Puebla

Puebla, or La Puebla de los Angeles, capital of the state of Puebla, Mexico, stands on a wide, fertile plateau, 7,200 feet above the sea, at a distance of 76 miles S.E. from Mexico. Founded in 1533, it stands third in rank among South American cities, and, owing to its position as a railway centre, it maintains its importance. The cathedral dates from 1552, though not completed for a century. The chief manufactures are cotton and woollen goods, leather, pottery, and soap. In 1863 the place was besieged and stormed by the French. The state of Puebla extends over some 12,000 square miles, being for the most part mountainous, but the plains bear rich crops of wheat, maize, and fruit. It contains the celebrated volcanic peak of Popocatepetl.