San Pedro Apóstol, Tetzizimpan, San Fernando, Tlalpan

The San Pedro Apóstol Church in the Tlalpan neighborhood of San Fernando dates from the 18th century. An earlier, original church was built here on top of a pyramid. This site lent its name to the original settlement which was a neighborhood of the early town of San Agustín de las Cuevas. Most of that town is today the northernmost, and most urbanized section of Tlalpan.

Tetzizimpan can be translated as “on the stone demons,” in reference to the ancient site. The neighborhood took it’s name from the much later San Fernando Textile Factory which was founded only in 1849. The factory produced carpets and other wool articles until the end of the 19th century. In 1904, the old textile factory was sold to the federal government for use as a military training academy. That institution opened in 1905.

Inside the church, you’ll find an image originally from a private church, likely in Zacamilpa, outside of Ocuituco in Morelos. This image rather famously came to be housed here in 1928, possibly as a result of land reforms taking place in Morelos at that time.

The San Pedro Apóstol church is fronted by a very large atrium with a stone cross decorated with the images from the Passion of Christ. It’s considered the center of the San Fernando neighborhood.

Sources cited on this page:
Barrios Originarios Tlalpan, María Esther Aguirre Álvarez:
San Pedro Apóstol-San Fernando