Quechula

The Temple of Santiago

The Temple of Santiago, more commonly known as Quechula, was built in the mid 1500s. The town, by the same name of Quechula, was founded by Bartolomé de las Casas with the assumption that it would be a strategic location to connect the important settlements of central Mexico. The church was large and grandiose in hopes of attracting a large population, but that never came to pass. It's believed that the church never had its own priest, but relied on priests from other dioceses.

The town was all but abandoned after a plague hit the community in the late 18th Century. Then in 1966 the Malpaso Dam was constructed and the church and surrounding area was flooded. Since that time, it's only been recorded to have emerged from the water three times--2002, 2015, and 2019.

We made the three hour trip in 2015 and again last week. It was so much fun to climb and explore. We even swam in the murky water!