Story Time V

1. Puebla is the capital of the state of Puebla, and one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico. It is located to the east of Mexico City and west of the port of Veracruz.

2. 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.

3. This legend is the source of Puebla’s original name, Puebla de los Angeles, and its current nickname Angelópolis

4. The city was founded in the Valley of Cuetlaxcoapan through which run the San Francisco, Atoyaca and Alseseca rivers

5. Due it its history and architectural styles ranging from Renaissance to Mexican Baroque, the city was named a World Heritage Site in 1987.

6. The layout of the city is of classic Spanish design, centered on a main plaza, today called the Zocalo. This main plaza originally was rectangular, but later made square because the earlier version was considered to be ugly.

7. 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.

8. The main plaza underwent several transformations, adding statues and gardens. During the Mexican War of Independece, Puebla’s main role was the printing and distribution of the plan for independence.

9. In what became a precursor to the Mexican Revolution, Carmen and Máximino 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 battled ensued, killing both brothers on 18 November 1910

10. One of the reasons Puebla was chosen as a World Heritage Site was due to the historic and cultural value of its architecture. Various styles and techniques such as Baroque, Renaissance and Classic are represented here in over 5,000 buildings included in the catalogue.

11. The historic center 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.

12. The Cathedral, located on 16 de Septiembre and 5 Oriente, took 300 years to complete, in part due to interruptions in its construction

13. 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.

14. 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 as a Zone of Historical Monuments. In 1987, the historic center of Puebla is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

15. Finaly, I want to show you some historial pictures. Av. 5 de Mayo Cerro La Paz Av. 11 Sur