The city was founded by Dominican friars in 1543. It received the title of an imperial city by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. The name Cobán originates from the Q'eqchi', the town's second language. There are several interpretations, one of which is Cob An (foggy place). In 1599 Cobán became bishop's see. The Ferrocarril Verapaz, a railway which connected Cobán with Lake Izabal, operated from 1895 until 1963 and was a symbol for the wealth in this coffee-growing region those days
