Editing Oaxaca (section)

===Landmarks and tourist attractions===
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Most tourist attractions are located in the city of Oaxaca and the Central Valleys region that surrounds it. This area is the cultural, geographical and political center of the state, filled with pre-Hispanic ruins, [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] churches and monasteries, [[Traditional fixed markets in Mexico|indigenous markets]] and villages devoted to various crafts. The capital city, along with nearby Monte Albán together are listed as a [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name="turdes"/><ref name="lonelyplanet ">{{cite web |url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/oaxaca-state |title=Oaxaca |publisher=Lonely Planet |access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref> Many of the attractions in the city proper are located between the main square or Zocalo and along Andador Macedonio Alcalà Street, known as the Andador Turístico or Tourist Walkway. These include the [[Oaxaca cathedral|Cathedral]], the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Solitude|Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad]], [[Museum of Contemporary Art (Oaxaca)|Museum of Contemporary Art]] (MACO), [[Museo Rufino Tamayo, Oaxaca|Rufino Tamayo Museum]] and the [[Mercado 20 de Noviembre]], known for its food stands.<ref name="turdes"/> The most important annual festival is the [[Guelaguetza]], also called the Fiesta del Lunes del Cerro (Festival of Mondays at the Mountain) which occurs each July.<ref name="atraccul"/><ref name="secturgue ">{{cite web |url=http://www.aoaxaca.com/index.php?te=TE0002&ds=TE0028&st=TE0045&at=AT0119&pagina=1 |title=Guelaguetza |publisher=Secretaria de Turismo |location=Oaxaca |language=es |access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref>

The largest and most important archeological site is [[Monte Albán]], which was capital of the Zapotec empire.<ref name="consular "/> Also important as an archaeological site is the ancient Zapotec center of [[Mitla]] at the eastern end of the Central Valleys which is noted for its unique ancient stone [[fretwork]] and abstract mosaics.<ref name="turdes"/><ref name="consular "/> Between Mitla and Monte Albán there are a number of other important archeological sites such as [[Yagul]], [[Dainzú]] and [[Lambityeco]]. The most important of these three is Lambityeco, in the middle of the Tlacolula Valley. It was occupied from 600 BCE to 800 CE and coincides with Monte Alban. It was important at that time for its production of salt.<ref name="turdes"/> Yagul is a ceremonial center on the side of a mountain. Features include a Mesoamerican ball court, the La Rana courtyard, a temple, palace and other buildings.<ref name="atraccul"/>

[[File:Santiago Apóstol Oaxaca.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ex-monastery of Santiago Apóstol]] in Cuilapan de Guerrero]]
Other attractions in the area include colonial constructions such as the monasteries in Cuilapan, Tlaxiaco, Coixthlahuaca, Yanhuitlán and Santo Domingo. Churches include the Cathedral in Oaxaca and the main church of [[San Juan Teposcolula|Teposcolula]].<ref name="atraccul"/> [[Hierve el Agua]] is an area with "petrified" waterfalls, where water with extremely high mineral content falls over the side of cliffs, forming stone waterfall-like structures. The name means "boiling water" but the water is not hot; rather it pushes up from the ground in places which looks like water boiling.<ref name="atraccul"/> [[Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca|Santa María del Tule]] is home to an enormous Montezuma cypress ([[Taxodium mucronatum]]) tree which is over 2,000 years old. The town of [[Villa de Zaachila|Zaachila]] is known for its archeological site and weekly market.<ref name="turdes"/>
[[File:ZbeachLWest.JPG|thumb|View of Zipolite Beach]]
The second most important zone for tourism is the coast, especially from [[Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca|Puerto Escondido]] to [[Huatulco]], with sandy beaches on the Pacific Ocean, dolphins, sea turtles, and lagoons with water birds. Many beaches are nearly virgin with few visitors but several areas have been developed such as Puerto Escondido, Huatulco, [[Puerto Ángel]], [[Zipolite]], [[San Agustinillo]] and [[Mazunte]].<ref name="turdes"/><ref name="lonelyplanet "/> Puerto Escondido is an important destination for tourism from within Mexico with beaches such as Playa Carrizalillo and also attracts international surfers to Zicatela Beach, where an annual surfing competition is held.<ref name="turdes"/> There are also areas of Oaxaca that are promoted for ecotourism such as [[Lagunas de Chacahua National Park]] set in 14,267 hectares of lagoons, rivers, beaches, mangroves, rainforest and grasslands with some 136 species of birds, 23 of reptiles, 4 amphibians and twenty types of mammals.<ref name="turdes"/>

[[Yagul Natural Monument]], located in the Tlacolula Valley, 35&nbsp;km to the east of Oaxaca city, was a settlement in the early part of the Monte Alban 1 Period (500 CE). It flourished as an urban centre, following the abandonment of Monte Alban around 800 BCE. However, even Yagul was abandoned for a brief period, before it became a city-state in Oaxaca. This status continued until the [[Spanish Conquistadores]] invaded the valley, which was then a settlement of Zapotecs.<ref name=mexo>{{cite web |url=http://www.mexonline.com/oaxaca/oxarc103.htm |title=Yagul Archaeological Zones – Central Valley |access-date=September 12, 2010 |publisher=Mexonline.com}}</ref> The fortified complex is laid out in three zones; the central part approached through a series of steps is a built-up platform that leads to the temples and palaces. It has the largest [[ball court]] in the valley and stated to be the second largest in the [[Mesoamerica]]n region.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mexonline.com/oaxaca/oxarc103.htm |title=Yagul – Archaeological Zones of Oaxaca, Mexico. |website=Mexonline.com |access-date=2019-03-09}}</ref> The palace of the rulers is an enormous monolith with six porticos and several entrances, built in stone and clay and covered with stucco. The main tomb has a stone façade, which is beautified with carved human heads and features hieroglyphic motifs on the door slab on both sides. To the south of the Palace of the Six Porticos, there is a narrow street that is paved with stone mosaics extracted from the nearby mountain. The street terminates into a long, narrow room called the 'Sala de Consejo' (Council Chamber).<ref name=mexo/><ref name=Yagul>{{cite web |url=http://www.delange.org/Yagul1/Yagul1.htm |title=Yagul Archaeological Ruins, Oaxaca, Mexico |access-date=September 12, 2010 |publisher=George & Audrey DeLange |archive-date=June 29, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629174118/http://www.delange.org/Yagul1/Yagul1.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>