This city preserves architectural features typical of the Bajío region and is closely linked to significant historical events that took place during the War of Independence, the Second French Intervention, and the Mexican Revolution.
The city originated along a ravine carved by the flow of the Arroyo de la Plata stream, at the foothills of Cerro de la Bufa. Its name comes from the Nahuatl words zacatl (grass or hay) and tlan (place).
Spanish presence in Zacatecas began on September 8, 1546, when an expedition from Guadalajara, Nueva Galicia, led by Juan de Tolosa, discovered rich silver deposits. This discovery triggered the first wave of migration, which soon faced threats from a climate of violence and insecurity. In 1550, the Chichimeca War broke out—a long, continuous, and devastating frontier conflict.
By the mid-16th century, settlements were established with populations coming from central Mexico. King Philip II granted the city its official status on October 17, 1585; in 1588, it was awarded the title “very noble and loyal” and received a coat of arms.
Its economic influence spurred the development of roads connecting Zacatecas to Mexico City, where silver was minted. This route linked to the port of Veracruz and, driven by demand from the mines and surrounding towns, gave rise to a communication network crossing the heart of New Spain known as the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.
The city also hosted several religious orders: the Franciscans established a convent in 1567, the Augustinians in 1576, the Dominicans in 1604, the Juaninos in 1610, the Mercedarians in 1702, and the Jesuits founded their college in 1616.
During the 18th century, mine owners built a number of monumental structures that have become iconic landmarks, including the parish church (today the Cathedral Basilica), the Sanctuary of La Bufa, and the historic churches of San Francisco and San Agustín.
The Historic Monuments Zone comprises 169 blocks containing 827 historically valuable buildings, constructed between the 16th and 19th centuries.
Also known as the Former Chapel of the Capuchin Nuns of Perpetual Adoration.
In 1548, the Bishop of Guadalajara built a sanctuary on Cerro de la Bufa. By 1728, José Rivera de Bernárdez, Count of Santiago de la Laguna, purchased the land between the two peaks and rebuilt the chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception.
This building’s construction began in 1870 at the request of Zacatecas’s second bishop, José María del Refugio Guerra y Alba, with the purpose of housing the Tridentine Conciliar Seminary of the Immaculate Conception.
An 18th-century building, its most recent use was as a private school. It is currently abandoned.
A 16th-century building originally occupied by the Jesuits, it was taken over in 1785 by the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, who continued to provide services both in the church and the hospital. By 1827, due to neglect, the state leader J. M.
This 18th-century building was originally part of the Old Mint House of Zacatecas.
This 18th-century building has roots reaching back a century earlier, when it served as the home of the first Count of Santiago de la Laguna.
This 18th-century building was once part of the former Mint House of Zacatecas. Today, it houses the Cineteca Zacatecas, a cultural venue dedicated to cinema.
This 18th-century building is the birthplace of the distinguished composer Genaro Codina, best known for writing the Marcha de Zacatecas (Zacatecas March).
A 19th-century building, the Portal de Rosales was restored in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its elegant arches and historical presence make it a significant architectural landmark in the city’s urban landscape.
This 20th-century building was constructed in the 1940s at the request of the state governor, who commissioned architect Máximo Pedraja to design an official residence for the governors. The building was inaugurated in 1948.
The houses located in front of the Jesuit temple and college had fallen into ruin. Doña Isabel Rosa Catarina Ceballos Villegas, Countess of San Mateo, exchanged one of her own properties in order to donate the land to the Jesuits.
This 16th-century Franciscan complex was one of the earliest religious centers established to evangelize the native populations and support missions to the northern territories of New Spain.
This alameda has long been regarded as a majestic site, a promoter of family values and civic unity. Its origins date back to 1781, when the construction of a promenade in Zacatecas began, transforming it into a popular Sunday gathering spot.
A 19th-century green space, by 1894 it covered approximately 77,000 square meters. It was officially developed into a park during the 1950s, with the project led by master builder Juan José Martínez Calvillo.
La Coordinación Nacional de Monumentos Históricos del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia ...
