The History of Veracruz
Veracruz is a large city in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Its lively harbor (zocalo) area lights up at night with music and dancing. The city has a strong Cuban influence.
Veracruz holds a week-long Carnaval celebration every year nine days before lent. This article describes the Veracruz Carnaval festivities in some detail.
Veracruz attractions include:
- The castle of San Juan de Ulúa Castle, which was the last remaining fortress of the Spanish Empire
- The Baluarte de Santiago, a still-standing section of the wall that used to sorround the old city.
- A number of interesting museams near the waterfront.
There are some local beaches but the water is not very clean. Better beaches can be found in the nearby towns of Tecolutla and Los Tuxtlas.
Veracruz was the point at which Cortez originally landed in Mexico
The city was founded by the Viceroy, Count de Monterey, at the end of the seventeenth century, and ought not to be confounded, as it sometimes is, with either of the two colonies founded by the first Spaniards. Built in front of the island of San Juan de Ulua, it has one interesting recollection attached to it, since on the same arid shores, Cortes disembarked more than three centuries ago. Unlike the green and fertile coast which gladdened the eyes of Columbus, the Spanish conqueror beheld a bleak and burning desert, whose cheerless aspect might well have deterred a feebler mind from going further in search of the paradise that existed behind.
- from Life in Mexico, by Frances Calderón De La Barca (1843)
Senora De La Barca was a Scottish woman who married an Spaniard and came to live in Mexico for two years in the early 1800's.
She described her arrival on the wharf in Veracruz:
A singular spectacle the wharf presented. A crowd, as far as the eye could reach, of all ages and sexes of Vera Cruzians (and a very curious set they seemed to be), were assembled to witness his Excellency's arrival. Some had no pantaloons; and others, to make up for their neighbours' deficiencies, had two pair--the upper slit up the side of the leg, Mexican fashion. All had large hats, with silver or bead rolls, and every tinge of dark complexion, from the pure Indian, upwards. Some dresses were entirely composed of rags, clinging together by the attraction of cohesion; others had only a few holes to let in the air. All were crowding, jostling, and nearly throwing each other into the water, and gazing with faces of intense curiosity.
But a plume of coloured feathers was seen towering above the copper-coloured crowd, and immediate passage was made for an aide-de-camp from the Governor, General Guadalupe Victoria. He was an immensely tall man, in a showy uniform all covered with gold, with colossal epaulets and a towering plume of rainbow-coloured feathers. He brought to C---n the welcome and congratulations of the General, and those Spanish offers of service and devotion which sound agreeably, whatever be their true value.
We now began to move through the crowd, which formed a line on either side to let us pass, and entered the streets of Vera Cruz, which were crowded, balconies and all, and even roofs with curious faces. The guard formed as we passed, and struck up a march. The principal street is wide and clean, and we reached the house of Señor V---o, a rich merchant, formerly consul, where we are to reside, followed to the door by the whole population. We were received with great hospitality, and found excellent rooms prepared for us. The house is immensely large and airy, built in a square as they all are, but with that unfurnished melancholy look, which as yet this style of house has to me, though admirably adapted to the climate.
- from Life in Mexico, by Frances Calderón De La Barca (1843)
Book a hotel in Veracruz, Mexico
