Ocotlán de Morelos is a town and
municipality in the state of
Oaxaca, about 35 km south of the center of the city of
Oaxaca along Highway 175. It is part of the
Ocotlán District in the south of the
Valles Centrales Region. The area was a significant population center at the time of the
Spanish Conquest, and for that reason an important
Dominican monastery was established here in the 16th century. The complex still exists, with the church still being used for worship and the
cloister area used as a museum. While mostly quiet, the city is an important distribution and transportation center for the south of the Central Valleys region of Oaxaca, a function which is expected to be reinforced with the opening of new highway being built to connect the city of Oaxaca with the Pacific coast. The city is known for artist
Rodolfo Morales, who painted aspects of his hometown in his works and sponsored projects to save and restore historic monuments here. For generations the municipality has been known for its crafts, with the
ceramics making Aguilar family producing some of the best known craftsmen.