Explore one of the oldest cities in the United States.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, is probably one of the most unique cities in the United States. Adobe buildings galore. Okay, I will admit, most are not really adobe, but the city looks awesome, nonetheless. Santa Fe was founded all the way back in 1607! Making it the third oldest city in the United States (beaten only by St. Augustine, Florida and Jamestown, Virginia). Like St. Augustine, Santa Fe was founded by the Spanish, and it became the capital of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico in 1610. Santa Fe is still the capital of New Mexico today, a very long run under three different countries. In 1810, the Mexicans fought for independence from Spain and Santa Fe became a Mexican city, later to become part of the United States after the Mexican American War in 1848.
Santa Fe had a slow start on growth. Being in the middle of nowhere New Mexico didn’t help the cause. In 1912, the city only had about 5,000 inhabitants. Civic leaders wanted to do something about that. They wanted to attract new people but also save the historic streets and buildings from early Santa Fe. Any new development had to match the existing style of the old city. So, the unique adobe city was born.
Downtown Santa Fe was built around a central plaza, with the Palace of the Governors on the north side, with the famous Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi to the east (not exactly on the plaza anymore but close by).
The end of the Santa Fe trail in the central plaza area. It was a 19th century transportation route connecting Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe. It functioned as a commercial highway until the railroad reach Santa Fe in 1880.
The central plaza is surrounded by shops of course.
The detailing on this theater is awesome.
The Palace of the Governors was built all the way back in 1610. It served as the seat for the Spanish governors, Mexican governors and United States governors, making it one of the oldest public buildings in use in the United States today. While it is no longer the state capital building of New Mexico, it is still a museum today.
The Palace of the Governors during the early Spanish occupation would have been simply decorated and furnished, unlike most public buildings today.
The really cool looking New Mexico Museum of Art. Looks like a old Spanish mission.
One of the coolest parking garages ever. You can barely tell that it is one. They were not kidding about everything having to match.
Street leading up to the cathedral.
Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi was built on the same site that once housed the original church for Santa Fe (It was destroyed during the Pueblo Revolt in 1680). This new church was built in the late 1800s in the Romanesque Revival style.
I got to say, the cathedral is very fancy.
I really liked the ceiling.
The San Miguel Chapel was built between 1610 and 1626, making it the oldest church in the United States.
An excellent example of an early Spanish Colonial church, with its amazing wooden altar from 1798.
The really cool Loretto Chapel built for a girls’ school in 1876.
The Loretto Chapel, as seen on “Unsolved Mysteries.”
They imported French architects for the chapel, which is not mysterious.
The “miraculous staircase” was built by a mysterious woodworker. He showed up after the nuns that ran the school prayed for someone to help them build an “impossible” staircase. Miraculous or not, the staircase is a feat of woodworking, due to its lack of internal support.
On the way to the state capital building, there is this really old shop which is pretty awesome.
Awesome old door.
The state capital of New Mexico is very round.
The Loretto Hotel. I love the pueblo style in this really fancy hotel.
Santa Fa was once on historic Route 66, the original route. It was bypassed by in 1937.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a great place to visit. It has a ton of fantastic museums, even lots of shopping for weird art. Santa Fe’s uniqueness makes it a great place to wander around. It is also a great jumping off point for numerous National Park sites like Pecos National Historical Park, Bandelier National Monument and the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
Check out all my other posts in my Wandering series!
