In 1986 the city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas was declared by the INAH as a zone of historical monuments.
The city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, located in the Chiapas Highlands region, is a place full of history and architectural monuments that reflect the rich cultural heritage of Mexico. Founded in 1528 under the name of “Villa Real” by Diego de Mazariegos, the city received its current name in 1848 in honor of the bishop protector of the Indians, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas.
The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has declared the city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas as a zone of historical monuments, through a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette on December 4, 1986. The protection perimeter covers all original or old neighborhoods of the city, including downtown, Santa Lucía, San Antonio, La Merced, Mexicanos, El Cerrillo, Cuxtitali and Guadalupe, as well as Las Delicias.
The city covers 2.88 kilometers, 246 blocks and 520 buildings with historical value, built between the 16th and 19th centuries. Of these, 19 were destined at some time to religious worship, while the remaining 499 buildings are civil buildings for private use that reflect a deep knowledge of the materials, construction and stylistic systems that prevailed during the 16th to the 19th centuries, with Baroque neoclassical expressions.
The INAH is the body in charge of regulating any intervention in the historical monuments of the city, as well as authorizing the corresponding authorizations, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Law on Monuments and Archaeological, Artistic and Historical Zones.
In addition, INAH has intervened in the repair of various federal properties with resources from the Insurance and FONDEN, damaged by natural events, such as the earthquake on September 7, 2017. Among the properties served are the churches and Cathedrals such as, San Nicolás, San Francisco, Santa Lucía, El Carmen, La Merced, El Calvario, San Antonio, San Cristóbal, Mexicanos, Santo Domingo, La Caridad, El Cerrillo, Guadalupe, San Diego, San Ramón, San Felipe Ecatepec and the former convent of Santo Domingo.
San Cristóbal de Las Casas is an architectural and cultural treasure in Mexico, and its protection and conservation are essential to preserve the history and identity of the city and the country.
Source: El Heraldo de Chiapas
