In Tepoztlan,the Pedro Lopez Elias Cultural Center, a state-of-the-art public library with private funds.

In the mid-16th Century, the Dominicans established a church, and then a monastery, which was the hub of their missionary activity in this part of New Spain.

 

 

These missionaries brought with them a new religion and a new culture to a people who already had their culture and their religion.

 

When Mexico became an independent nation in 1820, the government began organizing the public education system of schools and universities, so that even its poorest citizens have access to culture.

 

Some groups consider that the efforts of the Government are insufficient and they establish foundations aimed at establishing cultural centers, both in large cities, as well as in small remote and agricultural communities, as is the case of Tepoztlan.

 

Pedro Lopez Elias, a famous and eminent lawyer and writer, establish a cultural center featuring a state-of-the-art free library for the people of Tepoztlan: the Centro Cultural Pedro Lopez Elias.

 

One of the largest collections of the libraries deals with, understandably, law.

Political law section

Constitutional law section

Industrial property book section.

 

Older people's rights and law book section.

Reading room at the Library

Statue of Moses by Michelangelo

 

Tree of life-

Main hallway of the library lit up

by sun light. 

 

Here we have a view of the archway

on the second floor as well as the

main lobby on the bottom floor

The legend of the origins of Tepoztlan, as the serpent

devours the chief, who cuts his way free from the

belly of the snake.

Lorena Fragoso is the manager of the Library.

Stage of the outdoor theater of the Centro Cultural

 

Playground area of the Centro Cultural

Children's library.

 

Patrick Kavanagh with Lorena Fregoso

Estela enjoys the garden steps of the Centro

 

 

San Salvador Ixcatepec, a neighborhood Church of Tepoztlán.

A poem, a song, a love story between a slender palm tree that was to be embraced forever in the arms of her beloved "amate" tree, as their branches look upward to Heaven, seeking solace. This is legend of Ixcatepec.

 

Tepoztlán, like many other towns conquered in Nueva España during the first half of the 16th Century, was formed by an agglomeration of several "barrios" or neighborhoods.

The church of San Salvador was

established in 1732

 

One of these neighborhoods in Tepoztlán is Ixcatepec, which in the native Nahuatl language means "cotton hill", as there is a type of tree that blooms a flower with cotton-like fibers, which the local people used to spin fibers for weaving cloth. 

San Salvador has a single nave.

 

The patron of the neighbor of Ixcatepec is San Salvador.

 

Pulpit with gold leaf relief

Spandrel with Saint Mark

 

Saint Luke spandrel

Saint John the Evangelist

Saint Matthew

 

 Side chapel of San Salvador Ixcatepec Church

 

 

Stone-carved baptismal fountain

A plaque tells the story of this

neighborhood,  its sufferings

and diseases and how its faith

held it together.

 

 

 

Atrial Cross of Ixcatepec

Traditional bell tower with bells

on the first level and an electric

bullhorn on the second level.

 

The pious hands of a saint,
In the atrium of the church

A beautiful thin palm tree planted,

While a pilgrim nearby

During the feasts of May

Left a seed of an Amate tree.
 

Lullabied by the chimes of the church bells,

And underneath the cotton-like clouds,
Began a passionate love affair between the two.
While birds weaved with flowers the
The Bride´s wedding dress,
Singing 1000 praises to the Savior

Such beautiful memories,
With sighs were replaced,
As the Amate Tree bathed himself in bitter tears,
Like the wax of lace that the marchers in the procession wear,
During the feasts of May.

One night, under the full moon,
The palm tree died, and the Amate
Wrapped her around in his arms,
Hugging her and hanging onto her memory,
Always looking towards Heaven,
The Amate was drown in sadness.

Now they point their green branches heavenward,
As if they were awaiting a miracle,
Like the wax of the lace,
In the processions of the
Feasts of May.
 
 
 

The poem of Legendary Tree of

Ixcatepec

The legendary tree of Ixcatepec