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In 1862, the French army, considered the most bloodthirsty and ambitious of that time, was defeated on May 5 in Puebla by a small Mexican militia. This date was preserved in memory as a symbol of the Mexicans’ resistance to foreign invasion. But what happened and how did the Mexican army manage to stop the invaders? For 154 years, no one imagined that the answer was under the feet of the inhabitants of Puebla City, only at a depth of five meters. We’re talking about a system of tunnels that all have heard of, but which have been recently discovered and saved so that anyone can visit them. These tunnels may have been used by the Mexicans to be able to enter and exit through different points of Puebla City and thus ambush the French invaders. But in this whole story, there are still unfinished ends that need to be tied up, for example: why there are no official documents that talk about these tunnels? Was this really the best-kept secret of the government of President Benito Juarez? Sergio Vergara Berdejo, head of the Puebla Historic Center Authority, notes that the tunnels use construction methods from the 18th and 19th centuries, a century before the conflict between France and Mexico. This makes us think that the Mexican army of that time was one of the few who knew about the existence of these tunnels and even perhaps that they were the ones who expanded them, but then, who built them and why? Many Mexican cities have legends about secret tunnels lying just beneath the streets, used during the revolution either by royalty or even during the inquisition. Grandparents would tell these folk stories to children. The discovery of the Puebla tunnel in 2015 lends some credence to these urban legends. In the alley of Cinco de Mayo Road, there’s a doorway leading underground that looks to be an entrance to a subway. This is a tiny entrance discovered in 2015 – a secret tunnel system used to connect a fort area with the city of Puebla. After the discovery of the first door to the tunnels, due to uneven work, exploration of the underground network began along with the removal of earth and dirt, and the discovery of bullets and wooden crossbows along the way, which reinforces the hypothesis that the space was used for strategic and military purposes. A 500-year-old series of tunnels long believed to be folkloric was uncovered beneath the streets of Puebla City. The tunnel system is believed to extend for more than 10 kilometers. The entrances to four tunnels have been discovered during routine work in 2015 in the Historic Center of Puebla. Lined with stone, the tunnels reach a height of seven meters and a width of three and a half. The underground tunnel system dates back to 1531, they have resisted the passage of time, the weight of an ever-growing city, and a severe flood in the 1600s. That flood buried a good part of the then-young city — Puebla was founded in 1531 — because it proved easier for its denizens to build over the tonnes of mud than to dig out their original buildings. So parts of the city and its mythical tunnels were lost and forgotten. At first, it was thought that what had been uncovered was a sewage system, but after further excavations, it was found out these tunnels provided colonial officials and religious authorities with covert means of moving between convents, churches, and administrative offices. Tunnels, tall enough that a person could comfortably ride through on horseback, originate in the historic center of Puebla and lets out to the Loreto fort, where the Cinco de Mayo battle occurred. Along with toys, marbles, and antique kitchen goods, a lot of guns, bullets, and gunpowder were found trapped in the mud. The weaponry was mostly from the mid-19th century, around the time of the Battle of Puebla conflict between Mexico and France. Investigators believe these tunnels may have been used by soldiers during the war of Mexican liberation, though they also could have been used by clergy or even common folk. In addition to rumors among the population of Puebla about the existence of tunnels under the city, a 1929 publication described what people called the “Devil’s Cave” behind the building that occupied the vocational school, which seemed to be the beginning of a hole in which thieves left stolen large objects. After the tunnels have been rescued and illuminated, those who wish can visit them. Tunnels were opened to the public in 2016. The tour across the tunnel includes a guided visit by archaeologists who worked on the project and displays where one can see the items that lay in the mud for so long. Boulevard Héroes del 5 de Mayo (without number) and corner 3 Oriente, Analco. Calle 2 Nte, Xanenetla. Tunnels are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00-16:00 and cost 25 MXN.
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Puebla de Zaragoza or shortly Puebla is located at the foot of the Popocatépetl volcano, and its foundation was in 1531. The Historic Monuments Zone of Puebla is an almost 7 km polygon that is considered the origin and historic center of Puebla de Zaragoza, the capital of Puebla State, and was decreed an area of Historic Monuments in 1977 by presidential decree. On December 11, 1987, the Historic Center of Puebla City has declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. You can admire the mosaic of its many buildings, highlighting some, because such are its facades that feature the harmonious combination of bricks with artistic tiles and reliefs in white mortar. The preservation of this urban-architectural heritage was the reason for the historic center of Puebla to enter the List of World Heritage Sites. The historic center still retains a lot of colonial architecture. Several of the oldest buildings were badly damaged after the 1999 earthquake, which were subsequently repaired. However, after the effects of the 2017 earthquake, some of them again suffered damage. Of all the colonial buildings, the most impressive is the Puebla Cathedral, built in a neoclassical style. The Chapel of the Rosary in the church of Santo Domingo is an example of a Mexican dramatic baroque. Other important places are El Barrio del Artist, where local arts and the Center and the Zocalo are produced, where the Puebla Cathedral and the Municipal Palace are located.
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Environment Most of the municipality has been deforested, including the lower parts of the Malinche volcano and the entire Sierra de Amozoc, due to logging and seasonal agriculture. The Sierra del Tentzon and the higher elevations of the Malinche volcano still preserve the Mexican Trans-Volcanic Belt of pine-oak, an ecoregion of forests of pine, oak, and other species. In pine forests, Montezuma pine (Pinus Montezumae) is predominant, with Hartweg pine (Pinus Hartwegii), Teocote pine in dry areas with shallow soils, and fir-tree in various forests together with oyamel (Abies religious). The fauna consists mainly of small mammals such as rabbits and skunks, as well as birds such as owls, vultures, and wild waterfowl. Parks and green areas within Puebla City Metropolitan Eco-park of the City of Puebla: This park is a giant ecological and tourist recreation proposal and also, together with the Amalucan Park, they are the only two eco-parks in Puebla that welcome pets with pleasure. Park is located in the Angelópolis Zone of the city that is directly connected to the Paseo del Río Atoyac. Parque Jardín del Arte: Park located in the Angelópolis Zone that is part of the “Linear Park”; a network of bicycle lanes that connects the park-garden of art with the Metropolitan Auditorium, with the Estrella de Puebla, with the CIS (Comprehensive Service Center), with 2.5km of bicycle lanes connected to the Metropolitan Ecopark. The Mexican Revolution Ecological Park: It was opened in order to protect, conserve and improve the natural areas of the state and to provide the people of Puebla with spaces for culture, education, sports, and recreation, the Mexican Revolution Ecological Park was set up with 58 hectares. At the beginning of 2015, this park was modernized, which has an influx of one million visitors per year. Previously it was an airfield. Los Fuertes: In this area, located on the San Cristóbal hill, has several parks and museums, highlighting the Forts of Guadalupe and Loreto (Museum of Non-Intervention), the Ignacio Zaragoza Mausoleum, the Regional Museum of Puebla (INAH), the Monument to the Flag, the Interactive Museum May 5, the Cable Car Walk, the Museum of Evolution and the Planetarium, the Exhibitor Center, the “El Relicario” bullring, the Rafaela Padilla auditorium, etc. Parque Juárez: Located in the “Golden Zone”, it was one of the first urban parks in the city. It was remodeled in 2018 improving its image. Amalucan Park: Located on the Amalucan hill, it is a park inaugurated in 2018 that contains archaeological ruins, a statue of “La Victoria” viewpoint, artificial beach, courts, etc … Flora and Fauna The urban area of Puebla is located on lands formerly covered by temperate forests and natural and induced grasslands. With the progressive growth of the city, these ecosystems were almost completely eradicated. The first reforestation efforts included exotic species, especially eucalyptus and pirules, which have a high degree of adaptation and have displaced the native flora. The main green areas of the city, such as the Amalucan hill, the Los Fuertes area, and the 25 Military Zone, are covered by these species, while only at the eastern end of the city there are remnants of mixed oak and sabino forest. and pine. Outside of that, the flora of the city is mainly ruderal and ornamental. Among the most visible species are: Native: capulincillo oak (Quercus castanea), sabino (Juniperus deppeana), sad juniper (Juniperus poblana), tlacocote (Pinus leiophylla), tronadora (Tecoma stans), capulín (Prunus serotina), ash (Fraxinus uhdei), magueyes (Agave spp) .) and nopales (Opuntia spp.). Ruderales: nettle (Wigandia Urens), polocote (Tithonia Tubaeformis), purple mirasol (Cosmos Bipinnatus), tobacco (Nicotiana glauca), world flower (Leonotis nepetifolia), castor (Ricinus communis), among others. Ornamentals: jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Indian laurel (Ficus benjamina), casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia), white cedar (Cupressus lusitanica), white poplar (Populus alba), among others. Along with the natural spaces, the local fauna has also been seriously affected by the growth of the city. On the other hand, synanthropic species, which adapt to or even benefit from human presence, have thrived in the area; among them, the black rat (Rattus rattus), the red-bellied squirrel (Sciurus Aureogaster), the cacomixtle (Bassariscus astutus), the opossum (Didelphis virginiana), the rock pigeon (Columba livia), the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the carrot (Quiscalus Mexicanus).
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The House of the Dolls is a historical building considered one of the most notable examples of civil architecture in Puebla from the 18th century. It is located in the first block northeast of the zocalo in the city of Puebla. Since 1983 it has been part of the patrimony of the Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla and is currently the headquarters of the BUAP University Museum. The historian Arturo Córdova Durana affirms that the house is in “one of the main lots adjacent to the Plaza Mayor that, in the 16th century, the regiment of the newly founded city of Puebla gave at the mercy of Captain Juan Ochoa de Elejalde, conqueror and clerk of the army of Hernán Cortés”. The same historian affirms that the last of the descendants of Juan Ochoa de Elejalde, Andrés de Pardiñas and Villar de Francos, Count of Castelo, in 1784 sold the farm to the captain and regidor Agustín de Ovando Cáceres de Ledesma Núñez de Villavicencio. Doctor Hugo Leicht, in his book Las Calles de Puebla, points out that the house was built by Agustín de Ovando y Villavicencio. Thus, during the history of Puebla, the house has been known as Casa del Conde de Castelo and Casa de Ovando. But the best-known name for this house is the one that the population has given it: House of the Dolls. Architecture This name is due to the facade of the house: one of the most admired among the baroque houses of Puebla. There are three levels on the façade. In the first, twelve openings: ten correspond to windows and the two largest, to doors. Although it is a single facade, it corresponds to two houses. On the second level, eight panels alternate with eight balconies, with the coat of arms of the Ovando and Villavicencio family remaining in the center, above the main entrance. In the third level, the alternating game of boards and windows is repeated. On the cornice, there is a running railing. Higher up, an undulating cornice, six gargoyles, a railing, and six flowerpots at the top. The complex is an extraordinary example of a Puebla Baroque façade: at the base, a gray quarry trim; on this, a small strip formed by red clay bricks and tiles. And the most striking: formed with tile mosaic, sixteen anthropomorphic figures presented in a moment that stops their movements. It was restored by the architect Ambrosio Guzmán in 1987, who served as the first director of the University Museum. The house was damaged by the 1999 earthquake, so it was closed for seven years for remodeling work. It was reopened to the public on October 4, 2006. The dolls Popular tradition mentions that Agustín de Ovando, with the dolls’ dolls, made fun of the councilors who opposed his house being taller than the government house. The historian Enrique Cordero y Torres refers to the legend that Ovando made fun of the councilors based on the animals and attributes that some of the dolls present: the dictator, and the snake … These popular versions do not consider that Agustín de Ovando himself was a councilor. One of the most elaborate versions of the meaning of the figures on the façade is due to the researcher Erwin Walter Palm who affirms in a well-documented analysis that the façade presents – in a densely syncretic account– at the top, a party in which people dance to the music of joy because Hercules has killed the serpent and, at the intermediate level, the Five Senses –presented by the animals carried by some of the characters– welcome Hercules liberating.
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