Zacazonapan

Zacazonapan (pronounced sah-kah-soh-NAH-pahn) is a village and municipality near Mexico City. The name comes from Náhuatl and roughly translates to "in water of the meadows"

The village

The area was settled by the Matlatzincas who were conquered by the Aztecs, making the area a border zone between the Aztec Empire and Purépecha lands. After the fall of the Aztec Empire by the Spaniards, the area was subdued by Andrés de Tapia and Gonzalo de Sandoval. They, among other conquistadors they exploited the area's mineral deposits making it part of the “Real de Minas de Temascaltepec” (today Valle de Bravo). Large haciendas dedicated to growing crops and raising cattle were established here as well. Evangelization was carried out by Franciscans, who were followed by Spanish families bringing sugar cane and fruit trees to plant. In 1521, Zacazonapan was included in the Indian Republic of Tmascaltepec. The modern village of Zacazonapan has its roots in a hacienda known as Santa Maria. It was very important to the development of the area because of the irrigation system it constructed on its lands, which constituted much of what is now the municipality.