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Some of Mexico’s
oldest churches are in
Puebla; they were built
only months after
Cortés’s arrival. However, if you look inside some of these churches, you will see
that the Spanish conquistadors and missionaries failed to fully Christianize the
native people. Images from native mythology are mixed with Christian icons,
revealing the mixture of these two religions that still exists in Mexico today.
Puebla’s two volcanoes, Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl, are the second- and
third-highest mountains in the country. According to native traditions, “Popo” was
a warrior who loved Ixtaccíhuatl, an emperor’s daughter. These star-crossed lovers
remain loyal to each other, and “Popo” expresses his frustration and longing by
smoking from time to time. Experienced climbers can go up to the top of both
these mountains.
Morelos
As you circle around to the northwest, you will cross the border into the state
of Morelos. This small state first became a vacation spot when the Emperor
The States of Mexico
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A colonial-era church can be
seen below the active
volcano Popocatépetl, in
Puebla.