It is located in the southwest part of the Valley of Toluca at the edge of the Ajusco mountain range that separates it from Mexico City.

Today, it is still home to a large permanent municipal market as well as a weekly tianguis that covers much of the historic center.

However, Olmec era finds in neighboring Almoloya del Río indicate that there was human inhabitants here at least as early as 1300 BCE.

For much of the rest of the colonial period, the area would be a dependency of a number of political entities such as Metepec and Tenango del Valle, with parts of the current municipality such as the communities of Coatepec and Huhutitlán belonging to Malinalco.

Many of the indigenous villages were governed under a system called the Republica de Naturales (Republic of Natives), which gave a certain amount of autonomy.

This republic was initiated in the first half of the 17th century with records indicating that Tomás de Alarcón as governor of Tianguistenco.

[1] Economically, the most important center for much of the colonial period was the Purisima Concepcion Hacienda, which was established by Hernán Cortés himself on part of his lands as the Marques of the Valley of Oaxaca.

However, the rest of the lands that make up the current municipality switch hands constantly among a number of political and economic entities over the colonial period.

In 1812, guerillas were operating in the nearby Ajusco Mountains under Manuel Gonzalez and Ignacio López Rayón was stationed here for a time.

This municipality included the communities of de Xalatlaco, Capulhuac, San Pedro Tlaltizapán, Santiago Tilapa, La Magdalena Los Reyes, Santa Cruz Atizapán, Almoloya del Río, Texcalyacac, San Pedro Techuchulco and Santa María Guadalupe Yancuictlalpan.

However, Emiliano Zapata soon grew unsatisfied with Madero and the Liberation Army of the South began to fight anew.

Genovevo de la O and federal forces fought over the town several times with possession changing hands until the end of the war.

[1] The family of Carlos Hank Gonzalez, a powerful political figure in the second half of the 20th century, has bought a significant quantity of land in Tianguistenco, leading to the somewhat derogatory term of “Hankilandia” for the municipality.

[6] In the early 21st century, a major section of the highway linking Santa Cruz Atizapan and Santiago Tianguistenco was opened to alleviate chronic traffic problems in the area.

This section is part of a large highway built to link western Mexico City with the state of Morelos.

[8] Another highway connection Tianguistenco with Lerma, called Lerma-Tres Marias, has been held up due to environmental concerns.

The historic center of town is filled with gardens public buildings and churches based on past architectural styles.

The parish church is called Santa María del Buen Suceso and was constructed in the 18th century and faces the main plaza.

During the rainy season, dishes based on wild mushrooms, fresh corn and green fava beans are popular.

Today the tianguis market tradition is the best-preserved in the state, according to historian Alva Margarita Cervera, attraction about 3,500 merchants for the day.

On this day, residents of Gualupita head to neighboring Ocuilán to bring back 30 kilos of laurel branches one by one to the town church.

[10] The major economic engine for the municipality is the Daimler Vehículos Comerciales Mexico plant, locally referred to simply as “La Mercedes.” The building has been in operation since 1969 and is the only place where the Coronado tractor trailer is made.

[11] As municipal seat, the city of Santiago Tianguistenco is the local governing authority for almost sixty other named communities[12] with a combined territory of 121.53km2.

[12] The municipality is bordered by the municipalities of Metepec, Capulhuac, Ocoyocac, Xalatlaco, Ocuilan, Joquicingo, Texcalyacac, Almoloya del Río, Santa Cruz Atizapan, San Antonio la Isla, Calimaya, Chapultepec and Mexicaltzingo with the Federal District to the east and the state of Morelos to the south.

Within the municipality there are a number of small volcanoes such as Los Cuates, Santiago Tilapa, Las Ratas, Teconto and others that break up the plains area.

Most fauna here is small and medium-sized mammals such as coyotes, skunks, rabbits and squirrels with reptiles such as rattlesnakes and birds such as crows, ducks and quail.

Ten years later it became a store affiliated with the Famsa chain until it was acquired by Mercedes-Benz de Mexico in 1991.

The hacienda was founded by a cousin of Hernán Cortés called Juan Gutiérrez Altamirano around 1528 with an area of about 30,000 hectares and 2,000 workers.