Huaquechula

Huaquechula is a quiet farming town about 20 kilometers southwest of Atlixco, and for most of the year few outsiders come. That changes at the start of November, when it hosts one of the most striking Day of the Dead traditions in Mexico.

Families who lost someone during the past year build a monumental altar in their home: a stepped tower, often three to five meters tall, wrapped in white and shiny pleated fabric and decorated with flowers, candles, food and photographs. A mirror usually reflects the image of the person being remembered. On November 1 these houses open their doors, and visitors walk from one altar to another; it is customary to bring a candle or flowers as an offering, and families often share tamales or a drink in return.

The town also has a fine 16th-century Franciscan convent dedicated to San Martín, with carved stone portals, and its name, from the Nahuatl Cuauhquechollan, appears on a famous 16th-century painted cloth, the Lienzo de Quauhquechollan, that records the town's warriors joining the Spanish conquest of Guatemala.