Zona Arqueológica de Huexotla, near Teotihuacán (Estado de México)

Archaeological site 24 km south of Teotihuacán

An old Acolhua city south of Texcoco with a rare surviving defensive wall and a Franciscan church on its ancient center.

Huexotla, in the village of San Luis Huexotla just south of Texcoco, was one of the main cities of the Acolhua, the people of Texcoco, alongside Texcoco itself and Coatlinchan. Its name means "place of the willows" in Nahuatl, after a forest that once grew at the foot of Mount Tláloc. The city was probably founded in the 12th century and grew into a large settlement covering several square kilometers. According to the chronicles, it was at a meeting in Huexotla in the early 15th century that the young Nezahualcóyotl was named heir to the Acolhua throne.

What you see today is scattered among the modern village and its fields. The most striking piece is La Muralla, a long defensive wall with battlements built between two rivers, a type of structure that is very rare in the Valley of Mexico. Other groups of mounds and platforms, known as La Estancia and La Comunidad among other names, lie nearby. The Franciscans built their convent and the church of San Luis Obispo on top of what was probably the city's ceremonial center, and the church is worth a look in its own right.

Only a small part of the ancient city has been explored, so the site is modest and quiet, but it gives a sense of the Acolhua world that produced Nezahualcóyotl.

What to see and do

Walk along La Muralla, the battlemented defensive wall.
Look for the platforms of La Estancia and La Comunidad.
Visit the Franciscan church of San Luis Obispo, built over the ancient center.
Combine it with Rivera's murals at Chapingo, just a few minutes away.

Getting there

Huexotla is about 5 km south of Texcoco and roughly 35 km from San Juan Teotihuacan, about 35 to 40 minutes by car via the Mexico–Pirámides highway and the Texcoco road (Highway 142). Combis from Texcoco run to San Luis Huexotla. Check INAH opening days before you go.

24 km south of Teotihuacán

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Weather mild

Zona Arqueológica de Huexotla shares the climate of Teotihuacán, 24 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.

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Estado de México Teotihuacán

Zona Arqueológica de Huexotla is an easy trip from Teotihuacán, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.