the encomienda system. The first evangelists to the area were the Augustinians. They founded a small monastery in 1532, where the parish church, built in 1652, is found now. This is considered to be the founding of the town of Pahuatlán. The area come under the direct rule of the Spanish Crown in the 17th century. By 1750, it came under the jurisdiction of Huauchinango and remained so until 1860. The major historical event to happen in this area occurred during the French Intervention in Mexico. On 28 January 1865, a battle occurred here between the French and their backers against troops under Coronel José Luis Lechuga. In 1861, the municipality's official name was changed to Pahuatlán del Valle to honor General Don Leandro Valle. As the town of Pahuatlán is located on the side of a steep hill, it is prone to landslides and other consequences of erosion. In October 2007, a fault line 800 meters long opened on one side of the town, causing the evacuations of over eighty families. This negatively affected tourism in the area for a time. The municipal seat has applied to become a Pueblo Mágico in order to attract tourism to the area. To be accepted the state government invested 50 million pesos in social infrastructure. This included the reconstruction and widening of the Atlantongo-Xolotla highway, which cost over 20 million pesos. Environment Mountains Pahuatlán is in the northwestern Sierra Norte of Puebla mountain range, at the intersection of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Sierra Madre Oriental, between the Mexican Plateau and the Gulf of Mexico coast. This area consists of a series of many individual mountain peaks formed in parallel lines. These mountains are separated by narrow valleys which frequently slope down towards the Gulf of Mexico. The terrain is steep and irregular with much of the municipality following the San Marcos and Mamiquetla rivers. Major peaks include the El Chile, Toxtla, Blanco, Tlazalotepec, De la Cruz, and Batalla de 28 Enero. The elevation of the municipality varies from above sea level. Climate There are two main climates in the municipalities, the temperate of the higher Sierra Norte and the hotter climate of the lower elevations nearer to the Gulf of Mexico The temperate climate has average annual temperatures which range from 12 to 18C. Most of the municipality falls under this designation. A small portion is in a semi hot