Travel Guide Española

Founded in 1598, the city of Española, formerly known as San Juan de los Caballeros, was the first state capital of New Mexico. It was in 1880 that it took on its new name at the same time that the railroad arrived and developed in the region. This was a real revolution that contributed to the development of the city and its expansion. At that time, the Chili Line connected Santa Fe and Antonito in the state of Colorado. Española was only a stopover, but the socio-economic impact of the line was really important for the local farmers. It closed in 1941 due to new competition from trucking. Gradually, the city removed the railroad and the train depot in the 1960s. The railroads thus completely disappeared. In the 1980s, many historic buildings were also demolished to remodel the city and make it more attractive - without necessarily meeting the desired effect. In 1998, Española celebrated the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first permanent European settlement in North America.If you are passing through, go see the Plaza de Española with its very interesting museum. The church itself is worth a visit, next to which is the Northern New Mexico Regional Art Center. Otherwise, the city of Española doesn't really have much to offer other than cheap accommodation options and several good traditional Mexican restaurants.