Both these peoples spoke Nahuatl and renamed the area Itzmiquilpan (later spelled Ixmiquilpan), which means "place where the verdolagas cut like flint knives."

This notion of autonomy would continue into the Colonial period when communities such as Orizabita and San Juanico called themselves "republics.

[4] In 1779, Diego Alarcón de Ocaña was named mayor of the town, who introduced a potable water system, among a number of other projects of social benefit.

In 1854, a local uprising, especially in the communities of Orizabita and Remedios was caused by excessive taxes which Ixmiquilpan authorities levied.

[4] President Venustiano Carranza came to Ixmiquilpan in 1918 to inaugurate the rail line between Pachuca and here, along with the Nith train station.

However, Honey did manage to build the "Iron Bridge" over the Tula River in the town of Tasquillo which became part of the Camino Real as well.

[5] While here, he also signed a convention to construct a canal now called Debodhe to divert water from the Tula River for agricultural purposes.

From the 1940s to the 1960s the town of Ixmiquilpan improved its infrastructure considerably with the installation of the public health clinic, expansion of the main park, a sports center, a municipal library, the remodeling of the Hidalgo Theatre, the establishment of the Ñañhu or Otomi Cultural Museum and installation of radio and television broadcast.

[4] Ixmiquilpan is located on the Mexico City/Nuevo Laredo Highway at km 170 in the central west part of the state of Hidalgo.

from Mexico City by Mexican Federal Highway 85, it was an important commercial strategic spot even before the Spanish conquest.

According to town chronicler José Antonio Ramírez Guerrero, Ixmiquilpan has taken steps to participate in the Pueblos Mágicos programs, which are sponsored by the Mexican government's Tourism Secretary.

[1] The father sun figure in Otomí mythology, Zidada Hyadi (Venerable Sun) was identified with Jesus (Zidada Hesu) and the moon goddess (Zinänä) with the Virgin Mary[2] As for the war images, The 1570s here were characterized by near-constant battles with the nomadic Chichimecas, which was finally ended with a decisive battle won by the Otomis.

[1] Upon entering the church, one can see underneath the choir, fragments of murals showing Eagle and Jaguar warriors dialoguing, indicated by Aztec speech scrolls.

Inside the nave is a large sequence of battle murals in enormous friezes that extend from under the choir long both sides.

On the south wall, Eagle, Jaguar and Coyote warriors are dressed in animal skins, robes and feathered helmets, all fighting one another with obsidian swords and other weapons.

Along the north wall, these warriors battle supernatural creatures such as a centaur which wears a headdress of quetzal feathers and figures of pregnant women emerging from acanthus buds.

This sculpture was the original Diana that was created by Olaguibel in 1942 and placed on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City.

There used to be stone plaques that recorded the history of the bridges construction, and above one of them a statue of the Archangel Michael subduing the devil with his sword, but these have disappeared recently.

It was the Camino Real because it was the principle road connecting the towns of Tasquillo, Zimapan, Alfajayucan and Ixmiquilpan with the Bajio territory to the west.

[4] The Municipal Palace and the Hidalgo Theater next to it were built at the initiative of Mayor Marín Yánez, between 1906 and 1910 in preparation for the Centennial of Mexico's Independence.

A local story states that when the Palace was inaugurated, a small pot filled with gold coins was interred in one of the portals.

[3][11] The Universidad Tecnológica del Valle de Mezquital is sponsored by the state of Hidalgo and located in a number of communities and based in Ixmiquilpan.

Its mission is to provide technical and economically important skills to the people of the state as well as promote university-level studies in many areas.

The festival lasts two or three days, depending on the economy and includes amusement rides, traditional dances, sporting and cultural events.

The first is a festival that is held on 13 June, which draws bands devoted to wind instruments, and has become an important economic contributor in recent years.

Many buses departing from Mexico City arrive to this destination and visitors spend time in the so famous water parks throughout the community.

The highest elevations are found at the La Palma, Thito, Muñeca, Guadril, Temboo, Dexitzo and Daxhie Mountains.

This is especially true in the smaller communities such as San Alberto, located in one of the lower portions of the Mezquital Valley off the highway between Ixmiquilpan and El Progreso, near the Tula River.

While the village has been converting this fresh water and hot springs here into bathing pools to attract tourism, many of their young people go to the United States to work and send back money.

There is also a natural reserve located to the north of the town on State Highway 27, which exuberant vegetation, waterfalls and rock formations, where camping and other outdoor activities are possible.