San Luis Soyatlan

SAN LUIS SOYATLÁN

MEANING

If you keep driving a little bit farther past Jocotepec, sitting on the south shore of Lake Chapala in the municipality of TUXCUECA, you will find yourself at the small town of San Luis Soyatlán. Its name comes from two languages, a Castilian “San Luis” which refers to the patronage of the saint of the population; Saint Louis of Toulouse, and the other “Soyatlán” which is Nahuatl meaning “place of soyates” (the fiber of soyate is the primary material for Mexican mats and hats).

LOCATION

aerea2

 

Sitting on the south shore of Lake Chapala, and about 45 minutes south from the city of Guadalajara. San Luis Soyatlán is a town located in the state of Jalisco in central-western Mexico, and is part of the municipality of Tuxcueca.  It is the largest population of its municipality.

HISTORY

aerea1

It is known that the municipality of Tuxcueca was inhabited before the Spanish conquest. San Luis was founded by nomadic Chichimeca tribes; since its establishment as an official town, it was formerly part of the municipality of Jocotepec However, due to the intervention of General Ramón Corona on April 20, 1886 the town of Tuxcueca stands itself as a municipality. In 1888, October 1, San Luis Soyatlán was added to the municipality, separating it from Jocotepec.

ATTRACTIONS

The locality of San Luis Soyatlán is the strongest of its municipality as far as tourism goes. It is very urban like since the highway crosses right through the middle of the town. And along that route are all kinds of commercial stands: stores, restaurants, fruit shops, michelada shops among other commerce.

If you’re looking to wander in San Luis Soyatlán, you can start by visiting Eden Ecological Park (or MALECÓN) which is located along the lake’s shore with docks, grills, playgrounds, tables, trees, and an spectacular view of the northern shore (US in the Chapala Ribera).

aerea3

You can also visit the town’s main church. The church of Saint Louis of Toulouse that was first an adobe chapel in 1564 and later completed on December 22, 1885.

And last but not least, its PLAZA DE ARMAS (Main plaza) which dates back to the fifteenth century but has undergone several renovations, which has benches, a gazebo, trees, a fountain and commercial area. In front of the plaza you can also find the town´s City Hall where municipal services are delivered. The main plaza’s central zone also has a municipal market and various food stands that sit right across the plaza and the church’s main atrium.

IMG 4710

You also don’t want to miss the small catholic chapel Capilla del Señor de la Salud in devotion to the Lord of the Health which is located a couple of blocks from the main church. This Christ is very devoted to by this community and considered miraculous among the local Catholics, so it is recommended that you consider this site to visit as well.

For sightseeing, how about a hike to the Mirador y la Cruz (A viewpoint and a cross)? A hike that is a little less than 5km where a big metal cross stands “overlooking” the north shore of the lake and the town itself, with a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Another natural attraction is El Salto (The Jump) waterfall over 30m in height, it is mostly visited during the rainy season.

el salto

Among the natural attractions of the surrounding landscapes include The Garcia Mountain, the highest mountain on the lake’s shore with almost 2,600m in height. It provides a view of the entire lake. It also has small caves at the summit where some vessels and ceramics have been found.

The natural wealth available to the municipality is represented by 10,400 hectares of woodland, where mainly oak and pine species predominate.

FESTIVITIES

Just like other towns, San Luis Soyatlán has its Fiestas Patronales which are festivities to honor their patron saint: Saint Louis of Toulouse. These festivities are held from the 10th to the 19th of August with pilgrimages around the town, morning masses with early mañanitas in devotion to the saint. Rides, fireworks, balloon posts, food stands and serenades in the main plaza are all part of these festivities during the night. And like most common fiestas patronales in México, each day is given a guild. Every guild is given a particular group of people to fund it. Making these fiestas fun for families and just the town in general.

IMG 4704

SAN LUIS SOYATLÁN, a small little town with charm of its own that sits on the south shore of Lake Chapala!

 

 

Share This:

1 thought on “San Luis Soyatlan”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *