The tianguis, the textile tradition, and the architecture of the municipal seat offer three different perspectives on Chiconcuac. Market days are particularly relevant; textile and architectural themes provide other ways to explore local history and design.
Tianguis and Textile Craftsmanship
The Tianguis de Chiconcuac extends across several streets in the municipal seat. Market days are Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday; night trading also takes place on Mondays and Fridays. Check the schedule before traveling if you want to plan your stay around the tianguis. Historically, the market dates back to a covered arcade built on the central plaza in 1877; it was inaugurated in 1886. The dates distinguish the construction of the arcade from the later inauguration of the tianguis.
In the past, families used traditional techniques and simple looms in small workshops to make wool sarapes and sell them on Mondays in the plaza of the municipal seat. This historical connection between craftsmanship and the marketplace shows that textile history encompasses both production and sales. Textile trade in Chiconcuac includes woven handicrafts, garments, and household linens: blouses, dresses, pants, sweaters, jackets, hats, bed sheets, blankets, and towels. Materials for making them are also sold.
Textile Trade in a Broader Context
In the associated municipality of Chiconcuac, people from the textile and apparel industry gather downtown on Mondays and Fridays; clothing trade extends for several kilometers along the streets. In the textile district of the associated municipality of Chiconcuac, clothing shops are joined by stores selling buttons, thread, wool, zippers, fabrics, and trimmings, as well as printing, screen-printing, and embroidery services. The textile range there stretches from finished clothing to materials and processing services. This municipal-level area is geographically distinct from the tianguis, which extends across several streets in the municipal seat. Check planned dates specifically if you are interested in the gatherings. As individual shops may change, check whether the items you are looking for are currently available before making a specific visit.
Church and Plaza in the Municipal Seat
In the municipal seat, the façade of the Parroquia de San Miguel Chiconcuac is designed as an overlay of two façades: one Baroque and one Neoclassical. The church’s right-hand tower houses the public clock, which was inaugurated on September 29, 1898. A natural-stone fountain with seven serpent heads stands in the plaza of the municipal seat; the municipal coat of arms is carved on its exterior. A mural created in 1997 in the municipal administration building depicts representative aspects of the municipality. At the church, the two architectural styles take center stage; the clock, fountain, and mural add dated and civic design elements to the picture.
Further Architectural History in the Broader Chiconcuac Destination
The broader Chiconcuac destination offers other church histories to explore. The Capilla de San Pedro Chiconcuac was built between 1600 and 1625; its bell tower, dating from the late 17th century, retains late Baroque and early Neoclassical stylistic features. At the Templo de Santa MarĂa Chiconcuac, the altar is considered a replica of the altar in the former Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City; the interior is decorated with gold leaf. Thus, the construction and tower history of San Pedro differs from the altar and interior design of Santa MarĂa.
To the broader travel overview: Chiconcuac.
