Pre-colonial period In pre-Hispanic times, the territory now occupied by the state of San Luis Potosí included two cultural areas:
Mesoamerica and
Aridoamerica. While the southern and eastern regions of the state were occupied by
Otomi and
Huastec kingdoms, its northern and central-west regions, where the city of San Luis now is located, were inhabited by
Chichimeca.
Chichimeca is a generic term given to various nomadic ethnicities which inhabited the northern fringes of the Aztec Empire, which is now northern Mexico. As they were nomadic peoples, they did not build large cities nor have permanent settlements like most Mesoamerican civilizations. They are described by historians as very warlike peoples, living in continual wars among themselves. These tribes spoke different languages but their customs were similar. After the arrival of Spanish
conquistadores and their
Indigenous allies into the territory now formed by the Mexican nation, it still took them about a century to colonize the northern territories in Aridoamerica. When the settlers founded the first settlements in the region in late 16th century, they had to struggle against constant attacks from Guachichil tribes. Extremely resistant, these tribes attacked traders who traveled to
Zacatecas in newly created routes. Conquistadores and religious missionaries called the place where San Luis now is located "El Gran Tunal" (
Grand Place of Tuna fruit). Finally, in 1589, peace between Chichimeca peoples and Spanish settlers was reached thanks to efforts made by
Miguel Caldera and Brother Diego de la Magdalena, which marked the end of the
Chichimeca War.
Colonial period A
Franciscan mission was established in the zone in 1583, nine years before the city's founding. In early 1592 the mines of
Cerro de San Pedro were discovered. The lack of water in Cerro de San Pedro made impossible a new settlement in that specific area, as well as the proper exploitation of the minerals. A short distance away there was a valley where water was abundant. This originated the creation of a new township to facilitate the labors of
mining extraction. The legal foundation of the town of San Luis Potosí was made in November 3, 1592 as part of the
Viceroyalty of New Spain, according to a charter commission raised by Viceroy
Luís de Velasco and given to
Miguel Caldera (considered the historic founder of the city) and
Juan de Oñate. In 1786, San Luis Potosí became the capital of the
Intendancy of San Luis Potosí, one of the twelve new administrative units of the
Viceroyalty of New Spain created as part of the
Bourbon reforms.
Independence For a time in 1863, during the
French invasion of Mexico, San Luis Potosí served as the capital of the republican government, under President
Benito Juárez. The
Plan of San Luis Potosí, issued November 20, 1910, was the opening shot of Mexico's revolution against the dictator
Porfirio Díaz. The 1910 presidential election was stolen when Díaz had his opponent
Francisco I. Madero arrested and imprisoned. Madero fled and issued the Plan of San Luis Potosí, declaring the election void and calling upon Mexicans to take up arms against the government. Today, the downtown is one of plazas and colonial architecture. The "Plaza de Armas" is the site of a cathedral and governor's palace (1770). The nearby "Templo de Nuestra Señora del Carmen," with its colorful tiled domes and famous altars, is considered among Mexico's finest churches; it was founded in 1749 by
Fray Nicolás de Jesús María. In addition, San Luis is home to the
bullring Plaza de Toros Fermin Rivera. Outside the center, a modern industrial city has begun to grow. The
Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP) is in the city. Based on a Jesuit College founded in 1624, the Instituto Científico y Literario was raised to the category of a university in 1923, and is recognized as one of Latin America's best universities.
Today With a population of approximately one million inhabitants, it is now the twelfth largest metropolitan area in Mexico. The city is a major commercial and industrial center. It lies in an economically advantageous area at the heart of the "triangle" formed by the three largest cities in Mexico:
Mexico City,
Guadalajara and
Monterrey. In recent years, the city has attracted the attention of European and American investors; its political, social, and economic stability has convinced large multinational companies to assume a presence there and to buy land, on the outskirts of the city. Recently, according to a survey conducted by the magazine
The Investor, San Luis Potosí and its metropolitan area was the third-best place to live in Mexico. == Geography ==