Santiago de Querétaro also known as Querétaro, this beautiful colonial city celebrated its 476 birthday this year on july 25. Legend has it that in 1531 the spaniords, with the help of a local Otomí ruler named Conín, were able to defeat the Chichimecas. According to the legend the sky darkened in the middle of the battle and out of it appeared a vision of the apostle Santiago (Saint James) on a beautiful white steed with a shining cross.

After this vision the Spaniards went on to win the battle and founded the city which they named Santiago de Querétaro after the apostle. The History of its 476 years is well reflected in its wealth of colonial architecture. The beauty and historic importance of its architectural legacy reflected everywhere from its aqueduct, convents, temples, and baroque-style  monuments.

The name of Querétaro is of Purépecha origen and it jeans “the place of the ball game” although some historians believe it could possibly mean “place or town of large rocks or boulders”.

The city is known for its abundance of beautiful colonial era buildings Querétaro also holds a special place in Mexican history in that many historically important events took place there that helped shape the development of Mexico. First time visitors will be amazed at the beauty of the urban landscape.

There are numerous colonial era houses, palaces, religious buildings and other buildings of historical importance to be seen around the city, many built with a local reddish rock. In 1996 the historical center of Querétaro was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The state of Querétaro is locate in/near the geographic center of the Republic of Mexico. Surrounding the state of Querétaro is the state of San Luis Potosí to the north, the state of Hidalgo to the east, the states of Mexico and Michoacán to the south and the state of Guanajuato to the west. Its total area is 11,270km2 and is home to a population of 1,659,431 people.