Zinacantan ChiapasA Maya Tzotzil Village with Profound TraditionsSan Lorenzo Zinacantan Chiapas is an interesting Mayan village, which you will enjoy visiting. Its name means "the house of the bat".
It is located within a small valley surrounded by green hills at only 11km northwest of San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico. Around 45,000 Tzotzil Mayans find their home in this town, and they speak Maya Tzotzil, one of the 27 different Maya languages. In the summer, the days are warm and sunny, but it rains mostly in the evenings. Yet in the winter it can get quite cold. How do I get there?If you wish to drive, you will take the highway to the Altos de Chiapas. At 7km northwest of the city of San Cristobal de las Casas you will find a detour, showing two roads.One of them will lead you to this magical town and the other one to San Juan Chamula, and each village is equally 3km away from the detour. If you are staying in San Cristobal de las Casas, you may also take a local bus, or join a tour. About the TownThe main feature of this village is the San Lorenzo church, a colonial building with a simple façade.We were told that after being destroyed by a fire, the church was rebuilt in 1975.The villagers consider the interior of their church as a most sacred place, and enter into this place with the greatest devotion. They hold on firmly to their traditions, and sometimes one gets the impression that time stood still centuries ago. 
There are also two museums, which you will like visiting. One of them is dedicated to Mayan textiles, and the other one centers around the culture of this town.On August 10th the most important celebration takes place, as it is the Festival of the Candelaria Virgin. We were fortunate to be there on this holiday, and it was most impressive to observe the rituals, ceremonies, music and fireworks during the festivities. If you visit the town on any festive day, you will find the colorful market with its fantastic Mayan textiles, Mayan weavings, Mayan embroideries and other beautiful handicrafts, which will leave you with an unforgettable impression. However, ambulant Mayan vendors will also offer their handicrafts and textiles along the road every day of the week. About the Zinacantan InhabitantsThe most distinctive feature of the Mayan women you will observe is their traditional Mayan clothes, on which the pink and golden colors predominate.These Maya Tzotzil people dedicate themselves with great zeal and art to cultivating ornamental flower, with which they decorate the church and the town on special occasions. The Mayans told us that they also have a special love for geraniums, and that these particular flowers are used in different rituals, in the belief that it will bring prosperity.
Zinacantan Chiapas is one more of the magical Mayan villages in the highlands of Chiapas worthwhile getting to know that you will enjoy while you are traveling within this extraordinarily beautiful Mexican state. Return to top Return from Zinacantan Chiapas to Chiapas page
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