Campeche Facts
Things to See in Campeche
Campeche History
On March 22, 1517 Francisco Hernandez de Cordova came ashore and encountered the town of Ah Kin Pech, which means Serpent Tick, a Mayan coastal trading center of 3,000 houses. For the next 23 years Mayan forces commanded by Moch Couoh successfully repelled Spanish attacks. In 1540 Francisco Montejo the Younger finally defeated the city and renamed it Villa de San Francisco de Campeche, in honor of his father, the founder of Mérida.For three centuries, ships sailed from Campeche to Spain laden with dyes, lumber, gold, and silver, and the city grew wealthy. It became a favorite target for European pirates, who repeatedly sacked the city. To defend itself, Campeche built an extensive network of walls, bastions and forts making it one of only two walled cities in the Spanish colonies.
