Pátzcuaro

Pátzcuaro, Michoacán state, west-central Mexico. This small, Spanish colonial town is located in an extremely active volcanic region near the central Pacific coast of Mexico, just south of Lake Pátzcuaro. The region was originally inhabited by the Purepecha Indians, many of whom still live in and around Pátzcuaro. The remains of Tzintzuntzan, the capital of the Purepecha empire, are located a few miles away.

Town in the centre of the state of Michoacán in Mexico; population (1995) 75,300. It is situated on the southeastern shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, which is 2,010 m/6,594 ft above sea level and 48 km/30 mi in circumference. Fishing and tourism are important here.

Features The town, which has narrow cobbled streets, has many points of historical interest, such as churches and museums. It is home to a museum of popular art, and UNESCO's Educational Centre for Community Development in Latin America (CREFAL). Woodcarvings and local handicrafts, such as woven and lacquered goods, are sold in the town's weekly markets and in the ‘House of Eleven Patios’.

Pátzcuaro was the former political capital of the Purépechan or Tarascan province which extended across an area that approximates with the modern state of Michoacán.

The remains of the pre-Columbian town of Tzintzuntzan, the former Purépechan capital, with its pyramids or yacatas, can still be seen nearby.