Top: Panoramic view of Córdoba main square; Middle: San Antonio de Padua Church, Immaculate Conception Cathedral; Bottom: Portal de la Gloria, Córdoba Municipal Hall
Seal
Nickname:
La ciudad de los 30 caballeros (The City of the Thirty Gentlemen)
Córdoba, known officially as Heroica Córdoba, is a city and the seat of the municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It was founded in 1618.
Córdoba has a municipal area of 159.9 km.2 It is divided into 95 localities, of which the most important are San Román, Crucero Nacional, La Luz y Trinidad Palotal, and Colorines.[1]
This city is also known as The City of the Thirty Knights since it was founded by 30 Spanish noblemen commissioned by Viceroy Fernández de Córdoba.
The city boasts of its historical importance, its colonial places and buildings, its cultural centers, parks and its gastronomy. Along with Fortín, Amatlán and Yanga, it forms part of a very important metropolitan area, with a population of 335,850 people as 2020,[1] in the Altas Montañas region to form a large metropolitan area together with the City of Orizaba.
Geography
Córdoba is located in the center of the state of Veracruz, at 18º51'30" north latitude and 96º55'51" west longitude. It lies between the hills of Matlaquiahitl and Tepixtepec, at an elevation of 817 meters (2,680 feet) above mean sea level.[2]
Its climate is warm and humid, with an annual average temperature of 19.8 °C (67.6 °F). There is abundant rainfall in summer and autumn, with little rain in winter.[3]
History
Córdoba desde el camino de Coscomatépec by Casimiro Castro, c. 1877
Colonial period
The village of Córdoba was founded in 1618 by the Spanish to protect royal interests from attacks by Gaspar Yanga's slave rebellion.
The main economic activities are agriculture, ranching, industry and trade. The principal crops are sugar cane, coffee, avocado, orange, lemon, and rice, along with some non-traditional crops as anturios, heliconias and palma camedor.
A highway connects Córdoba with the state's principal port, Veracruz. There is an adequate workforce, with a relatively low annual wage, providing opportunities for hiring for industry.
Córdoba is the focal point for the local sugar milling and coffee processing industries, and it is also an important place for marketing and refining tropical fruits.
Several medical institutions provide public-health services in Córdoba, including the ISSSTE, the IMSS, and the SCSP. There is also a local Cruz Roja (Red Cross) hospital, and several private hospitals.
The city has a large number of entertainment centers, including billiard halls, ballrooms and discothèques. Cordoba has three libraries, three auditoriums, a theatre and a museum.[3]
As of 2020, the municipality of Córdoba has an approximate population of 204,721 inhabitants, 139,075 residing in the municipal seat, which represents 2.57% of the total population of the State of Veracruz,[1] which makes it the 6th largest in the state. Other localities include San Román (10,907 hab.), Crucero Nacional (8,479 hab.), La Luz y Trinidad Palotal (3,584 hab.) and Colorines (2,911 hab.).[1]
Notable locations
One of Córdoba's most important locations is its zócalo (main square). The square, called the Parque de 21 de Mayo, uses the traditional Spanish layout, with a church on the east side, the Palacio Municipal (city hall) on the west, and commercial establishments on the north and south sides.[3]
The Paso Coyol Ecological Park Spanish: Parque ecológico Paso Coyol is a 4 hectares (9.9 acres) eco-conscious park that was once an abandoned lot.[4]
