The town became a major educational center during the colonial period when the Jesuits established the College of San Francisco Javier.

[4] The name Tepotzotlán is of Nahuatl origin and means "among humpbacks," referring to the shape of the hills that surround this area.

[3] The oldest surviving Aztec glyph for this area is found in the Codex Osuna, which features a humpbacked person sitting on top of a hill.

This contains the officially adopted version of the glyph in the upper part, a representation of the Arcos del Sitio, the facade of the Church of San Francisco Javier and chimneys and a tractor representing both the agriculture and industry found here.

During the period that Teotihuacan was in decline, a Nahua-Chichimeca tribe headed by Chicontonatiuh, took control of this area, along with what is now Maxuexhuacan, Chapa de Mota, and Huehuetoca.

Conflict with neighboring Xaltocan and Texcoco led to a number of political intrigues, including the assassination of one of the few female lords in the Valley of Mexico, Ehuatlicuetzin in 1372.

[3] Diego Nequametzin, son of Macuilxochitzin, succeeded his father and ruled under the Spanish from 1534 to 1549, but severe economic problems as well as epidemics of typhoid and smallpox decimated the population here.

When Ortega died, the land became property of the Spanish Crown, who created a "corregimiento" under the dominion of the nearby city of Cuautitlán.

[3] It was named the College of San Francisco Javier and all three would be housed in the same complex, bringing Tepozotlán fame as one of the most important educational centers of New Spain.

[3][5] After the expulsion, the school complex was ceded to regular clergy for the training of priests under the name of Real Colegio de Instrucción Retiro Voluntario y Corrección para el Clero Secular until it was abandoned permanently in the early 20th century.

This highway would have a profound impact on the economic development of Tepotzotlán, making it a part of the fast-growing Mexico City Metropolitan Area from the mid-20th century on.

It is made up of the neighborhoods of San Martín, Tlacateco, Texcacoa, Capula, Las Animas, El Trébol, Ricardo Flores Magón and Puente Grande.

[1][5] There is a small, secular plaza in front of the main church, which contains a kiosk at which many cultural events take place.

The municipal market is known for its food stands selling traditional dishes as quesadillas, sopes, pambazos, and tacos as well as barbacoa, and carnitas.

More elaborate dishes here include cabrito, chapulines, snails and escamoles (ant eggs) which are generally available in the restaurants in town like Hostería del Convento.

On weekends, tianguises pop up all over the center of the town, selling food, crafts, artwork, handcrafted furniture, tile, baskets and leather items.

[11] The Museo del Virreinato, or Museum of the Viceroyalty of New Spain (Colonial) Period, is housed in a complex that was built by the Society of Jesus or Jesuits in the 1580s.

The first was dedicated to training Jesuit missionaries the indigenous languages of Mexico, the second was to provide education to Indian boys.

[14] The complex contains a number of interior courtyards, such as the Aljibes and the Naranjo, as well as a domestic chapel, library, dormitories, refectory, and kitchen.

[5] Much of its collection is made of liturgical pieces from the old Museum of Religious Art which was part of the Mexico City Cathedral.

There are exhibits of non-religious everyday items from the colonial period such as silverware and other objects of precious metals, textiles and tools.

[9] After the seat, the largest communities in the municipality are San Mateo Xóloc, Santa Cruz, Santiago Cuahutlalpan and Cañadas de Cisneros.

The municipality has a mostly temperate climate with most rain falling in the summer and freezing temperatures common in the winter months.

[6][7] Another impetus to urbanization is the building of housing developments to handle the influx of people moving here from Mexico City.

[15] The Parque Ecológico Xochitla is located three kilometers (1.9 mi) outside the city of Tepotzotlán, which used to be a hacienda known as La Resurrección.