural sur- Luis Nishizawa Workshop Museum DE MÉXICO SECTUR ESTADO PHOTO: 18 DE Cosmovitral Botanical Garden M AYÓN roundings, with spots such as the Sanctuary of Chalma. A Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez Museum Government RZO R Palace ERDO DE EJADA EZ L T P Peña de Ñadó and Tixhiñú and La José María Velasco Museum Ó L Concepción Waterfalls. GNACIO Civic Plaza I Judicial Power Museum JADA TE DO DE ER E L DE LA INDEPENDENCIA mbr Church of Santa Veracruz TIE QUILES A SERDÁN Cathedral P E S DE EZ A R 16 M Watercolor Museum AVO R Valle de Bravo. UÁ B J LDA O Arcade A PHOTO: SECTUR ESTADO DE MÉXICO mp Chapel of the (Market) NIGROMANTE ENITO CA ICOLÁS UAN B Tercera Orden J O to the Centro N to the Sciences and Cultural Mexiquense R Industry Museum Numismatic Museum ELCHO OLUCA ORELIA MIGUEL HIDALGO M T -M STATE OF MEXICO to Querétaro hidalgo La Concepción to Pachuca Tixhiñú Ñadó Aculco to Tulancingo 57 to Maravatío MEXICO Huehuetoca El Oro Zumpango Atlacomulco Arcos del Sitio Los Reyes Coyotepec Acozac 132 Brockman Dam Sierra of Tepotzotlán Teotihuacan National Park Tepotzotlán San Felipe del Progreso Otumba Monarch Acolman Butterly Santa Ana Nichi Ixtlahuaca Otomí San Cristóbal Biosphere Ceremonial Ecatepec Chiconcuac Reserve Mazahua Center tlaXcala Ceremonial Texcoco Molino de Flores Center National Park Temoaya Chapingo Tetzcotzinco Centro Cultural to Ciudad Hidalgo 55 Mexiquense Bicentenario 15 MEXico toluca 55 San Miguel Zinacantepec CITY Ixtapaluca 150 michoacÁN Metepec Tlalmanalco Valle de Bravo Gualupita Santiago Tianguistenco Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl Santa María Rayón National Park Amecameca Tenango 134 Nevado de Toluca Temascaltepec to San Martín Ozumba Texmelucan 55 puebla Malinalco Tenancingo Tejupilco Chalma Sierra Nanchititla Ixtapan de la Sal tourist attractions CAPITAL State OF HIGHLIGHTS to Ciudad Altamirano TOWN MEXico WORLD MUSEUM HERITAGE SITE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ZONE MONUMENT NATURAL AREA morelos MAGICAL TOWN INDIGENOUS TOWN AIRPORT CIVIL ARCHITECTURE FOLK ART RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE CUISINE TWO-WAY HIGHWAY CENTRAL SQUARE LOCAL FESTIVAL FEDERAL HIGHWAY HACIENDA ROUTE SECONDARY HIGHWAY guerrero Note: These symbols refer to the ROAD spots described in this guide. Teotihuacan. Teotihuacan Malinalco Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Named a “magical town” by the Tour- Site, it is clearly the most important ism Ministry, Malinalco is the home and influential archaeological zone of the Church of the Divino Salva- in all of Mexico. It contains some of dor and the former Augustinian con- the largest architectural complexes vent with magnificent murals in the in ancient Mexico, such as the Sun cloisters. Pyramid, Moon Pyramid, and Ciu- The ancient archaeological zone dadela which houses the extraordi- is on the hill next to the town. In 1501 nary Feathered Serpent Pyramid. the tlatoani (Aztec king), Ahuizotl, be- At the city’s peak from AD 350 to 550, gan work on the site’s rock-cut struc- Teotihuacan covered an area of tures; in Moctezuma II’s reign work Temple of the Eagle OTO: SECTUR ESTADO DE MÉXICO SECTUR ESTADO OTO: 2 and Jaguar Warriors. PH about 20 km (almost 8 sq. miles). continued but was cut short by the DE MÉXICO SECTUR ESTADO OTO: Former Convent of La Transfiguración. PH PHOTO: CARLOS BLANCO / RAÍCES PHOTO: Spanish conquest. The main temple, Tlalmanalco known as the Cuauhcalli or House of the Sun, was carved from the rock Santiago Tianguistenco Metepec Texcoco and contains carved decoration al- The home of the former Convent of luding to warfare and sacrifice. Visit the outdoor market on Tuesdays The town has interesting religious San Luis Obispo, one of the finest The location of a major pre-Hispanic and Sundays for a variety of textiles buildings such as the former Con- examples of 16th-century religious city. It retained its prestige and im- Tepotzotlán made of wool and other materials vent and Church of San Juan Bau- architecture. portance in the colonial period. In the from La Gualupita, a major textile pro- tista, founded in the 16th century. vicinity, visit the Molino de Flores Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site ducing town. The baroque Parish of Metepec is famous for its ceramic Acolman National Park, the former Hacienda ECO / RAÍCES H and also named a “magical town,” it Santa María del Buen Suceso handicrafts, particularly trees of life, of Chapingo, and the Centro Cultu- AC P formed part of the Camino Real de (1755–1770) is one of the most beau- which can be bought directly from Visit the former Convent of San ral Mexiquense Bicentenario. Tierra Adentro (viceregal royal road tiful in all of Mexico. the town’s superb artisans. Agustín, built in the 16th century and system). The National Museum of one of the jewels of religious art in Tetzcotzinco the Viceroyalty is in the former Co- New Spain. See the remains of colo- legio and Church of San Francisco FOLK Art nial murals and enjoy exhibitions on Although it is popularly known as the th PHOTO: MARCO ANTONIO ANTONIO MARCO PHOTO: Javier, a 17 - century construction The region has a thriving pottery tradition, viceregal religious art and the Augus- “Baths of Nezahualcoyotl,” this site, Tetzcotzinco. with one of the finest examples of one of Mexico’s most important. The state tinian order. which stands on a hill near Texcoco, Churrigueresque-style facades. The is also renowned for its textiles, such as is actually a spot that has rock-cut tapestries from Temoaya, rebozos from nearby Arcos del Sitio was built in pools and channels for the move- Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl Tenancingo, and sweaters from Chicon- the 18th century and is the tallest aq- ment, storage and use of water, while National Park cuac. Other typical crafts include agave fi- ueduct in the world. it also houses the remains of an Aztec ber shoulder bags, wooden toys, tin ob- OTO: BORIS DE SWAN / RAÍCES BORIS DE SWAN OTO: palace retreat where the renowned It has forests combining pine, fir, and jects and an array of cleaning tools, other PH poet-king is said to have come to oak trees, high mountain grasslands woven plant fibers, and blown glass. Tree of life. meditate and fast. and glaciers. CUISINE Sample an array dishes made from lake in- gredients, such as acociles (crayfish) and charales (fish), and insects like escamo- les (ant larvae) and maguey worms.The region is known for chorizo (pork and beef sausage) and barbacoa (pit-roasted meat).