Zempoala
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◈ Memory and the legacy of ancestors are latent in Zempoala. It seems like here time lingers among haciendas and charros (Mexico’s answer to the cowboy).
And pulque and pre-Hispanic cuisine are also still present in daily life. Visiting this town means learning more about the past that brought about the imposing aqueduct that stands so steadfastly.
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◆ Hop on the tourist bus and get to know Zempoala.
◆ Admire the murals in the Ex Convento de Todos los Santos.
◆ Visit its haciendas.
◆ Try ximbote, the traditional dish of stuffed cactus.
Check out its 16th-century architecture.
❖ Acueducto del Padre Tembleque
This aqueduct was built by local people and Franciscans under the leadership of Brother Francisco Tembleque, the goal was to take water from the area around Zempoala to the drier area of Otumba.
The endeavor took from 1554 to 1572. The entire system gathers water from several springs and has several branches, stretching over 30 miles long. The aqueduct has five sets of arches, of which the arches in Tepeyahualco are the most famous and spectacular. They soar 130 feet in the air and were the highest in the world until the 17th century.
❖ Ex Convento
de Todos los Santos
A former Franciscan convent constructed between 1570 and 1580, it is unique for its high, slender tower and understated facade with classic features. The church holds remnants of a mural portraying religious scenes. There are more on the walls of the connected convent, where you can still see paintings depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ.
The complex has kept its open chapel with two stately archways as entrances and two naves.
❖ Cattle and Pulque Haciendas
Historical accounts tell of more than 20 haciendas in what is now Zempoala. Today, a dozen such estates remain. It is, however, a considerable number for a municipality that encompasses barely 31,000 hectares. With only two percent of all Hidalgo’s land, Zempoala preserves six percent of the state’s 200 haciendas.
Zempoala’s old haciendas radiate splendor. And, although there are many, this grandeur takes on its own special luster in each of them. While you can find common characteristics and compare them, there are still significant differences between them. A tour of the estates would take a couple of days.
❖ Browse the Sunday Market
Morelos street, running beside the town square, is the setting for Zempoala’s Tianguis, or Sunday market. It is remarkable for the natural products sold here: flowers, medicinal herbs, mallows, pepper plants, palm flowers, quiote maguey flowers, wild greens, purslane, squash blossoms, gualumbo maguey flowers, and zotol, a cousin of tequila.
Wares include molcajetes (traditional Mexican mortar and pestles), ceramic pots, and wooden utensils—all created by artisans from the Magical Town and surrounding area.
❖ Try Traditional Dishes
Zempoala is proud of its cuisine. No one should leave without trying the local dishes: chicken in pulque; shredded barbacoa meat; broths; mushroom ceviche; snail- and ant egg-stuffed maguey stalks called ximbotes; corn tlacoyo patties filled with beans, chickpeas, potatoes, or fresh cheese; huitlacoche mushroom quesadillas; mallow soup; and sauce made with sour prickly pears called xoconostle.
❖ Tour Zempoala on the Turibús
Vive la Magia de Zempoala—this tourist bus, the name urging you to Experience the Magic of Zempoala, will take you to the municipality’s main attractions. Haciendas, churches, the aqueduct, nearby towns, and countryside will be your destinations on this family-friendly outing.
