Sections of Chiapa de Corzo
ACCOMMODATIONS
ARCHEOLOGY
ARTS AND CRAFTS
ATTRACTIONS AND HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE
ECOTOURISM AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
FESTIVALS AND TRADITIONS
GASTRONOMY
MUSEUMS

Located in the central region of Chiapas State, only 16 km (10 miles) to the east of Tuxtla Gutierrez and 62 km from San Cristobal de las Casas, the capital city, Chiapa de Corzo was founded on the right bank of the Grijalva river by Bernardo Diaz in 1524 and was conquered by Diego de Mazariegos on March 1, 1528, above one of the oldest archeological sites. The city was designed in a rectangular grid from the center square, and in this place we find the famous colonial fountain in a Mudejar style constructed in the second half of the XVI century.

In Chiapa de Corzo, one should visit the beautiful “Ex-Convent of Santo Domingo” constructed during 1554 to 1576, which hosts the “Lacquer Museum,” the permanent exhibition of Franco Lázaro Gómez and an area for cultural activities. If you visit Chiapa de Corzo in January, you can enjoy the festivity of San Sebastian. This celebration is from January 8 to 23, and there are many activities, colorful fire works and a simulation of a naval battle on the river Grijalva. During this period, all habitants of Chiapa de Corzo invite visitors into their houses, an opportunity to see the lifestyles of the inhabitants of this colonial city.

Chiapa de Corzo is the point of departure for boat rides through the Sumidero Canyon National Park, which is the site of an important and colorful traditional festival celebrated annually during the month of January. The city is famous for its handcrafts, especially the production of traditional garments, hand embroidered tablecloths, lacquer and wood products.

Chiapa de Corzo is a vigorous city, product of a mixture of history and tradition and the fusion of cultures and colors.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Hotel La Ceiba
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ARCHEOLOGY
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF CHIAPA DE CORZO:
Located 2 km (1.2 miles) from the city of Chiapa de Corzo. Chiapa de Corzo was a notable settlement and consists of about 200 structures distributed irregularly in an area 1200 m. (3/4 mile) from north to south and 1800 m. (1.1 mile) from east to west. Although there is no axis upon which the outline of the site is based, it is possible to define plazas and patios delimited by platforms, terraces and pedestal bases. It can be inferred from the topography, disposition and dimension of the structures that the principal nucleus of the settlement is located in the southeast portion of the site, whose primary characteristic is a series of large pedestal bases delimiting a kind of rectangular plaza. The mounds which have been uncovered to date are: I, V & XXXII (the last two are located within private property.)

NOTE: There is no public access due to a ruling by INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History)
 

FESTIVALS AND TRADITIONS

• January 1, New Year's Festivities, celebration of masses, parades and fireworks.
• January 8 - 23, the celebration of San Sebastian. This festivity is famous for its Parachicos dance. There is also a parade of floats headed by the representation of doña Maria de Angulo, legendary benefactress. On the night of the 21st there is a representation of a naval battle on the waters of Grijalva River. Special masses are celebrated in honor of Señor de Esquipulas, Saint Antonio and Saint Sebastian, the town's patron saint.
• Holy Week (March or April), processions, celebration of masses throughout the state. In some towns, the burning of Judas ritual takes place - represented by paper maché figures and cartoons of historical or contemporary personalities.
• September 16 is National Independence Day, celebrated with the Mayor presiding over the traditional ceremony of "El Grito" (the Shout of Independence).
• October 15, a festivity in honor of Señor del Calvario, with celebration of a special mass.
• November 1 and 2 are All Saints Day and Day of the Dead. Offerings are placed at the graves of the deceased to welcome and summon their souls, which are believed to return during these days. The offerings include traditional meals placed on altars inside the houses along with candles and flowers, or at the graves where families spend the day praying.
• December 12 is the festival of the Patron Saint of all Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe celebrated with masses, serenades and pilgrimages.

GASTRONOMY

• Pepita con tasajo: Its also called Comida Grande (big meal) since it is the main dish during festivities. It is made of grounded pumpkin seeds with spices and tasajo (salted and dried beef) cut in strips.
• Cochito: The name of a pork dish cooked in this fashion: The pork is marinated in a vinegar sauce made with onion, garlic, thyme, hot pepper and achiote (a ground mixture of seeds and hot peppers) before baking it in the oven. It is served on lettuce leaves with onions.
• Chipilín: An herbaceous legume with medium sized, pale green leaves with a distinctive flavor that can be mixed with flour or beans, beef and pork. Also used in tamales and soup (with small flour balls filled with cheese).
• Chirmol: It is a sauce made with boiled and grounded green tomatoes, hot peppers, onions and coriander.
• Pozol: The main drink is pozol, made from boiled and grounded corn, mixed with cocoa and sugar in water. There is also white pozol, which does not contain cocoa. Pozol should be constantly stirred to keep the ingredients from settling. The consumption of pozol dates back to pre-Hispanic times. At the beginning of the 20th century it was served hot and without sugar. It had a reputation among the population of being refreshing and energizing. Among the ancient people of Chiapas, it had a mythological significance because it was considered representative of life itself because of it high corn content. Pozol was traditionally drunk in the fields between 11.00 and noon. Basically, it was drunk from a gourd-bag after a long day. Under the generic name of pozol, there are three drinks common in Chiapas: White pozol, cocoa pozol and sour pozol. In the towns and hamlets there is the custom of drinking white pozol without sugar, accompanied instead with salt and fresh or dried powdered hot peppers. Pozol is still a part of the diet of the families and remains as an example of the deep roots of the traditions of the indigenous and mestizo cultures in Chiapas. In Chiapas, despite the introduction of soft drinks, pozol remains popular and preferred by the majority of people. There is even a saying, regarding people not from Chiapas: "He who tastes pozol does not return to where he came from. He stays to live here forever."
• Tascalate: It is a powder made from toasted corn, achiote, cinnamon and sugar; which is kept in a jar to be mixed with water or milk at any time.
• Sweets: In Chiapa de Corzo there is ample variety of sweets, among those: Nuegado, melcocha, coyol, pucsinu, empanizado, bolona, pepita con dulce (candied pumpkin seeds), ante, calabasa, (squash), suspiros and corn cazueleja.

MUSEUMS
Museum of the Lacquer: Founded on the year of 1952 by an initiative of the anthropologist Dr Alfonso Case, this simple and interesting museum reunites the most selected of the beautiful and rare artisan expression of the lacquer. The lacquer finds its origins in the pre-Hispanic world, from where the artisans have conserved procedures and techniques to ornament diverse materials, mainly wood, that are all a work of art. In the museum we can find pieces coming from Pátzcuaro, Quiroga and Uruapan, in the state of Michoacán, and Olinalá in the state of Guerrero. Also some pieces of great aesthetic value from Guatemala, China, Thailand and Japan. Are exhibited.

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