Malinalco () is the municipality inside of Ixtapan Region, is a town and municipality located 65 kilometers south of the city of Toluca in the south of the western portion of the State of Mexico. Malinalco is southwest of Mexico City.
Malinalco has always been associated with magic or sorcery due to the legend that it was the home the goddess Malinalxochitl. The municipality is home to the famed village of Chalma, where according to legend, an image of a Black Christ miraculously appeared in a cave that was devoted to the god Oxtoteotl. It is the second-most visited shrine in Mexico, after the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Aztecs conquered the area in the 1470s, and established a sanctuary for their military elite, the Eagle and Jaguar warriors. The complex was built on the Cerro de los Idolos (Hill of the Idols), over an older ceremonial site. The main attraction of this archeological site is the Cuauhcalli or House of Eagles, which is a building carved out of the side of the mountain.
The name Malinalco comes from the Nahuatl word malinalli, which is a kind of grass (Poaceae) called zacate del carbonero in Spanish, the word xóchitl, which means flower and co, which means place, which a translation of "where they worship the goddess Malinalxóchitl, the malinalli flower". The name also refers to one of the time periods on the Aztec calendar, marked by the malinalli plant, according to the Quauhtinchan Annals. In Aztec and early colonial times, the area was represented by a number of glyphs, often with elements of the malinalli plant and/or a human skull to indicate sacrifice. which covers an area of 186.28 km<sup>2</sup>. Plans to rescue the river include reforestation around the river's source, improving drainage systems in Malinalco and other communities, eliminating liquid discharges into the river and better solid waste management in the municipality.
Biodiversity
Malinalco has some of the widest biodiversity in Mexico. Its tropical deciduous, pine, and gallery forests accommodate a huge variety of flora and fauna. Dozens of mammals such as civet, armadillos, foxes, coyotes, squirrels and deer are common. Jaguars may live in the region, according to the UAEMEX. There are also many species of insects, crustaceans, birds, and edible mushrooms. There are very few dangerous animals, such as coral snakes, rattlesnakes, and scorpions. There are a number of myths that have demonized some animals like the scorpion vinagrillo or nana, the salamanquesca, a blue-tailed lizard, the Matip night and many others. The Living Museum "The Malinalco Bugs" and the turtle camp Mali-Xanat display some of the local species.
History
According to mythology, the god Huitzilopochtli abandoned his sister Malinalxóchitl because she was practicing evil witchcraft. While she slept, he left her in the middle of the forest. When she woke, she was furious at having been abandoned by her brother. She gathered people loyal to her and marched off to settle in what is now Malinalco.
thumb|left|220px|House of the Eagle warriors
Since far in the pre-Hispanic past, Malinalco was considered a magical place, filled with gods and sorcerers. The area shows influences from the Teotihuacan culture, the Toltecs, Matlatzincas and Aztecs, but little is known of the area's pre-Aztec history. Remains of an earlier ceremonial center exist at the summit of the Cerro de los Idolos (Hill of the Idols), but this center and its associated residential zones have not been excavated.
By the time the Aztecs arrived, the area was dominated by the Matlazincas, who had settled earlier in the Toluca Valley by 8th century CE, then migrated. including the fort and sanctuary for Aztec military elite.
When the Spanish arrived, the inhabitants of Malinalco resisted the conquistadors. Andrés de Tapia was in charge of subduing the populations of Malinalco and Ocuilán. Once this was achieved, the area was organized into encomiendas. Malinalco was first under the jurisdiction of Cristobál Rodriguez de Avalos and then the Spanish Crown itself. The Jalmolonga Hacienda was one of the economic focuses of the area, which was part of the Rodriguez encomienda. Later, when the Jesuits came, they took over this hacienda, which was productive enough to support many of the expenses of the San Pedro and San Pablo College located in Mexico City. When the Jesuits were expelled in the 18th century, this land was eventually sold to the Count of Regla, Manuel Romero de Terreros.
|-
| Malinalco || 8,045
|-
| San Simón el Alto || 2,643
|-
| Chalma || 1,827
|-
| San Andrés Nicolás Bravo || 1,535
|-
| Jalmolonga || 1,019
|}
The town
Malinalco is set in a semi-enclosed valley,
While the design and architecture of Malinalco continues to employ many distinctive vernacular walls including adobe and rocks, the historical presence of the original tecorrals give the city a distinctive quality. Unfortunately, due to natural erosion as well as changing attitudes about their significance, the remaining tecorrales are under threat and need better protection.
An important example of how the tecorrales remain an important aspect of local culture is the arts and community center El Tecorral that hosts diverse classes for both children and adults as well as a popular green market on Saturdays. Under the auspices of El Tecorral Los Angeles based artist Nick Herman along with local artist Bernardo Orihuela have begun the process of mapping the remaining tecorrales as a first step in their protection. It is hoped this becomes an ongoing project that links families within the pueblo to their important historical home.
Economy
Despite being in one of Mexico's most populated regions, the municipality is still quite rural as it is located in an isolated valley, with farmland on the valley floor,
thumb|left|Sanctuary of the Lord of Chalma
The best-known community outside of the municipal seat is Chalma, which is famous for being the sanctuary of the Lord of Chalma, an apparition of a crucified black Christ. Its small population is almost entirely dedicated to meeting the needs of pilgrims who come throughout the year. According to legend, the Christ figure miraculously appeared at a cave where the pre-Hispanic local people used to worship a deity named Oxtoteotl. Pilgrimages to this Christian sanctuary follow many of the patterns of the old pagan rituals, including walking the narrow paths to the town itself, bathing in the waters of a special fresh-water spring and dancing at the sanctuary. Between Malinalco and Chalma there are large boulders, which according to legend, are people who have been turned to stone because they disobeyed this god. Near Chalma, because of the sanctuary, many famous people have bought ranches and other property. These include Verónica Castro, Daniela Romo, ex regent of Mexico City Oscar Espinoza Villareal and many politicians from Mexico State.
Politics
{| class="wikitable"
|- align=center style="background:#d8edff"
!Mayor!!Time
|-
| Gerardo Baldemar Reynoso || 2009–2012
|-
| Vidal Pérez Vargas || 2012–2015
|-
| Gerardo Baldemar Chaqueco || 2016–
|}
Culture
Monuments
- Sanctuary of the Lord of Chalma consists of the church, the 17th century ex-monastery, caves and lodgings on the ridges around the town. The lodgings are primarily used during feast days when the area is packed with pilgrims. A stucco gate marks the entrance to the sacred precinct. Here is a concrete plaza in front of the church where mariachi players wait for requests and pilgrims on their knees can be seen. On its sides are a number of pre-Hispanic structures built on terraces built into the hill. The main structures are at the top. is the main building, which is significant in that it is carved out of the hill itself. built this way due to the lack of space on the hill. The garden is a replica of that of the Cuauhcalli, which is also not open to visitors.
- The Casa de Cultura or Cultural Center is located in the center of town in front of the Municipal Palace. It is decorated with replicas of the murals found at the archeological zone and old photographs of native cultures. It also hosts dances, expositions and other cultural events.