What is the oldest town in NM?

Written by Editorial Team | Last Updated: August 2026

Santa Fe, founded in 1610 by Spanish governor Pedro de Peralta as the capital of Nuevo México, is universally recognized as the oldest capital city and continuously occupied European settlement in the state of New Mexico. Built around the historic Santa Fe Plaza upon ancestral indigenous lands, the city served as a vital administrative, religious, and commercial stronghold for the Spanish Empire, Mexico, and later the United States. Featuring extraordinary adobe architecture, winding historic streets, and iconic landmarks like the Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe stands as a deeply preserved monument to centuries of multi-cultural history, exploration, and artistic heritage in the American Southwest.

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