Tarímbaro: Churches, Colonial Buildings and Carnival

Tarímbaro brings together historic churches and buildings around the main square, along with traditional carnival customs and municipal festival dates. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between the buildings as a lasting part of the town’s history and events tied to specific dates. This will help you decide whether the architecture itself is the main reason for your visit or whether a confirmed event should be the focus of your stay.

Historic Churches and Buildings

The Templo Parroquial de San Miguel Arcángel was built in 1570 and is an example of the 16th-century Plateresque style. The Parroquia de San Miguel is considered one of the municipal capital’s major tourist attractions and is listed in the INAH public monument register. The complex includes a cloister with monolithic columns from the former monastery, as well as an open chapel. Masses were once held there outdoors for Indigenous people. The 2022 municipal development plan rated the church’s state of preservation as good, despite changes to the altarpiece, pilaster capitals and atrium.

Another historic place of worship is the Santuario de la Virgen de la Escalera, built in 1751. It is located next to the former Convento-hospital in Tarímbaro. The Palacio del Ayuntamiento is a colonial-style building; other buildings with colonial influences around the main square include the Casa Ejidal, formerly known as the Casa del Diezmo.

Carnival, Crafts and Pulque

Tarímbaro’s carnival customs include the making of monumental Toritos de petate. According to tradition, this practice has been passed down from generation to generation for four and a half centuries. Paper Toritos de petate are also among the municipality’s representative crafts. According to the 2022 municipal classification, Tarímbaro’s tourism is linked to year-round pulque production, which attracts visitors from Mexico and abroad.

According to the municipal calendar, Tarímbaro’s carnival features a monumental Torito de petate and the crowning of the queen. The queen’s selection, as described in the 2022 municipal plan, is a competition between the neighborhoods of Santa Cruz, San Marcos and La Doctrina.

Festival Dates and Guided Tours

The 2022 municipal plan lists a Feria del Pulque on February 24, together with the municipality’s anniversary and Flag Day. It also lists a celebration in honor of Our Lady of La Escalera on September 8, and a celebration in honor of San Miguel Arcángel on September 29. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these festivals, check the current dates and programs in advance.

In October 2024, the guided Ruta de las Flores tour included a drive through the fields of the municipality of Tarímbaro. This is a different travel interest from the architectural history in the town center. If the tour is important to your plans, check for current dates in advance.

Places West of Tarímbaro

The Ex hacienda de Guadalupe lies west of Tarímbaro and was built toward the end of the 18th century. An archaeological zone is also located on Cerro de La Mesa, west of Tarímbaro. According to older residents, the site is said to contain the remains of a Purépecha yácata; today, the zone is covered with weeds and large amounts of earth. The Ex hacienda de Guadalupe and the archaeological zone on Cerro de La Mesa represent two distinct historical points of interest west of Tarímbaro.

Hotels for Your Stay in Tarímbaro

If you are traveling for an event, first check the current dates and programs, then plan your travel dates accordingly. Next, find hotels in Tarímbaro that suit your stay.

Discover more destinations: Los Azufres, Zamora, Ario De Rosales, Huajúmbaro, Santa Clara Del Cobre, Apatzingán De La Constitución, Tupitina, Playa Azul

For the main travel overview: Michoacán.