Palace of GovernorsTo begin sightseeing in Santa Fe, start where it all
began on the city's historic central Plaza, which is dominated by
the adobe structure known as the Palace of the Governors, the
oldest public building in the United States. The palace was built
in 1610 as Spain's seat of government for what is today the
American Southwest. It still bears the scars of having survived
Indian revolts and occupation, and Mexican Independence; it was
later occupied by Confederate forces when they attempted to take
New Mexico. Fittingly, in 1909, the building was converted into the
Museum of New Mexico and is now the principal of Santa Fe's four
museums, preserving 400 years of the state's history from the 16th
century Spanish explorations through the frontier era to modern
times. Exhibits range from a stagecoach and kitchen utensils to
paintings on bison hide and a state seal made from spoons, quills
and tacks.Museum of Fine ArtsOpposite the Governor's Palace on Santa Fe's historic
Plaza stands a prime example of Pueblo Revival architecture, built
in 1917, which houses the state's oldest art museum, home to more
than 20,000 works of art. The distinguished collection spans the
historic art colonies of Taos and Santa Fe of the past 100 years,
right up to contemporary art, focussing on the southwest region.
There is also a collection of photographs and two sculpture gardens
housing traditional and abstract works.Museum of International Folk ArtThe most important and comprehensive collection of
cross-cultural folk art in the world is housed in the Santa Fe
Museum of International Folk Art about two miles (3km) southeast of
the city's central Plaza, on the old Sante Fe Trail. Fascinating
for tourists, and a treasure trove for researchers, scholars and
contemporary artisans, the collection of the museum runs to about
125,000 pieces, divided into different categories. Of particular
note are the Spanish Colonial collection, the south-western
Hispanic art collection of 20th century works, and collections of
international textiles and costumes. There are examples of folk art
from more than 100 different countries.Georgia O'Keeffe MuseumThe museum dedicated to the work of Georgia O'Keefe
opened in 1997, eleven years after the death of the artist who
loved the state of New Mexico so much. Since then the museum has
welcomed more than 1.3-million visitors, who come to enjoy the
exhibition of the works of one of the most important artists of the
20th century. Georgia O'Keefe created imagery that expressed
'wideness and wonder', and was a leading member of one of the
avant-garde art movements in New York in the 1920s. She featured
the high deserts and dramatic cliffs of New Mexico frequently in
her work. The Santa Fe museum's permanent collection contains more
than 130 O'Keefe paintings, drawings and sculptures, the largest
concentration of her work in the world and it is the only museum in
the United States dedicated solely to one woman's work. The gallery
itself is a former Baptist church with adobe walls.Loretto ChapelAlthough the Loretto Chapel on the Old Santa Fe Trail
is no longer used for worship, it nevertheless remains a place of
congregation, mainly for tourists who come to marvel at the
chapel's 'miraculous' spiral staircase. The chapel, copied from
Sainte-Chapelle Church in Paris, was built in 1873 to serve as
chapel for the Sisters of Loretto's school for young women. The
story goes that when the building was close to completion workers
discovered the design had not left sufficient room for the proposed
staircase to the choir loft. The only answer appeared to be a
cumbersome ladder, which was not an attractive proposition for the
Loretto sisters who decided to pray about the problem to St Joseph.
Their prayers were answered in the form of a carpenter riding a
donkey, who arrived and offered to build a spiral staircase. He
accomplished this with only a saw, hammer and T-square,
manufacturing a miraculous staircase, which is held aloft by no
visible means of support.El Rancho de las GolondrinasThe 'Ranch of the Swallows' (El Rancho de las
Golondrinas) is a living history site that was originally a real
ranch, founded in the early 1700s, today offering an entertaining
and educational attraction about 15 miles (24km) south-east of
Santa Fe's central Plaza, on the Los Pinos Road. The ranch was once
the last stopping place on the thousand-mile (1,609km) El Camino
Real (Royal Road) between Mexico City and Santa Fe. It has been
fully restored as a living village with costumed villagers
portraying life in early New Mexico. The first weekend in June
brings the spring Festival, and the first weekend in October is
devoted to a Harvest Festival, which are highlights on the ranch
calendar. Every day, however, visitors can explore the hacienda,
village store, schoolhouse, chapels, kitchens and other buildings
on the ranch, pet farm animals and watch operations in the working
molasses mill, blacksmith shop, shearing and weaving rooms, winery
and so on.TaosThe laid-back mountain resort town of Taos, about 70
miles (113km) north of Santa Fe, is in the centre of New Mexico's
most sparsely populated region, serving as a popular ski resort in
winter and artist's colony all year round. The main attraction at
Taos is Taos Pueblo, the largest of northern New Mexico's Indian
pueblos where life has changed little since ancient times. In the
town, which sits between the majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains
and the deep Rio Grande Gorge, the old Spanish plaza is full of
shops and museums and an unusual community who live in half-buried
houses and reject materialism. The arts scene is particularly
lively, and there are some excellent restaurants. Some of the
diversions on offer include llama treks, hiking, biking and
white-water rafting.
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