Chichicastenango Travel Guide
Guatemala's most famous market
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The highland town of Chichicastenango is a small and stucco-white town surrounded by high mountains. The town is home to an important, extensive and colourful artisan market which takes place on Thursdays and Sundays. Traders from all over the region bring their wares, textiles and handicrafts to sell here. The town and market are particularly colourful due to the local people’s traditional style of dress, in a myriad of colours.
Chichicastenango was once an important Kaqchiquel trading town before the Spanish conquest. The town was then known as Chugüilá and Tziguan Tinamit, these names are still used by the K'iche' Maya, although the town is now known as Chichicastenango, a name given by the Spaniards' Mexican allies.
The citizens of the town are famous for their pre-Christian religious beliefs and ceremonies and the Santo Tomas church still uses distinctly Mayan rituals and Catholicism which can be seen in the cofradías (traditional religious brotherhoods) who march to Santo Tomas church every Sunday morning.
After three decades of civil war, starting in the 1960s, tourists began to return to the highlands and the town’s huge twice-weekly handicraft market has now become a popular attraction along with the regional museum which houses a collection of artefacts.
Attractions in Chichicastenango
The famous handicraft market draws not only the K'iche' Maya of the surrounding region, but people from all over Guatemala who represent many of Guatemala's linguistic groups such as Mam, Ixil, Kaqchikel and is well known for being one of the largest trading centres in the Maya area.
Built in 1540, the church of Santo Tomas, situated next to the market has 18 stairs that lead up to the church representing one for every month of the Mayan calendar year.
The regional museum houses a collection of ceremonial masks, copper axe heads, obsidian spearheads, incense burners, figurines and metates.
The Festival of Saint Thomas takes place each year in December when the town becomes the focal point for a celebration of music and dance.
Activities in Chichicastenango
You should spend at least a whole day here to fully explore the market and the town.
Relaxing
Sit on the steps of the church and take in the sights and sounds of the market.
Getting Around
The centre of the town is the main plaza and most places of interest are within a short walk from here, making it easy to get around on foot.
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