Ahuachapán

Ahuachapán has pre-Hispanic roots linked to the Pokomames and Nahuas communities that inhabited western El Salvador. Its name, of Nahuatl origin, is often interpreted as “place of the oak houses.” After independence, it was granted the title of villa in 1823, elevated to city in 1862, and became the head of the new department of Ahuachapán in 1869. During the coffee boom, the city gained commercial importance and developed much of the architecture that still characterizes its historic center. Geothermal activity has also shaped its identity: the hot springs in its surroundings were described as early as the 16th century and continue to be one of its most recognizable natural features today. Another essential part of its memory is the Day of the Farolitos, a tradition documented through oral history since the mid-19th century. Every September 7th, families illuminate facades and public spaces on the eve of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The celebration was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of El Salvador in 2014.