Santiago Atitlán

Santiago Atitlán Essentials

Santiago Atitlán is a primary center of Tz'utujil Maya culture, defined by the presence of the syncretic folk saint Maximón, whose shrine moves to a different cofradía house each year. The town is situated on a bay between the Atitlán and Tolimán volcanoes and features the 16th-century Iglesia Santiago Apóstol, known for its carved wooden altar. Key sites include the Cojolya weaving museum, which preserves traditional backstrap loom techniques, and the central plaza featuring a large stone relief map of the lake.