What Does the Tule Tree Look Like, an Ancient Cypress in Mexico with the World's Thickest Trunk (4 photos)
The Tree of Tule is located in the courtyard of a church in the picturesque town of Santa Maria del Tule. It is a 2,000-year-old Montezuma cypress, known for having the thickest trunk in the world. 
So how thick is the Tule Tree in Mexico? It would take thirty people with their arms outstretched and joined to completely encircle it. Its circumference is officially listed as 42 meters, which seems impossible for a tree trunk. In fact, in the past, both people and scientists were convinced that the Tule Tree was the result of the fusion of two separate trees, until DNA evidence revealed that it is, in fact, a single tree. 
The Tule Tree is not only impressively lush, but also very tall, dwarfing the nearby Santa Maria Church and its spire. And despite being nearly 2,000 years old, it is still growing. 
El Arbol del Tule is the most famous tree in all of Mexico, and for good reason. No other tree in the world comes close to its girth, so people come from far and wide to see it in person. The mere idea that it has existed since Roman times attracts many tourists. 
The Tule tree is truly the tree of life for the residents of Santa Maria del Tule; up to three-quarters of the local population directly depends on this popular tourist attraction for their livelihood.
