Malinalco

Mountain cliffs of Malinalco.

Malinalco is one of the municipalities with the highest biodiversity in the State of Mexico, the tropical deciduous forest, its pine forests and gallery forests accommodate a huge variety of flora and fauna, which is in fact one of its main attractions being an beating heart of everything else. In this area live in dozens of mammals such as civet, armadillos, foxes, coyotes, squirrels and deer, including some studies conducted by researchers at the UAEMEX suggest that in some places can still live jaguars and can also see countless species of arthropods (insects, crustaceans, centipedes and spiders thousand), many birds, some edible mushrooms. Hundreds of other toxic and even hallucinogenic and thousands of plants on which many of the traditional uses have been developed as a medicine, food, leather tanneries, soap, etc. . In summary, the biodiversity of this county is a huge conglomerate live Malinalco markedly different from other places. In Malinalco there are very few dangerous animals: among snakes only account: coral snake, rattlesnake (at least four species) and the cliff, and despite its many spiders only one is really dangerous: the black widow and the Twelve species of scorpion registered in the municipality is really a problem only for human health, however one must consider that these species are not aggressive and do not attack if they are not provoked, as well as their presence is so small that we seldom have reported serious cases. Nevertheless, there are a number of myths that have demonized some animals like the scorpion vinagrillo or nana, the salamanquesca, a beautiful blue-tailed lizard, the Matip night and many others, however this is not more than myths. To see, touch, smell and even taste their insects, fish, turtles, plants, snakes, spiders and fungi is very convenient to visit the Living Museum "The Malinalco Bugs" and the turtle camp Mali-Xanat; The cost of entry these places helps fund conservation and research projects.

Malinalco is set in a semi-enclosed valley,[8] surrounded by cliffs.[2] The houses are mostly made of adobe with red tile roofs, some of which are painted bright colors.[3] Almost all the houses here from the finest to the most humble have fruit trees in their yards,[7] The streets are paved in cobblestones and on these donkeys can still be found hauling firewood and other burdens. Breads here are often still baked in clay ovens that are heated with wood, and homemade pulque is often sold by street vendors.[3] Malinalco's traditional culinary specialty is trout. This dish became popular here with the many pilgrims who stayed here while visiting the nearby shrine of Chalma. Many restaurants and street stands serve the fish in a variety of ways: wrapped in paper and steamed, fried, highly spiced or "a la diabla" and covered in garlic butter.[12] Other well-known dishes include iguana, stewed rabbit and tamales make with frog and ajolote meat. The south of the municipality produces mezcal, while the north produces pulque. The center of town has numerous vendors selling lime, sapote, mamey and soursop sherbets. Two km to the south of the city center is the El Molino trout farm, where you can choose your fish and have it prepared to order.[14] Between the town of Malinalco and Chalma is another large trout farm and may be the only one in the world where trout are raised in cold mountains water under banana trees.[13] A traditional drink to have with the meal is pineapple juice prepared with tequila, vodka or mezcal.[12] Market day is Wednesday, when vendors come into town from the outlying villages to sell.[14] This market sells regional produce, traditional food and wood crafted in different forms such as animals and musical instruments.[2] Malinalco was named a Pueblo con Encanto (Town with Charm) by the state of Mexico.[13]

At la Casa Mia, handcrafts, particularly alebrijes are for sale.[3]

• Sanctuary of the Lord of Chalma consists of the church, the 17th century ex-monastery, caves and lodgings on the ridges around the town. The lodgings are primarily used during feast days when the area is packed with pilgrims.[21] A stucco gate marks the entrance to the sacred precinct. Here is a concrete plaza in front of the church where mariachi players wait for requests and pilgrims on their knees can be seen.[17] The facade and the interior of the sanctuary church are of Neoclassic design as a result of the last round of modifications. The inscription on the portal of the church reads "Venid a mi todos los que estáis trabajados y cansados y yo os aliviaré" (Come to me all you who are working and tired and I will give you rest). The church is filled with a number of paintings and sculptures with religious themes, most done in the 18th century, but the three main attractions are the image of the Christ of Chalma image itself, a sculpture of the Archangel Michel and a painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe.[18](1408mexdes) Other notable paintings include scenes from the lives of Saint Augustine and Saint Nicolas Tolentino and one of the Passion of Christ.[21] The image of the Christ of Chalma inside the church contains silver offerings placed in 1534 by silversmith Agustin Villaseñor.[18]
• 

  Detail of Mural at Divino Salvador in Malinalco
  The major attraction here is the Cuauhtinchan Archeological Zone, located just west of the town center on a hill called Cerro de los Idolos, which rises 215 meters above the town.[22] On its sides are a number of pre-Hispanic structures built on terraces built into the hill. The main structures are at the top.[2] This is one of the most important Aztec sites and was discovered in 1933,[14] and explored by José Garía Payón in 1935.[8] The visible complex dates from the Aztec Empire but the site’s use as a ceremonial center appears to be much older.[8] The sanctuary complex was built from the mid 15th century to the beginnings of the 16th. To get to the Cerro de los Idolos one must climb 426 stairs up 125 meters.[13] Along the stairway leading to the site, there are signs with area’s history written in Spanish, English and Nahuatl. The site contains six buildings.[5] The Cuauhcalli or House of the Eagles, which dates from 1501,[23] is the main building, which is significant in that it is carved out of the hill itself.[14] The building is in the shape of a truncated pyramid,[24] built this way due to the lack of space on the hill.[2] The monolithic Cuauhcalli has been compared to the Ellora in India, Petra on the shores of the Dead Sea and Abu Simbel in Egypt.[8] This was a sanctuary for the Eagle Warriors for rites such as initiation.[14] A thirteen-step staircase leading into this temple is flanked by side struts.[8] and two feline sculptures that face the plaza in front.[24] The Cuauhcalli consists of two rooms, one rectangular and the other circular, with an opening in the wall between the two. After being carved out of the rock, the walls and ceiling were covered in stucco and painted with murals, most of which are almost completely gone.[2] In the upper part, the entrance is symbolized by the open jaws of a serpent, complete with fangs, eyes and a forked tongue, which was painted red.[8] This upper portion is covered by a thatched roof of the grass the area is named for.[24]

Exterior of the Temple and ex-monastery of the Divino Salvador

Section of the fresco depicting the regional flora and fauna as well as the emblems of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Augustinians.

• The Temple and ex-monastery of the Divino Salvador was built between 1540 and 1560.[13] This was an Augustine monastery, which was built to be the center of evangelization work in this area. It is located in the center of town and has a medieval look, with thick, coarse walls. The decoration is sober with square columns. The facade of the temple is a simple Plateresque and is quite high for a rural church.[8] The Plateresque elements include angels, rose windows and the conch shell friezes.[13] The interior of the monastery is covered in murals, which are the original from the 16th century, and is one of the earliest examples of mestizo art,[8] done by indigenous artists.[14] On the first level of the monastery, the murals depict the Garden of Eden story in an Aztec codex style.[13] The atrium of the monastery maintains its original dimensions, and the courtyard is filled with medicinal and alimentary plants. Animals such as monkeys, iguanas and opossums can be found here as well. From the courtyard lead remnants of the paths that led to processional chapels. At the south of the property, there are seven arches. Some experts claim this was an open air chapel but others state they were simply entrance arches. Local legend links these arches to the first seven Augustine friars to arrive to New Spain.[8]

La Soledad church.

Templo de San Nicolás

• The Doctor Luis Mario Schneider University Museum is named after an Argentine humanist and literary who was enamored by Malinalco, living here for thirty years.[14] He founded this museum although now it is the property of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. It contains seven halls dealing with the geography, mythology and history of Malinalco and temporary exhibitions.[13] The permanent collection is divided into exhibitions on festivals, the rainy season, the geological strata of the area, the underworld, the dry season and the House of the Eagle Warriors. The last is a reproduction of the main building of the Cerro de los Idolos, which is closed to visitors.[25] The garden is a replica of that of the Cuauhcalli, which is also not open to visitors.[13] Recently, the university opened its Department of Philology at the museum to specialize in the history and criticism of Latin American literature. The department has a collection of 17,000 books, 3,000 magazines and 250 cases of documents for research and will have both graduate and undergraduate degree programs.[26]
• The Casa de Cultura or Cultural Center is located in the center of town in front of the Municipal Palace. It is decorated with replicas of the murals found at the archeological zone and old photographs of native cultures. It also hosts dances, expositions and other cultural events.[14]
• The Tlakuikani Gallery hosts expositions of contemporary arts done by artists from Malinalco and other parts of the State of Mexico. This gallery is located in the Barrio de Santa Maria Norte and specializes in the exposition and sale of oil paintings and wood carvings.[14]

Outside of the center of town, there are many small neighborhoods, each having its own chapel. Most of these chapels were built between the 16th and the 17th centuries and many of these, such as those of Santa Maria, San Martin, San Guillermo, San Pedro, San Andres and La Soledad are considered to be works of art. For example, the chapel of San Juan has reliefs of Augustinian monks and the head of the encomendero of Malinalco, Cristobàl Romero.[12] All of the chapels in the town face west with the exception of the Chapel of Santa Mónica. This one is dedicated to the mother of the founder of the order and faces the convent.[8] Each one is unique in some way, and each has its own feast day. Most of these are located south of the town center following Benito Juarez Street out of town. Chapels here include those of Santa María, San Martín, San Guillermo, San Pedro, San Andrés and the Virgin of Soledad. One to the north is the Chapel of San Juan, which has reliefs of Augustine friar Cristobal Romero. To the west is the Chapel of Santa Mónica, which has been quite altered in the last two centuries.[13]