The Dominican Complex, that included a Convent, a small University and a Church, was inaugurated in 1623, though the church decoration wasn’t finished until 1666 and the Rosary Chapel was built in 1725. There are many churches in Oaxaca, but none can compare to splendor and elegance of Santo Domingo. The facade was made with local quarry, that gives it a greenish shade, and it’s majestic and enchanting, but it is nothing compared with the inside.

Inside the church, the ceilings and walls become the scenery of countless gilded scenes, images and figures. The plaster statues and stucco figures are a gift to the senses, there are so many it’s impossible to know where to look. The yellow light shining through the stained-glass window casts a golden glow over the walls that’s impossible to describe, only being there one can admire the genius and uniqueness of the Oaxacan artisans and sculptors. The Rosary Chapel is a golden room with numerous painting of saints and virgins, but the family tree of the Dominican Order on the low ceiling on the entrance is the main feature of the church. Is just breathtaking.

The church, as well as the convent, have had a rough history. They were both used as a warehouse during the Independence War at the beginning of the 19th Century. They were also used as barracks for a while, and in 1866 when the government suspended the catholic cult, all the church belongings were seize until 1902 when the cult was permitted again.

By that time, the Dominican Order had left Oaxaca because of many problems with the government, but they returned in 1938 and regained control of the church and the convent. But the Dominicans were devastating when they witnessed the destruction their beloved temple had suffer. The altarpieces had been burned, the gold on the walls stolen and a latrine placed behind the main altarpiece.

The restoration work began soon after and by 1959 the new main altarpiece was ready. It has since become the most visited church in Oaxaca and one of the favorites among locals for weddings, quince años and christenings. It also the background for splendid pictures by tourists and photo amateurs. And it is, without a doubt, something you should visit when you come to Oaxaca, so what are you waiting? Come soon and don’t forget to look up!

[photos courtesy of oledoe, anjči, RussBowling and SanGatiche / Flickr]

It is more than 40 meters high and it can be seen from miles away. It is so large that originally it was thought that there were multiple trees giving the impression of being one, but studies have proven that it’s only one.

Arbol del Tule

There is a Zapotec legend that says that Pechcha, a priest of Ehecatl, the God of Wind, planted the seed in this sacred place to please the god. After the arrival of the Spaniards, the church of Santa María del Tule was built on that same sacred place.

Santa Maria del Tule

The word Tule means “Tree of Enlightenment” but it’s sometimes nicknamed the “Tree of Life” because of the animal forms that can be found on its trunk. As part of an official project in local schools, children guide tours around the trunk showing and explaining all manners of animals, creatures, body parts, faces and objects that the trunk features. This is the fun part of the visit, trying to see these forms and finding new ones. Some of the kids kind-of-speak english, or at least they try, they’ll learn words (“crocodile” “lion” “head”) to show you those forms for a little money. They are so fun to hear too!

The second Monday of October is the “Arbol del Tule Day” and a big party surrounds the tree. Fireworks, music, dances and masses are dedicated to the ancient, sacred and amazing Tule.

Arbol del Tule Day

Santa Maria del Tule is 13km from Oaxaca City, on the road to Mitla, and it’s a beautiful place to visit. Besides the Tule, there are many crafts from the region, Oaxacan food, regional costumes and an always lively square filled with music and people.

Tule

[photos courtesy of Nsaum75, SanGatiche, bordenphoto and fer tapia]

This time we’ll talk about the Zapotecs, a culture that goes back at least 2500 years, and that inhabited the ancient city of Monte Alban. The name Zapotec comes from the nahuatl word tzapotecatl, that means “inhabitants of the place of zapote (zapote is a fruit), but they called themselves be’neza, that means “inhabitants of the clouds”.

There is not enough information about the origin of the Zapotecs, they didn’t  have any legend about their arrival to Oaxaca, they believed they came from the clouds. Experts say that the first urban development of this culture was around the XV and IV Centuries B.C. in a location now called San Jose Mogote. Around the year 800 A.D., the Zapotecs established themselves on top of a hill, in what later would be the great city of Monte Alban, the most important city in the region.

Monte Alban

They created some of the most stunning buildings in Monte Alban, like the named J-building, with an arrow shape, experts still don’t know what function it served, but it certainly is an unique shaped building in the Mesoamerican world. They also played the pre-Hispanic sport “Juego de Pelota” -Ball Game-  and the court of the game is still one of the most visited buildings in the site.

Their art forms traveled far in the Mesoamerican world. In Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, today Mexico City, there were Zapotecs and Mixtecs artisans working for the tloatoanis, the rulers, creating jewelry. They were also expert weavers and potters, creating many intricate wool designs and beautiful funeral urns that can be admired still.

This great civilization developed a calendar based on the heavenly bodies and a glyph-based writing system that represented each of the syllables of their language. This one of the first systems of writing in the Mesoamerican world and was the predecessor of the Aztecs’ writing system. They recorded the principal events in their history through hieroglyphics carved in stone.

The Zapotecs had a Pantheon of gods led by Totec, their main god. Other important gods were Cocijo, the god of rain; Xipe, the creator; and Tlatlahaqui, the Sun God. They also believed in their ancestors, and thought they lived in a heavenly world. The religious site of Mitla supposedly was the gateway to this world.

Mitla

They had a very varied agriculture; they cultivated chile, beans, pumpkin, cacao and corn, their main source of wealth. The people lived in villages and had to pay a tax (corn, honey, guajolotes (turkeys)) to their lords.

Between 1497 and 1502 the last war between the Aztecs and the Zapotecs took place. The Zapotecs never regained their power, and by the time the Spaniards came, the Zapotecs were to afraid after hearing they had defeated the Aztecs; they decided not to confront the Conquerors. They were defeated by 1527.

There are still some Zapotec groups in Oaxaca, specially in the south valleys of the Oaxaca Mountain Range and in the Tehuantepec isthmus, as well as some place of Veracruz, Guerero and Chiapas. They still have a strong influence of their ancestries, especially in the costumes, music and crafts. The former President Benito Juarez, the first indigenous person to be elected, was a Zapotec from Oaxaca.

Monte Alban

But there are ways you can avoid Moctezuma’s Revenge. First thing you have to do is ALWAYS wash your hands with soap before eating. That’s the golden rule. Also you’ll want to take it easy the first few days and let your stomach get used to the food. This may be hard because you’ll want to taste everything.  Do so, but in small bites. This will allow you to eat more as time goes by. Remember Mexicans have some sort of steel stomach, so they can eat pretty much anything, but yours may not be as strong!

Chiles in the Market

Don’t eat anything from street vendors, specially if they’re located at a very transited street. Instead look for a kiosk that’s preferably in a square or garden, not on a sidewalk. And preferably buy things that comes packaged or bottled. That goes especially for water; never, ever, ever drink from the tap. Water is not as clean as in other countries, so you want to avoid infections. Just make sure to step on your bottle once you’ve finished it and put it in the trash. Don’t litter!

Oaxaca has beautiful markets, filled with delicious fruits and vegetables (specially the Mercado Benito Juarez and the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, also known as the Food Market). You’ll want to taste them all, and you should! Just remember to wash the fruits and boil the vegetables before you eat them. You’ll have to trust your gut here. If you go to a first class restaurant, you’re safe, you can eat whatever you want. But if you go to a less than first class restaurant, you’ll want to avoid uncooked vegetables. Same goes with seafood, if it’s too hot in there, run away as fast as you can!

It’s not only the food you have to be careful with in Oaxaca. You’ll be visiting a lot of ruins and walking around the city, so if you don’t want to get sunstroke, be sure to wear sunblock and drink a lot of water. If you feel extremely tired, it’s better for you to go take a nap. Trust me. Plus, you’re on vacation, if you don’t take a nap now, when will you? This will help you enjoy the trip and avoid headaches.

Mezcal

Now, this is a very serious matter. Oaxaca is the land of mezcal, the sacred pre-Hispanic drink made from the heart of the maguey, using the same techniques than 300 years ago. If you want to survive in this state, you have to treat the mezcal with great respect. And always keep in mind that , if you fell really sick after drinking too much mezcal, that’s not anybody’s revenge, that’s just a hangover!

It may be a good idea to go see your doctor before visiting to make sure you have something to counteract whatever stomach trouble you might have on your trip. Better safe than sorry. There’s some good news though; supposedly, Moctezuma’s Revenge strikes only once, usually within the first three days in Mexico. Take care always anyway, even if you already had it, or you survived those 3 first days. You don’t want to be the first visitor who’s had the disease twice.

Enjoy the Oaxacan cuisine!

(photos courtesy of maximalideal and Aaron Jacobs / Flickr)

Tomb in Zaachila

The Zapotecs were already tired of this war, so they offered peace to the Mixtecs, who accepted only with the condition of taking Donaji as a hostage to make sure the peace treaty was being respected. Donaji and Nucano then returned to Monte Alban together, but even though they were in love, the princess was worried about her people. So she wrote a letter to her father asking him to send someone to rescue her. The Zapotecs, wanting to rescue Donaji, attacked Monte Alban forcing the Mixtecs to run away. They were was so mad at the Zapotecs, but especially at their own prince, Nucano, for letting his love for the princess end in another war that they planned revenge. As a punishment, two Mixtecs decapitated the princess behind the prince’s back and told the Zapotecs where the body was buried, but they never told them where the head was. Here is where the legend begins.

One day, many years after this war, a young shepherd took his animals to pasture to a field near his home. The field was close to what today is San Agustin de las Juntas, near the Oaxaca International Airport. While the shepherd was there, he saw the most beautiful Madonna Lily flower he had ever seen and decided to take it home with him, but didn’t want to kill it, so he decided to take it with the roots. While he was digging he found a human ear, so he continued digging until he found a whole head. The head of a beautiful woman so well preserved, she seemed to be only sleeping. The rich decorations on the head confirmed to the shepherd that that was the long lost princess Donaji’s head. And he also discovered the Lily had born from her ear, as a symbol of love above all, including war. Love for one’s people, even above true love. The body and the head were finally buried together, in the Temple of Cuilapan.

Ex Convent of Cuilapan

[photos courtesy of Ybidau, AlejandroLinaresGarcia and Gengiskanhg]

In the 1930’s, a Oaxacan piñata maker named Pedro Linares, who was living in Mexico City, got sick. While he was delirious, he saw in his dreams a colorful creature so amazing that as soon as he got better, he tried to create it in cardboard and paper mache (the building materials of a piñata). Linares claimed that when the creature appeared in his dream it was yelling “Alebrijes!”, thus that’s how he named those animals.

An Alebrije from Oaxaca

Linares’ family has continue doing alebrijes until present days and they’ve gained worldwide fame because of the variety of their work. Their process, however, is protected by law; in México the commercialization of crafts is illegal unless is acknowledged by the community and the region they are from. This means that no state, besides the Federal District (México City) can produce, sell or commercialize with cardboard and paper mache alebrijes.

In Oaxaca, unlike in Mexico City, the alebrijes are made out of wood, and that sole difference makes them legal to be a craft from Oaxaca. This is the mixture of what Pedro Linares created and the indigenous woodcarving tradition. Animal carvings had been a part of the Zapotec culture since before the Spaniards arrived. But, I really think the main difference is Oaxaca’s alebrijes last longer, because of the material they’re made of.

A lot of Alebrijes

The reason the alebrijes are so popular is because of its explosion of colors, the imagination the craftsmen put into creating so many different creatures, the dedication on the details and the finishing touches. No two alebrijes are the same, and there is also no wrong choice, the one you chose is the right one for you.

So, what are you waiting for, come to Oaxaca and search for your own.

[photos courtesy of howlita, eeliuth and anjči]

To have a clear idea of what the UNESCO is, I’ll tell you really quick that it was created in 1945 to preserve and promote international collaboration through education, science and culture. Its World Heritage program seeks the preservation of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

In this case, the pre-historic caves and rock shelters were chosen because they’re considered the oldest evidence of civilization in America. They are located in the valleys of central Oaxaca and were nominated because of the 10 thousand years old pumpkin seeds, six thousand years old bean seeds and four thousand two hundred years old corn seeds founded in there, the pumpkin one being considered the oldest remaining of domesticated plants known so far in this continent.

Yagul

As for the pre-Hispanic sites, Yagul has been occupied since 500 AD -some of the burials excavated on the site date from that era- but it was during 1250-1521 AD when this site lived its golden era, influenced by Monte Alban. There are about 30 tombs, some bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions, thus making them even more unique. The word Yagul means old tree in Zapotec and it can be easily guessed why, since it’s set around a hill.

Pre-Hispanic Site of Yagul

Now, about Mitla, why it took the UNESCO so long to inscribed it in its World Heritage List it’s beyond my comprehension. Mitla is an unique place in Mexico, and I dare to say, in the world. It was the most important religious center of the Zapotecs and is the second most important archeological site of Oaxaca, only behind Monte Alban (the political center of the Zapotec culture). The word Mitla comes from the Nahuatl Mictlán, which was the place of the dead. Its Zapotec name was Lyobaa, which means “place of rest”; the city was built as a gateway between the living and the dead.

Mitla

After the Spanish Conquest, the clergy built the San Pablo church where Mitla’s main temple was, but never demolished the rest of the city, so the ruins were preserved making of this place an interesting marriage between the Spanish and the Zapotec cultures.

But what really makes Mitla unique is the decor and the geometry of the site. The intricate and unique entwines and fretworks designs covering tombs, friezes and walls were made with small cut stone pieces forming any pattern you could imagine. The city golden age was around 750 and 1521 when both the Zapotecs and the Mixtecs influenced its architecture.

Mitla

In 1910 Mitla was chosen as symbol of pre-Hispanic civilizations for the celebrations of the 100 anniversary of the Independence. In 2010, for the celebration of the 200 anniversary it was chosen again.

Yagul and Mitla are a must see if you’re in Oaxaca. They’re about 40 minutes from the city, but you can either rent a car for a day or you can ask at the information center at Andador Alcalá for day-excursions. Find out for your own why these sites were added to the World Heritage list.

[photos courtesy of ames sf, maximalideal, maximalideal, RussBowling and Richard Weil/Flickr]

Oaxaca cuisine is the perfect combination of Spanish and pre-Hispanic cultures. It’s an exotic combination of the craziest ingredients you’ll taste in Mexico. So, for you to taste only the best, here’s a guide of the top 5 dishes you should eat while in Oaxaca.

1.Mole

The Oaxacan Mole is worldwide famous. We have mole all over Mexico, but the two more famous are the Oaxacan and the Poblano Mole. This dish is a mixture of more than 30 ingredients, including spices, meat, chile and chocolate.

This state is “the land of seven moles” because you’ll find negro (black), amarillo (yellow), verde (green), chichilo, colorado (red), and mancha manteles (literally, tablecloth stainer). Each one has deferent ingredients, flavor, consistence, and of course, as the names indicates, colors. It’s hard to chose only one as the best in state, you’ll have to be the judge of that. And don’t worry, when having to chose only one at dinner, you’ll surely make the right decision, they’re all great!

Banana with Mole

2. Chapulines

The literally translation of Chapulines is Locust, and yes, that is exactly what it is. I know it sounds crazy (I warned you!) but it’s also delicious. These little grasshoppers are appetizers you’ll find all over the state, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the fanciest restaurant or at the market, they’ll offer you this dish. Don’t be afraid to taste them! It’s a salty, a little spicy, legendary dish that not only you’ll love, but it’ll be a great anecdote to tall back home.

Taco de Chapulines

3. Tasajo

Tasajo is a salted beef skirtsteak typically found in Oaxaca. Is a soft meat usually used in many other dishes.

4. Tlayudas

A large (pizza sized), thin, toasted tortilla with beans, meat, cheese, chapulines and salsa on top. The best place to have a Tlayuda is at the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, close to the Zocalo. Sit at any Fonda (inn) and enjoy your tlayuda with tasajo or meatless.

Tlayuda de Chorizo

5. Mezcal.

Ok, ok, you’re right. Mezcal is not a food, is a drink, but still you should have it. The word Mezcal comes from the Nahuatl maguey. This drink is made from Agave cactus and comes in many flavors. If you like tequila you’ll love Mezcal, but keep in mind that the most popular one has a worm in the bottle to enhance its taste. But I don’t think that’ll be a problem for you, since you already tasted (and enjoyed) chapulines.

Mezcal

So there you have it, impossible not to fall in  love with beautiful Oaxaca, you know what the say the way to anybody’s heart is through the stomach. Enjoy!

[photos courtesy of waywuwei, Carnaval King 08, william.neuheisel, hija del caos and scaredy_kat / Flickr]