San Cristobal de Las Casas History

San Cristobal de Las Casas History

San Cristobal de Las Casas was founded by Diego de Mazariegos as the Spanish regional base in 1528. It was known in those days as "Ciudad Real". Now a days, the name is in honor of the Bishop Fray Bartolome de Las Casas who was the protector of the indinenous people in the 16th centruy. Its Spanish citizens made fortunes from wheat, while the indigenous people lost their lands and suffered diseases, taxes and forced labor.

However, the church afforded some protection against colonist excesses. Dominican monks reached Chiapas in 1545, and made San Cristóbal their main base. One of whom was Bartolomé de Las Casas, who was appointed bishop of Chiapas and became the most prominent Spanish defender of indigenous people.



San Cristóbal was the Chiapas state capital from 1824 to 1892.

Modern History
San Cristóbal remained relatively isolated until the 1970s, when tourism began to influence its economy. Recent decades have seen an influx of indigenous villagers into the arae around San Cristóbal's periférico (ring road). Many of these people are here because they have been expelled from Chamula and other communities as a result of internal politico-religious conflict. Most of the craft sellers around Santo Domingo church, and the underage hawkers around town, come from there.

San Cristóbal was catapulted into the international limelight on January 1, 1994, when Zapatista rebels selected it as one of four places in which to launch their revolution, seizing and sacking government offices in the city center before being driven out within a few days by the Mexican army.

Over the decades, San Cristobal has had 10 names: Villa Real de Chiapa; Villaviciosa de Chiapa; San Cristobal de los Llanos; Ciudad Real de Chiapa; Ciudad Real; Chiapa de los Españoles; San Cristobal and after 1848, adopted the family name of Fray Bartolome de Las Casas.

Then in 1934, a decree abolished all use of Catholic Saints names, so the city was changed again to Ciudad de Las Casas. Finally, in 1943, the decree against use of Saints names was abolished and the city was once again called "San Cristobal de Las Casas".

Despite political and social tensions, San Cristóbal's future as a magnet for travelers looks secure, with a burgeoning tourist sector and cultural scene, a booming property market and a growing middle class.