Tecuauhtzin Volcano

The Tecuauhtzin Volcano is the second tallest in the Sierra de Santa Catarina. Sometimes written Tecuautzin, neighbors also call it the Mount of the Three Crosses, and the Cerro de Santiago.

Along with its taller sister, the Tetlalmanche/Guadalupe volcano, the two define this stretch of the border between Tláhuac and Iztapalapa. At a height of some 2,640 meters above sea level, the volcano has long been the seat of legends.

• During the ancient period, the mountain hosted a stone sculpture of an eagle. This was reportedly 12 meters tall. The Nahuatl name combines the word Tetl–  “stone” with cuauhtli “eagle”. -tzin is an honorific. Thus the name can be understood as meaning, roughly “Revered Stone Eagle.”

Long mined for stone and sand, the mountain appears relatively degraded despite its impressive stature. The Tecuauhtzin Volcano still provides something of a “great outdoors” to the people of the Xalpa and Lomas de Estancia communities. These are on the northern slopes in Iztapalapa. Much of the south of the mountain is included within the town of San Francisco Tlaltenco. Most visitors will arrive via that little town.

The mountain is often the site of hikes and excursions. Many of these will head to the Guadalupe volcano in the same trip.