Town 16 km southeast of Córdoba
Known as the first free town of the Americas, founded by people who escaped slavery; a statue of Gaspar Yanga stands in its square.
Yanga is a small sugarcane town in the warm lowlands east of Córdoba, and it carries one of the most remarkable stories in Mexican history. In the late 1500s enslaved Africans who had been forced to work on the region's sugar plantations escaped into the hills, led by a man remembered as Gaspar Yanga. They built a free settlement and held out for decades against the colonial authorities.
In 1609 the viceroy sent an armed expedition against them, but it could not defeat them. The two sides eventually negotiated: the community was recognized as free and given land, and the town of San Lorenzo de los Negros was founded. It is often called the first free town in the Americas. Córdoba itself was founded in 1618 partly to keep watch over the area. In 1932 the town was renamed Yanga in honor of its founder.
Today it is a quiet, working town, but its square has a statue of Gaspar Yanga and its history is very much alive. Every year, usually in August, it celebrates its founding with a carnival honoring the town's African heritage.
What to see and do
See the monument to Gaspar Yanga in the town square.
Visit during the founding carnival, usually in August, with parades celebrating the town's African roots.
Stop by the parish church on the square and the market nearby for a slow look at everyday life.
Look at the sugarcane fields and old hacienda remains around the town.
Getting there
Yanga is about 20 kilometers east of Córdoba, roughly 25 to 30 minutes by car on the roads toward Cuitláhuac and the coast. Local buses link Córdoba with Yanga; check at the Córdoba bus stations for current departures.
16 km southeast of Córdoba
Directions from Córdoba on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather mild
Yanga shares the climate of Córdoba, 16 km away. The best months to visit are Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec.
Make Córdoba your base
Yanga is an easy trip from Córdoba, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.