The thickest tree in Tula. Widest Thule Tree
The Tule tree (Árbol del Tule in Spanish) grows in the middle of the city of Santa Maria del Tule in Mexico. Thule - the thickest tree currently existing in the world. The diameter of the trunk of this tree is 14 meters, the circumference of the trunk is 42 meters. Initially, one might think that Thule is several trunks of different trees fused together, but DNA tests showed that it is one tree.
It takes at least 30 people holding hands to hug the Tule tree. The shade from the tree can cover 500 people. The height of the tree is about 40 meters, and its weight is 636 tons.
The legend of the Zapotecs (Indian people in Mexico) says that the Tule tree was planted 1,400 years ago by Pechocha, a priest of the Aztec wind god Ehecatl. Scientists confirm that the age of the tree is approximately the same as the Indian legend says. Sometimes the antiquity of the tree is estimated at 3 thousand or even 6 thousand years.
Locals care for the famous tree by watering it and trimming its branches, and on the second Monday in October the town celebrates a holiday in honor of the Tule Tree.
In 2001, the Thule Tree was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Thule means "Sacred Tree". Sometimes it is also called the “Tree of Life” because of the animal figures (lion, elephant, crocodile, etc.), which can be seen on the trunk if desired.
Crocodile:
Perhaps it was the Tule tree that inspired the creators in Florida (USA).
Ola, amigos! My Mexican journey continues on the blog pages, and today I invite you to visit a real miracle of nature - the giant Thule tree, which has the thickest trunk of all trees existing today. However, it’s not just a matter of nature: local residents, descendants of the ancient Zapotecas Indian tribe, consider the tree sacred and attribute a lot of magical properties to it.
The fact that this tree is special becomes noticeable from afar: its immense crown covers almost half the block with shadow, and the church standing nearby seems like just a toy against its background.
Some encyclopedic data. Tree species Taxodium mexicanis of the cypress family has a height of about 40 meters, a weight of more than 600 tons, and, most importantly, a trunk diameter that has now reached more than 11.5 meters and a perimeter of 36 meters in length - this is the largest result among trees living on our planet. In order to hug the tree, you will need a chain of at least 30 people holding each other's hands. At first glance, it may seem that the giant tree is formed from the trunks of several trees fused together, but DNA analysis carried out by scientists showed that Thule tree- the most unified and complete organism.
The age of the giant tree is not known for certain: in order to establish the exact figure, it would be enough to count the number of rings in the cut of the trunk, but, as you understand, sawing a sacred tree for the Mexicans is like death. Scientists’ estimates on this issue are very relative: some give the tree two thousand years, others – all six! Therefore, it is possible: in addition to the fact that Thule is the thickest tree on earth, it may also be the oldest.
The tree is surrounded on all sides by a fence - this is how the townspeople protect their shrine from ill-wishers, so it is impossible to take a photo against its background to compare the size. At a distance limited by metal rods, the comparative effect does not look as spectacular as it could be in the immediate vicinity of a giant tree.
From different sides Thule tree appears before the viewer in different guises. In the photo above, for example, it is able to fit within the limits of ordinary people’s ideas, but as soon as you walk a few steps around, the tree changes, takes on new forms, stunning in its immensity. Like here, for example..
Name "Thule tree" most likely came from the name of the city of Santa Maria del Tule, in which it is located. In the language of the ancient Indians, the tree was called differently, very, I would say, very original for the ears of a Russian-speaking person - wow, which means "an old tree growing near the water." Today, local residents call the tree nothing other than the human name Sabino.
Local residents and tourists have entertainment related to Thule tree - looking closely at its bark and branches, discover the outlines of an animal or even a person. So, there is an elephant, a lion, a crocodile, a gorilla, an anteater, as well as the ear of Carlos Salinas de Gortari, one of the former presidents of Mexico, and even the breast of Olga Briskina, a famous Mexican violinist with Russian roots. I honestly admit that I know about all this only by hearsay, because in order to distinguish all of the above, you need to have a remarkable imagination. You can’t cope here without him, especially from such a distance! Due to the abundance of associations with animals and people Thule tree often called the “tree of life.” Maybe that's why the locals believe that as long as the tree is alive, it gives life to everything around it.
The Zapotecs believe that the sacred tree was planted 1,400 years ago by the priest of the wind god Ehecatl, and that their Indian ancestors danced around it, charged with the energy of the cosmos. This legend reminded me of scenes from the famous film “Avatar”; it is not without reason that they say that its director James Cameron came up with the plot for a reason, but from knowledge gleaned from various parts of the Earth.
Immediately after the visit Thule tree we went to another, no less amazing place - thermal waterfalls Hierve el Agua, which I will talk about in. See you soon!
How to get to the Tule Tree, Mexico
The Tule Tree (Arbol del Tule) is located ten kilometers from the city at 2 de Abril, Santa Maria Del Tule, Oaxaca, Mexico. To get to the town of Santa Maria del Tule from Oaxaca de Juarez, you need to catch the so-called “collective taxi” - a phenomenon that I first saw in the state of Oaxaca. A collective taxi is an ordinary passenger taxi, white and burgundy in color, with a sign on the windshield indicating the direction in which it is traveling. The difference between this taxi and a regular one is that the driver picks up people voting on the roads, thereby filling the car almost to capacity: two people sit in the front passenger seat, and as many passengers as the physical parameters of the passengers allow in the back seat, without any restrictions. Along the way, some passengers get off, and new ones immediately take their place. The taxi you need is the one with the sign “Tule” or “Santa Maria Del Tule”. Warn the driver that you want to get off at Arbol del Tule, and he will drop you off within walking distance to the desired location. The one-way fare is 10 Mexican pesos ($0.7), and the journey takes about 15 minutes.
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The Tule tree (Arbol del Tule in Spanish) grows in the middle of the city streets of the Mexican city of Santa Maria del Tule. Thule is the thickest tree on the planet. Its trunk is fourteen meters in diameter and forty-two meters in circumference. At first, Thule may be mistaken for the trunks of various trees fused together, but DNA tests have proven that Thule is a separate tree.
The circumference of a Thule tree can be compared to the circumference of thirty people who held each other's hands. The shadow formed by a tree can cover five hundred people. The tree is forty meters high and weighs about 630 tons.
According to the legend of the Mexican Indian people - the Zapotecs, the Tule tree was planted 1,400 years ago by the priest of the Aztec wind god Ehecatl Pechocha. As scientists certify, the information from the legend is reliable. Although in some cases the age of the tree ranges from 3000 to 6000 years.
Locals care for the famous tree by watering it and trimming its branches, and on the second Monday in October the town celebrates a holiday in honor of the Tule Tree.
In 2001, the Thule Tree was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Thule means "Sacred Tree". Sometimes it is also called the “Tree of Life” because of the animal figures (lion, elephant, crocodile, etc.), which can be seen on the trunk if desired.
Lion on the Thule tree:
Elephant:
Crocodile:
Settlement El Tule it would be completely unremarkable if a marvelous tree did not rise next to it. Its height, diameter and age evoke genuine admiration. Thule tree(Spanish) Arbol del Tule , Nahuat. Ahuehuete - "old man from the water" ) - Mexican taxodium, or swamp cypress in Russian, located on the square next to the church in the city Santa Maria del Tule, state Oaxaca, Mexico. The tree is famous for having the thickest trunk of any tree in the world.
The age of the tree is unknown and, according to various estimates, ranges from 1200 to 3000 years, and according to one hypothesis - about 6000 years; most often age is indicated as 1433 - 1600 years. There is only one way to accurately determine the age - by cutting down a tree, but no one allowed such barbarity and, hopefully, will not allow it while the tree is alive. Since it is very difficult to accept a hypothesis with an age of 6000 years, they agree on the first one. Even though it's half the size, it's still impressive.
At one time it was claimed that these were three fused trees, but DNA studies of the cypress tree confirmed that El Arbol del Tule is one tree; however, this discovery does not exclude the hypothesis of several trunks of one tree.
IN 1990 year, it was suggested that the tree slowly dying due to lack of water, pollution and increased traffic near the tree.
IN 2001 year it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
IN 2005
year its trunk, according to measurements, had a circumference order 58
meters and diameter 14
meters, which is slightly more compared to the 1982 measurement data. It will take more than a dozen people to hug such a trunk. The height of the tree is very difficult to measure due to its wide crown, but it is estimated to be around 42
meters, becoming somewhat lower in recent decades. The height is not the highest in the world, but still impressive.
Fans of this wonderful tree even calculated its weight and volume. The first one is approximately equal to 636
tons, and the second 816
m 3. All this information can be gleaned from a bronze tablet that stands near the tree.
Local residents even gave him a completely human name - Sabino. But cypress trees, as you know, are very moisture-loving and evaporate a lot of water - and this is a tree with a crown, the shadow of which covers more 500 m2, and must consume tons of liquid. That’s right - it’s just that its roots go into the ground to a depth of 80 meters and there they safely get as much moisture as they need.
The Church of Santa Maria del Tule looks like a very small building next to the evergreen giant. When on major religious holidays there is a religious procession around the church, the procession always goes around the tree. This is how residents show respect and respect to their pet.
Legends of El Tule
They say that once upon a time Cortez set up his camp.
According to Zapotec legend, the tree was planted approximately 1,400 years ago by a priest Ehecatl, the god of the wind, which generally corresponds to the ideas of historians, since the tree grows on a former sacred site of the Indians, which later became part of the Catholic Church.
The tree has the unofficial nickname "tree of life" due to the images of various animals that can supposedly be distinguished on its trunk. Numerous tourists, who are brought to admire the ancient giant, the church and the quiet life of the Mexican province, notice that many branches and growths of the tree resemble images of animals - a lion, deer, turtle, fish, crocodile.
Local legend explains it this way. Once upon a time, the animals were friendly with each other and spoke the same language, and they had one enemy - a merciless, treacherous and strong - man. One night they gathered in a cave and began to complain to their patron god Pitao, the lion, deer, crocodile, snake, elephant and turtle grumbled especially strongly.
Pitao advised his four-legged friends to be fast, strong and very careful. With which the animals left, but they went very far - hunters began to surround them. Then a tree standing nearby, with an underground river flowing in its roots, shouted: “Hide quickly in my branches!” The animals did just that. The hunters could not detect them and kill them.
Hoko- the god of hunting, who protects people, saw this and became terribly angry. He made it so that not a single animal could leave the tree; they seemed to have grown into it and gave their lives to the tree. Pitao stood up for his friends. As a result of the dispute between the gods, many terrible events occurred - first, in this area (by the will of Khoko) all the animals died out, then, at the behest of Pitao, the area turned into a hot desert. But the gods saw that hostility did not bring any joy and made concessions. Hoko freed some of the animals most necessary for man: a dog, a cow, a sheep, a bull, chickens, and Pitao reduced the heat of the sun and the climate became steppe. Only the tree, which was fed by underground waters, survived the enmity of the gods. And then the gods brought the tree a gift - love and protection of people. And it began to be called TULE – « "Tu Uniras Los Enemigos" – « You unite enemies» .
Part of the eleventh center of the Earth
The eleventh main center is in Southern Mexico, including the El Tule tree and Palenque, the center of androgynous balance. El Tule is located directly on the path of the Feathered Serpent. Palenque is also a very important center, but it is located quite far from the world's ley artery. This large region serves to balance the feminine and masculine energies, Yin and Yang, and all types of life on the planet. This is where the macrocosmic balance of the world is controlled. The northern hemisphere carries masculine energies, and the southern hemisphere carries feminine energies. The male elements of Fire and Air have their own Spinning Wheels in the Yang hemisphere, while the female elements of Water and Earth are located in the Yin hemisphere. These and other structures have their emerging matrices in southern Mexico.
Is the Earth itself feminine energy? Despite the fact that the Earth called the Goddess, the answer is negative. All beings on the path of spiritual evolution eventually come to a point where they become whole. And what could previously be considered a masculine or feminine quality begins to appear as neutral. All true qualities are eternal, they have no gender, and they are acquired by those who strive for a Greater Life. Palenque and El Tule sometimes teach us a difficult lesson.
El Tule served as the world focal point for the activation of the ley artery of the feathered Serpent at dawn on August 17, 1987. Prior to this, on April 22, 1984, the feminine energy, the Rainbow Serpent, was activated. When the Earth power of the liberated spirit of Quetzalcoatl rose from the roots of El Thule - the living tree of life, all the chakras of the planet and the spinning wheels of elemental forces began to function as a single system.
If we consider an extended circle that starts from this region with the center of El Tule, this circle will reach the northeastern point on the island of Yucatan. All sacred places within this circle serve the function of balancing the eleventh main center of the planet.
When compiling the article, the following publications were used:
1. "Thule Tree" (Wikipedia material)
2. "Tula Tree" (without author)
3. "Thule Tree in Mexico" (no author)
4. "Chakras of the Earth" (by Robert Kuhn)
5. "10 Most Famous Trees in the World" (without author)
Watch a short overview video of the tree:
The Tule tree is a mighty Montezuma cypress growing in the center of the city of Santa Maria del Tule in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Its existence has been chronicled for over 2,000 years by the Aztecs, who founded the city of Oaxaca, making the Tule Tree one of the oldest trees in the world. Its knotted trunk and branches took on various shapes and with a little imagination, you can see the faces of goblins, monsters and animals in them.
The Thule tree is also one of the largest trees in the world and is believed to have the widest trunk. According to measurements, the trunk's girth ranges from 42 to 52 meters. The trunk is so wide that only thirty people (some say fifty) can grasp it hand in hand.
The tree is also quite tall - over 40 meters. It is so high that it dwarfs the city's main church and its spiers. Its crown is so wide that it covers the central square of the city. In fact, the entire city was built around this particularly large cypress tree, which houses a craft market and a church. All life and livelihood revolves around this tree.
Traditionally, the population of Tule made their living by mining and processing lime for sale in the city of Oaxaca. In the 20th century, most of the population became farmers, growing corn, beans, peas and alfalfa. With the onset of industrialization, the economy of Santa Maria del Tule became more diverse and the tree became a center of tourism. As many as three quarters of the city's population depend directly on the tree for their livelihood.
On the site of the town of Santa Maria del Tule there used to be a lake surrounded by swamps, where many cypress trees grew. This swamp was also covered with reeds. The lake has not survived to this day; it dried up and so did the swamps. More recently, increasing urbanization and irrigated agriculture have lowered groundwater levels, threatening the tree's survival.