What is New Riviera Nayarit Official Website Convention Visitor Bureau

It is located 1.5 km to the east of Ixtlán de Buenos Aires or Ixtlán del Rio, on federal highway No. 15; and this great pre Hispanic construction is one of the best locates archeological cities in west Mexico and pride of the Ixtleco and Nayaritan people.

Ixtlan is nested in a warm climate valley, framed by two beautiful mountain chains: the one of Juanacatlan and that of Pajaritos, and bordered by the rivers “chiquito” y “grande” (small and big). Protected by a Christ, in Ixtlán the narrow streets can still be perceived, houses and old houses, that historical-architectural and colonial flavor, along with its plazas and parishes constitute a majestic harmonic conjunct.

At Ixtlán you may find presence and philosophy represented in their leather wares, iron works and clay crafts, surged from the master artisan who with love, dedication and beauty grants the touch and finishing to the Ixtleca craftsmanship.

The area was inhabited by Nahuatl rooted people, leaving their testimonies in the temples and palaces which, on a eight hectares extension, 15 of them have been reconstructed.

“Los Toriles” during old times extended over 80 hectares bearing a long pre Hispanic sequence. In early times (300 B.C. to 600 C.A.) a cultural complex known as the “Draft Tombs Tradition” flourished, which developed during the Late Formation and Early Classic Periods, characterized by the underground architecture and the offerings that were placed in the inside of the funerary chambers.

The ceramic of this tradition shows an abundance of color, with predomination of red, orange, cream yellowish and the modality of “negative”. The common theme is man, such as warriors, musicians, women, sick people and couples.

A new life form that begins between 750 to 900 C.A. known as the Aztatlan or Azltán tradition, which developed in the period of Middle Ixtlán and late Ixtlán, represent the bloom of this city dedicated to the God of the Wind identified by smooth and red pots of domestic use, boxes and three-footed stone mortars with decorations of white over red, further meant the development of metallurgy used to melt adornment and ornaments for their rituals.

This tradition acquires importance as headquarters to manufacturing exchange. The inhabitants granted great importance to the buildings and, connoisseurs of urbanism, applied a well traced layout of stairways, open spaces, altars, sidewalks, sewers, causeways, neighborhoods and palaces.

The Quetzalcoatl temple, unique in its type, with architectural and dimensions harmony, but above all that it is round, consists of three bodies with a diameter of 30 meters, with a parapet full of “crosses and loopholes” that symbolize the typical movement of “Ehécatl-Quetzalcoatl”. In the upper part there are two adoration altars dedicated to the sun and the moon.

The archeological area has a schedule of 09:00 to 18:00 hours, from Monday to Sunday, and an access fee of 34 pesos per person is to be paid. If you take video, the cost per person is of 35 pesos, except for retired, and pensioned people, students and people with different capacities. On Sundays and holydays the access is free. Ixtlán del Rio is located 80 kilometers from the city of Tepic, through the main taxable highway.