Location:
Chiapas State, southern Mexico
Distance from Mexico City: 611 miles
southeast
Population: 450,000
Closest major airport: Tuxtla
Gutierrez International Airport (TGZ)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time
Tuxtla Gutierrez, the state capital, is a
modern city with a unique mixture of Mexican
and Central American traditions. Founded by
the Zoque Indians in a lush valley, the city
is formerly known as Coyatoc, meaning land
of rabbits. Between 1486 and 1505, the
Aztecs invaded the region and called it
Tochtlan, a Nahuatl word meaning the same as
Coyatoc. The Spaniards later changed the
city’s name to Tuxtla and in 1848, Gutierrez
was added in honor of the military man and
politician who supported its independence.
Some of the city’s most interesting
monuments include the Cathedral of San
Marcos, built in the mid-16th century, and
the Mudejar fountain, featuring brick arches
and a spiral staircase.
Tuxtla´s museums are also worth visiting.
The Regional Museum of Chiapas showcases
prehispanic and pre-Classic paintings, as
well as steel work and Mayan buildings. The
Handicrafts Museum displays craftwork
produced by the indigenous groups who
inhabited the Chiapas region and stocks a
wide range of local articles. Shopping for
handicrafts is also available in the
downtown area, craft markets and the Chiapa
de Corzo jetty.
The city’s surroundings also offer a variety
of sights to see. The Sumidero Canyon, eight
miles away from the city, as well as the
Plaza Civica and the Miguel Alvarez del Toro
Zoo, regarded as one of the finest in Latin
America, are some of the major nearby
attractions.
The forests, animal and plant species,
savannas, canyons and magnificent rivers
surrounding the city make the area home to
one of the greatest biodiversities in the
world. El Chorreadero Waterfall, with
naturally formed pools and dense forests, is
one of the most breathtaking natural sites
to visit. Other sites include the La Venta
Canyon, a nearly 50-mile-long geological
formation, and Laguna Verde, 40 miles
outside Tuxtla, ideal for the eco-tourists
and offering horseback riding, swimming,
boat rides and sports fishing. |
