Oxkutzcab

"20 de noviembre" Market in Oxkutzcab

Oxkutzcab (sometimes spelled as Oxcutzcab) is a small city and its surround municipality of the same name in the state of Yucatán, Mexico, southeast of Maní, Yucatán, located at 20°30′N, 89°42′W. The name in the Yucatec Maya language means "Place of ramon, tobacco, and honey". The population, 21,341 people in the city and 27,084 in the entire municipality at the 2005 census, is predominantly of Maya descent. Henequen, sugar, tobacco, maize, and fruit are grown commercially in the surrounding area. The municipality has an area of 512.23 km² (197.77 sq mi) and includes a number of smaller towns, the largest of which are Yaxhachén, Xohuayán, Emiliano Zapata, and Xul.

Oxkutzcab was a town dating back to pre-Columbian times. With the fall of Mayapán in the 1440s Oxkutzcab became a regional capital ruled by the Xiu family. After the Spanish conquest of Yucatán it was re-established as a Spanish colonial town in 1550; the native temples were demolished and a large Franciscan church built.

Oxkutzcab was granted the legal status of a city in the early 19th century. In 1847 the city was sacked in the Caste War of Yucatán. In 1879 the city was linked to the capital of Mérida by railroad. In the 1990 census the population was 17,189.

In the last days of each November, the city hosts a "Festival of Oranges". There are two markets of tropical fruits: the "20 de Noviembre" market and "Solidarity" market, better known like "La central". Many mayan cities there are around the city, like Loltun caves, Sayil, Xlapak a Sayil, in the mayan route.

References

• Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática

• Yucatán Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México

External links

• Ayuntamiento de Oxkutzcab Official website
• Oxkutzcab on Yucatan Today
• Oxkutzcab.com (in Spanish)
• Images and articles of Oxkutzcab including panoramic views (in Spanish)

Donate to Wikimedia