Ihuatzio archaeological zone

The First Capital of the Empire 👑

Along with Pátzcuaro and Tzintzuntzan, this site formed the triad of power of Purépecha Empire, a civilization so strong that It was never subdued by the Mexica 🛡️.

Ihuatzio (originalmente llamado Yacatécharo) means in the Purépecha language “In the house of the coyote” 🐺. And the name lives on: in its surroundings of pines, oaks and cedars 🌲, coyotes, armadillos and weasels still live, guarding the ruins.

Why is it a unique place?

Unlike other settlements on the lake, Ihuatzio stands out for features you won't see anywhere else:

🧱 The Huatziri (Raised Roads): Its architecture is unique. Here you will walk alongside the Huatziri: Impressive causeway walls with stepped sections. These elevated paths not only defined spaces but also served as ceremonial pathways through which one traveled within the city.

🗿 Monumental Sculpture: It is the only one of the three imperial capitals where large-format sculpture has been found. The excavations (begun in 1908) revealed treasures carved from basalt rock. four Chac Mools and three coyote-shaped sculptures, a testament to their artistic and ritual grandeur.

🔍 A Sleeping Giant What we see today is only a fraction of its splendor. At its peak, the city covered 150 hectares. Although some areas have been identified 84 structures (originally built on Nahua settlements with Toltec influence), only 7 are exposed at the moment.

Visiting Ihuatzio is like walking through the history of the first great lordship that dominated from the Balsas River to the Lerma River, consolidating the strong state that would receive the Spanish years later.