Entertainment and Attractions in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Entertainment and Attractions in Santa Fe, New Mexico

The very center of Santa Fe is not so big, but very lively. Quite a few buildings in it are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is better to start their inspection from the Plaza, the central city square, which in itself is already one of such places. At least four dozen such objects can be viewed in the area of ​​the main square. Also in the Old Town there are several extremely photogenic churches, the main of which, of course, is the Cathedral of St. Francis. Its impressive appearance is complemented by a beautiful interior.

The main façade of the cathedral faces west, so this is one of the rare cases in Santa Fe when the best photographs are taken in the middle of the day; especially at noon.

According to toppharmacyschools, the Santa Fe Capitol is one of the strangest capitol buildings in the country. The Capitol is colloquially known as the Round House for obvious reasons. It is open to tourists during business hours for free, and guided tours are also conducted around the building upon prior request.

Mission San Miguel is considered the oldest surviving mission in the United States. The building is simple, but nice. Behind the mission is a narrow alley, walking along it, you can get to a small building, which its owners call the oldest house in the country. The house was built by Europeans.

Santuaria de Guadalupe is an excellent modern concert venue and at the same time a great example of Spanish colonial architecture. Until now, inside you can see an excellent collection of religious art. And the Scottish Wright Temple, which is north of the city center, is an interesting bright pink Moorish-style building, built clearly in the image and likeness of the Spanish Alhambra.

3 things to do in Santa Fe:

  1. Go to the laboratory in Los Alamos, where the world’s first nuclear weapon was invented.
  2. Correctly answer the question “red or green” in local restaurants. I mean chili pepper.
  3. Once here in December, go on a Christmas farolito walk through the Old Town. Farolito are hung here – small bags with sand and candles, which are designed to light the way for baby Jesus at Christmas.

The most beautiful street in the city is Canyon Road. In essence, this is a market and an outdoor fair: literally in any building a small shop is open. Here you can buy anything: souvenirs, clothes, household utensils, art objects. Each courtyard on the street is decorated in its own way, distinctive and attractive. Getting here from the center is far, but it’s worth it.

The Loretto Chapel today houses a small museum. In addition, locals love to hold weddings here. This is a beautiful neo-Gothic building, although small, designed by a Parisian architect and clearly reminiscent of the Paris Saint-Chapelle. The main feature of the chapel is a specific spiral staircase made of wood, which is also called “magic”.

After the death of the architect, before the end of the construction, it suddenly turned out that a staircase was overlooked in the project, along which one could climb the choir stalls. The chapel was too small to fit any standard option into it. After nine days of prayer, according to legend, an unknown person came to the chapel, promising to solve the problem in exchange for complete confidentiality. For three months in 1877, a mysterious stranger worked in the chapel, and the result was an incredible staircase of 33 steps with two full turns, made from an unknown tree. The “wonderfulness” of the staircase lies in the fact that it does not rest on either the outer walls or the inner column – that is, it seems to be kept on its own. Because of this, today it is impossible to walk up the stairs: it is recognized as too dangerous.

Only in the 90s. of the last century, there seems to be no doubt about the identity of the carpenter. He was a French carpenter, a certain Rocha.

There are a lot of museums in Santa Fe. The New Mexico Historical Museum is located in the Governor’s Palace, the oldest public building in the country, built in the 17th century. It was once used as the main government office. The museum is located at the back of the palace and occupies three floors. Its exhibits include prehistoric finds as well as paintings by local artists. Another interesting museum is the State Art Museum. It houses, among other things, the St. Francis Auditorium, the city’s main concert venue for classical and folk groups.

The Museum of International Folk Art is located on Museum Hill. The peculiarity of this museum is a large exhibition of toys, scenes from folk life, fabrics, model villages and traditional art objects from around the world. In addition, there is an excellent collection of Spanish art. The International Festival of Folk Art is held here every year in July. The museum of Indian culture and art is also interesting nearby, the special pride of which is a collection of clay products. The Wheelwright Museum also introduces folk Indian art: here you can also buy something as a souvenir. Finally, the Museum of the Institute of American Indian Art, opposite the cathedral, presents contemporary art of the local Indians. And in a small museum of Spanish colonial art, which is also nearby.

Entertainment and Attractions in Santa Fe, New Mexico