| Chichicastenango | |
|---|---|
| — Municipality — | |
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| Nickname(s): Chichi | |
 
Chichicastenango
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| Coordinates: 14°56′N 91°07′W / 14.933°N 91.117°W | |
| Country |  Guatemala |
| Department | El Quiché |
| Municipality | Chichicastenango |
| Government | |
| - Type | Municipal |
| - Mayor | |
| Area | |
| - Municipality | 400 km2 (154.4 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,965 m (6,447 ft) |
| Population (Census 2002)[1][2] | |
| - Municipality | 107,193 |
| - Urban | 45,549 |
| - Ethnicities | K'iche' people (95%), Ladino (5%) |
| - Religions | Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya |
| Website | http://www.inforpressca.com/chichicastenango/ |
Chichicastenango, also known as Santo Tomás Chichicastenango, is a town in the El Quiché department of Guatemala, known for its traditional K'iche' Maya culture. The Spanish conquistadors gave the town its name from the Nahuatl name used by their soldiers from Tlaxcala: Tzitzicaztenanco, or City of Nettles. Its original name was Chaviar.
Chichicastenango serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.
Chichicastenango is a large aboriginal town, lying on the crests of mountaintops at an altitude of 1,965 m (6,447 ft). It is located about 140 km (87 miles) northwest of Guatemala City.
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Chichicastenango is well known for its famous market days on Thursdays and Sundays where vendors sell handicrafts, food, flowers, pottery, wooden boxes, condiments, medicinal plants, candles, pom and copal (traditional incense), cal (lime stones for preparing tortillas), grindstones, pigs and chickens, machetes, and other tools. In the central part of the market plaza are comedores (small eateries).
Among the items sold are textiles, particularly the women's blouses. The manufacture of masks, used by dancers in traditional dances, such as the Dance of the Conquest, have also made this city well-known for woodcarving.
Next to the market is the 400-year old church of Santo Tomás. It is built atop a Pre-Columbian temple platform, and the steps originally leading to a temple of the pre-Hispanic Maya civilization remain venerated. K'iche' Maya priests still use the church for their rituals, burning incense and candles. In special cases, they burn a chicken for the gods. Each of the 18 stairs that lead up to the church stands for one month of the Maya calendar year. Another key element of Chichicastenango is the Cofradia of Pascual Abaj, which is an ancient carved stone venerated nearby and the Maya priests perform several rituals there. Writing on the stone records the doings of a king named Tohil (Fate).[3]
The Chichicastenango Regional Museum lies in its grounds.
At least three songs have been written about the town.
In addition, the character Rosie from Bye Bye Birdie sings sarcastically of being the toast of Chichicastenango.
Chichicastenango is composed of the municipal seat and 81 rural communities.[4] Nearby village communities include Paquixic (1.0 nm), Chucam (1.0 nm), Chujupen (1.4 nm), Camanibal (2.2 nm), Chontala (2.2 nm) and Chucojom (1.0 nm).
 Another view of the market |
 Local band |
 Natives |
Coordinates: 14°56′N 91°07′W / 14.933°N 91.117°W
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Chichicastenango is a small town in the Western Highlands of Guatemala (pop. about 23000). Located at an altitude of 2030m, it is surrounded by valleys and mountains. It is mostly renowned for its colourful markets, held on Thurdsays and Sundays, where it is said that some of the most beautiful traditionnal Mayal textiles are sold.
After 17km from the Los Encuentros junctions, you will go through endless switchbacks to reach Chichicastenango. Many buses and shuttles from Guatemala City, Antigua Guatemala and Panajachel are providing easy access to Los Encuentros and change the bus there toward Chichicastenango. There are steady flow of direct buses for market days.
The Festival of Santo Thomas is one of the largest celebrations in Guatemala. It is a combination of a city festival with traditional dances, a religious celebration by the Cofradia and the regular market.
It starts December 13th and goes to December 22nd with the biggest day December 21st. There are Toros and Castillos of fireworks in the main square in the evening, after dark. Firecrackers and mortars are set off in front of the Church of Santo Thomas all day long.
There are two religious processions per day, lead by the Cofradia carrying altars decorated with flowers and fruit collecting the saints from neighborhood chapels and taking them to the Church of Santo Thomas.
There's a small Inguat tourist information office beside Santo Tomás church on 8 Calle with good stock of leaflests about Chichicastenango.
==Eat==* * *
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Category: Outline articles
   | Chichicastenango video - Chichicastenango Guatemala market |
| | Municipal Website - Santo Tomás Chichicastenango, Quiché |
| | Chichicastenango - The most colorful native market in the Americas - CHICHICASTENANGO--- THE MOST COLORFUL NATIVE MARKET IN NORTH AMERICA |
| | XI Censo Nacional de Poblacion y VI de Habitación (Censo 2002) - XI Censo Nacional de Población y VI de Habitación (CENSO 2002) |
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