Taos, Art colony town in New Mexico, US
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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