Santa Fe is the U.S. state capital founded in 1610 and recognized as the oldest state capital in the United States.
Spanish colonists established La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís under Governor Pedro de Peralta. The settlement became the capital of the Spanish province of New Mexico and retained that role under later governments.
Santa Fe’s name comes from the Spanish title meaning “royal city of the holy faith.” It is sometimes confused with Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, but Santa Fe is the state capital. The city also served as a capital under Mexican rule after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821.
Santa Fe lies at about 7,199 feet above sea level in the Sangre de Cristo foothills. Its historic adobe architecture and Pueblo, Spanish, and Mexican influences make it one of the most distinctive capitals in the country.