The Historical Malinalco:

Malinalco's important role in Mexican history starts when Malinalxochitl, sister of the Mexicas' supreme God and warrior, Huitzilopochtli, had a tremedous argument with his brother and fled with her followers to settle in a valley, founding the town of Malinalco. Through several years the battles and differences with the Mexicas continued.

One of Malinalxochitl's descendants, Copil, a Malinalcan chief, once organized several nearby towns to join him in fighting the Mexicas, but in that feud lost his life. The legend says that, according to religious and traditional beliefs, his heart was cut out and thrown across the Lake of Texcoco, onto a small island. Several years later, Huitzilopochtli's prophesy was that where they saw an eagle perched on a nopal cactus is where the heart of Copil lay and on this site the Mexica would found a city from which they would rule. Sure enough, they saw the eagle and on that site erected the temple now known as Templo Mayor in Mexico City.

The Malinalcan archeological site was built during the late 1400's when Malinalco was conquered by the Aztecs. It is believed that this important ceremonial site was a center of ritual activities for the Jaguar and Eagle orders of the Aztec military hierarchy. It was carved directly into the rock face of the mountain. This monolithic pyramid is one of three in the world, and the only one in the American continent. From that priviledged point the entire valley is visible and the view is breathtaking.

The Spaniards arrived and Malinalco manifested it was against this invasion and conquest yet when it saw the power they had to fight finally asked the Spaniards for their forgiveness. The Evangelization started quickly after that and it was the Augustinians who finally settled in Malinalco. The Augustinian Monastery and Church situated downtown Malinalco were finished between1540 and 1543. It was initially called San Cristobal but later became the Monastery of Divino Salvador. Aparently the building was built with stones taken from the Aztec site. The Monastery was richly decorated with frescoes that have been well kept, which recreate a garden of eden with the local flora and fauna, as well as religious images.

Later on, they also built modest chapels, one on each of the eight Barrios that comform the town. All of them still exist and are restored, with their own beauty and charm.

There is so much more...legends and history to be told but we think this gives you an idea of how Malinalco came to be and some of what there is to see.