Olintepeque () is a town, with a population of 31,545 (2018 census),
Citypopulation.de
Population of cities & towns in Guatemala and a municipality in the Quetzaltenango department of Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
, not far from the city of Quetzaltenango. It is located on the Xekik'el (or Xekikel) River.
Olintepeque is known for being the place where the legendary K'iche' king Tecún Umán
Tecun UmanAlternate transliterations include Tecún Umán, Tecúm Umán, Tecúm Umam, Tekun Umam, etc. (1500? – February 20, 1524) was one of the last rulers of the K'iche' Maya people, in the Highlands of what is now Guatemala. According to ...
died in single combat with the Spanish conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, O ...
, Pedro de Alvarado
Pedro de Alvarado (; c. 1485 – 4 July 1541) was a Spanish conquistador and governor of Guatemala.Lovell, Lutz and Swezey 1984, p. 461. He participated in the conquest of Cuba, in Juan de Grijalva's exploration of the coasts of the Yucatá ...
on February 20, 1524. The river Xekik'el ("where the blood spread") takes its name from the famous battle.
The inhabitants of Olintepeque speak primarily Spanish and K'iche'. A chapel is dedicated to St John the Baptist and the folk saint San Pascualito
San Pascualito (also known as San Pascualito Muerte and El Rey San Pascual) is a folk saint associated with Saint Paschal Baylon and venerated in Guatemala and the Mexican state of Chiapas. He is called "King of the Graveyard."
His venerati ...
.
Notes
References
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External links
Olintepeque y sus tradiciones(Filmaciones Elias Zacarais)
Guatemala Tourism Commission (INGUAT): Olintepeque (in Spanish)
Municipalities of the Quetzaltenango Department
{{Guatemala-geo-stub