Oaxtepec, Mexico, November 24, 2000

Year: 2000 (November 24, 2000)

11″ x 8.5″

Media: Canon® Pro Platinum High Gloss Photo Paper

Printers: Canon® PIXMA

Color

Art: Photo

Artist: Luc Paquin

Oaxtepec

Oaxtepec is a town within the municipality of Yautepec in the northern part of the Mexican state of Morelos. Its main industry is tourism, mostly aimed at the inhabitants of nearby Mexico City, and the town possesses various aquatic resorts and hotels. The climate is tropical and the countryside very lush. It has 78,000 inhabitants.

History

In pre-Columbian times, already one of the largest towns in the region, it was conquered by the Aztecs under the rule of Moctezuma Ilhuicamina. During Moctezuma Ilhuicamina’s reign (1440-1469), the first leisure centre for nobles was created in the warm territory of Oaxtepec, as well as low lands to the south of Tenochtitlan valley, today’s Morelos. Moctezuma ordered to use the water springs of Oaxtepec to create an irrigation system for agriculture and preservation of important vegetation of the Aztec empire. An elaborate royal garden was established here where both flowers and other plants were cultivated.

When the Spanish first arrived to the region, they marvelled at the beauty of the place. They praised Oaxtepec in their chronicles of the Aztec conquest.

In the 16th century, thanks to the great number of medicinal plants found in the region, the Spaniards decided to construct the Santa Cruz de Oaxtepec hospital. Bernandino Álvares directed the project in 1569 and for the next two hundred years it was administrated by the Hermanos de la Caridad.

Luc