Comitán

Introducing Comitán

With a pretty plaza of modern sculpture pieces and mature flat-topped trees where birds flock and chirp in the evening, the colonial town of Comitán has a pleasant artsy atmosphere. Set on a high plain 90km southeast of San Cristóbal, many travelers bypass it on their way to Guatemala, but it’s a very agreeable place to spend a few days. It contains some good places to stay and eat, a few interesting little museums, and several natural and archaeological attractions less than an hour away in the surrounding big-sky countryside.

The city’s full name is Comitán de Domínguez, in recognition of local doctor Belisario Domínguez (1863–1913), a national senator during the Mexican Revolution. He vigorously protested the political murders of President Victoriano de la Huerta and consequently became a victim himself. The uproar over his assassination led to Huerta’s resignation in 1914.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009