Pátzcuaro is a town with more than 500 years of history, in which there is room for Purépecha traditions, adobe houses, tile roofs, steep, and cobblestone streets. This town in the beautiful state of Michoacán will invite you to return.
Whether you’re a regular or plan to visit it for the first time, it is necessary that you keep in mind some important information, about some routes that will let you enjoy your stay in this Magical Town.
The Central Plaza
Around the Central Square “Vasco de Quiroga” you will find beautiful palaces. The first is the Huitzimengari Palace, which belonged to Prince Antonio de Huitzimngari, son of the last Purépecha ruler.
With a sober front and beautiful gardens inside where artisans offer their work, the visitor can find cross-stitch embroidery, frayed, hand-carved masks, ornaments, and clay pots, among others.
If you are a lover of regional arts and crafts, the Regional Museum of Popular Arts and Industries is a must in Pátzcuaro, located in the Colegio de San Nicolás Obispo. In its 10 rooms, tourists can admire the different textiles and ceramics. In one of the rooms, there is a pre-Hispanic basement dedicated to the god Curicaveri.
Religious tour
The most important temple in Pátzcuaro is the Basilica of Our Lady of Health. However, it is not located in the center of the city, as in other colonial towns. It was built in the 16th century on a pre-Hispanic ceremonial center by order of the first Michoacan bishop Vasco de Quiroga.
But there are more beautiful and important temples in Pátzcuaro, such as Hospitalito, one of the oldest in Pátzcuaro; it dates from the 16th century and was created by the Franciscans; the Temple and College of the Company of Jesus, a 17th-century building with beautiful internal courtyards; the Chapel of the Humilladero, has a monolithic quarry cross on a pedestal whose inscription was made by order of Bishop Vasco de Quiroga in 1553.
Other churches of reference are El Sagrario and Hospital de Santa Marta – this one was founded as a hospital between 1536 and 1540 and boasts a baroque interior and a mixed baroque altar. The Ex Convent of San Agustín, built in 1576; The Ex-Jesuit College Cultural Center preserves decorative paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, today it is a cultural center; the Sanctuary of Guadalupe, built at the beginning of the 19th century; and Calvario, a chapel built in 1666.
Finally, one of the emblematic buildings is the House of the 11 Patios, which was a convent for Dominican nuns. This building dates from 1742 where a great variety of regional handicrafts are currently exhibited and sold.
Where is it located?
Pátzcuaro is 60 kilometers away from the capital of Michoacán, Morelia, and 58 kilometers from Uruapan, on the mountain and near the lake that bear the same name.
You can spend the night in boutique hotels, 5 stars luxury resorts, inns, even Airbnb units. In any case, we recommend that you secure your accommodation in advance.
Source: Mexico Travel Channel
