Founded in 1576, San Luis Potosi was strategically important in colonial times and during the wars of the republican period. The patriot Francisco I. Madero, who was briefly imprisoned in the city in 1910, later named his revolutionary call to arms the Plan of San Luis Potosi. The city center has narrow cobbled streets and solid colonial architecture, but outlying areas are modern. Among its major landmarks are the San Francisco convent and Carmelite churches.
Situated in fabulously rich mining region, it once produced silver and antimony; also gold, lead, and copper deposits. Once a city of nearly 40,000 people, now nearly a ghost town. A popular tourist stop. Sometimes called Catorce.
The highlighted green area is San Luis Potosi state.
Set midway between the northeast and center of the country, San Luis Potosí is one of the states with the greatest number of neighbors: Jalisco, Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Querétaro and Guanajuato.
Geographically, it is divided into the Huasteca Potosina, the Middle Zone and the High Tableland. Its surroundings are extremely varied, ranging from the hot, green plains of La Huasteca to the cool, desert-like tableland. In pre-Hispanic times, it was occupied by hunter-gatherers and by Huastecs shortly before the arrival of the Spaniards. However, San Luis Potosí developed mainly as a result of the silver deposits in Cerro de San Pedro, which increased its architectural and artistic wealth.
Several towns date from this period, such as Real de Catorce, Villa del Rey, Santa María del Río and the capital itself, San Luis Potosí. The state has stunning natural sites, ideal for adventure, ecotourism or simply for relaxation. Visitors can explore forests, springs, waterfalls and spas or visit artisans villages and discover their traditions, fiestas and customs.
