San Salvador | Map, History, & Facts (2025)

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What are 5 interesting facts about San Salvador? ›

Founded near Suchitoto in 1525 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, it was moved 20 miles (32 km) southwest to its present site in 1528 and was declared a city in 1546.

The Fourteen Families ("las catorce familias")—with names including de Sola, Llach, Hill, Meza-Ayau, Duenas, Dalton, Regalado, Quiñonez, Flores, and Salaverria—is a reference to this oligarchy.

The Pipil (descendants of the Aztecs), the predominant tribe in the region prior to the Spanish conquest, named their territory and capital Cuscatlán, meaning “Land of the Jewel”; the name is still sometimes applied to El Salvador today.

Known as the Land of Volcanoes, El Salvador has frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. It is the only country in Central America that does not have a coastline on the Caribbean Sea. Known as the "land of volcanoes," El Salvador has frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

San Salvador is believed by many scholars to be the island of Guanahani, where Christopher Columbus made his first landing in the New World on October 12, 1492.

Later, San Salvador was taken over by the British buccaneer, George Watling who renamed the island Watling's Island after himself. It was not until 1926 that the island's name was restored to San Salvador which it remains to this day.

Despite El Salvador's tiny size and its enormous poverty, some of these families rank among the richest in the world. From the Salaverrias - whose holdings could be worth some $70 million - to the Duenas-Regalado clan -whose fortune approaches $300 million - they are in positions of enormous in-fluence, even from afar.

Are Salvadorans Mayans or Aztecs? ›

Historians debate the origins of the first inhabitants of El Salvador. Some say they were Mayan, others say they were Aztec.

Vincent of Austria and La Trinidad, in Sonsonate, also enacted it. Slavery was banned in 1825, which made El Salvador the third country to abolish slavery in the Americas after Haiti and Chile. Numerous slaves from Belize fled to El Salvador, eventually mixing with the native population.

El Salvador was given its name by the Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado who dedicated the land of his conquest to Jesus Christ, The Saviour (El Salvador). The capital of the city is San Salvador which means Holy Saviour.

San Salvador is also called the land of lakes and Columbus' Isle. It is about 12 miles long and five miles wide. Its original name was Guanahani. Later it was called Watling's Island after George Watling, a noted buccaneer.

Etymology. After the Spanish conquest, the land was divided into the province of San Salvador, which means "Holy Savior"; a Spanish title for Jesus.

One of the most southeastern islands of The Bahamas, San Salvador is actually the exposed peak of a submerged mountain that rises 15,000 feet from the ocean floor. Only 12 miles long and 5 miles wide with a population of 1,200 San Salvadorians, the island has miles of pristine and secluded beaches and emerald blue sea.

The culinary traditions are the result of a blend of indigenous and Spanish influences. Salvadoran food can be as familiar as chicken soup, or as exotic as fried palm flowers. Lots of fruits and vegetables are part of the daily diet. Tortillas, papusa, rice, meats, plantains and soups are part of most meals.