Visitors who choose Chiconcuac as a destination can combine market history and wool craft with church art, as well as local festivals and food culture. The Tianguis gives trip planning a specific weekly rhythm; other topics include the town’s architectural history and textile tradition. When choosing your dates, it is especially important to consider whether you want to include a particular market day.
Tianguis and Market History
The Tianguis de Chiconcuac takes place on several streets in the municipal seat. Market days are Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday; the market also takes place on Monday and Friday nights. Check the schedule again before traveling. This allows you to plan your dates around the market’s weekly rhythm.
The Tianguis began as a covered market on the central plaza, which opened in 1886. The Mercado Municipal “Benito Juárez” was built at a larger site and inaugurated on February 14, 1973. These two milestones give the market’s history a longer time frame.
Churches, Plaza and Local History
The parish church of San Miguel Chiconcuac is located in the municipal seat. Its façade combines Baroque and Neoclassical portals dating from the late 18th or early 19th century. The public clock in the right-hand tower was inaugurated on September 29, 1898. The Capilla de San Pedro Chiconcuac was built between 1600 and 1625; its bell tower, dating from the late 17th century, preserves late Baroque and early Neoclassical stylistic features.
The altar of the Templo de Santa MarĂa Chiconcuac is considered a replica of the altar in the former Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City; the interior is decorated with gold leaf. On the plaza in the municipal seat stands a stone fountain with seven serpent heads and the municipal coat of arms carved into its exterior. A mural depicting representative aspects of the municipality was painted in the municipal government building in 1997.
Wool Weaving and Handicrafts
Wool weaving is considered part of Chiconcuac’s economic and cultural heritage. The tradition includes carding combs, spinning wheels and treadle looms. Artisans make wool blankets on simple wooden looms; sweaters are made with knitting needles or crochet hooks. A wide variety of patterns and colors are used. The techniques and products showcase different aspects of the local textile tradition.
The workshops of the Delgado Hernández family produce handwoven wool rugs and tapestries. They received the “Howard Mercury” award in 1988 and “La Estrella de Oro al Mejor de la Década” in 1990. A 2025 handicraft catalog names Tomás Rosales Cervantes as a master artisan specializing in treadle looms and describes him as running a weaving workshop in Chiconcuac, where he has worked for more than ten years.
Casa del Artesano Chiconcuac opened in 2025 for the artisan community, local residents, tourists and the general public. A 2025 municipal report stated that handicrafts made in the municipality are permanently exhibited and sold there. Check the current opening hours before visiting.
Festivals and Local Food
Patron saint festivals are celebrated as the “fiesta grande” or “fiesta chica.” Mayordomos organize them and provide food for people during the festivities. Traditional dances are performed at religious festivals, including those of the Serranitos, Moors and Christians, Vaqueros and Sembradores. During carnival, figures locally known as “viejos” dance in the streets of Chiconcuac.
Local food also offers a glimpse into local traditions. For All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Dead, families and neighbors make a local bread of the dead called “los conejos.” Ahuautle, Huauzontles en mole, Yecacapac, Chileatole and Choales are among the preserved foods of pre-Hispanic origin. Another traditional dish is lamb barbacoa: the meat is prepared with agave leaves and cooked in an oven dug into the ground.
Discover more destinations: Chiconcuac, Papalotla, San Felipe del Progreso, El Oro, Municipality of San MartĂn de las Pirámides, Zacualpan, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Tenancingo.
For the main travel overview: MĂ©xico.
