Archaeological site 5 km north of Cuetzalan
Totonac ruins in the cloud forest with niche-covered pyramids like El Tajín's and one of the longest ball courts in Mesoamerica.
Yohualichan, "house of the night" in Nahuatl, is the ceremonial center that ruled this part of the sierra long before Cuetzalan existed. It lies about 7 kilometers northeast of town, on a terrace among coffee groves and cloud forest, beside the Nahua village of the same name.
The site was settled by Totonacs from around 200 AD, reached its peak around 600 and was largely abandoned by about 800; later Toltec and Chichimec groups passed through. Its architecture is a smaller cousin of El Tajín in Veracruz: stepped platforms whose panels are lined with rows of square niches, crowned by projecting cornices. The best-known building is the Temple of the Greca, with five stepped levels of niches. The site also has a ball court close to 100 meters long, among the largest in Mesoamerica.
It is a quiet place compared with the big archaeological zones, and the setting is half the appeal: green hills, mist that comes and goes, and the sound of the village next door.
What to see and do
Walk the Temple of the Greca and look closely at the rows of niches.
Pace out the long ball court.
Visit the small site museum if it is open.
Stop in Yohualichan village for local coffee and embroidery.
Getting there
Yohualichan is about 20 minutes from Cuetzalan by car or taxi on the road north out of town; colectivos to the village leave from Cuetzalan. The site is run by INAH and is usually open Tuesday to Sunday with a modest admission fee; check before you go.
5 km north of Cuetzalan
Directions from Cuetzalan on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in Yohualichan
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Weather mild
Yohualichan shares the climate of Cuetzalan, 5 km away. The best months to visit are Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec.
Make Cuetzalan your base
Yohualichan is an easy trip from Cuetzalan, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Zozocolco · 12 km away
More around Cuetzalan
-
Cascada Las Brisas
· Waterfall · 2 km away
Cuetzalan's most visited waterfall, a 17 m horsetail drop reached on foot from San Andrés Tzicuilan, near El Salto. -
San Miguel Tzinacapan
· Town · 2 km away
A Nahua village below Cuetzalan and the way into the Atepolihui caves; go with a certified guide and check the caves are open.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.