Panchimalco ("The Place of Flags and Shields," from the Nahuatl, "Pantli," meaning banner or flag; "Chimalli," meaning shield or herald, and "co," place) Its 35,000 inhabitants, sometimes called "Panchos," are descendants of Pipil Indians fleeing the Spanish takeover of San Salvador during the 16th century, into areas originally inhabited by Mayan and Nahuatl peoples.

[6] During the Spanish conquest of the territory, the area was called "El Fuerte" (the fortress) because of the concave shape of the land that gave the indigenous population an advantage.

[citation needed] The Spanish established Panchimalco as a village, and built its famous colonial church, one of the most important historical monuments in El Salvador.

[3] The church, consecrated to the Holy Cross of Rome, and bearing that name (Santa Cruz de Roma), has been damaged in the various earthquakes that have shaken El Salvador through the centuries, beginning with one registered in 1736.

The Flower & Fronds Fair (Feria de las Flores y Palmas) celebrates the Virgin Mary devotion of the local Catholic church.

The dance of the Moors and Christians is an odd vestige of a tradition brought over by the Spaniards, which celebrates a Spanish victory over Muslim invaders during the Dark Ages.