THE 10 MOST POPULAR DURANGO LEGENDS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Some of the most popular Durango legends are the nun in the cathedral, the headless man, the blue stones of the Tunal river or the zone of silence.

This Mexican state is located to the northwest and is the second least populated state after Baja California. Durango borders the states of Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Coahuila.

Durango

Although it is the fourth largest region in Mexico, it is a vast and mountainous terrain known for its forests and silver mines.

Thanks to this, their legends have been able to enrich themselves. In addition to mining and the wood industry, ranching and agriculture are also popular in this area.

Its capital city, called Victoria de Durango, is known for its rich history, architecture and culture. Many of the myths of this region are based or inspired by these characteristics.

Before the Spanish Conquest, Durango was populated by indigenous tribes such as the Toltec and the Nahuatlaca.

Today, the Coras, Tepehuanos, Tarahumara and Huicholes are native populations that continue to live there. These tribes also have their own legends.

You may also be interested in this list of popular Chihuahua legends.

List of 10 popular legends of Durango

1- The Nun of the Cathedral

This legend tells of a nun, named Beatriz, who lived in what is now known as the Victoria Cathedral of Durango. Beatriz was sent to a convent since she was an only child.

After a while, Beatriz secretly fell in love with a French soldier named Fernando. When she was supposed to leave, she promised that she would come back so they could escape and get married, but years passed and she never returned.

Despite this, Beatriz awaited his return at the top of one of the towers of the Cathedral. As the years passed, the nun died and Fernando never returned.

But it is said that sometimes you can see a white shadow on the tower that reflects the profile of Beatriz waiting for her soldier.

2- The Nurse

It is said that on one night in 1990, a nurse named Marta was left alone during the watch as the other nurses were busy.

When Marta was working, she saw a nurse she had never seen and approached her for help.

After a while, Marta went to check on the patients and ask them how the other woman had treated them.

They all responded that they were fine and Marta went to thank the nurse, to which she replied: 'don't worry, I'm an angel who came to help you'.

When her watch was finished, the supervisor told Marta that she was surprised by the amount of work she had accomplished.

Marta told him about the other nurse who was just walking down the hall; Marta called her but the nurse vanished.

Nurses are said to be angels who come down to help people.

3- The Red Cave

It is said that in the Durango mountains there were caves with many riches, so one day a man and his friends decided to go in search of their fortune.

At one point, they found a small cave and the boy went to investigate. Yet he got caught

After a while a man appeared and prepared to help him. While helping him out, he told him that behind the cave there was a great fortune.

When the man finally came out, he turned to thank the man but did not see him; his friends looked at him strangely and told him that no one had entered the cave.

The men tried to return, but it was impossible due to different forces of nature.

4- The Poanas Train

During the Mexican Revolution, it is said that a train with more than 200 soldiers was blown up by the rebels. This caused many of these people to die or be mutilated.

Later, the route and the railway were restored. But many people decided to go on foot and accompanied, since it is said that you could hear the sobs and cries for help of the souls who died in the disastrous accident.

5- The Headless Man

This legend tells the story of a worker on the Nazareno Durango railroad during 1950. One day, this man went to work drunk and fell asleep with his head on a rail. When the train passed, he cut off his head.

It is said that this worker appears at night walking along the train tracks, carrying his head in his arms.

6- The Devil's Musician

The musician Arturo Lugo was very popular in the 1940s. One night, a man appeared at his door with gold coins asking him to have his orchestra play at his party (located at present-day FECA). The next day, the band played at the strange lord's party.

At some point, a guest told Lugo to leave, since that was the dance of those condemned to hell.

The orchestra left immediately, but later the band disintegrated and Lugo died in the ruins.

7- The First Man

According to the Tepehuanos, a goblin heard when the sun was preparing to create men, so he ordered a dragon to devour them.

When the first man was born, the dragon was about to eat him when an eagle arrived to save the child.

Later, another lizard wanted to fulfill the mission, but the boy was saved by a deer. When the man was hungry, a rabbit was sacrificed so that he could eat.

That is why the Tepehuanes worship the deer, the eagle and the rabbit.

8- The Nahual

In the hidden valleys of Durango it is believed that there is a creature called a nahual. It is similar to a large animal, with ears that reach the ground.

These creatures have the power to transform and gather during certain days of the month to eat children they have previously stolen.

9- The Blue Stones of the Tunal River

It is said that at some point, there were three very beautiful women in the town; for that reason, all men wanted to ask for her hands.

But women rejected them because it was not true love, since those men only wanted their beauty. The parents of these girls became extremely jealous over this.

As the years went by, women only went out for a walk along the river. During one of these visits, they met three men and fell in love.

However, the girls' parents cursed them declaring that: 'be stones before being with a man'.

The women are said to have turned into stones that can be found under river water.

10- The Zone of Silence

This desert region located near the Bolson de Mapimí is known by various legends. This area is believed to be moving, making it impossible to receive radio communications.

Additionally, it is believed that aliens and UFOs can be found in this area.

Themes of interest

The streets of colonial cities and their legends.

Legends of Guatemala.

Legends of Mexico.

Mayan legends.

Argentine legends.

Colombian legends.

Legends of Jalisco.

Legends of Guanajuato.

Chihuahua legends.

Legends of Campeche.

Chiapas legends.

Legends of Baja California Sur.

Baja California legends.

Legends of Aguascalientes.

Legends of Veracruz.

References

1. Durango legends. Recovered from mitosyleyendas.com.mx
2. The first man according to Tepehuana mythology. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
3. The Devil's Musician (2016). Recovered from talesdeterror.website
4. Leyend of Beatriz and Fernando (Durango) (2012). Recovered from teacherstoolbox.blogspot.com
5. The nahual. Recovered from talesdeterror.website
6. The man without head. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
7. Mapimí silent zone. Recovered from wikipedia.org
8. Hospital report from 1990. Recovered from talesdeterror.website
9. The red cave. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
10. Durango. Recovered from gogringo.com
11. The ghost train (2016). Recovered from talesdeterror.website