Puebla Tehuacán

The city of Puebla was founded on April 16th in 1531, and sits 2160 meters above sea level. Today its population has reached more then an astounding 1.8 million people.

The Battle of Puebla took place in 1864 and today its victory is celebrated on May 5th in Puebla, the Republic of Mexico and many places in the United States.
Puebla's city center shows its rich history in impressive buildings of Spanish colonial architecture, the area has been declared a heritage site, in Mexico known as "Heritage of Humanity" by the group UNESCO. Many of the buildings have been restored to their former glory, however several buildings were damaged in the disastrous earthquake of 1999 in the Puebla area. Of all the colonial era buildings in Puebla the most impressive is the Puebla Cathedral, the second largest in all of Mexico; it was completed in 1649 by Bishop Juan de Palafax, nearly 75 years after it was started. Puebla Cathedral was built in the Renaissance and Baroque styles and has the tallest bell towers in Mexico with a height of 69 meters, one of which can be climbed for a view of the city and nearby volcanoes. (More photos of Puebla)

The food of Puebla is famous not only in Mexico but all over the world. One of the most famous Mexican dishes, Mole, originated in Puebla. A delicious sauce made up of chocolate, cinnamon, nuts and various hot peppers is served with chicken and has become a favorite not only for Mexicans but for food lovers everywhere. A couple of other famous dishes that originated in Puebla are Chiles en Nogada and Chalupas. Some of the candies typical to Puebla are Camotes and cookies for Santa Clara. Rompope, a sweet alcoholic beverage made from eggs also comes from Puebla.

The main attractions of Puebla are The Chapel of the Rosary, the Zocalo, the city's central square and the Art District, an area where many of the cities artists and artisans display their works. Tourists can take one of the "Turibuses", double decker buses that offer tours of the historic city center, surrounding areas and tourist attractions. The zoo "African Safari" is definitely worth a visit, the animals are not in cages but roaming free in designated areas. Visitors tour through the animals natural habitat in secure vehicles to get an up close and personal view of them, even predators such as lions and tigers.

Finally, no tour to the Puebla area would be complete without visiting the city Cholula, located around 15km to the west of Puebla. Cholula is one of the oldest cities in America and during the Aztec empire second largest only to the great city of Tenochtitlan. Cholula is home to the world's largest pyramid and monument, built through dozens of generations, from the 2nd century BC to the early 16th century. A dedication to the mighty deity Quetzalcoatl, it has a base of 450 by 450 meters and a height of 66m, almost one third larger in volume then that of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

With 20 universities, the city of Puebla has the second largest number of universities in all of Mexico. Many of the top universities in the country are located in the metropolitan area of Puebla, such as; Benemérita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla (BUAP), Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA), University of the Americas - Puebla (UDLAP), Autonomous University People State of Puebla (UPAEP) and the Technological Institute of Monterrey (ITESM) Puebla campus. The latter two universities are private and are the only ones in Mexico that belong to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), an association of universities in the southern United States. The Benemérita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla is considered the third largest public university in the country after the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the Autonomous University of Guadalajara.

The two main contributors to the economy of Puebla are the textile industry and the automobile industry. Puebla is home to the Volkswagen main headquarters in Mexico and the Volkswagen factory in Puebla is the only one in Mexico that produces the "Super Beetle" and the new "Volkswagen Beetle". Many other German and French companies have set up factories in the city of Puebla, mainly producing auto parts or providing logistics for the automotive industry. Puebla was the interim headquarters for the 2003-2004 Trade Area of the Americas, or FTAA and then submitted its candidacy to serve as the permanent headquarters of the FTAA, once it had entered into the force.