La Loma Plaza Historic District

La Loma Plaza Historic District is a preserved community in Taos made up of colonial and pueblo-style adobe buildings arranged around a central plaza. The structures share common walls and thick adobe exteriors, reflecting the building techniques of early Spanish settlement.

Spanish settlers established this settlement in 1795 with shared walls and thick adobe structures designed for defense against raids from Plains Indians tribes. This defensive layout became a common pattern in early Spanish villages of the region.

The San Antonio Church sits at the center and reflects the religious devotion that shaped early Spanish settlement here. Visitors today can see how closely the spiritual and everyday life of the community were intertwined in this space.

The district is within walking distance of downtown Taos, making it easy to visit while exploring the town. Visitors should plan to walk slowly through the narrow streets and courtyards to appreciate the details of the adobe architecture and layout.

The district still retains its original water wells and pasture lands where early residents once kept livestock for food and trade. These features reveal how the community once functioned as a largely self-sufficient settlement.