Árbol del Tule
One of the world's trees with the thickest trunks, an ancient Montezuma cypress of about 2,000 years old, with a trunk circumference of roughly 42 metres.
The Árbol del Tule grows in the churchyard of Santa María del Tule, about 10 km east of Oaxaca city. It is a Montezuma cypress, Mexico's national tree. It stands about 35 metres tall, has a trunk circumference of about 42 metres and a diameter of about 14 metres, and is considered the 'widest' tree in the world. Its age is estimated at 1,500 to 3,000 years. The rough, twisted trunk shows various 'figures', and local children use torches to point out knots that look like lions, elephants and jaguars. A small fee of about 10 to 20 pesos is charged to enter the fenced area, while the outside can be viewed for free. The small white church and garden next to the tree, and the street food stalls nearby, are worth a stop. It lies on the Eastern Valleys road and is usually the first stop on a day trip to Mitla and Teotitlán.
Opening hours
About 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Barrio de Jalatlaco
- Museo Textil de Oaxaca
- Teatro Macedonio Alcalá
- Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca
- Templo de Santo Domingo & Museum of Oaxacan Cultures
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO)
- Andador Turístico (Calle Macedonio Alcalá)
- Dainzú