The City of Puebla de los Angeles (officially known as Puebla de Zaragoza and commonly known as just Puebla) is the fourth largest city in Mexico. It’s one of the oldest cities in the country and its colonial architecture has been well preserved.

The city was founded in 1531 as Ciudad de los Angeles. It was a midway point between Mexico City and the busy port of Veracruz. You might have read about the Battle of Puebla in 1862. During this battle Mexican troops defeated the French at Loreto and Guadalupe. This important victory is celebrated throughout Mexico each year on Cince de Mayo.

Puebla has many beautiful historical colonial buildings, but the Puebla Cathedral is the one you shouldn’t miss. This beautiful chapel is inlaid with gold. El Barrio del Artista (The Artist’s Neighborhood) and Centro y Zócalo (Downtown) are popular among tourists.

Photo credit: Flickr