Visiting Santa Fe via Geocaching

 I found my photos from our last and only visit to Santa Fe in 2009. We spent some time exploring Old Town Santa Fe and buying souvenirs. Some of the buildings and areas looked familiar but I took very few photos of that stop. We did see some new to us sites this time, because of geocaching. And now I take many more photos.

The Roundhouse, New Mexico's State Capitol Building, is round in shape.

Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the US. It was established as capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico in 1610. (The Palace of the Governors is the actual oldest capitol building and is still standing in Old Town.)

main doors, with the state seal and statue

The capitol building is designed in the shape of the Zia sun symbol that is seen on the state flag and most everywhere in New Mexico. The statue is Morning Prayer created by Allan Hauser.

Gate/Negate sculpture by Apache artist Bob Haozous

7½ m (18') high steel gate, marked with 12 cut-out silhouets of faces, with dollar signs, Christian imagery, model airplanes and bullet holes. Razor wire is strung along the top. On the bottom the names of 458 extinct North American Indian tribes has been painted.

Passage, bronze sculpture by Dan Namingha

Estella Loretto’s Earth Mother

More than 500 pieces of artwork from New Mexico artists are on display in the Capitol. The artwork honors the Indian, Spanish and Anglo heritage and influence in New Mexico's history. Some pieces are permanent and others are on loan. The Capitol Art Collection was started in 1991 during the renovation of the capitol building. 

San Miguel Chapel

Spanish colonial mission church

Originally completed in 1610 by Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico, it is often referred to as the oldest church in the US. Original adobe walls remain under the stucco exterior. 

It was rebuilt twice; once in the mid to late 17th century and again in 1710 following the Pueblo Revolt. Mass is still offered at the chapel on Sundays. (It was closed on Friday when we were there.)

Buttresses were added in 1887 and 1889 to stabilize the original walls of the mission. History of the church can be found here: San Miguel Chapel

Across the street/alley from the oldest church was the oldest house, the De Vargas Street House. The people in the photo are standing in front of the oldest house, at least that was the building (not a two story) where the sign was located.

The De Vargas Street House is a two-story adobe building; the first floor is original and the second floor was reconstructed based on the original in the 1920s. Most of the house is constructed from adobe brick, which was a Spanish colonial technology, while a few lower wall sections are puddled adobe characteristic of pre-Spanish pueblo buildings. The first-floor ceiling is original and includes vigas dating to the mid-18th century. The first floor interior has two Spanish colonial-style rooms with corner fireplaces, while the second floor is "a dummy" and not open to visitors. ~ Wikipedia

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

The cathedral was built between 1869 and 1886 on the site of an older adobe church. It is designed in the Romanesque Revival style. The Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi was officially elevated to a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI on October 4, 2005.

Saint Francis of Assisi

This statue of St. Francis, the patron saint of the diocese, was installed at the cathedral during the 1967 renovations. ~ Wikipedia

Saint Katerina

Kateri Tekakwitha (1656–1680) is the first North American Indian to be beatified, and was canonized in October 2012. She was an Algonquian-Mohawk woman of New York State who converted to Christianity at an early age. The statue was created by Estella Loretto, a sculptor from the nearby Jemez Pueblo, and installed in August 2003. A plaque noting Kateri's canonization was added in October 2012. ~ Wikipedia

a colorful mural 

Día de Muertos decor in the Plaza

The Plaza, a city block, dates back to the early 17th century when Santa Fe was settled by conquistadors. Santa Fe's Central Plaza is at the heart of the Basilica, The Palace of Governors, San Miguel Mission (and the oldest house), many shops and restaurants. The Plaza hosts special events and is decorated for special holidays.