Tzintzuntzán

The ceremonial center of the pre-Columbian Tarascan state capital. Five reconstructed yácata pyramids line up looking out over Lake Pátzcuaro. The yácatas and other buildings rest on a large Grand Platform excavated into the hillside.

The main attraction of the modern town is the former monastery, which was founded in the 16th century. The complex contains the Church of San Francisco, the Church of La Soledad, two open chapels and a large atrium, with much of the building material obtained from the nearby yacata pyramids that the Spanish destroyed. The church has a large number of religious art pieces from the colonial era.

One of the most interesting sites in the State of Michoacán, Ihuatzio was once the capital of the Tarascan empire (though it would be replaced in that role by the nearby site of Tzintzuntzan). The archaeological remains are distributed in an approximate area of 50 hectares, only partially open to the public, but mostly concentrate in a single building complex centered around a twin-pyramid complex. Unexcavated yacatas are plainly visible nearby (some on private land).