Santa Fe, The City Different

The city of Santa Fe, literally Holy Faith, has served almost continuously as a state or territorial capital since the late sixteenth century. The modern Santa Fe was founded in 1608. The Spaniards used the existing Indian pueblo as the base on which to create the capital of their territory. (Twelve years later the English speaking immigrants landed on Plymouth Rock.) The Spaniards adopted native architecture and construction techniques. They borrowed the Native American adobe style enhancing it by adding windows, Spanish tiles, and iron fixtures.

Iron Fixtures...a ubiquitous feature

Santa Fe colors

Indian and Spanish Architecture

This city, the fourth largest in the state, may be the most charming of the country's state capitals. It takes little more than the mention of its name to bring a smile to persons who have been here before. The city has managed to maintain much of what has characterized it for centuries. Even the spaghetti bowl of its downtown streets has the charm of historical authenticity. Some of these streets have existed since pre-columbian times when today's plaza was the center of an Indian Pueblo.

A lovely afternoon for a walk on the plaza or a relaxing nap

Art flourishes in Santa Fe from the high culture of the Santa Fe Opera to the street vendors hawking silver jewelry around the plaza. Art galleries are numerous especially on the art strip known as Canyon Road. During the Christmas season the city is especially attractive. Hundreds of lights known as luminarias are placed atop many buildings. Some of these lights are made in the traditional way with a base of sand in a paper bag into which is placed a candle that burns into the early morning hours. Some commercial establishments have yielded to the efficiencies of modernity and adopted electric lights. 

Art in all its forms can be found in SF

Art, tourism and state government are the most important industries in Santa Fe. New Mexico has small population. It is no surprise therefore, that the administrative offices that manage its affairs are not large. Sixty miles south of Santa Fe is Albuquerque, the fast growing center of business and industry for the state. Recently, a light rail link has been created that puts that city along with its airport within easy reach of Santa Fe. It is not an over simplification to say that one city embraces the sciences while the other favors the arts.

Sidewalk vendor at the Plaza

But Santa Fe is embracing modernity as it comes into the 21st century. The tentacles of globalization have begun to reach into the city's arts world. An international celebration of folk art has attracted many visitors. This year, nearly one hundred countries were represented by artists and artisans from those countries. 

The Concho Fire darkens the otherwise beautiful sunset