The city of Puebla, formally Heróica Puebla de Zaragoza, is the seat of Puebla Municipality, the capital and largest city of the state of Puebla, and one of the five most important Spanish colonial cities in Mexico. A colonial era-planned city, it is located 82 miles southeast of Mexico City and 170 miles west of Mexico's main Atlantic port, Veracruz, on the main route between the two in Central Mexico.

The city was founded in 1531 in an area called Cuetlaxcoapan, which means "where serpents change their skin", in between two of the main indigenous settlements at the time, Tlaxcala and Cholula.  Due to its history and architectural styles ranging from Renaissance to Mexican Baroque, the city was named a World Heritage Site in 1987.

 

Being both the fourth largest city in Mexico and the fourth largest Metropolitan area in Mexico, the city serves as one of the main hubs for eastern Central Mexico. Many students come from all over the country. The city is also important because of its industry, with the world's largest Volkswagen factory outside of Germany located in the Municipality of Cuautlancingo.  As a result, many suppliers have opened factories in the city of Puebla.  Many of the rich traditions of Puebla involve food and art. Mole poblano, a spicy sauce, was developed around the 17th century and is still enjoyed today, as is the dish chiles en nogada.  Puebla is also well known for its Talavera ceramics, which are crafted using the same techniques introduced by the Spaniards in the 16th century.