47.6/14 La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís

Located 7,000 feet above sea level against the slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe is the highest state capital in America. It is also the oldest, named The Royal City of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi, in 1610 as the capital of New Mexico. Charles L. Cadieux (The New Mexico Guide) writes, “[Santa Fe] has been called one of the most interesting cities in America, along with Charleston, South Carolina, and New Orleans, Louisiana. I’m not sure Charleston and New Orleans really measure up.”

MAGNET

The picture on the magnet gives an amazingly complete picture of Santa Fe. It symbolizes the Ancient people with the petroglyph and the present Native Americans with feathers. Important animals are shown. Typical foods and pots and indirectly the artists that create them. And finally the strong influence of the Catholic Church.

In 1540, Francisco Vásques de Coronado following the forays of Cabeza de Vaca [what a name!], 1536, and Fray Marcos de Niza, 1539, took a large group—285 Spaniards, 800 Mexican Natives, and livestock—on a 2 year 3,500 mile expedition that explored and surveyed from central Kansas to the Colorado river and from the Grand Canyon to Oklahoma and Texas.

THE OLDEST HOUSE ON THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OCCUPIED STREET, East De Vargas (formerly, Barrio de Analca) 1646 & 1607, respectively

Next to the oldest church, San Miguel, is the street where Mexican and local Indians lived “across the river” from the Plaza and Governor’s Palace where their employer’s lived. (“Analca” means across the river.)

SAN MIGUEL MISSION CHAPEL 1607

This chapel was built for the people living in Barrio de Analca. The San Jose Bell on display is thought to have been cast in Spain in 1356 and brought to Santa Fe through Mexico City. The Chapel has been partially destroyed over time and the present walls surround some of the original walls. The altar screen was created in Mexico in the 1700s.

SAN MIGUEL MISSION REREDO

NATIVE AMERICAN VENDORS AT THE PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS

PEPPERS TO GO

POTS APLENTY

LA FONDA HOTEL

The La Fonda Hotel (La Fonda means the inn.) is built on the place where early records indicate there was a fonda to accommodate travelers early in the 1600s. As you can see old Santa Fe is a city where you are going to walk. Parking places are nearly non-existent, and the streets were laid out in the 17th century.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHEDRAL

The non-hispanic look to the Cathedral can be attributed to the fact it was built by French bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy. He was sent to build it in 1851, when Santa Fe was one of the wildest outposts of the Wild West—Billy the Kid (he once worked as a bus boy at the La Fonda Hotel) was one of the chief outlaws of the time. The cornerstone was laid in 1869 and stained glass windows imported from France were installed in 1884.

The Cathedral incorporated the old Spanish-style parish church in the north wing where it remains as a chapel dedicated the the oldest wooden Madonna known to exist in North America.

OLDEST WOODEN STATUE OF MADONNA IN NORTH AMERICA

The statue was carved in Mexico and brought to Santa Fe around 1625. The man could be St. Francis. Looking closely at the Madonna's face, she seems to made to appear regal and stern—not the way I imagine the St. Mary.

THE INN & SPA AT LORETTO

One of Santa Fe’s most picturesque architectural additions in recent years is the Inn & Spa at Loretto. It is modeled after the Taos Pueblo and presents all those interesting angles and curves that photographers love so much. The Great Western inn has 139 rooms and suites, swimming pool, and restaurant in five stories. For two people during season, the rates are $365–499. (La Fonda Hotel is a bargain at only $219–319.)

NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN ON GROUNDS OF THE INN

THE INN AT LORETTO—AN ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL