Tlaxcala

Tlaxcala, located 33 kilometers directly north of Puebla, is a treasure. If you are spending time in the area, either Puebla or Tlaxcala would make a superb base of operations; but, whichever you choose, be sure to visit the other. There is a frequent bus service between them; or it is just a short drive, if you have your own car. Many travelers have never heard of Tlaxcala, perhaps because Puebla is so well known and so close. However, it is one of Mexico’s jewels—a stunning, small village that retains its Colonial ambiance without any intrusion of modern buildings. Its central plaza is one of the most beautiful in Mexico. If you want to spend the night, or several nights, you can stay in an excellent hotel facing the square, the Posada San Francisco.Within months after his ships landed in Veracruz, Cortés continued on to Tlaxcala, making this one of the oldest Colonial towns in Mexico. The Tlaxcalans were deadly enemies of the Aztecs, a hatred Cortés played upon in persuading them to join forces with him as he marched forth in pursuit of Montezuma. (Of course, the fact that the choice he offered was either to join him or be killed might have influenced their decision!) Thus Tlaxcala has special significance in the history of Mexico: without the assistance of their warriors, Cortés might never have defeated Montezuma.Not only is Tlaxcala brimming with charm, but also there is much to see. Following are some of the places to visit.SIGHTSEEING IN TLAXCALA Bullfighting: There are over 40 haciendas nearby that specialize in the raising of fine fighting bulls. There is a very old, picturesque bullring in town that you can see to the right as you climb the path up to the Nuestra Señora de La Asunción Cathedral. Built in the early 1800s, this is one of Mexico’s oldest bullrings and although it is now used only during certain festivals, you can take a tour of it.Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Asunción: Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral, perched on a hill just a short walk from the Plaza de La Constitución, was the first permanent Catholic church in the Americas. Leaving the southeast corner of the plaza, go through the small square and take the pretty, cobblestone pathway lined by trees that leads steeply uphill to the cathedral. As you walk up the path, look down the hill to your right and you can catch a glimpse of one of Mexico’s oldest bullrings. When you enter the cathedral be sure to look up at the splendid ceiling studded with gilded stars, a Moorish style very popular in Spain at the time of the Conquest. It was here that Cortés had king Xicoténcatl, who had joined forces with him, baptized before he and his Tlaxcalan allies set off to conquer Mexico City. In the cloisters of the church there is a museum of pre-Columbian artifacts. Museo de Artisanías: The simple Museum of Handicrafts is just a few blocks west of the central plaza. Here you can see how some of the local handicrafts are made plus visit a small shop where you can buy handmade items. Museo de La Memoria: The Museum of Memory displays fascinating, rare codices (books) that tell the history of the Tlaxcalan Indians. Palacio de Gobierno: The Government Palace is a handsome brick building with ornate stone trim that dominates the north side of the plaza. On the ground floor and along the walls of the staircase to the upper level is an impressive series of brilliantly colored murals painted by a local artist, Desiderio Hernándes, depicting the early history of the Indians and the story of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés. These strong, vibrant, 20^th-century paintings were done by a local artist, Desiderio Hermández Xochitiotzin. Parroquia de San José: The Parish Church of San José, facing a small square just off the northwest side of the Plaza de La Constitución, dates back to the 17^th century. This is a real beauty with an ornate entrance, a single spire, and a splendid tiled dome. Be sure to go inside—the cheerful yellow-and-green interior is quite unusual. Look carefully for a 17^th-century painting of the baptism of a Tarascan chief and see if you can find Cortés standing nearby with La Malinche, his mistress, at his side.Plaza de La Constitución: Located in the center of Tlaxcala, this enormous plaza is one of the most stunning in all of Mexico. Surrounded on four sides by handsome Colonial buildings fronted by arcades, the park has majestic, centuries-old shade trees, gurgling fountains, trimmed shrubs, wrought-iron benches, beds of flowers, and, center stage, a bandstand given to the city by King Philip III of Spain.Santuario de La Virgen de Ocotlán: The Sanctuary of the Virgin of Ocotlán is another “must see” and is an easy 20-minute walk from the heart of town. Wear good walking shoes since you must climb a long flight of steps to visit this very holy shrine, built on the site where, so the story goes, the Virgin appeared in 1541 to a very poor Indian, Juan Diego Bernardino—and told him to take water from a stream that had miraculously appeared to cure his people who were ill. She asked him to send monks into the forest, and when they split open one of the pine trees, they found secreted within it a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, which is now in the church. Since then, many miracles have been attributed to the Virgin of Ocotlán. Within the sanctuary, which was built in the 18^th century in an ornate, baroque style that resembles a wedding cake, are scenes depicting the sequence of the events following the appearance of the Virgin. Shopping: In addition to sightseeing, Tlaxcala is a handicraft town. There is much to buy here including beautiful Talavera pottery, woolen goods, hand-woven rugs, woven baskets, onyx figurines, and woodcarvings.