Puebla, Mexico

Puebla
Registered Sector: 
Historic Center of Puebla
Location and site: 
Between the two ranges of the Sierra Madre, not far from volcanic summits, Puebla is situated in a high fertile valley at 2,000 m. above sea level. Southeast of Mexico, it was on the route that connected the capital to the port of Vera Cruz, close to the pre-Hispanic city of Cholula.
Historical Function: 
Politics and industry.
Administrative Status: 
Capital of the State of Puebla.
Historical Reference: 
  • The colonial site of Puebla played a major role in the history of New Spain and Mexico. Its urban design, which dates to the 16th century and was inspired by the Renaissance, influenced the development of other cities in the New World.
  • In 1539 Puebla became the Episcopal See and then experienced rapid development. By the 17th century, it had supplanted Cholula, which was 12 km. away.
  • After enjoying prosperity in the 18th century, Puebla became the site of a series of confrontations in the 19th century. In particular, it was the site of most of the popular struggles related to the establishment of Independent Mexico and the revolutionary movement of 1910.
  • In 1862, the French expeditionary force was defeated by the Mexicans in Puebla; this feat is celebrated on Mexico's National Day. Following the Reform laws of 1857, and especially after 1880, the city underwent development, including the construction of new parks and avenues which, since 1950, have enjoyed spectacular growth in all four directions.
Urban Morphology: 
Puebla extends through the Cuetlaxcoapan Valley as a rectilinear grid made up of relatively wide streets. While most of the major arteries follow the regular orientation of the plan, one main street, the "Diagonale de los Defensores de la Republica," crosses the city on a diagonal. Puebla's Zocalo, the central esplanade of the historic area, is considered one of the great achievements of colonial urban planning.

Puebla is a large city with several sumptuous 18th-century Baroque churches and a number of convents. Its colonial architecture is famous for its colourful glazes (azulejos). This material, which is used for the cupolas of the churches and the walls of the dwellings alike, ensures the unity of the architectural landscape.

Registration Criteria: 
Within an intact urban grid, the historical centre comprises major religious buildings as well as palaces and a host of dwellings with azulejo wall covering. While the 19th-century transformations modified the urban landscape and implied the closure of a number of convents, they also provided Puebla with a civic and domestic architecture of the highest quality. (IV) From the 19th century on, Puebla's influence was due to the high architectural quality of this new city. (II)