Tetelco. Does the name itself spark your curiosity? San Nicolás Tetelco is one of the seven original villages of Tláhuac. This small community is ancient. It sits on the southeastern edge of Mexico City.
San Nicolás Tetelco shares more history with Milpa Alta villages. It also shares history with Chalco in the State of Mexico. Tetelco even joined with San Andrés Mixquic during colonial times. The name Tetelco comes from Nahuatl. It combines “tetelli” meaning stone making with “co” meaning place. Thus Tetelco translates to “place of stacked stones”. Older texts call it Teteltzinco de los Ahuehuetes. This refers to a large tree. It is also known as tetelcoatl. This means “where there are snakes”.
Local stories say people from Mixquic first lived here. They were outcasts punished for crimes. They were banished to Tetelco. Later the area became part of the Hacienda de los Ahuehuetes de Santa Fe. It was sometimes called Hacienda de Santa Fe Tetelco. This happened in the late 17th century. Some ruins of the original hacienda remain outside town.
The church at the center of San Nicolás Tetelco is from the 17th century. It stands on the Plaza Emiliano Zapata. The plaza serves as the heart of community life. The church is plateresque style. Its religious art is important. The National Institute of Anthropology and History recognizes it. A Jesús Nazareno statue is special. It is thought to be made from polished corn paste. This statue dates back to the 17th century. It was found damaged in a church storage room after 250 years. There is also a Virgen de Dolores. Wood sculptures and carvings depict Christ carrying the cross. Also a Virgin from the 18th or 19th century is present. The INAH has registered many items along with the church.
San Nicolás Tetelco supported Emiliano Zapata’s army during the Mexican Revolution. People wanted their communal lands back. These lands were taken in the 19th century. The government denied the request. However the village farmers received land as ejido.
The Church of San Nicolás Tolentino is central here. It sits 2240 meters above sea level. This village dates back to the 13th century. It was part of Mixquic. Later it became a separate community in the colonial era. Buses connect this traditional district to Mexico City. The ejido lands around San Nicolás Tetelco still have agriculture. Corn oats and vegetables grow here. Coyotes and wildcats live nearby. San Nicolás Tetelco. A place of stacked stones a village with a story.