Historical Center
San Cristóbal de las Casas: a trip to the heart of Chiapas
San Cristóbal de las Casas is a city that combines history, culture and nature in a unique way. Founded in 1528 by Diego de Mazariegos, this colonial city retains its charm and architectural richness in its buildings, churches, and squares. Its historic center is an ideal place to walk, admire and enjoy the magical atmosphere that is breathed in its streets.
The historic center of San Cristóbal de las Casas extends around the Plaza 31 de Marzo, where the Cathedral of San Cristóbal is located, a jewel of Central American Baroque with a façade full of details and an interior with golden altarpieces. Opposite the cathedral stands the municipal palace, a neoclassical building that houses the town hall and the city museum. On one side of the square is the church of San Nicolás, the only one that preserves the original style of colonial religious architecture in Chiapas.
From the square you can access the north ecclesiastical walkway, a pedestrian walkway that connects the cathedral with the complex made up of the convent and the church of Santo Domingo, another example of Chiapas baroque with an impressive mortar façade and an interior with altarpieces and a pulpit wood carvings. Next to Santo Domingo is the temple of La Caridad, which stands out for its sumptuous Baroque altarpiece. In this complex you can also visit the museum of Los Altos, which exhibits pieces of sacred art and indigenous textiles.
Other churches that are worth a visit are San Francisco, with its Baroque altarpieces; that of El Carmen, with its Mudejar tower; and that of Guadalupe, with its neoclassical façade and its panoramic view of the city. In addition, in the historic center you can admire neoclassical mansions and palaces, such as the Casa de la Sirena, with its Plateresque façade; or the Zebadúa Theatre, with its elegant room.
San Cristóbal de las Casas is not only a monumental city, but also a lively and diverse city, where different ethnic groups and cultures coexist. In its markets and shops you can find typical products and handicrafts of great quality and colour, such as sweets, tamales, textiles, jewelry or masks. In its cafes and restaurants you can taste local and international gastronomy, with flavors ranging from mole to Dutch cheese. And in its bars and cultural centers you can enjoy music, art and partying.
San Cristóbal de las Casas is a city that invites you to discover its secrets and its charms, to feel its magic and its history, to live its present and its past. It is a city that falls in love with those who visit it and leaves an indelible memory in their hearts.