Discover Capulálpam de Méndez: Oaxaca’s Enchanting Zapotec Heritage Hub

The forests of the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca give shelter to one of its Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns): Capulálpam de Méndez, the “ Tierra del árbol capulín “ (Land of the capulin tree), in the Nahuatl language. This beautiful corner is the cradle of the Zapotec culture, which preserves its customs and traditions and shares them with travelers through ecotourism tours, traditional medicine rituals, or by appreciating its wood and textile craft workshops.

 

Capulálpam is rich in natural wonders, its effort to preserve them earned it the recognition of the Fondo Mundial para la Conservación de la Vida Salvaje (World Wildlife Fund for Nature) in 2002. Just visit the recreational parks Los Sabinos and Los Molinos, surrounded by millennial forests of pine and oak, to explore the rock formations of the Cueva del Arroyo grottos or spend a day at la Unidad de Manejo Ambiental (Environmental Management Unit) of the white-tailed deer.

 

Another of the attractions of the Pueblo Mágico de Capulálpam is the main square surrounded by cobblestone streets, adobe houses with tile roofs, and the imposing temple of San Mateo Apóstol.

 

This last one is the “Joya de la corona” (crown jewel), totally carved in yellow quarry and with a history of more than 300 years. Inside, you can appreciate the art of the Dominican order -their creators-, by highlighting paintings with fleur-de-lis and 14 baroque wooden altarpieces.

 

Saturdays and Sundays it is obligatory to attend the presentations of the Banda Infantil y Juvenil San Mateo (San Mateo Children's and Youth Band), made up of children and young people who with their trumpets and drums brighten up the afternoons in the temple's atrium.

 

Among the streets of the town is the Centro de Medicina Indígena (Indigenous Medicine Center), perfect to let yourself be healed by the Zapotec hands with massages, “limpias” and temazcal baths. Once your body and spirit are relaxed, you should visit the Casa Mayahuel mezcaleria or eat a mole negro in one of the restaurants that surround the square.

 

Finally, there is nothing like spending the night in one of the cabins located at the foot of the hills and, next to a bonfire, watching the mist descend through the half-light.

 

How to get there? Capulálpam de Méndez is located 70 kilometers ( 43 miles ) from the city of Oaxaca. You can get there by your own car or by bus from the capital. For the tours and reservation of cabins call Turismo Ecológico Capulálpam.