Puebla de Zaragoza (; nah, Cuetlaxcoapan), formally Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, formerly Puebla de los Ángeles during colonial times, or known in English simply as Puebla, is the seat of
Puebla Municipality
Puebla Municipality is a municipality in the State of Puebla in eastern Central Mexico. The municipality covers a total area of . The City of Puebla is the municipal seat, as well as the capital of the state.
The municipality is located in the ...
. It is the capital and largest city of the state of
Puebla
Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...
, and the fourth largest city in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, after
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
,
Monterrey, and
Guadalajara
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...
.
A viceregal era
planned city
A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
, it is located in the southern part of Central Mexico on the main route between Mexico City and Mexico's main
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
port,
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
—about east southeast of Mexico City and about west of Veracruz.
The city was founded in 1531 in an area called Cuetlaxcoapan, which means "where serpents change their skin", between two of the main indigenous settlements at the time,
Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala (; , ; from nah, Tlaxcallān ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tlaxcala ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tlaxcala), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 60 municipaliti ...
and
Cholula.
This valley was not populated in the 16th century, as in the
pre-Hispanic period this area was primarily used for the "
flower war
A flower war or flowery war ( nah, xōchiyāōyōtl, es, guerra florida) was a ritual war fought intermittently between the Aztec Triple Alliance and its enemies from the "mid-1450s to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1519." Enemies included th ...
s" between a number of populations.
Due to its history and architectural styles ranging from
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
to Mexican
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
, the city was named a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 1987. The city is also famous for
mole poblano,
chiles en nogada
''Chiles en nogada'' is a Mexican dish of poblano chiles stuffed with ''picadillo'' (a mixture usually containing shredded meat, aromatics, fruits and spices) topped with a walnut-based cream sauce called ''nogada'', pomegranate seeds and pars ...
and
Talavera pottery
Talavera pottery (Spanish: Talavera poblana) is a Mexican and Spanish pottery tradition from Talavera de la Reina, in Spain. The Mexican pottery is a type of majolica ( faience) or tin-glazed earthenware, with a white base glaze typical of the ...
. However, most of its economy is based on industry.
Being both the fourth largest
city in Mexico and the fourth largest
Metropolitan area in Mexico, it has a current population of 3,250,000 people, and the city serves as one of the main hubs for eastern Central Mexico. Many students come from all over the country to study in its many renowned and prestigious universities, such as
BUAP
The Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) (Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla) is the oldest and largest university in Puebla, Mexico. Founded on 15 April 1578 as Colegio del Espíritu Santo, the school was sponsored by the ...
,
UDLAP,
Ibero
Ibero usually refers to things related to the Iberian Peninsula, including:
* Ibero-America, countries in the Americas which were formerly colonies of Spain or Portugal
* Ibero-Caucasian, proposed language family
* Ibero-Celtic, Celtic language a ...
,
UPAEP,
Tecnológico de Monterrey
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) ( en, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education), also known as Tecnológico de Monterrey or just Tec, is a secular and coeducational private university based in ...
and
Instituto Tecnológico de Puebla, among others. The city also excels in industry, having the world's largest
Volkswagen
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
factory outside
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
located in the Municipality of
Cuautlancingo
Cuautlancingo Municipality is a town and municipality in Puebla, south-eastern Mexico. It is part of the Metropolitan area of Puebla. The town is bordered on the north by the state of Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, east to the municipality of Tlaxcala and the ...
and an Audi plant in
San José Chiapa that is the most technologically advanced plant in the western hemisphere. As a result, many suppliers to Volkswagen and Audi assembly plants have opened factories in the metropolitan area of Puebla.
History
Pre-Columbian era
![Fundación de la Puebla 004](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Fundaci%C3%B3n_de_la_Puebla_004.JPG)
Some historians consider that the area where the city is located nowadays was not inhabited in the
Pre-Columbian era
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the Migration to the New World, original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization of the Americas, European colonization, w ...
, except in the 15th century, when this valley was set aside for use for the so-called
Flower wars
A flower war or flowery war ( nah, xōchiyāōyōtl, es, guerra florida) was a ritual war fought intermittently between the Aztec Triple Alliance and its enemies from the "mid-1450s to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1519." Enemies included th ...
among the populations of
Itzocan,
Tepeaca
Tepeaca Municipality is a municipality in Puebla in southeastern Mexico. Tepeaca is located 35 km (21.75 mi) from Puebla City and is the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. Its name comes from a Spanish variant of "Tepe ...
,
Huejotzingo,
Texmelucan and
Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala (; , ; from nah, Tlaxcallān ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tlaxcala ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tlaxcala), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 60 municipaliti ...
, with those soldiers captured being used as sacrifice victims.
The foundation of Puebla begins with a letter from the bishop of Tlaxcala in 1530, Julián Garcés, to the Spanish queen outlining the need for a Spanish settlement between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz.
According to legend, the bishop had a dream about where to build the city. In this dream, he saw a valley with woods and meadows crossed by a clear river and dotted with fresh-water springs on fertile land. While he was contemplating this scenery, he supposedly saw a group of angels descend from heaven and trace out the city. Convinced he had seen a divine vision, he celebrated
Mass
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
, and took some of the brothers out in search of the place. Five leagues from the monastery he declared they had found the place shown in the dream. This legend is the source of Puebla's original name, Puebla de los Ángeles, and its current nickname
Angelópolis
Angelópolis () is a town and municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia. Part of the subregion of Southwestern Antioquia
Southwestern Antioquia is a subregion in the Colombian Department of Antioquia. The region is made up of 24 municip ...
(literally, ''City of Angels'').
Coat of arms
The city's coat of arms refers to a city (the castle with 5 towers) which is protected by angels; the letters K. V. refer to
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (), also referred to as Charles I of Spain; below are 7 rivers which cross the city.
Colonial era
![Biblioteca Palafoxiana Puebla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Biblioteca_Palafoxiana_Puebla._Agosto_2009.JPG)
The city was founded in 1531 within the Valley of Cuetlaxcoapan as a Spanish city, not on the foundation of an existing indigenous city-state. The official date of foundation is 16 April 1531, however, this first attempt at settlement failed due to constant flooding of the site right next to the river.
Several rivers flow through the Valley of Puebla, the San Francisco,
Atoyac and the Alseseca. This valley was bordered by the indigenous city-states turned colonial towns of
Cholula,
Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala (; , ; from nah, Tlaxcallān ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tlaxcala ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tlaxcala), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 60 municipaliti ...
,
Huejotzingo and
Tepeaca
Tepeaca Municipality is a municipality in Puebla in southeastern Mexico. Tepeaca is located 35 km (21.75 mi) from Puebla City and is the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. Its name comes from a Spanish variant of "Tepe ...
, all of which had large indigenous populations. After the city's foundation, this valley became the main route between Mexico City and Veracruz, the port on the Caribbean coast and the connection to Spain.
Puebla was an important city and region in the history of
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...
, since it was in the center region of Spanish settlement, midway between the main port and the capital, had a large indigenous population, and drew many Spanish settlers. It supplied the capital with commercially grown agricultural products and became a center of local textile production. It was well connected to Mexico's North, particularly the silver-mining region around Zacatecas.
Most of the population moved away from the west bank of the San Francisco River to a higher site. A few families remained behind and renamed the original settlement Alto de San Francisco. The
Spanish Crown
, coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg
, coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain
, image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg
, incumbent = Felipe VI
, incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...
supported the founding of Puebla as a city without
encomiendas, as this system was being abused and a number of Spaniards were finding themselves landless. Puebla received its coat-of-arms in 1538, and the titles "Noble y Leal" (Noble and Loyal) in 1558, "Muy Noble y Leal Ciudad" (Very Noble and Loyal City) in 1561 and "Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad" (Very Noble and Very Loyal City) in 1576.
![Capilla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Capilla.jpg)
The layout of the city is of classic Spanish design, centered on a main plaza, today called the
Zócalo
The Zócalo () is the common name of the main square in central Mexico City. Prior to the colonial period, it was the main ceremonial center in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. The plaza used to be known simply as the "Main Square" or "Arms Sq ...
. This main plaza originally was rectangular, but later made square because the earlier version was considered to be ugly. Another major feature of the city were the weekly markets (
tianguis
A is an open-air market or bazaar that is traditionally held on certain market days in a town or city neighborhood in Mexico and Central America. This bazaar tradition has its roots well into the pre-Hispanic period and continues in many cases ...
), in which indigenous sellers would come with their wares and foodstuffs to sell to the population. By the mid-16th century, water was brought in to the main plaza to a newly installed fountain. By the end of the century, the city occupied 120 blocks, much of which was under construction, with the new
Cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
begun in 1575.
Its favorable climate and strategic location helped the city to prosper, quickly becoming the second most important city in
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...
.
Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla
Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (ca. 15901664) was a Renaissance-style Spanish composer, most of whose career took place in Mexico.
Life and career
He was born in Málaga, Spain. He moved to Puebla, Mexico, in 1620. At the time New Spain was a vicer ...
, the preeminent 17th-century composer in the New World, spent most of his life at the cathedral, from about 1620 to 1664.
The city council of Puebla, being made up of only Spaniards, had a certain amount of autonomy in the politics of the city and the land under its jurisdiction. This council annexed the towns of
Amozoc, Totimehuacán, and Cuautinchán to its territory in 1755. By 1786, Puebla's lands reached from what is now Veracruz to
Guerrero
Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...
states.
The city continued to grow and be more regulated during the 17th and 18th centuries. A new city hall was built in 1714 and the tianguis in the main plaza was replaced by wood stalls by the 1770s. The streets were paved with stone between 1786 and 1811.
Commercial activity was dislodged from the main plaza completely by the early 19th century and placed in the San Francisco Parian market. Other plazas, such as the San Luis, San Antonio, El Carmen, La Concordia and Santa Inés were built. The main plaza underwent several transformations, adding statues and gardens.
During the
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...
, Puebla's main role was the printing and distribution of the plan for independence.
In 1827, after Independence, all Spaniards (''
peninsulares
In the context of the Spanish Empire, a ''peninsular'' (, pl. ''peninsulares'') was a Spaniard born in Spain residing in the New World, Spanish East Indies, or Spanish Guinea. Nowadays, the word ''peninsulares'' makes reference to Peninsular ...
'') were expelled from the city's lands.
Early Republican era
In 1847, the city was
taken by U.S. forces under General
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...
, without a shot fired. The American garrison was
besieged
Besieged may refer to:
* the state of being under siege
* ''Besieged'' (film), a 1998 film by Bernardo Bertolucci
{{disambiguation ...
in the city from 14 September – 12 October 1847 by the irregular forces of General
Joaquín Rea Joaquín Rea (?–1850) was a Mexican general in the Mexican–American War.
General Rea led guerrilla forces of the Light Corps in harassing American convoys on the National Road between Vera Cruz and Puebla from May 1847. Due to this harassment ...
and later reinforced by
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. usually known as Santa Ann ...
. The siege was broken by the force of General
Joseph Lane
Joseph "Joe" Lane (December 14, 1801 – April 19, 1881) was an American politician and soldier. He was a state legislator representing Evansville, Indiana, and then served in the Mexican–American War, becoming a general. President James K. ...
that fought its way from
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
into the city after defeating Santa Ana in the
Battle of Huamantla
The Battle of Huamantla was a U.S. victory late in the Mexican–American War that forced the Mexican Army to lift the siege of Puebla.Bauer, K.J., 1974, ''The Mexican War, 1846–1848'', New York: Macmillan,
Background
Santa Anna left Puebl ...
on 9 October 1847. Puebla was then the base for General Lane's campaign against General Rea and the other guerrillas that harassed the U. S. Army line of communications. These forces left in July 1848 after the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...
was ratified.
During the
French intervention in Mexico on 5 May 1862 in the
Battle of Puebla
The Battle of Puebla ( es, Batalla de Puebla; french: Bataille de Puebla) took place on 5 May, Cinco de Mayo, 1862, near Puebla de Zaragoza during the Second French intervention in Mexico. French troops under the command of Charles de Lorencez ...
, defending Mexican forces under
Ignacio Zaragoza
Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín (; March 24, 1829September 8, 1862) was a Mexican general and politician. He led the Mexican army of 600 men that defeated 6,500 invading French forces, including the elite French legionnaires at the Battle of Puebla ...
defeated the French army under
Count de Lorencez. The city's name was changed to Puebla de Zaragoza in 1862, by a decree issued by
Benito Juárez
Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Mexican liberal politician and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. As a Zapotec, he was the first indigenous pre ...
and the holiday "5 de Mayo" (
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo ( in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoz ...
) is a major annual event here.
The city was
attacked again by the French in 1863, who succeeded in taking it. French forces left in 1866 and reconstruction began in 1867.
![Sitio puebla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Sitio_puebla.jpg)
During the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Puebla remained important culturally and economically. It had a thriving textile industry at this time. Immigration from Europe was encouraged and people from Spain, Italy, Germany, France and
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
came to live in the city.
In what became a precursor to the
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
, siblings Carmen, Máximo y
Aquiles Serdán were behind one of the first conspiracies against the Porfirio Diaz government. Their plans were discovered and their house, located on 6 Oriente street was surrounded by federal troops. A gun battle ensued, killing both Serdán brothers on 18 November 1910.
During the Mexican Revolution, the city was taken by forces under General
Pablo Gonzalez Garza, then later was under
Zapatista control.
Recent events
From 1931 until the end of the 20th century, growth of the city spurred the absorption of the municipalities of
Ignacio Mariscal
Ignacio Mariscal (Oaxaca, Mexico July 5, 1829 – Mexico City April 17, 1910) was a Mexican liberal lawyer, politician, writer, and diplomat. He was named Secretary of Foreign Affairs in 1871–72, for the first time during the Benito Juárez ...
,
San Felipe Hueyotlipan,
Resurreccion,
San Jeronimo Caleras,
San Miguel Canoa and
San Francisco Totimehuacán into the city.
In 1950, by decree of the state congress, the city received the title of Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza. In 1977, the federal government declared the city a Zone of Historical Monuments. In 1987, the
historic centre of Puebla was declared a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
.
The City of Puebla submitted its candidacy to hold the headquarters of the
Free Trade Area of the Americas
The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) was a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce the trade barriers among all countries in the Americas, excluding Cuba. Negotiations to establish the FTAA ended in failure, however, with all parties unab ...
, and briefly served as interim secretariat headquarters until negotiations were stopped in 2005.
Municipality
The municipality is located in the west-central region of the State of Puebla, bordering the municipalities of
Santo Domingo Huehutlán,
San Andrés Cholula,
Teopantlán,
Amozoc,
Cuauthinchán,
Tzicatlacoyan,
Cuautlancingo
Cuautlancingo Municipality is a town and municipality in Puebla, south-eastern Mexico. It is part of the Metropolitan area of Puebla. The town is bordered on the north by the state of Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, east to the municipality of Tlaxcala and the ...
, and
Ocoyucan, and the
State of Tlaxcala.
As municipal seat, the city of Puebla is the government for 482 other communities
with a total area of 534.32km2.
However, 94% of the municipality's population of 1,485,941 lives in the city proper.
Environment
Most of the municipality has been deforested, including the lower portions of the
Malinche
Marina or Malintzin ( 1500 – 1529), more popularly known as La Malinche , a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, became known for contributing to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (1519–1521), by acting as an interpreter, advi ...
volcano and all the Sierra de Amozoc, due to logging and seasonal farming.
The Sierra del Tentzon and higher elevations of Malinche volcano still conserve the
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests ecoregion – with forests of pine,
holm oak and other tree species.
In the pine forests,
Montezuma Pine
''Pinus montezumae'', known as the Montezuma pine, is a species of conifer in the family Pinaceae.
It is native to Mexico and Central America, where it is known as ocote. The tree grows about 35 m high and 80 cm in diameter; occasional ...
''(Pinus montezumae)'' is generally predominant, with
Hartweg's Pine
''Pinus hartwegii'' ( syn. ''P. rudis'', ''P. donnell-smithii''), Hartweg's pine or pino de las alturas, is a pine native to the mountains of Mexico and Central America east to Honduras. It is named after Karl Theodor Hartweg, who described it i ...
''(Pinus hartwegii)'' and ''
Pinus teocote
''Pinus teocote'' (teocote) is a species of conifer in the family Pinaceae.
It is endemic to Mexico
Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern p ...
'' in dry areas with shallow soils. Pine-fir forests are composed almost entirely of Hartweg's Pine ''(Pinus hartwegii)'' and
Sacred Fir
''Abies religiosa'', the oyamel fir or sacred fir, (known as in Spanish) is a fir native to the mountains of central and southern Mexico (Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Sierra Madre del Sur) and western Guatemala. It grows at high altitudes o ...
''(Abies religiosa)''.
Animal life consists mostly of small mammals such as rabbits and skunks, as well as birds such as owls, buzzards and wild waterfowl.
Geography
![Mexico Popocatepetl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Mexico_Popocatepetl.jpg)
Puebla is located at the Valley of Puebla also known as the Valley of Cuetlaxcoapan, a large valley surrounded on four sides by the mountains and volcanoes of the
Trans-Mexican volcanic belt
The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt ( es, Eje Volcánico Transversal), also known as the Transvolcanic Belt and locally as the (''Snowy Mountain Range''), is an active volcanic belt that covers central-southern Mexico. Several of its highest peaks h ...
. It is located east of the
Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl (; Nahuatl: ) is an active stratovolcano located in the states of Puebla, Morelos, and Mexico in central Mexico. It lies in the eastern half of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt. At it is the second highest peak in Mexico, after C ...
and
Iztaccíhuatl
Iztaccíhuatl (alternative spellings include Ixtaccíhuatl, or either variant spelled without the accent) ( or, as spelled with the x, ), is a dormant volcanic mountain in Mexico located on the border between the State of Mexico and Puebla withi ...
volcanoes, giving residents views of their snow-topped peaks. Due to the proximity to the Popocatépetl, Puebla is some times exposed to the ash and dust that emanate from the volcano during its active periods, the most recent occurring on 8 May 2013.
La Malinche
Marina or Malintzin ( 1500 – 1529), more popularly known as La Malinche , a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, became known for contributing to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (1519–1521), by acting as an interpreter, ad ...
dormant volcano is located to the north of the city, and the
Pico de Orizaba
Pico de Orizaba, also known as Citlaltépetl (from Nahuatl = star, and = mountain), is an inactive stratovolcano, the highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest in North America, after Denali of Alaska in the United States and Mount ...
to the east. Hydrologically, the city is part of the Atoyac river basin; the river runs through northern, eastern and southern portions of the municipality, and connects to the Lake of Valsequillo, where the Manuel Ávila Camacho dam has been built. Other rivers that cross the area are the Alseseca and San Francisco.
Climate
Under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
: ''Cwb''), Puebla features a
subtropical highland climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
, due to its tropical location but high altitude of around . In Mexico, the official designation is "subhumid temperate climate with summer rains". It rarely gets truly hot in Puebla, with an average of only three days seeing temperatures rise above . Night temperatures are cool at all times of the year. Puebla experiences dry, temperate winter months (mid-October through February), warm springs (March to mid-May), and a monsoon season from mid-May to mid-October.
Cultural attractions and tourism
Parks, squares and districts
![Teatro Principal, Puebla, México, 2013-10-11, DD 04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Teatro_Principal%2C_Puebla%2C_M%C3%A9xico%2C_2013-10-11%2C_DD_04.JPG)
The historical and cultural value of Puebla's architecture is a major reason the city was chosen as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. Various styles and techniques such as Baroque, Renaissance and
Classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...
are represented here in over 5,000 buildings included in the catalogue.
The
historic centre is filled with churches, monasteries, mansions and the like, mostly done in gray cantera stone, red brick and decorated with multicolored tiles. Puebla is also considered to be the "cradle of Mexican Baroque" both in architecture and in the decorative arts,
and one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico.
In spite of the many shopping malls that exist in Puebla today, the
Zócalo
The Zócalo () is the common name of the main square in central Mexico City. Prior to the colonial period, it was the main ceremonial center in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. The plaza used to be known simply as the "Main Square" or "Arms Sq ...
, the main square, remains the cultural, political and religious center of the city.
Many notable buildings surround the Zocalo including City Hall, the Casa de los Muñecos and the cathedral. Most of the streets in Puebla are named on a numbering system, which centers on the northwest corner of the Zocalo.
El Parián is an arts and crafts market, within walking distance of the plaza. It consists mostly of permanent stalls but there is an area provided for vendors who visit and sell their wares on blankets spread on the ground.
Cuexcomate is a
geyser cone
A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex.
A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines con ...
thirteen meters tall with a diameter of 23 meters. The geyser is inactive and located in the La Libertad neighborhood of the city of Puebla. There is a spiral staircase going down into the crater itself.
Cuexcomate was mistakenly called the smallest volcano in the world due to its shape. However, this is a geyser, not a volcano. The word Cuexcomate comes from the Nahuatl "clay pot" or "place to keep" and has been used to store meals and dispose of dead bodies.
Museums and galleries
The
Amparo Museum
The Museo Amparo, located in the historic center of Puebla City, is one of the most important historical museums in Mexico. It was inaugurated in 1991 and sponsored by the Amparo Foundation, which was founded in 1979 by Manuel Espinoza Yglesias in ...
is housed in two colonial-era buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries that were popularly known as El Hospitalito. One was the Hospital of San Juan de Letrán, which was converted into a college for women. The other is a mansion from the 18th century. It was joined to the hospital and then became the "Deposito de Mujeres Casadas" (Refuge of Married Women) This was established in 1606 for women whose husbands were gone for long periods of time. However, the idea was not popular with women and in 1609, it became the asylum for "lost women," those obligated to be secluded for some reason. This facility was moved to another building and the building became part of the women's college founded next door, then a convent. The museum has fourteen exhibition halls with pottery, steles and sculptures from the
Zapotec,
Huasteca
La Huasteca is a geographical and cultural region located partially along the Gulf of Mexico and including parts of the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo (state), Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro and Guanajuato. It is roughly de ...
,
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a popul ...
,
Olmec
The Olmecs () were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization. Following a progressive development in Soconusco, they occupied the tropical lowlands of the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. It has been speculated that ...
and
Aztec
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those g ...
cultures as well as fine furniture and religious objects from the colonial period and examples of contemporary art. These represent the three epochs of Mexican history, pre-Columbian, colonial-era and post-
Independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
. Seven of the halls are dedicated to pre-Columbian pieces.
The
Biblioteca Palafoxiana
The Biblioteca Palafoxiana is a library in Puebla City's historic centre, in the Mexican state of Puebla. Founded in 1646, it is recognized by the UNESCO for being the first and oldest public library in the Americas, It has more than 45,000 b ...
(Palafoxiana Library) was established in 1646 by Juan de Palafox y Mendoza for the Seminary of Puebla. He donated his own collection of 5,000 books to the College of San Juan to start the collection. It was the first library in the Americas and is the only one to survive to the present day. The main room is in Baroque style and was constructed in 1773 by Bishop Francisco Fabian y Fuero who also named the institution after Palafox. Today the library contains over 42,000 books, 5,000 manuscripts and other items, which date from 1473 to 1910. The Library was named a Historic Monument of Mexico (Monumento Histórico de México) and
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
has made it a world heritage site.
The Centro Cultural Santa Rosa is housed in a building that dates from the 17th century which originally was housing for Dominican nuns. Later, it became a convent named in honour of Saint Rose of Lima. This is where the story of the invention of mole poblano takes place. In 1869, it ceased being a convent and became a psychiatric hospital. In the 20th century the Ceramic Museum was founded in the building's kitchen, with the rest of the building occupied as tenements for about 1500 people. In 1973, the Museo de Arte Cultural Poblano was founded and in 2000 the name was changed to the current one. The facility offers exhibitions, shows and art classes.
The Museo de la Revolución (Museum of the Revolution) was the home of Aquiles Serdán in the very early 20th century. He was politically active in the anti-reelection (of President
Porfirio Diaz Porfirio is a given name in Spanish, derived from the Greek Porphyry (''porphyrios'' "purple-clad").
It can refer to:
* Porfirio Salinas – Mexican-American artist
* Porfirio Armando Betancourt – Honduran football player
* Porfirio Barba-Jac ...
) movement of the time and was accused of distributing propaganda against Díaz. Police assaulted the building and Serdán and his family fought back, until Aquiles was killed. President
Francisco I. Madero
Francisco Ignacio Madero González (; 30 October 1873 – 22 February 1913) was a Mexican businessman, revolutionary, writer and statesman, who became the 37th president of Mexico from 1911 until he was deposed in a coup d'etat in February 1 ...
stayed at the home in honor of Serdán. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Mexico City and the building became tenements and stores. Decades later, the federal government acquired the building from the family to convert it into the museum that is here today.
Fort Loreto and Fort Guadalupe are located in the Centro Civico 5 de Mayo part of the city. Both were instrumental to the
Battle of Puebla
The Battle of Puebla ( es, Batalla de Puebla; french: Bataille de Puebla) took place on 5 May, Cinco de Mayo, 1862, near Puebla de Zaragoza during the Second French intervention in Mexico. French troops under the command of Charles de Lorencez ...
on 5 May 1862. The chapel of the Loreto fort contains a former chapel, which is now the Museo de la No Intervención (Museum of Non-Intervention). This is to commemorate a non-aggression pact signed by Mexico and Central American and two South American countries in the 1960s. The Museo de Guerra del Fuerte (Fort War Museum) de Loreto y Guadalupe is located in this fort as well. This museum contains cannons, shotguns, swords, documents and other objects related to this battle.
The Galería de Arte Contemporáneo y Diseño (Gallery of Contemporary Art and Design) is dedicated to visual arts such as painting, sculpture, ceramics, metal
etching
Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...
, photography, video, and others and belongs to the Secretary of Culture of the state of Puebla. It is housed in the old La Violeta textile factory, which dates back to 1908, and was one only many factories in this area at that time. This building was renovated between 1995 and 1998 for this museum.
The
International Museum of the Baroque is a museum of Baroque art designed by Japanese architect
Toyō Itō. It opened on February 4, 2016.
The Museo de José Mariano Bello y Acedo was initially founded with the private collection of the Bello family, along with works donated by friends. It originally began as a private museum or pinacotheca. Upon José Mariano's death, the house and collection was bequeathed to the city.
![CasaAlfenique1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/CasaAlfenique1.JPG)
The Casa de Alfeñique is named for the intricate mortar work that covers its façade. Alfeñique is a kind of sugar and almond candy. It was constructed by Antonio Santamaría de Incháurregui for Juan Ignacio Morales, who was a master ironsmith. The façades also contain ironwork balconies, cornices and a crown. The house was left to the state by Alejandro Ruiz Olavarrieta in 1896. It was first used to house the first public museum in the city of Puebla. The collection contains more than 1,500 pieces of a historical nature.
The Museo de Arte (Museum of Art) originally was constructed to be the Temple of San Pedro, founded in 1541 to be a church and a hospital. Eventually it was established as the Hospital of San Pedro y San Pablo under the direction of the Cathedral of Tlaxcala. It was functioning as a hospital by 1544, but it incurred major expenditures, forcing it to limit service to men only. The arches of the main courtyard were completed in 1640, as well as it fountain and nursing units. In the first half of the 18th century, the hospital ceased to be under the direct control of the cathedral, passing to the monks of the order of San Juan de Dios. In the latter half of the century, it began to house soldiers in order to improve its finances. The hospital underwent major reforms in the early 19th century to improve medical care, and began to receive medical students from the Medical-Surgical Academy of Puebla. In 1867, the facility became the Hospital General del Estado. In 1917, the hospital moved to new facilities in the city. Through most of the 20th century, the building was used for a wide-variety of purposes. In 1998, a project to restore the building for its use as Puebla Museum of Viceregal Art. In 2002, this museum was converted into the San Pedro Museum of Art, which exhibits works from various epochs.
The Museum Workshop of Erasto Cortés Juárez was the home of one of the major figures in fine and graphic arts in Puebla in the 20th century. The museum was founded in 2000 and contains more than 400 pieces of both his work and personal effects. The museum also hosts temporary exhibits, workshops and seminars.
Cathedrals and churches
Puebla Cathedral
The Basilica Cathedral of Puebla, as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is known according to its Marian invocation, is the episcopal see of the Archdiocese of Puebla de los Ángeles (Mexico). It is one of the most importan ...
, located on 16 de Septiembre and 5 Oriente, took 300 years to complete, in part due to interruptions in its construction. The cathedral was begun in 1575 under orders of Philip II of Spain by architects Francisco Becerra and Juan de Cigorondo. The building was consecrated in 1649 even though only half of the walls and much of the roof were missing and the towers not yet built. The north tower was added in 1678 and the south tower in 1768.The shape of the cathedral is a Latin cross and contains five
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
s. The main altar is octagonal, with four others oriented to the cardinal directions
The complex consists of fourteen chapels in various styles with numerous artistic works such as the main cupola and the main altar, both decorated by
Cristóbal de Villalpando
Cristóbal de Villalpando (ca. 1649 – 20 August 1714) was a Baroque Criollo artist from New Spain, arts administrator and captain of the guard. He painted prolifically and produced many Baroque works now displayed in several Mexican cathedrals ...
. The façade is classified as late Baroque in transition to
Neoclassical, with
Doric Doric may refer to:
* Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece
** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians
* Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture
* Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode
* Doric dialect (Scotland)
* Doric ...
and Corinthian order, Corinthian columns. Its bell towers stand at just under 70 meters high, the tallest in Mexico. The seating in the choir is made of parquetry of fine woods, onyx and ivory of Moorish design. The two organs were donated by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V.
In the crypt under the cathedral, numerous statues of saints and angels made of onyx can be seen.
![Templo San Francisco Puebla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Templo_San_Francisco_Puebla.jpg)
The Church of San Francisco (Puebla), Church and Friary of San Francisco is on Blvd Heroes del 5 de Mayo. Its elevated four-level tower stands out with its mouldings and Ionic and Doric pilasters. The main façade is done in gray cantera stone in which are sculpted large jars and flowers. The main portal is of Churrigueresque style, flanked by large panels of tilework surrounded by Plateresque decoration. Inside is a Plateresque choir, Neoclassic altarpieces and the mummified body of the beatified, and soon to be canonized as a saint, Sebastian de Aparicio.
![Capilla Rosario Puebla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Capilla_Rosario_Puebla.jpg)
The large friary complex houses an active group of Franciscan friars, who in addition to running a large K-12 school on the site, also work in other pastoral, justice, peace, and environmental activities.
The Templo de Santo Domingo, Puebla, Church of Santo Domingo is located on 5 de Mayo Street. The main portal is of pure classic style finished in gray cantera stone. It consists of three levels with paired Doric-like columns. The façade of the old monastery is highly decorated in Baroque style, in front of which is a large atrium. Inside the ceiling consists of two large vaults and contains gilded altarpieces in Baroque, Salmonic and Churrigueresque styles.
The Chapel of the Rosary is located in the Church of Santo Domingo. The chapel was built between 1650 and 1690 and was the first to be dedicated to the Our Lady of the Rosary. The chapel is filled with symbolism, as it is filled with images and elements which are representative of the Baroque of New Spain. This symbolism is principally meant to aid with the evangelization process. The chapel contains three themes important to the Church, the mysteries of the rosary, the virtues associated with it and the Virgin of the Rosary herself. The cupola is in the shape of the crown of the Virgin Mary. The chapel is decorated with sculpted plaster that has been gilded done by local artists. There are also six paintings done by José Rodriguez Carnero as well as paintings by the altar depicting the life of the Virgin.
Other notable buildings
![Palacio Municipal de Puebla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Palacio_Municipal_de_Puebla.JPG)
The Casa del Deán is the oldest noble house in the city of Puebla, constructed by Tomás de la Plaza Goes, who was the deacon of the Cathedral of Puebla. It was finished in 1580. The building remained practically intact until 1953, when it was going to be demolished to construct a movie theater. Protests to save the building, due to its murals and façade, succeeded in preserving only a portion of the building. The murals are frescos, which are the only surviving non-religious examples from the 16th century in their original place in Mexico. The gray stone façade is completely smooth to let the main portal, of Renaissance style, stand out. The portal contains and upper and lower portion with a crest.
The Teatro Principal de Puebla (Main Theater of Puebla) was inaugurated in 1761 by Miguel de Santamaría. In 1902, the theater burned down, and was rebuilt in 1940, and again in 1998. The theater hosts cultural events and art shows featuring regional, national and international artists.
The Municipal Palace is located on Maximino Avila Camacho. The façade is made of gray cantera stone in Renaissance style, using Ionic order, Ionic columns and pediments, differing from the other buildings that border the main plaza. The portal has two levels topped by a central garret, in which there is a clock and towers on each side.
The Fountain of the China Poblana is located on Blvd Heroes de 5 de May. It is a monumental work done in cantera stone and Talavera tile, with a base of about thirty meters in diameter. In the center is a column that supports two large bowls and a sculpture of the China Pobalana which is over three meters high.
This fountain was inaugurated in September 1971. The monument was sculpted by Jesús Corro Ferrer, who portaraited the China Poblana using the image of his own wife - María del Consuelo López y Martínez.
Cuisine
![Mole in Puebla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Mole_in_Puebla.JPG)
The best-known Mole (sauce), mole is named after the city of Puebla,
mole poblano. The origin of this sauce is disputed and there are two versions of the legend that are most often cited. The first states that 16th century nuns from the Convent of Santa Rosa were worried because they had just found out that the archbishop was going to visit them and they had nothing to prepare for him except for an old turkey in the yard. Supposedly due to divine inspiration, they began to mix together many of the spices and flavorings they had on hand in the kitchen, including different types of chili peppers, other spices, day-old bread, chocolate and approximately twenty other ingredients. They let the sauce simmer for hours and poured it over the turkey meat. Fortunately, the archbishop was very pleased with the meal and the nuns were able to save face.
The other story states that the sauce is of pre-Hispanic times and this was served to Hernán Cortés and the other conquistadors by Moctezuma II.
The Aztecs did have a preparation called "chilmulli", which in Nahuatl means "chili pepper sauce".
However, there is no evidence that chocolate was ever used to flavor prepared foods or used in chilmulli.
What has happened is that the sauce gained ingredients as it was reinterpreted over the colonial period.
Many food writers and gourmets nowadays consider one particular dish, the famous turkey in mole poblano, which contains chocolate, to represent the pinnacle of the Mexican cooking tradition.
![Chile en nogada](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Chile_en_nogada.jpg)
Another famous dish,
chiles en nogada
''Chiles en nogada'' is a Mexican dish of poblano chiles stuffed with ''picadillo'' (a mixture usually containing shredded meat, aromatics, fruits and spices) topped with a walnut-based cream sauce called ''nogada'', pomegranate seeds and pars ...
, was also supposedly invented here. The story begins with three sisters from Puebla who met officers from Agustin de Iturbide's Army of the Three Guarantees in Mexico City and fell in love with them. Attempts were made to engage the couples but one problem was that none of the sisters knew how to cook. Upon returning to Puebla, their mother sent them to the Convent of Santa Monica to learn. The women decided they wanted to make an original dish to impress Iturbide and his officers when they were due to visit Puebla. The dish, chiles en nogada, represents the colors of the Flag of Mexico, Mexican flag, green (parsley), white (the walnut sauce) and red (pomegranate seeds). The dish was served for the first time at a banquet for Iturbide with great success.
![CemitaSandwich2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/CemitaSandwich2.JPG)
Another signature dish in Puebla is the "cemita", which is a type of well-stuffed sandwich on a bun.
The cemita is considered to be "the sister of the Mexican torta, the first cousin of the pambazo, the distant cousin of the paste (pasty), paste and the sandwich and the precursor to the giant tortas" that are now sold in most parts of Mexico today. This large, meaty sandwich is named after the bread on which it is served, a cemita. This bread is based on a bread introduced by the French during the period of the Second French intervention in Mexico, French Intervention in Mexico (1863–1867), but since then has evolved to suit Mexican tastes, especially in Puebla state. In the early 20th century, the bread began to be served sliced with a filling of leftovers, generally potatoes, beans, nopal, beef, chicken or pork. The Victoria Market in Puebla became famous for a version with beef hoof, onions and chili peppers with a vinaigrette sauce. Other markets and food stands soon created their own versions of the cemita with just about any kind of filling combination possible. During the same time period, it became traditional to sprinkle sesame seeds onto the cemita bread, often with designs of flowers, stars, animals and other things. While the dish started out as a lower-class meal, it is now enjoyed by people of all social classes in the city as a form of fast-food.
Talavera pottery
![TalaveraPlateMAPDF](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/TalaveraPlateMAPDF.JPG)
Soon after its foundation, Puebla was well known for its fine ceramics, especially for the style that would be called Talavera (pottery), Talavera. This has been due to the abundance of quality clay in the region, drawing some of the best artisans. Between 1550 and 1570, Spanish potters from Talavera de la Reina in Spain came to Puebla to teach the locals European techniques of using the potter's wheel and tin-glazing. These new methods were mixed with native designs to give rise to what became known as Poblano Talavera. The glazing technique was first used for the tiles that still decorate many of the buildings in this city. Later, it was used to make pots, plates, jars, religious figures and other items. By the mid-17th century, the industry here had become well-established. Guilds were formed and ordinances passed to ensure quality. Blue was used only on the most expensive pieces due to the cost of the mineral used to produce it. The period between 1650 and 1750 was known as the Golden Age.
In 1813, the constitution eradicated the potter's guild and revoked the ordinances established in 1653 to standardize production. Now anybody could use this ceramic method in any style they wanted, and the lack of regulations led to a decline in technique and artistic quality. The Talavera market crashed. Out of the 46 workshops in production since the 18th century, only seven remained. When Enrique Luis Ventosa, a 29-year-old Catalan, arrived in Puebla in 1897, there were just six workshops left. Ventosa was fascinated by the history and fine craft work that had distinguished Puebla from the rest of Mexico. He became the leading force behind a renaissance in Talavera ware.
Another impetus to the rebirth of Puebla tile was that collectors found out about it. In 1904 an American named Emily Johnston de Forest traveled to Mexico with her husband and discovered Talavera. She established contact with scholars, collectors, and dealers who assisted her in building her collection. Eventually her collection was given to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Other museums, like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, built their own collections. The Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City has the largest collection of 726 pieces.
Story of the China Poblana
![Catarina de San Juan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Catarina_de_San_Juan.jpg)
According to colonial-era published sources, a young Demographics of India, Indian woman named Mirra was kidnapped by Portugal, Portuguese pirates and taken to Cochin (modern-day Kochi), in the south of India. There, she escaped her kidnappers and took refuge in a Jesuit mission, where she was baptism, baptized with the name ''Catarina de San Juan''. Mirra was again kidnapped by the same pirates that had taken her from her birth parents, and in Manila they delivered her to the merchant who later took her to New Spain. Once in Acapulco, she was sold to a Puebla merchant by the name of Miguel de Sosa. Through her life, Catarina or Mirra continued to dress in a sari. It is possible that is this gave rise to the "china dress" that became popular in Mexico in the 17th century. A few years after her arrival in Mexico, Miguel de Sosa died, providing in his will (law), will for the manumission of his slave. She was taken in by a convent, where it is said she began to have visions of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. The "China Poblana" died on 5 January 1688 at the age of 82. In Puebla, she was venerated as a saint until 1691, when the Mexican Inquisition prohibited open devotion to her. Today, the Templo de la Compañía, in Puebla, is known as ''La Tumba de la China Poblana'' because in its sacristy lie the remains of Catarina de San Juan.
Tunnel system
There have long been rumours of a system of tunnels under the city. Long considered to be an urban legend, they were rediscovered in 2015. They are believed to be up to 500 years old.
El Cinco de Mayo
Every year on El Cinco de Mayo, 5 May, Puebla celebrates the Battle of Puebla, defeat of second French intervention in Mexico, invading French troops here in 1862. Celebrations include several days of concerts, lectures, other cultural activities. On the 5th itself, there is a very large parade and a re-enactment of the battle.
The parade includes Mexican Army, Mexican Navy, Navy, Mexican Special Forces, Special Forces and soldiers dressed in period uniform. The military displays tanks, Humvees and armored personnel carriers. Civilian participation includes school bands, students and floats, both from Mexico and from abroad.
Education
Puebla has many universities, second in the country only after Mexico City. The main university of the city is the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), the oldest and largest university in the region, founded on 15 April 1587. Other public university is the
Instituto Tecnológico de Puebla (ITP). The city is also home for one of the most prestigious private universities in Mexico and Latin America, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla and the Universidad de las Americas Puebla (UDLAP).
Sports
![Estadio Cuauhtémoc en 2016](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Estadio_Cuauht%C3%A9moc_en_2016.jpg)
Puebla has two professional football teams, Puebla F.C. and Lobos de la BUAP. The biggest football stadium in the city, Cuauhtémoc Stadium, with a capacity of 51,720, was built in 1968 as a second football field for the 1968 Summer Olympics, 1968 Olympic Games. Matches for the Football World Cup 1970, 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cups were also played in Cuauhtémoc Stadium. In 2015 it was intervened to make it up to new Fifa standards which commodity, modernism and outside visual image have changed for the better. With a capacity of 51,720 it is the 4th biggest stadium in México just behind Jalisco Stadium. At 45.9 meters tall it is also the highest stadium from parking level to the highest most part of the roof beating the second tallest Aztec stadium by 4 meters.
Puebla has a professional baseball team, the Pericos de Puebla.
Puebla, through the conurbated area of Cholula, Puebla, Cholula, has one college American football team, the "Aztecas" of the Universidad de las Américas (Mexico), Universidad de las Américas. The Aztecas have won the championship three times since the creation of the ONEFA, Mexican College Football Organization (ONEFA) in 1978 (1995, 1996, and 1997). The team has been runners-up in the league five times, most recently in 2006 and 2007, losing the championship game all five times to the ITESM Campus Monterrey Borregos Salvajes. The Aztecas' home stadium is the ''Templo del Dolor'' (Temple of Pain).
Economy
Some agriculture still takes place in the municipality but environmental degradation and the growth of the city is making this a smaller sector of the economy. Crops raised include corn, beans, wheat, oats, avocados, pears, apples, peaches, choke cherries, Crataegus mexicana, Mexican hawthorns, nuts and white sapotes. Most agriculture takes place on small plots on the edges of the municipality. Similarly livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep and horses are raised.
Industry accounts for about eighty percent of the economy and is mostly based in the outskirts of the city as well as in some surrounding municipalities. Main products include basic metals, chemicals, electrical items and textiles. The main employers are Hylsa and the Volkswagen automotive plant. A growing sector is food processing. Many industries are consolidated into parks such as the 5 de Mayo Industrial Park, the Resurrección Industrial Zone and the Puebla 2000 Industrial Park. Shopping centers include the Angelópolis Lifestyle Center and Parque Puebla.
Transportation
Puebla is served by Puebla International Airport, which is part of the metropolitan airport group for the Mexican capital and an alternate airport for
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
. It provides domestic services and flights to the United States. The airport is also used as a place to manufacture goods and export and import due to prime location.
In January 2013 the first line of the rapid transit bus system named RUTA was opened to the public from Chachapa to Tlaxcalancingo, in April 2014 the second line was inaugurated going from North 11th street at the height of Diagonal Defensores de la República to Calle Limones, and in 2019 the third line was added to the system, transporting passengers from Valsequillo to CAPU, the main hub for transport outside of the city. The Puebla-Cholula Tourist Train was inaugurated in January 2017 connecting Puebla with Cholula in the western end of the city. Operation of the tram-train ended on 31 December 2021.
File:Autobús de RUTA cruzando la 11 sur en Puebla.jpg, RUTA bus
File:Tren Puebla Cholula.jpg, Puebla-Cholula Tourist Train
File:Ciclo estación Puebla.jpg, Bicycles for rent
Notable people
Sister cities
Puebla is sister cities, twinned with:
References
Further reading
*Ida Altman, Altman, Ida. ''Transatlantic Ties in the Spanish Empire: Brihuega, Spain and Puebla, Mexico, 1560-1620''. Stanford: Stanford University Press 2000.
*Chevalier, François. "Signification sociale de la fondation de Puebla de los Angeles." ''Revista de Historia de América 23 (1947): 109-110.
*Cruz, Salvador. ''Alonso Valiente: Conquistador de Nueva España y poblador de la Ciudad de Puebla de los Angeles''. Mexico City: Ayuntamiento del Municipio de Puebla 2002.
*Cuenya,Miguel Angel and Carlos Contreras Cruz. ''Puebla de los Angeles: Una ciudad en la historia''. Puebla: Océano/BUAP 2012.
*Hirschberg, Julia. "An Alternative to Encomienda: Puebla's ''Indios de Servicio'', 1531-1545." Journal of Latin American Studies 11, no. 2. (Nov. 1979).
*Hoekstra, Rik. ''Two Worlds Merging: The Transformation of Society in the Valley of Puebla 1570-1640''. Amsterdam: CEDLA 1993.
*Lara Tenorio, Blanca. ''La esclavitud en Puebla y Tepeaca, 1545-1649''. Mexico City: Cuadernos de los Centros INAH 1976.
*Leicht, Hugo. ''Las calles de Puebla''. Puebla: Secretaría de Cultura / Gobierno del Estado de Puebla 2007.
*Loreto López, Rosalva. "The Devil, Women, and the Body in Seventeenth-Century Puebla Convents." ''The Americas'' 59, no. 2 (2002), 181-199.
*Marín Tamayo, Fausto.''La división racial en Puebla de los Angeles bajo el régimen colonial''. Puebla: Centro de Estudios Históricos de Puebla 1960.
*Sierra Silva, Pablo Miguel. ''Urban Slavery in Colonial Mexico: Puebla de los Angeles, 1531-1706''. New York: Cambridge University Press 2018.
Bibliography
External links
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Puebla state government web page*
Images of Puebla City*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Puebla
Puebla (city),
1530s establishments in Mexico
1531 establishments in New Spain
1531 in New Spain
Capitals of states of Mexico
Cities in Mexico
Populated places established in 1531
Populated places in Puebla
World Heritage Sites in Mexico