Puebla

A feast of culture, history, architecture, and traditions.

Puebla Read More
5 de Mayo: México’s triumph against the French army
What is Cinco de Mayo? Literally “the Fifth of May,” Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday celebrating the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862. In 1861, France sent a massive army to invade Mexico, as it wanted to collect on some war debts.
Isn’t it Mexico’s Independence Day? That’s a common misconception. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16, because it was on that day in 1810 that Father Miguel Hidalgo took to his pulpit in the village church of Dolores and invited his flock to take up arms and join him in overthrowing Spanish tyranny. Independence Day is a very important holiday in Mexico and should not be confused with Cinco de Mayo.

Chiles en Nogada and Mole Poblano are two of the most iconic dishes in Mexican gastronomy, each with a rich history rooted in Puebla. Chiles en Nogada, often referred to as the “platillo poblano por excelencia” (Poblano dish par excellence), was created by Augustinian Recollect nuns at the Santa Monica Convent to honor Agustín de Iturbide, the first emperor of Mexico. This dish, featuring the new national flag’s red, white, and green colors, symbolizes the nation’s pride and heritage.
Mole Poblano, another celebrated traditional dish, has its origins in the 17th-century Convento de Santa Rosa, initially devoted to Saint Agnes before being rededicated to Saint Rose of Lima, the first saint of the Americas. The convent’s history reflects Mexico’s turbulent past, having served as a military barracks, a mental hospital, and a housing complex before its transformation into a cultural center and museum in the 1970s. The former convent kitchen, now a museum highlight, is said to be where the inventive nuns created Mole Poblano. They blended a myriad of ingredients to produce a rich sauce that is both spicy and sweet. The kitchen, adorned with Talavera tiles from ceiling to floor, evokes images of nuns grinding ingredients on a metate (grinding stone) and stirring their aromatic concoctions in large, unglazed earthenware pots on the tiled stove, showcasing the culinary artistry of Puebla.

Talavera pottery. The Most Beautiful Ceramics from the 16th Century
Soon after its founding, Puebla became renowned for its exquisite ceramics, particularly for the style that would later be known as Talavera. The region’s abundance of high-quality clay attracted some of the finest artisans. Between 1550 and 1570, Spanish potters from Talavera de la Reina in Spain arrived in Puebla to impart European techniques, including the use of the potter’s wheel and tin glazing, to the local craftsmen. These new methods were combined with indigenous designs, giving birth to what is now celebrated as Poblano Talavera.

Cholula. Temples on the Top of Temples
The world’s largest pyramid is hidden under a mountain. Cholula, a city that was second only to the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan (modern-day Mexico City), boasted a population that may have reached up to 100,000 people. This great city stood at the base of what seems to be an earthen hill, but is, in fact, the largest pyramid ever constructed. This colossal structure spans an incredible 405 meters on each side and covers over 46 acres, making it a marvel of ancient engineering.
Dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent deity, this pyramid was the centerpiece of a city that reportedly had 365 temples, one for each day of the year. When Hernán Cortés and his Spanish forces conquered Cholula during the Spanish Conquest, he vowed to replace each pagan temple with a Christian church. Although he fell short of this promise, with fewer than 50 new churches built, the city is still notable for its unusually high number of Spanish colonial churches, considering its size.
Cholula’s rich history and cultural significance are encapsulated in its remarkable pyramid, which remains largely hidden beneath layers of earth and vegetation, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape and preserving its ancient mysteries for future generations to uncover.

Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes. A Tragic Romance of Aztec Legend
On a clear day, the towering white peaks of the legendary Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes can be seen from the city of Puebla. Rising beyond 17,000 feet in elevation, these two majestic mountains offer the viewer a breathtaking sight. Snow-capped year-round, these well-known landmarks have captured people’s imaginations throughout the ages. Popo and Izta, as many affectionately call these two volcanoes, share a story that reaches back into the mists of time.
The name Iztaccíhuatl in the indigenous Nahuatl language means “White Woman,” and the mountain includes four peaks, the tallest of which reaches 17,158 feet. Many see her silhouette as resembling that of a sleeping woman, complete with head, chest, knees, and feet. Iztaccíhuatl is an extinct volcano. Popocatépetl is the taller of the two mountains, reaching an incredible 17,802 feet in height. Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl are connected by a high mountain pass known as the Paso de Cortés. Popocatépetl is still active, and the volcano has spewed smoke and ash as recently as April 2016. In the Nahuatl language, Popocatépetl means “Smoking Mountain,” and as we shall soon see, it was aptly named.

Palafoxiana Library. The Memory of the World
The libraries of the religious orders of Mexico were located in Puebla, Morelia, and Oaxaca. Palafoxiana in Puebla is the oldest library in the Americas and is the only library of the three that remained intact and authentic, as it was continuously conserved. After the 1999 earthquakes, more than 1,000 listed historic buildings in Puebla had suffered some damage, and the heritage of Puebla was in a state of emergency. The restoration project returned the library to its original grandeur and strengthened the architectural elements so that the building and its bookshelves would withstand vibrations from future earthquakes. The project helped to preserve the cultural legacy and philanthropic history of the library and the city of Puebla. UNESCO also recognizes the Biblioteca Palafoxiana as the first public library in the Americas. Because of this fact, it has been declared a Memory of the World.

The Cable Car is an easy way to get an incredible view of the city’s skyline.
The cable car of Puebla offers an unsurpassable view of the city, the largest urban mural in the world; you can also appreciate the historical area of Los Fuertes as well as the volcanoes Popocatépetl, Iztaccíhuatl, and La Malinche.
The cable car runs a length of 688 meters and has two cabins with a maximum capacity of 35 people.

Xanenetla neighborhood. A Mural City
It is pronounced “shanenetla,” and it is a “Bravo” neighborhood that was rescued and revalued by a group of artists through 55 murals painted on the facades of its labyrinthine streets.
The murals have been a team effort. The community of Xanenetla decided that the concepts of the murals should be along the lines of “who we were”, “who we are”, and “who we want to be”, thus describing through the walls the past, present, and future of the neighborhood. These designs have been co-created by local artists and the owners of the houses.

International Baroque Museum. The most important new art museum in North America
Designed by the Japanese architect Toyo Ito, the Interactive museum was financed with investments from the federal and state governments, as well as a private initiative. It showcases the best of international baroque pieces from Brazil, Cuba, China, Spain, France, the United States, Guatemala, Peru, and Portugal, and 21 museums, besides Mexican foundations.
The new International Baroque Museum, 18,000 square meters in area, is considered one of the most ambitious in the history of Puebla.
The two-story building hosts permanent exhibition halls and has areas dedicated to science, nature, and scientific experimentation.