Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán
| Tzintzuntzán | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
View of the modern town from the archeological site
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 Tzintzuntzán
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| Coordinates: 19°37′42″N 101°34′44″W / 19.62833°N 101.57889°WCoordinates: 19°37′42″N 101°34′44″W / 19.62833°N 101.57889°W | |
| Country |
 Mexico
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| State | Michoacán |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Municipal Status | 1930 |
| Government | |
| • Municipal President | J. Abel Martinez Rojas (2008-2011) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 165.15 km2 (63.76 sq mi) |
| Elevation (of seat) | 2,050 m (6,730 ft) |
| Population (2005) Municipality | |
| • Total | 12,259 |
| • Seat | 3,252 |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
Tzintzuntzán (Spanish pronunciation: [tsintsunˈtsan]) is a town in Tzintzuntzan Municipality located in the north of Michoacán state, 53 km from the capital of Morelia and 17.5 km from Pátzcuaro, located on the northeast shore of Lake Pátzcuaro. It is best known as the former capital of the Tarascan state until it was conquered by the Spanish in the 1520s. Today, Tzintzuntzan is a small town with two major attractions, the archeological site of Tzintzuntzan and the former monastery complex of San Francisco. The municipality contains another important archeological site called Ihuatzio. It is also notable for its festivals, which include the Festival of Señor del Rescate, Day of the Dead celebrations and a cultural event related to New Year's.
The name Tzintzuntzan comes from the Purépecha language, meaning "place of the hummingbirds". The Purépecha had a god named Tzintzuuquixu, meaning "hummingbird of the south", which, like the Mexica to Tenochtitlán, was involved in guiding the tribe to the Lake Pátzcuaro area. The municipality has a coat of arms which features images of Tarascan kings Tzintzincha, Chiguacua and Chiguangua. It also contains a section representing the Spanish conquest of the Tarascan state in the form of the last emperor Tzintzincha or Tanganxoán bowing before the Spanish Crown and cross, asking to be baptized.
The Purépecha were one of the tribes that arrived to the Pátzcuaro Lake area in the 12th century. From the 12th to the 14th century, the Purépecha came to dominate the region with their capital at Tzintzuntzan. In 1400, emperor Tariácuri divided it among his three descendants, Irepan, Hiquingare and Tanganxoán, with each receiving Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio and Tzintzuntzan respectively. However, Tanganxoán managed to reunify the three, reabsorbing Ihuatzio and Pátzcuaro, returning Tzintzuntzan as the most powerful city in the lake region.
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