Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico, a state in the USA. It is sited on the Santa Fe River in the Rio Grande Valley 40 miles west of Las Vegas. Its population of around 80 000 is mainly Spanish in origin and people still speak Spanish as their first language.

The city was founded by the Spanish in 1610 on the site of a native settlement Tiwa Indian Pueblo. Trouble came from the native inhabitants in 1692 and the growing city had to be evacuated. Many wagons passed through the city on the route of the Santa Fe Trail in the 19th century. US troops occupied Santa Fe in 1846 and it became part of the USA and capital of the state of New Mexico in 1851.

The style of the city is very much Spanish colonial also there are still some Pueblo Indian style influences on the architecture. Sights to see include the Palace of the Governors, build in 1610, the Chapel of San Miguel, built 1710 and the Cathedral of St Francis, built 1869. The San Miguel Mission, built around 1625 is the oldest church still in use in the USA today.