Pánuco () is a city in the
Mexican state
A Mexican State (), officially the Free and Sovereign State (), is a constituent federative entity of Mexico according to the Constitution of Mexico. Currently there are 31 states, each with its own constitution, government, state governor, a ...
of
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
, located in the state's Huasteca Alta region. It serves as the municipal seat of the surrounding
Pánuco Municipality. It stands on the banks of the
Río Pánuco.
In 2020, the city reported a total population of 41,588.
History
Pánuco is traditionally held to have been founded by
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca (December 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions o ...
on 22 December 1522, as Villa de Santiesteban del Puerto, the second ''
ayuntamiento'' on the American continent. It was the capital of the
Province of Pánuco in the early colonial period. It was given city status on 30 June 1931.
Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto (; ; 1497 – 21 May 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru, ...
's 1541 expedition stopped in Panuco after his death.
On April 23, 1900, Pánuco was destroyed by fire, leaving more than 2,000 homeless.
["Mexican Town Destroyed", New York Times, April 24, 1900, p1]
Climate
References
Populated places in Veracruz
Pánuco River
Populated places established in 1522
{{Veracruz-geo-stub