San Cristóbal de las Casas, in the state of Chiapas, was founded under the name of Villa Real de Chiapa on 31 March 1528, as a starting point for the exploration and conquest of the ancient province of Chiapas. It was elevated to the rank of city and named Ciudad Real de Chiapa on 7 July 1536; it joined the republic on 12 September 1824 and remained a policital and administrative center until 1892. In 1829 San Cristóbal de las Casas acquired its current name.

Today it preserves a homogenous architectural and urban complex with characteristics resulting from its productive capacity, natural resources and large workforce. Thanks to its exceptional historical and cultural value, on December 4 1986 San Cristóbal de las Casas was declared a Zone of Historical Monuments. The Zone covers 2.88 km2 and includes 246 city blocks with 520 buildings of historical value built between the 16th and 19th century.

Nineteen of these buildings were intended for religious worship, including the monastery complexes of Santo Domingo, La Merced, La Encarnación, with its annex the Church of El Carmen, and San Francisco de Asís; the Cathedral, the churches of San Nicolás, Nuestro Señor de la Transfiguración, also known as El Cerrillo, El Calvario, San Cristóbal, Santa Lucía, San Antonio, San Diego, the chapels of Guadalupe and Fátima, La Caridad and San Agustín, the two latter also being used for educational and welfare purposes. Also of note are buildings for use by the civil and military authorities such as the city hall and municipal jail.

The remaining buildings are private civilian properties that reflect a deep awareness of materials, construction systems and styles ranging from the 16th to the 19th centuries, dominated by Baroque and Neoclassical forms of expression.

The Zone of Historical Monuments of San Cristóbal de las Casas is also characterized by its plazas, gardens and natural sites, which include the Plaza Principal 31 de Marzo, La Alameda and the Garden of Santo Domingo y la Caridad, Plaza de la Merced, Plaza de los Arcos, Santa Lucía, Del Carmen, San Antonio, de Guadalupe Cuxtitali, Mexicanos and El Cerrillo; as well as the natural sites comprising the hills of San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, Cuxtitali and Guadalupe.