Pulque was one of the wealth of Hidalgo for several centuries and left to posterity the infrastructure of the large estates that today make up a highly attractive cultural route.
In the Apan region the structures of half a dozen pulque haciendas still survive, which tell us about the bonanza of other times. The town of Santiago Chimalpa looks like a fortress, with high walls and towers; It has an 18th century chapel and a more recent one whose façade is attributed to the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, builder of the famous Angel of Independence in Mexico City.
Another notable hacienda is San Francisco Ocotepec, ceded in 1824 to Leona Vicario and her husband, Andrés Quintana Roo, as compensation for the capital that the couple donated to the Independence movement. San Antonio Tocha is one of the few farms that continues to exploit pulque; it has a magnificent old tinacal and carefully cultivated lands. The Tetlayápac hacienda has both colonial and French-style elements in its architecture and a beautiful tinacal whose walls were painted by the famous artist Ernesto Icaza with images from the countryside of the collection and elaboration of pulque.
In the municipality of Epazoyucan, San Marcos, which dates from colonial times, and Santa María Tecajete, with its superb viceregal helmet restored by Rivas Mercado, are worth a visit, as is San Bartolomé de los Tepetates, one of the best-preserved helmets that It dates from the 16th century, in the municipality of Tepeapulco. In the municipality of Zempoala, it is worth visiting the San Antonio Tochatlaco farm for its beautiful old town and for its original decoration.
Pulque was one of Hidalgo's riches for several centuries and left to posterity the infrastructure of the large estates that today make up a highly attractive cultural route. In the Apan region the structures of half a dozen pulque haciendas still survive, which tell us about the bonanza of other times. The town of Santiago Chimalpa looks like a fortress, with high walls and towers; It has an 18th century chapel and a more recent one whose façade is attributed to the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, builder of the famous Angel of Independence in Mexico City.
Another notable hacienda is San Francisco Ocotepec, ceded in 1824 to Leona Vicario and her husband, Andrés Quintana Roo, as compensation for the capital that the couple donated to the Independence movement. In the municipality of Zempoala, it is worth visiting the San Antonio Tochatlaco farm for its beautiful old town and for its original decoration.
