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Here, the quality, beauty and lights of the New Mexican sky attract photographers and painters.

Art, history, culture and natural wonders make New Mexico a very attaching place.

The Indian Heritage

The remarkable Indian heritages are excellently preserved here in many sites within the State's boundaries.

In the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, on the Chaco Canyon, we will find the charming ruins of this enormous community, founded about a thousand years ago by the Anasazi Indians, the "Ancestors".

There are more than thirteen pueblos of the era here, some of them have up to 800 rooms.

Not far frome the center of the state, just in west of Albuquerque, you will discover the Petroglyph National Monument, where rocks are covered by almost 17,000 rupestral engravings.

In the northwest of New Mexico, the Aztec Ruins National Monument is a village of 500 halls dug underground.

Albuquerque International

Ballon Fiesta

October 3-11 2009

Albuquerque

Albuquerque, New Mexico's largest city, located in the center of the State, is pleasant to visit for its old city, impregnated with traces of its ancient Spanish citizens. Founded in 1706, and named after the Duke of Albuquerque, viceroy of New Spain.

The Old Plaza interesting for its adobe architecture, is lined with art galleries and handicraft boutiques. The historical church of San Felipe de Neri one of the main monuments, has been built in 1706.

Located at more than 5,300 ft above sea-level, Albuquerque is nestled in the Rio Grande Valley and surrounded by the majestic Sandia Crest on the east and the mesas on the west.

An excursion to the Cibola National Forest will make you discover the spectacular Sandia Crest, dominating Albuquerque from its 10,678 ft. The forest, home for a rich wildlife, is where ponderosa pines and spruces grow.

In about 20 minutes, the Sandia Peak Tramway (the longest aerial tram in the world) goes the 14,657 feet route leading to the peak. From Summit House, the view extends towards a large part of the State.

Santa Fe

In the benches of Santa Fe River, about 7,000 feet (2,135 m) of altitude, in the heart of the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe has a soft and nice climate.

The oldest city of the West, it was established by the European explorers around 1609, on a place where an important Indian village already existed. Santa Fe thus became the capital of the Spanish province of New Mexico.

In 1610, the construction of Spanish governors's Casa Real was started - it was built as a fortress.

In 1680, the city witnessed very serious Indian rebellions. It fell down under the rule of the Pueblo Indians, before Diego de Vargas retook it in 1693.

Finally given the status as a federal State in 1846, although it had been already much earlier that Santa Fe's economic development went up, marked by the opening of Santa Fe Trail, a commercial railway connecting the town with Independence (former name of Kansas City) in the Missouri.

Deeply influenced by its Indian, Spanish and Mexican heritages, Santa Fe possesses a special charme, emerging from its narrow streets, its patios and typical architecture.

Visit the nearby Indian Pueblos, the Mission of San Miguel de Santa Fe, the oldest church in New Mexico (1636) and the old Governor's Palace now transformed to the Museum of New Mexico.

Every year, since 1924, an Indian Market of Santa Fe is held. Artists from national and regional tribes share their cultures, their traditions and their arts. More than 1,200 artists representing 100 tribes throuughout America participate by showing their works.

Acoma

In the west of Albuquerque, Acoma is the oldest habitation in America, built approximatively around year 1075 of our era.

Next door you will find another Indian site called the Enchanted Mesa.

Bandelier National Monument

About an hour of driving from Santa Fe, you will arrive at the Bandelier National Monument, near Los Alamos. The cliffs are dug deep by vast caverns, the unique prehistoric habitation in North America.

Gallup

Gallup, 222 km west of Albuquerque was once a transit for people and a mining center. It is today the place where Inter-Tribale Indian Ceremony is held, towards mid August.

Many tribes : Navajos, Apaches and mostly Pueblos reunite here, performing ritual dances and ceermeonies, and at the same time exposing their craft products.

Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner

While many other New Mexican and west Texan counties would love to be the native of Billy the Kid, the famous lawbreaker only admits the Lincoln County as his official fatherland.

A museum located in Fort Sumner, where Billy was buried (now marked by his tomb) honors the gunman : the museum houses more than 6,000 historical relics starting from Billy's guns to the "WANTED" posters placed once within the saloons.

The myth of Billy, its real name being Henry McCarty - although some sources said that it had actually been William H. Bonney - dictated that he would kill 21 men within his life - one for each year he lived.

The circulating legend about this man is surrounded by unsolved mysteries. Today, his museum keeps what is left from the famous outlaw, and makes a part of the State's attraction.

Photos : Don Lemke - Keith Killingbeck - Don Lemke

New Mexico Magazine -NPS - Jack Parsons - Ron Behrman - Gallup CVB