Landmark San Juan Bautista Coixtlahuaca, Oaxaca Mixteca of Oaxaca
A 16th-century Dominican convent with a carved Renaissance facade and one of the finest open chapels in Mexico.
From Tehuacán: 1 h 15 min by car (103 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Coixtlahuaca
Where to stay near Coixtlahuaca
Sol Mixteco Hotel · 1.3 km from the center PricesTours to Coixtlahuaca
Look for tours of the area around Teposcolula that stop at Coixtlahuaca.
Tours from Oaxaca City
Hierve el Agua 2.5 hours, Mitla, Tule, Rugs and Mezcal for a Day
★ 4.9 (1,557) · From US$70
How to get to Coixtlahuaca
- From Tehuacán: about 1 h 15 min by road (~103 km)
- 30 km northeast of Teposcolula
- Nearest airport: Oaxaca (OAX), 1 h 45 min by car to Teposcolula
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Tours from Oaxaca City, near Coixtlahuaca
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
About Coixtlahuaca
San Juan Bautista Coixtlahuaca is a small town in the dry, high country north of Teposcolula, once the capital of the Chocholtec people. Its last native ruler, Atonaltzin, is remembered for resisting the Mexica, who conquered the area in the 15th century. The name is Nahuatl and is usually translated as "plain of snakes."
The Dominicans built the church and convent of San Juan Bautista here, finishing the church in 1576. Its facade is Renaissance in style, with a rose window, carved saints in niches and a main doorway framed by row after row of recessed arches. Inside is a large Baroque main altarpiece and a collection of old statues of saints.
Beside the church stands the open chapel, built so that large crowds of newly converted people could attend Mass outdoors. Its tall arch and Gothic-style vaulting make it one of the most admired open chapels of 16th-century Mexico. Coixtlahuaca is the farthest of the three great Dominican convents of the Mixteca from Teposcolula, but it is the one that many architecture lovers rate highest.
How to get to Coixtlahuaca
Drive from Tehuacán: 1 h 15 min, 103 km
Coixtlahuaca is about an hour from Teposcolula by car: head north to Tamazulápam, then east toward the 135D Oaxaca to Puebla highway and follow the signs to the town. It pairs well with Yanhuitlán on the same day. Check opening times locally, since the church may close in the middle of the day.
30 km northeast of Teposcolula
Directions from Teposcolula on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Coixtlahuaca
- Tehuacán · 103 km by road, 1 h 15 min
- Huajuapan de León · 74 km by road, 1 h 20 min
- Oaxaca · 116 km by road, 1 h 25 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Coixtlahuaca: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- Lonely Planet lists the church and former convent as open 9 am to 6 pm. Lonely Planet · checked Oct 2026
- Best season
- The big fiesta is San Juan Bautista on June 24, with processions, jaripeos, dances and fireworks; there are also feasts on August 15 and December 27. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Coixtlahuaca: what to see and do
Look closely at the Renaissance facade, with its rose window and carved saints.
Stand under the vaults of the open chapel beside the church.
See the Baroque main altarpiece and the old statues of saints inside.
Walk the atrium and the cloister of the former convent.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Coixtlahuaca
Sol Mixteco Hotel · 1.3 km from the center Find on ExpediaTours & activities
Look for tours of the area around Teposcolula that stop at Coixtlahuaca.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at OAX (Oaxaca): about 1 h 45 min by road to Teposcolula, then 30 km more to Coixtlahuaca, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Oaxaca (OAX), about 1 h 45 min by road from Teposcolula, the base for Coixtlahuaca.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Teposcolula: download a map of the way to Coixtlahuaca before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.
When to go to Coixtlahuaca cool
Coixtlahuaca shares the climate of Teposcolula, 30 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Teposcolula
Weather in Coixtlahuaca now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
Make Teposcolula your base
Coixtlahuaca is an easy trip from Teposcolula, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Huautla · Oaxaca · 67 km away
Closest to Coixtlahuaca
-
San Cristóbal Suchixtlahuaca · Town · 5 km away · Oaxaca
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Villa Tejúpam de la Unión · Town · 17 km away · Oaxaca
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Santa Magdalena Jicotlán · Town · 18 km away · Oaxaca
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Tlacotepec Plumas · Town · 18 km away · Oaxaca
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Concepción Buenavista · Town · 19 km away · Oaxaca
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Santa María Ixcatlán · Town · 20 km away · Oaxaca
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San Juan Teposcolula · Town · 22 km away · Oaxaca
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Santiago Apoala · Village · 22 km away · Oaxaca
Near Coixtlahuaca
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.