Taos Downtown Historic District, Historic district in Taos, United States.

Taos Downtown Historic District is a historic district in Taos, New Mexico, roughly bounded by Ojitos, Quesnel, Martyr's Lane, Las Placitas and Ranchitos Streets. It grew around Taos Plaza, laid out in 1796 as the fortified plaza of the Don Fernando de Taos Land Grant, which was enclosed by thick adobe walls with gates and sentries at each corner. The buildings show Mission Revival, Pueblo Revival and Territorial Revival styles, and the district was listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1982.

The area was permanently settled by Spanish colonists in 1615 and grew into an important trading hub in the northern frontier. The plaza was formally established in 1796 and shaped the district's layout and function that continues today.

Taos Plaza was laid out as Don Fernando de Taos under the 1796 land grant to 63 Spanish families, and the settlement was built as a fortified plaza with strong gates and sentries posted at each corner of its thick adobe walls. Residents gathered inside for fiestas, church festivities and trade. The name survives in the surrounding streets and in the plaza's role as the town's gathering place.

The district is best explored on foot since narrow streets around the plaza invite walking and galleries and shops are easily found. Free parking is available in several areas, and the central plaza makes a good starting point to orient yourself before exploring the surrounding streets.

The architecture displays three distinct building styles standing side by side, making the heritage of different periods and cultures visually clear. Walking through the streets reveals how Mission Revival, Pueblo Revival, and Territorial Revival structures exist together and show how the region changed over time.