San Cristóbal de las Casas was founded as the Spanish colonial settlement Villa Real de Chiapa on March 31, 1528. INAH records that it became Ciudad Real de Chiapa in 1536 and remained an important political-administrative center until 1892.
The city is also a regional center for Tsotsil- and Tseltal-speaking communities in Los Altos; its history cannot be reduced to colonial buildings.
Quick timeline
1528: Villa Real de Chiapa founded by Diego de Mazariegos
1536: elevated to city status as Ciudad Real de Chiapa
1545: Bartolomé de las Casas arrived as bishop of Chiapas
1824: incorporated into the Mexican republic with Chiapas
1848: “de las Casas” added in honor of Bartolomé de las Casas
1892: ceased to be the state’s main political-administrative center as power shifted to Tuxtla Gutiérrez
1986: the historic center was federally protected as a Zona de Monumentos Históricos
Before the colonial city
The Spanish settlement was established in a highland valley with pre-existing Indigenous geographies, communities and trade networks. San Cristóbal remains connected to Tsotsil and Tseltal communities across Los Altos.
What Languages Are Spoken in San Cristóbal?
1528: Villa Real de Chiapa
INAH states that the city was founded on March 31, 1528 under the name Villa Real de Chiapa, as part of the Spanish exploration and conquest of the province of Chiapas.
The founding is traditionally associated with Diego de Mazariegos. Current municipal commemorations continue to use March 31 as the city’s foundation anniversary.
The colonial city was laid out around a central plaza with religious, administrative and residential buildings, a pattern still visible in the historic center.
1536: Ciudad Real
On July 7, 1536, the settlement was elevated to city status and became Ciudad Real de Chiapa.
“Ciudad Real” was the city’s principal colonial-era name.
Bartolomé de las Casas
The Dominican friar Bartolomé de las Casas arrived in Ciudad Real in 1545 as bishop of Chiapas.