A CITY ON THE MOUNTAINS OF CHIAPAS
Colonial City located 46 km away on the Tuxtla Gutiérrez - San Cristóbal de Las Casas highway
As various visitors have said, San Cristóbal de Las Casas is one of the most romantic cities in the world, recognized as a Magical Town. City whose wealth lies in its ethnic diversity and colonial tradition, which shows its architectural treasures in various buildings of XVI, XVII and XVIII centuries.
History.
The Valley of Jovel offered the ideal situation, the temperate climate and the strategic location, so that Diego de Mazariegos founded in 1528 the Ciudad Real de Chiapa. In the current historic center of San Cristóbal de Las Casas converge rooftops, flowery patios, corner balconies, baroque facades, neoclassical and Mudejar style buildings, colorful handicrafts, exquisite kitchen, processions ceremonies, popular festivals and ancient legends.
Its construction followed a process similar to that of other colonial cities that were created in the territory of New Spain. First of all, the main square was drawn, in whose surroundings the places that would occupy the main buildings were designated. Around its square are the baroque-style cathedral in the Central American style, the neoclassical municipal palace, the portals, the church of San Nicolás, with the style that most identifies the colonial religious architecture of Chiapas and the house of La Sirena with facade Plateresque inspiration of the sixteenth century. Especially interesting is the group formed by the Dominican convent and the temple of La Caridad together with the Cathedral and the Plaza March 31 by the ecclesiastical walker north, main monumental axis of the city.
The church of Santo Domingo is a masterpiece of the Central American and Mexican Baroque, both for its mortar facade and for the set of altarpieces and golden pulpit inside. La Caridad stands out for its sumptuous Baroque altarpiece. Baroque are also the altarpieces of San Francisco, while El Carmen sports a unique Mudejar tower in Mexico. Many other buildings of interest are in the city that is characterized by having a large inventory of mansions of neoclassical style inspired by the Renaissance Treaty of Vignola.
From the foundation, in the periphery of the center the plots of land for the Spaniards were assigned and in the end the natives were located, among whom were those who provided some service to the Hispanics in the conquest of the region. This is how the neighborhoods of Mexicans, Tlaxcala and del Cerrillo are still scattered throughout the city. The visit to the neighborhoods is a fascinating experience for traditional architecture, festivals, crafts and gastronomy. Many doors have red paper lamps indicating the sale of delicious tamales.
Nowadays the city of San Cristobal de Las Casas is one of the most beautiful and original of Mexico and Central America, for the evocative colonial image that has preserved in its historic center over the centuries. Because in addition to that, it also has a traditional daily life, with its market and its people, the Tzeltals and the Tzotziles arrive with their colorful clothes, coming from different communities to sell or exchange their products.
