Huatusco brings together several clearly distinct cultural themes: church and house architecture, art connected with the city’s history, and the mask and music traditions of Xantolo. When planning your stay, you can first decide which of these themes matters most to you. The examples range from buildings dating back several centuries to a cultural celebration dedicated to the deceased. This makes it easy to choose a hotel in Huatusco based on the discoveries that interest you.

Places and Orientation in Huatusco

The Church of San Antonio de Padua stands on Calle 9, between Avenidas 1 and 2, next to Jardín Zaragoza. It houses a nine-meter-high statue of the saint, created by Herbert Ofmann Ysenburg. The Casa Museo Guillermo Landa is located in the historic center of Huatusco. On July 23, 2022, it opened to the public as a house museum and became part of the Instituto Veracruzano de la Cultura’s network of cultural venues. The Teatro Solleiro is in the center of Huatusco de Chicuellar, at the corner of Avenida 1 Oriente and Calle 3 Sur. These specific addresses provide landmarks for finding your way around; at the same time, the places represent different types of buildings and cultural connections.

Architecture from Several Eras

The Torre de Santa Cecilia dates back to the late 19th century, stands 35 meters high and has a clock with four faces. It is considered one of the city’s landmarks. The Chalet Landa was built in 1912 under the direction of engineers Luis Bacmeister and Aurelio Ruelas. In 2014, the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura classified the building as one of artistic value. The Church of San Antonio de Padua, meanwhile, was built in 1940 to a design by Mexican architect José Villagrán García. Together, these examples trace a timeline from the late 19th century through 1912 to 1940. Those interested in architecture can compare the dates when the different buildings were constructed, rather than assigning them all to a single era.

Art and City History at the Casa de los Leones

The Casa de los Leones combines French neoclassical architecture with a mural collection by Huatusco-born artist Franco Santaella. The murals tell the story of the city and the region. The exhibition texts also have a distinctive focus: for people with disabilities, they are presented in easy-to-read language, with pictograms, in Mexican Sign Language and in Braille. In addition to the architecture and murals, the house’s distinctive features therefore include different ways of presenting text.

Xantolo: Masks, Music and Remembrance

The Danza Xantolo Huatusco cultural spectacle brings more than 1,000 dancers through the city’s main streets and honors the deceased. Xantolo also preserves the sacred significance of Día de Muertos with jarana music, violin and a mask celebration in which children and adults wear masks. Remembrance, music and masks thus stand alongside one another as different aspects of the tradition. If you want to plan your trip around this event, check the relevant dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Solidaridad, Rinconada, Monte Gordo, Palmarillo, Tlacotalpan, Coscomatepec De Bravo, Trapiche Del Rosario, Misantla

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