Historic Centre of Puebla


World Heritage Identification Number: 416

World Heritage since: 1987

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇲🇽 Mexico

Continent: Americas

UNESCO World Region: Latin America and the Caribbean

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Exploring the Rich History and Architectural Wonders of the Historic Centre of Puebla

The Historic Centre of Puebla, located approximately 100 kilometers east of Mexico City, stands as a testament to the harmonious blend of European and American architectural styles that characterizes this vibrant city. Founded in 1531, Puebla was built from scratch, offering visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich history and cultural heritage of Mexico. In 1987, the city center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing its significant historical, artistic, and cultural value.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Puebla, which was founded ex nihilo in 1531, is situated about 100 km east of Mexico City, at the foot of the Popocatepetl volcano. It has preserved its great religious structures such as the 16th–17th-century cathedral and fine buildings like the old archbishop's palace, as well as a host of houses with walls covered in tiles (azulejos). The new aesthetic concepts resulting from the fusion of European and American styles were adopted locally and are peculiar to the Baroque district of Puebla.

Encyclopedia Record: Historic centre of Puebla

The historic centre of Puebla was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 690 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 19.045967 , -98.197769

Image

Image of Historic Centre of Puebla

© Israel Espinosa López: Zeisseon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Country Information: Mexico

Flag of Mexico

Official Name: United Mexican States

Capital: Mexico City

Continent: Americas

Population (2024): 130,861,007

Population (2023): 129,739,759

Population (2022): 128,613,117

Land Area: 1,943,950 sq km

Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Historic Centre of Puebla are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Historic centre of Puebla, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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