Taos, Art colony town in New Mexico, US
Description
Taos is a settlement in Taos County, New Mexico, located at 2,124 meters (6,969 feet) elevation in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Pueblo-style adobe buildings shape the town center, surrounded by desert landscapes and forested slopes.
History
Spanish colonists founded the trading outpost in 1795 and fortified the plaza as a meeting point between European settlers and indigenous tribes. The arrival of the railroad in the late 19th century brought artists and new residents to the region.
Culture
The original name comes from the Tiwa word for place or village, recalling the centuries-old connection between the settlement and the pueblo. Galleries line the streets in adobe structures where local artists display their work and traditional craftsmanship continues.
Practical
The elevation means cooler temperatures than lower parts of New Mexico, while sun protection remains important due to the thin air. Winter months bring occasional snow that can make streets in the center slippery for pedestrians.
Did you know?
The settlement borders Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage site with multi-story adobe buildings dating from the 10th to 15th centuries. Some of the structures are considered the oldest continuously inhabited residential buildings in North America.
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Taos Downtown Historic District
70 m
Kit Carson House
70 m
Taos Inn
117 m
Governor Charles Bent House
158 m
Eanger Irving Couse House and Studio—Joseph Henry Sharp Studios
207 m
Hernández-Manby House
154 m
Veterans Memorial
87 m
Old Taos County Courthouse
115 mTouchstone Gallery
127 mMike Vargas Gallery
53 mKit Carson House Historic Site
107 mShortcut
203 mMichael McCormick Gallery
37 mRead Lockhart
44 mGovernor Bent House Historic Site
173 mNavajo Gallery
111 mIndians hills taos kokopelli museum quality art
89 mTaos County Courthouse Historic Site
107 mMichael Gorman Gallery
51 mMartinez Art
45 mCharles Collins
78 mSage Fine Art
83 mFire arts of Taos pueblo
102 mPadre Antonio Jose Martinez
122 mWork of art, mural
186 mStatue, Work of art
228 mWork of art, statue
229 mWork of art, sculpture
213 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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