Tepoztlán is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley. The town serves as the seat of government for the municipality of the same name. The town had a population of 14,130 inhabitants, while the municipality reported 41,629 inhabitants in the 2010 national census.
The town is a popular tourist destination near Mexico City. The town is famous for the remains of a temple built on top of the nearby Tepozteco mountain, as well as for the exotic ice cream flavors prepared by the townspeople.
Tepoztlán was named a "Pueblo Mágico" in 2002 but its title was removed in 2009 for not complying with the rules. In 2010 Tepoztlán fixed the problems it had and recovered the Pueblo Mágico title.
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Tepoztlán is derived from Nahuatl and means "place of abundant copper" or "place of the broken rocks." [1] This is derived from the words tepoz-tli (copper) and tlan ("place of/place of abundance"). [2] [3]
The climate around the Tepoztlán Sierra (where el Tepozteco is located) shows temperate as well as some subtropical variations. The rainy season starts during the Summer and ends at the beginning of Autumn. Precipitation reaches 1000 mm/yr in the Tepoztlán Valley and up to 1200 mm/yr in the mountains.
Agriculture specially growing of maize, chili and tomatoes. livestock growing. Traditional pottery and handicrafts (for which there is a lively weekend market or tianguis).
Tourism and Real Estate. Nowadays Tepoztlán gets its most important income through tourism and real estate activity. Properties in town are rated very highly due to the interest of wealthy people and foreigners who have decided to live in this town or those who like owning a summer place to stay.
Owned by the Asociación de Scouts de México, A.C., located nearby Tepozteco mountain, Meztitla is the National Scout Camp School. Although Meztitla is frequented by Scouts of Mexico and the world, it is also open to general public.
According to myth, Tepoztlan is the birthplace over 1200 years ago of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god widely-worshipped in ancient Mexico. [4]
It has not yet been possible to determine who first inhabited the area. The earliest findings of pottery and other ceramic utensils date back to approximately 1500 BCE.
By the 10th century CE the Toltec culture was predominant in the area. Tepoztlán is said to have been the birthplace of Ce Acatl, a very important Toltec leader, later known as Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl, and who may be the possible historical basis of the Mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl.
During the Spanish Conquest Hernán Cortés is said to have ordered the town razed after the refusal of the town leaders to meet him. This event was chronicled by Bernal Díaz del Castillo in The Conquest of New Spain.
Indie musician Conor Oberst recorded his eponymous self-titled album in the City in 2008. Although in the sleeve the city is misspelt Tepotzlan.
The municipality is one of 17 municipalities that border Mexico City. It borders the Milpa Alta borough at the south side of the capital city.
The largest localities (cities, towns, and villages) are:[5]
| Name | 2010 Census Population |
|---|---|
| Tepoztlán | 14,130 |
| Santa Catarina | 4,521 |
| Unidad Habitacional Rinconada Acolapa | 3,205 |
| Loma Bonita | 2,332 |
| San Juan Tlacotenco | 1,890 |
| Santo Domingo Ocotitlán | 1,541 |
| Tetecolala | 1,449 |
| San Andrés de la Cal | 1,383 |
| Colonia Obrera | 1,316 |
| Colonia Ángel Bocanegra (Adolfo López Mateos) | 1,235 |
| Amatlán de Quetzalcóatl | 1,029 |
| Total Municipality | 41,629 |