Zitlaltépec

Zitlaltepec is the seat of the municipality of Ziltlaltépec de Trinidad Sánchez Santos, in southeastern Tlaxcala, on the slopes of La Malinche volcano at about 2,560 metres. Almost the whole municipal territory borders Puebla; Ixtenco lies to the north and Huamantla to the west. At the 2020 census the locality had 6,926 inhabitants, out of 9,207 for the whole municipality, which has nine localities.

According to the municipal history, the town was part of the lordship of Ocoteculco and Tecoac, under Olmec-Xicalanca influence, and by about 1570 it was already an independent visita of Huamantla. In 1984 the municipality received its present name, in memory of José Trinidad Sánchez Santos. In the centre stands the parish of San Pablo, from the 19th century, with a Latin-cross plan, a vaulted roof, one-metre stone walls and a yellow-and-white facade, and a single three-level tower with a clock and battlements. The San Diego chapel dates from the 18th and 19th centuries and keeps its atrium wall and portal. The municipality still has the San Diego Pinar and San Juan Bautista haciendas.

The patron-saint festivities are those of San Pedro and San Pablo on 29 June, and the fair runs from late June into early July; in 2026 it was announced for 26 June to 7 July. At carnival, cuadrillas of huehues dance with a wind band, in cotton shirt and trousers, straw hat and huaraches. Embroidery and woven rugs are the local crafts, and the kitchen is known for turkey mole, lamb barbacoa in mixiote, anise tamales and natural pulque. The forest on La Malinche allows camping and climbing.