After baptising the 20 women that were presented to him, Cortés met with the chief Tabscoob and other indigenous authorities, who informed him that, in a place called Culúa, there was a very big city and there was much gold. Cortés decided to continue his journey to that place. But before, on March 25, 1519, he founded the village Santa María de la Victoria, which would be the first Spanish settlement in New Spain, on top the Maya town of Potonchán, and named in memory of the battle fought on
Lady Day. He commanded the construction of an altar for placing an image of the Virgin Mary that he decided to leave there. In addition he built in the village of Cintla or Centla a wooden cross from a ceiba, to be placed in the center of the square. Later, on Palm Sunday, after the celebration of Mass and in the presence of indigenous authorities, Cortés says goodbye to them and continues his journey. Leaving a group of 60 soldiers in the newly founded village of Santa María de la Victoria, he gave them the mission to pacify the region. After that, Cortés left toward Culua (modern-day San Juan de Ulúa, Veracruz), in search of the riches of the great empire "...from there, where the sun sets." ==References==