Veracruz (city, Mexico)

Veracruz (city, Mexico), officially Veracruz Llave, city, eastern Mexico, on the Bay of Campeche (an arm of the Gulf of Mexico). Situated in an important petroleum-producing region, it is a major seaport and a commercial and manufacturing center. Landmarks include the massive Castillo de San Juan de Ulúa, a fortress begun by the Spanish in 1528 to guard the harbor, and the Plaza de la Constitución, the city's main square since colonial times. A technological institute is here. The site of Veracruz was first settled in 1519 by the Spanish, who subsequently abandoned the area; the city was permanently established by them about 1600. It was captured by United States forces in 1847, during the Mexican War. The French occupied Veracruz in the 1860s, and the United States landed troops here for a short time in 1914. Population (2005 estimate) 512,310.