Tapalpa () is a town and municipality in Jalisco, a state of central-western Mexico. It has an oceanic climate.
History The word "Tapalpa" comes from the Nahuatl word "tlapalpan" meaning "land of colors."
The region was inhabited by the Otomi prior to the arrival of the Spanish.Instituto de Informacion Estadistica y Geografica, Tapalpa Diagnostico del Municipio
In 1523, the Spanish, led by Alonso de Ávalos Saavedra, reached the region. They encountered a native tribe called Atlacco, who did not resist the Spanish colonizers. In 1531, a group of Franciscan friars began evangelizing to the natives.
By 1825, Tapalpa was already registered as a town and in 1869 it was declared a municipality.
The first paper factory in Latin America was opened in Tapalpa in 1840. The factory shut down and was abandoned in 1923 due to the Mexican Revolution. Today its abandoned ruins have become a tourist attraction.
The town was ravaged by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on 22 February 2026 when the leader of the CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes was killed by the Mexican Army as a result of the 2026 Jalisco operation, which led the CJNG to attack the town and spreading across the state of Jalisco as a form of retaliation. Oseguera, also known as "El Mencho," was confirmed to have been in Tapalpa when he was killed.
Geography
Tapalpa is located in the southern region of the state of Jalisco. The municipality covers an area of 619.4 km2. As of 2015, the total population of the municipality was 19,506 of which 5,566 lived in the town of Tapalpa. It is located along the Sierra Madre Occidental. It contains approximately 17,735 hectares of forest made up mostly pine, oak, and ash trees. Deer, rabbits and snakes are common in the area.
Tapalpa receives an average of 883.1 millimeters of rain annually, most of it between June and October.
With a height of 105 meters, the Salto del Nogal is the tallest waterfall in the state of Jalisco. It is located 10 km from the city of Tapalpa.
Architecture Tapalpa is known for its traditional buildings with white facades and red roofs. Some traditional public fountains where people used to get their daily water are still conserved.
The Temple of San Antonio was built in 1650 by the Franciscans. It is notable for its large vaulted ceiling. A local legend says that a group of bandits once tried to rob the temple but were stopped by a mysterious man dressed in black. It is said that that man was Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the temple.
Due to damages to the Temple of San Antonio, it became necessary to build another church. The construction of the Church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe began in 1950. The construction of the new church was paid for by the contributions of the locals. The church is built almost entirely of red brick.
Government List of municipal presidents Term Municipal president Political partyNote1901–1902 Ramón Ramírez 1903 Manuel Preciado 1904–1905 Ramón Ramírez 1905 Camilo González 1906–1907 Manuel L. Corcuera 1907 Alberto Palos 1908 Ramón Ramírez 1909 Juan F. de la Torre 1910 Federico Gálvez 1911 Francisco Galindo Ceballos 1911 Ignacio L. Ramírez 1911 Ignacio Preciado 1912–1913 Ignacio L. Ramírez 1914–1917 ?? 1918 Teodoro González 1919–1920 Catarino L. de la Torre 1921 Benjamín Contreras 1922 Ignacio T. Ramírez 1922 Vidal Pérez Acting municipal president1922 Wilibaldo de la Torre Acting municipal president1922 Guillermo Manzano Acting municipal president1923 Francisco Manzano 1924 Eduardo Vielma 1925 J. Clemente Guerrero 1926 J. Jesús Valencia 1927 J. Santos González 1928–1929 José Alcaraz 1930–1931 José Rodríguez Montes de Oca PNR 1932 Desiderio Rodríguez PNR 1933 José Rodríguez Montes de Oca PNR 1934–1935 Francisco Manzano PNR 1936 Ignacio T. López PNR 1937 Ignacio T. Ramírez PNR 1938 Jesús de la Torre PRM 1939–1940 Ignacio T. López PRM 1941–1942 Ángel Manzano de la Torre PRM 1943–1944 Francisco Manzano PRM 1945–1946 Cenobio Lepe PRM 1947 Ignacio T. López PRI 1948 Miguel de la Torre Aguilar PRI 1949–1952 Luis Gómez Méndez PRI 1953–1955 Miguel de la Torre Aguilar PRI 1956–1958 Guadalupe Nava López PRI 1959–1961 Miguel de la Torre Aguilar PRI 1962–1964 Ángel Manzano de la Torre PRI 1965–1967 Ignacio Lepe Munguía PRI 1968–1970 Javier de la Torre López PRI 1971–1973 José Luis Toscano PRI 1974–1976 J. Jesús Ávalos Enríquez PRI 1977–1979 Rafael Córdova Díaz PRI 1980–1982 Guadalupe Nava López PRI 1983–1985 Luis Arturo Manzano Cueto PRI 1986–1988 Antonio Toscano PRI 1989–1992 Rafael Córdova Díaz PRI 1992–1995 Pedro Zamora López PRI 1995–1997 José Luis Arias Rodríguez PRI 1998–2000 Arnoldo Zamora Jiménez PRI 2001–2003 Ramón García Velasco PRI 01/01/2004–31 December 2006 José Ángel Delgado Rodríguez PAN 01/01/2007–31 December 2009 José Guadalupe Homar Ledezma Delgado PRD PT Coalition "For the Good of All" 01/01/2010–30 September 2012 Juan Manuel Rubio Pérez PRI Panal Coalition "Alliance for Jalisco"01/10/2012–30 September 2015 Martín Daniel Bacilio Panal 01/10/2015–30 September 2018 Antonio Morales Díaz PRD 01/10/2018–30 September 2021 Luz Elvira Manzano Ochoa PAN PRD MC Coalition "Jalisco to the Front"01/10/2021–30 September 2024 Antonio Zamora Velazco MC 01/10/2024– Antonio Morales Díaz Morena
Tourism In 2001, Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism launched the Programa Pueblos Magicos in order to recognize towns across the country notable for their cultural and historical importance. Tapalpa was registered as a Pueblo Magico in 2002.
The area is a popular weekend destination for residents of nearby Guadalajara. Countryside cabins are available to rent for the night. There are many excellent outdoor restaurants that specialize in grilled meats. The Presa Salto del Nogal lake is located within the municipality.
It is located in a region of Jalisco known as Lagunas (lakes).
Las Piedrotas Valle de los Enigmas, also known as las Piedrotas (Spanish "The Big Stones"), is a popular hiking destination in Tapalpa. It is notable for its large natural monoliths. It is located 4 km north of the city. Zip-lining and horseback riding are popular activities.
Notable people Atala Apodaca (1884-1977), teacher, author, and feminist Cipriano Campos Alatorre (1906-1934), teacher, novelist Luis Enrique Bracamontes (1923-2003), civil engineer and politician
References