Town 17 km east of Zempoala
A highland town whose sanctuary of the Señor de Singuilucan keeps a gilded 1770s altarpiece and a former Augustinian convent.
Singuilucan is a quiet highland town east of Zempoala, on the old federal highway that runs from Mexico City toward Tulancingo and the Gulf. At about 2,490 meters it is cool and often windy, surrounded by maguey and barley fields, and it lives around one building: the sanctuary of the Señor de Singuilucan, a crucifix that has drawn pilgrims from across the region for centuries.
The religious complex was founded by Franciscans around 1540, and later Augustinian friars built the adjoining convent and probably gave the church its present form. The facade is sober baroque, with paired columns flanking the door and a niche above with a crucifix carved in relief. Inside, a large carved and gilded altarpiece made in 1776 and 1777 frames the venerated image, and the walls hold paintings of the Passion and of two miracles credited to the Christ: the renewal of the image and its growth. Under the choir, a big canvas from the same period shows a local brotherhood in procession.
The former convent next door has a small chapel with paintings of the life of Jesus and its own baroque altarpiece. It is a short, rewarding stop for anyone interested in colonial art.
What to see and do
See the sanctuary's gilded churrigueresque altarpiece from the 1770s.
Look for the paintings of the Passion and the miracles of the Señor de Singuilucan.
Find the large canvas of a brotherhood procession under the choir.
Visit the small chapel in the former convent with its paintings and baroque altarpiece.
Getting there
Singuilucan is about 21 kilometers east of Zempoala, around 20 minutes by car on local roads to federal highway 132. Buses on the Pachuca–Tulancingo and Mexico City–Tulancingo routes pass nearby. The church is an active sanctuary, so be respectful during Mass.
17 km east of Zempoala
Directions from Zempoala on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather cool
Singuilucan shares the climate of Zempoala, 17 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec.
Make Zempoala your base
Singuilucan is an easy trip from Zempoala, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Its 16th-century Augustinian convent, now an INAH museum, keeps vivid murals of the Passion in the cloister. -
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.