Tequisquiapan (; Otomi: Ntʼe) is a town and municipality located in the southeast of the state of Querétaro in central Mexico. The center of the town has cobblestone streets, traditional rustic houses with wrought iron fixtures, balconies, and wooden windowsills, which is the legacy of its 300-year heritage as a colonial town populated mostly by indigenous people. This, the climate, and the local natural water springs have made the town a popular weekend getaway for cities such as Querétaro and Mexico City, which has led to the construction of weekend homes in the town.
Tequisquiapan is part of Querétaro's Ruta de Vino (Wine Route) with La Redonda as the municipality's major producer. Grape production began in the early 1960s, but has become important enough to be featured on the municipality's seal. The town hosts the annual Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino, (National Cheese and Wine Fair) which showcases southern Querétaro's cheese and wine production.
The town
The town of Tequisquiapan in southwestern Querétaro is a tourist town, which mostly caters to weekend visitors from Mexico City and the city of Querétaro. These visitors come to see the parish church, walk the cobblestone streets filled with traditional houses, and visit recreational attractions such as the area's 18-hole golf course and spas/water parks (called “balneários”) such as El Oasis, Thermas del Rey, Fidel Velásquez and La Vega.
thumbnail|[[Otomi people|Otomi women at the Main Plaza.]]
The town is centered on the main square, named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and the Santa María de la Asunción Temple. Hidalgo Square is a large open, paved area, facing which is the town's parish church and a series of arches. On the east side of the plaza, there is a kiosk made of gray sandstone and metal, which often has bands playing live music such as jazz and rock and roll. Along one entire side, there are sandstone arches behind which are a number of business such as galleries, cafés and shops selling sweets, silver, furniture and crafts. Another side of the square is taken up by the parish church of Santa María. This church was established in the 16th century, but the current construction is from the 19th century. It is in Neoclassical style with simple lines and made of pink sandstone. The clock in the tower dates from 1897. Many of the buildings are two stories tall painted in bright colors such as yellow and green and with balconies. They also have wrought iron fixtures with wooden sills and frames on their doors and windows. Flowerpots are a common sight as well.
The most important park in the municipality is La Pila, which is located just north of the main town square. It contains fresh water springs and large areas of trees and grass for picnicking and other activities.
The Centro Cultural or Cultural Center hosts expositions of painting and crafts as well as concerts and workshops. It also has an extensive library.
The fair is sponsored with money from the municipality, the state of Querétaro and the federal Secretary of Tourism. Artists who have played at the event include de Paco Rentería, Sonora Dinamita, Playa Limbo, Titanes de Durango, Grupo Mediterráneo, Guitarras de América, Carlos Eduardo Rico, Jorge Falcón, Sandoval, Pambo and singer María José . However, the fair has had problems with the uncontrolled sale of alcoholic beverages, which has led to incidents of fighting and other illegal behavior. There have also been cases of alcohol intoxication requiring medical attention.
The Municipality
thumb|Extension of the municipality
As municipal seat, the town of Tequisquiapan is the local governing authority for about two hundred other communities, which together cover a territory of 343.6 km. However, over 77% of the population is concentrated in five communities, with about 51% in the town of Tequisquiapan alone. The other major population centers are San Nicolás, La Fuente, Fuentezuelas and El Tejocote. The main economic activity of San Nicolás is the production of cinderblock, followed by agriculture. La Fuente's main economic activity is agriculture with chili peppers, corn, tomatoes and beans as principle crops. La Trinidad is the center of opal mining in the municipality, but it also cultivates corn and beans.
The municipality sponsors the annual Rally de Tequisquiapan, which is affiliated with the PAC auto championships. The rally begins in the town and winds its way along the highways of Querétaro in the mountain areas of the state.
History
thumb|La Ventana cave in San Nicolás
The name comes from Nahuatl and means “place of tequesquite (potassium nitrate)” a type of natural salt used to flavor food since pre Hispanic times. The municipality's seal was adopted in 1989 at a contest held in conjunction with the annual Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino. This seal contains elements related to the area such as the sun, grapes, the Tequisquiapan River and the parish church of Santa María de la Asunción.
Geography
The territory is located in the Mexican Plateau on the southeast side of the Sierra Gorda. The land is relatively flat with rolling hills and small valleys which are mostly farmland. The terrain contains both volcanic and sedimentary rock due to its geological history. The elevations in the area are small with mostly porous rock. In some areas there are quartz and opal deposits. In other areas, there are deposits of rhyolite and pearlite. The highest elevations in the east and are formed by volcanic basalt. This rock varies in color between black and red. A more recent spill, traced to a textile plant in San Juan del Río killed more than 6,000 fish in 2005. This incident also caused health concerns for those living near the water. The area around the dam is subject to flooding during the rainy season, which at times has affected the hotels and restaurants which are nearby. The flooding and contamination problems have had a negative effect on tourism in general.
Climate
The climate is temperate with two well-defined seasons each year. Most rain falls between June and October, with the dry season extending from November to April. Annual precipitation is 511.8mm. Summers are hot and winters are moderately cold leading to an average annual temperature of 17.5C. The coldest months are October to February, and freezes are not uncommon, occurring an average of 18 days per year. Dominant winds flow from the northeast to the southwest.
thumb|Wine coolers for sale at the Wine Fair
19,703 hectares of the municipality is ejido or other communally owned property. These are owned by thirteen ejidos and one agricultural and livestock cooperative. 11,078 hectares of the municipality are used for agriculture, with 4,867 irrigated and the rest planted during the rainy season.
thumb|Otomi woman embroidering at one of the crafts markets
Just under fifty percent are employed in industry, construction, and the making of handcrafts. The production and sale of rustic furniture and other handcrafts is an important part of the municipality's economy. Furniture is made with wood, rattan, wicker and willow and pine branches, mostly in colonial or “rustic” style. Retail commercial establishment include those catering to tourists and those catering to the local population. The municipality contains one wholesale food market, a crafts market, an open-air market for crafts, three warehouses for grain and over 2100 small retail businesses. The main market for groceries remains the municipal market. Most visitors to the municipality are from Mexico City and the city of Querétaro, as these are within easy driving distance of the town for weekend visits.