Nahuizalco

Nahuizalco is a municipality in El Salvador's Sonsonate department, located on the "flowers route" (Ruta de las Flores), 9 km from Sonsonate and 74 km from San Salvador. It sits at 540 meters above sea level in the southern Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range. The population was recorded as 49,081 in the 2007 census.

The town has strong indigenous customs and is named "place of four Izalcos" in Nahuatl, reflecting its founding by four families from nearby Izalco. It is known for its wicker and tule handcrafts, including floor mats (petates). The night market is notable, with streets lit by candles and crafts sold until 10 p.m.

The colonial church was damaged in the 2001 earthquake but restored. It honors John the Baptist annually from June 20–25. Nahuizalco has been home to poets Alfredo Alvarado, Carlos Arturo Imendia, and nurse Julia Torres.

Originally inhabited by the pipil people, Nahuizalco was part of the Izalco province during colonial times. A 1586 chronicle noted fewer than 200 residents, while a 1771 document listed 2,790 Indigenous people and 190 mestizos. The town transitioned from Guatemala to Sonsonate in 1824.

During the Federal Republic of Central America, locals supported Francisco Morazán's campaigns. A 1932 peasant uprising caused damage, but Nahuizalco was granted city status in 1955. In 2011, it became the first municipality in El Salvador to recognize Indigenous rights through a local ordinance.