Hidalgo Attractions

Hidalgo states - Capital

Apart from the Capital city there are other attractions and towns found within the State of Hidalgo. They are:

Fortified Convent of Actopan

The convent was established in 1548. It was designed by a self-taught architect Pater Andrés de Mata and built with the assistance of Juan Mica Actopan and Pedro Izcuitloapilco, the local Indian chief. The church was dedicated to San Nicolás Tolentino.

The beautiful Renaissance façade with its Plateresque elements is rendered all the more special by the originality with which the decoration around the inner portal is repeated on a larger scale on the outside. Adorning the façade on either hand are a pair of Corinthian columns, the smaller being surmounted by a scalloped fan with ornamental panels and the outer supporting a cornice with decorative frieze, above which is the window of the choir.

Serpent Wall

Location: Tula

The so-called "Serpent Wall" (Coatepantli; 2.20 m (7 ft) high and 40 m (131 ft) long), which runs along the south side of the small square, encloses the Temple of the Morning Star. Underneath shell patterns and geometric ornaments can be seen reliefs of snakes devouring human skeletons.

Burnt-down Palace

Location: Tula

This building was formerly composed of several large rooms, columned halls (largely reconstructed) and courtyards. In the central quadrangle there are two Chac-mool sculptures and in the north-west corner there is a wall with painted reliefs depicting a procession of richly adorned noblemen.