Villa of Santiago, is a municipality located in the heart of Nuevo Leon, Mexico has become a major tourist destination due to its many attractions.

Aspects of the city:

Santiago, has a romantic side, sprinkled with exquisite colonial architecture and is full of places where tourists can feel the adrenaline pumping multiple sports. It is a people over time and despite modernity, has managed to preserve value and protect historical and cultural heritage.

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History of Villa Santiago:

When the Spanish came to these lands in the late sixteenth century, the region was dominated by Indian chiefs «Cayacuapa», «Fang» and «Guaxuco.» So to this day settled in Santiago Canyon is known as «Huajaco Canyon.» Santiago was founded by Captain Diego Rodríguez de Montemayor and by 1700 there were already eight large estates. Some of these retain their original names. The former, were San Javier, San Antonio, San Diego Labor, Trinidad, San Pedro, Los Prieto, San Nicolas and San Miguel Fencing or «Hacienda Vieja».

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In 1721, it creates its first town hall and rises to the rank of Valle. In March 1831, the municipal category is high given the title of Villa de Santiago, effective today.  In 2006, James received the title of «Magic Town» by the Federal Government, the name given by its natural beauty, traditional architecture and gastronomy.

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Old Town:

For Villa de Santiago, you can not miss the Old Town. In 1745 construction began on St. James Temple, which is now the parish of the same name. This consists of two towers and Baroque, with its unique atrium with staircases and beautiful finishes. Around her some neighbors soon began to build their homes. This is the first settlement and the origin of urban development in the city.  With its cobbled streets is very interesting to note the similarity to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. In both cases, the beginning arise from the construction of a temple.

In the historical district, that during the American invasion was briefly the capital of Nuevo Leon, the old houses stand pastor Joseph A. Arizpe, who was the first house built in the town of Santiago and is now part of the House of Culture. On the other hand, the pastor’s house Stanislaus Cantu of Don Gabriel de Cardenas and Jose M. pastor’s Nuin.

At present, taking as a framework for a roof colonial architecture and a blanket of stars, the Historic gives life to various artistic and cultural shows which color fill more than 200 years of existence.  On Saturdays and Sundays are particularly attractive to the many tourists who come to buy beautiful handicrafts exhibiting artists. These two days are filled with colorful town of Santiago, and sees thousands of visitors from all over the racing on the streets in search of a desired object.

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Bats and Dinosaurs:

The Bat Cave known as the Grotto of the Immaculate Conception or the cave of Agapito Trevino, is located 7 minutes from the entrance to Los Cavazos. It is an ecological reserve and it houses hundreds of thousands of migratory bats, whose natural spectacle can be admired from 18:00 to 19:00 pm and dawn.
 
In the House of Culture presents a legendary Sabinosaurio, herbivore that lived in the land in the Late Cretaceous, 70 million years ago. This species grew to be about 70 meters long and 15 tall. The fossil remains of this species were found in 2001 in the municipality of Sabinas, Coahuila.
Apart from these tourist attractions is the Museum of History opened in 2007. It houses important documents and relics. It is located opposite the St. James Church and is open to visitors Monday through Friday.  Then there is the Waterfall «Cola de Caballo» with 25 meters high and with the splendor of its natural beauty. It is today the most famous of northern Mexico.

Its cuisine is exquisite and varied as the rest of the Aztec nation. One of its restaurants enigmatic is «Las Palomas» for the variety of dishes, its colorful and unique decoration, its water sources within a cobbled courtyard, surrounded by beautiful ferns and a variety of plants.

Visit Villa de Santiago, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, will not be disappointed!