Chavinda
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Chavinda, which means "place of ropes" in the Purepecha language, is a village in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is located at 20°00′20.6"N 102°27′26.6"W at an elevation of 5150 ft, about three hours drive from Morelia and Guadalajara. The estimated population is about 15,000 people
Chavinda is the municipal seat for the municipality of Chavinda, in the state of Michoacán de Ocampo. Towns and villages included in this municipality are La Esperanza, San Juan Palmira, and El Tepehuaje.
[edit] History
Chavinda was founded in 1840. The city was developed as a religious center, and its early inhabitants believed Chavinda to be the doorway to heaven where the Gods ascended and descended. The Purepecha people first settled in Chavinda in 1494, led by Rey Curateme. It has always been of interest to Mexican history buffs because it was central to the careers of two diametrically opposed characters in Mexico's colonial past.[specify]
[edit] The town
Chavinda is hidden high in the mountains of Michoacán. It is veiled from the outside world by a curtain of high pine trees. To the east is Zamora, one of Mexico's quaintest towns.
The town retains its ancient atmosphere. It consists of largely one-story adobe or plaster-over-brick buildings with red tile roofs. The streets are dusty cobblestones traveled by horse and car. La Plaza is Chavinda's central square. Bricks covers the plaza, and a kiosk stands in its center. Anthony Rodriquez Gonzalez Jr.
