Suchitoto is a náhuatl Word that means “Bird-Flower.” Most historians agree that the first Spanish settlement near Suchitoto was made in the Valley of the Almonds, located to the northeast of the municipality.

The founding of Suchitoto is attributed to the Pipiles, who settled in the present Salvadoran territory of Cuscatlán halfway through the 11 th century and were one of the most veteran indigenous tribes that fought against the Spanish conquistadors in the beginning of the 17 th century.

In the ruins of the archaeological site of Cihuatán, one of the most extensive in the country, the vestiges of that thriving epoch and the spaces where a ceremonial ballgame was played during the pre-Hispanic life of El Salvador can be appreciated.

At the end of the Conquest, the Spaniards established themselves in the Valle de La Bermuda and founded in 1528 the second Villa de San Salvador that we know today as Ciudad Vieja. For different social and climate factors, the settlers later moved the Villa of San Salvador to the place we know today as San Salvadoran, the country´s capital.

The boom of commercial indigo propelled the economy of Suchitoto and triggered a growth in population. However, in the 19 th century, the activity collapsed due to the discovery of synthetic colors in Europe, a phenomenon that forced our ancestors to completely restructure their way of life.

In the twentieth century, Suchitoto was one of the towns most affected by the armed conflict that our country suffered through (1980-1992). The municipality lived in desperate circumstances due to the scourge of war confrontations and the suspension of potable water, energy, electricity and public transportation services.

The cruelty of the war decimated the population, paralyzed economic activity, and almost reduced us to a ghost town.

But just as we learned how to overcome the indigo crisis of the 19 th century, our city raised itself up from the ashes of the war and began its rebirth with the signing of the Peace Accords in 1992.

The titanic effort of exemplary Suchitotoans made it possible in just a few years to leave behind the deep wounds of the conflict in order to reemerge as one of the main tourist destinations of Central America. We put our faith in the flourishing of art, in the recovery of our customs, and in the devotion of our solemn religious acts and traditions.

Of vital importance has been the efficient work of the municipality with the promulgation of ordinances and community education campaigns focused on the conservation of our invaluable human, physical, and cultural heritage.