Chiapa de Corzo

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Introducing Chiapa de Corzo

An overlooked jewel set 12km east of Tuxtla Gutiérrez on the way to San Cristóbal, Chiapa de Corzo is a small and attractive colonial town with an easygoing, provincial air. Set on the north bank of the broad Río Grijalva, it’s the main starting point for trips into the Cañón del Sumidero.

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Chiapa de Corzo has been occupied almost continuously since about 1500 BC. Before the Spaniards arrived, the warlike Chiapa tribe had their capital, Nandalumí, a couple of kilometers downstream, on the opposite bank of the Grijalva. When Diego de Mazariegos invaded the area in 1528, the Chiapa apparently hurled themselves by the hundreds to their death in the canyon rather than surrender.

Mazariegos founded a settlement called Chiapa de Los Indios here, but quickly shifted his base to San Cristóbal de Las Casas, where he found the climate and natives more manageable.

Last updated: Apr 1, 2009

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