Mexcaltitán de Uribe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mexcaltitán de Uribe
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A bird's eye view of Mexcaltitán.
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| Country |  Mexico |
| State |  Nayarit |
| Municipality | Santiago Ixcuintla |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 818 |
| Demonym(s) | Mexcaltitánense |
Mexcaltitán de Uribe, often called just Mexcaltitán, is a special island-city in the Mexican state of Nayarit. It's not a natural island; it was actually built by people! Its name comes from two words in the ancient Náhuatl language: "mexcalli" and "titlán".
Some historians think Mexcaltitán might be the legendary Aztlan. This was the original home of the Aztecs, a powerful ancient civilization. They believe the Aztecs started their long journey from here in 1091. This journey eventually led them to build their famous capital city, Tenochtitlan.
Today, Mexcaltitán is a popular place for tourists to visit. In 2001, the Mexican government named it a "Pueblo Mágico" (Magic Town). This title is given to towns that offer a special experience because of their natural beauty, culture, or history. After losing the title for a few years, Mexcaltitán got it back in 2020. You can reach the island by boat from a dock called La Batanga. People sometimes call Mexcaltitán "The Mexican Venice" because its streets can flood during the rainy season, just like in Venice, Italy!
A big reason tourists love Mexcaltitán is its colorful houses. These homes have special roofs that keep water out. When it rains a lot, the streets fill with water. This means you have to travel around the island by boat!
Contents
Exploring Mexcaltitán's Location
This unique island is almost perfectly round. It measures about 1,100 feet (335 meters) across.
Mexcaltitán is a well-known tourist spot in Mexico. It's located about 22.3 miles (36 kilometers) from the city of Santiago Ixcuintla. It's also about 60 miles (98 kilometers) from the larger city of Tepic.
Uncovering Mexcaltitán's Past
In the 1960s, Mexican thinkers started to seriously wonder if Mexcaltitán was the mythical city of Aztlán. This is the place where the Mexicas, who later became known as the Aztecs, began their long journey. One of the first people to suggest this idea was historian Alfredo Chavero in the late 1800s. After he passed away, other historians like Wigberto Jiménez Moreno looked into his idea and thought it was possible. This idea is still discussed by experts today.
In July 2009, Mexcaltitán temporarily lost its "Pueblo Mágico" title. This happened because it didn't meet some requirements set by the Mexican Secretary of Tourism. However, the good news is that the title was officially given back to Mexcaltitán in December 2020.
Who Lives in Mexcaltitán?
According to a census taken in 2010 by INEGI (Mexico's statistics agency), there were 818 people living on the island.
What You'll Find on the Island
Mexcaltitán has several important buildings and services. These include a museum where you can learn about the island's history. There's also a Catholic church, an elementary school for kids, and a government-run hospital.
To get to the island, you can take one of two ferries. La Batanga is the busiest ferry, located about 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) from Mexcaltitán. The other ferry, El Matadero, is smaller and about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) away from the island.
The island also has an ejido. An ejido is a special type of public land in Mexico that is given to citizens for farming. The ejido of Mexcaltitán includes a large area of land and water. It's considered very good compared to other ejidos nearby.
See also
In Spanish: Mexcaltitán para niños
