[3] 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.

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.

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.

This includes the motto “Your archeology is the perseverance of our race, culture and work” (Tu arqueología constancia de nuestra raza cultura y trabajo).

[6] It has an average elevation of 1750 meters above sea level and is bordered by the municipalities of Joquicingo, Ocuilan, Zumpahuacán, Tenancingo and the state of Morelos.

[1] Malinalco is wedged between the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Sierra Norte of the state of Morelos,[7] Elevations are higher in the north with the highest being the Cerro de la Loma at approximating 2700 meters above sea level.

There are also a number of fresh-water springs such as the San Miguel, Ateopa and Cuatzonco, most of which are the source of potable water for the communities of the municipality.

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.

[3] Another version of the story has Malinalxóchitl as the leader of a dissident Mexica tribe, who left to settle in what is now Malinalco and intermarried with the people already there.

The first people to arrive were probably the Culhuas, led by a chief named Cuauhtepexpetlatzin, after this group had already settled in the Valley of Mexico.

[1] 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.

When the Jesuits were expelled in the 18th century, this land was eventually sold to the Count of Regla, Manuel Romero de Terreros.

[1] During the Mexican War of Independence, José María Morelos y Pavon passed through in 1813, signing a document acknowledging the local indigenous laws regarding agricultural practices, and demanding the withdrawal of an ecclesiastical request to send money to Spain to fight the French.

During the regime of Victoriano Huerta, Malinalco stayed loyal to the Zapatistas, despite government efforts to eradicate the rebels.

[3] Almost all the houses from the finest to the most humble have fruit trees in their yards,[7] The streets are paved in cobblestones and on these donkeys can still be found hauling firewood and other burdens.

Breads are often still baked in clay ovens that are heated with wood, and homemade pulque is often sold by street vendors.

Many restaurants and street stands serve the fish in a variety of ways: wrapped in paper and steamed, fried, highly spiced or "a la diabla" and covered in garlic butter.

[12] Other well-known dishes include iguana, stewed rabbit and tamales make with frog and ajolote meat.

Two km to the south of the city center is the El Molino trout farm, where you can choose your fish and have it prepared to order.

[14] This market sells regional produce, traditional food and wood crafted in different forms such as animals and musical instruments.

[3] Tecorrales Malinalco is characterized by a number of unique architectural elements that are in response to its being located in a tight canyon.

Known as tecorrales, these walls are widely recognized as a part of the history of Malinalco dating back to its prehispanic origins.

The prefix "te" conveys a range of ideas including place as well as evoking an essence, related to the word "teotl".

It is this latter word conveying the sacred embodiment of place that makes the tecorrales in Malinalco so important to appreciating the long history of the region and its connection to Malinalxóchitl.

[1] A study done on peasant households in the municipality show that these families depend on multiple economic activities, including temporary migration to nearby cities or the United States.

[18] According to legend, the Christ figure miraculously appeared at a cave where the pre-Hispanic local people used to worship a deity named Oxtoteotl.

Two other sites that contain small cave paintings are Los Diablitos and El Coyotito Rojo, both to the north of Malinalco proper.

For example, the chapel of San Juan has reliefs of Augustinian monks and the head of the encomendero of Malinalco, Cristobàl Romero.

The hills of Malinalco are grazed by cows and sheep; the Spanish had very large haciendas and found it necessary to employ indigenous people as vaqueros or herdsman, who soon became experienced horsemen.