Beyond the nearby central plaza, the Guadalupe area in Santa Fe provides the highest concentration of attractions in downtown. Being the arrival point of the railway, it created the perfect background for a shopping district. The Santuario de Guadalupe completes the picture.
Santa Fe Southern RailwayBy the end of the nineteenth century a dramatic event shaped the future of Santa Fe; Amtrak decided to skip the city in favor of Albuquerque. Consequently, the last is the biggest city in the state, while Santa Fe kept its status as the state’s capital. Early in the twentieth century it was decided to create a tourism industry by building Santa Fe mainly of adobe in the Pueblo Revival style.
The hamlet of Lamy - roughly eighteen miles southwest of Santa Fe - houses the nearest Amtrak station and from there, the Santa Fe Southern Railway brings passengers and cargo to the city. Currently a direct railway is being constructed between Santa Fe and Albuquerque – the first Amtrak station south of Lamy.
This is a tourist railroad featuring vintage coaches (most of them built during the 1920s) and offering tourism related trips and
activities.
The Guadalupe Station in Santa Fe features a souvenirs shop offering paraphernalia related to the railway history. The Depot operation hours are: Tuesday to Thursday, 9AM to 4PM, Friday 9AM to 6PM, Saturday 9AM to 5PM, Sunday 11AM to 5PM; it is closed on Monday. Nearby is the Sanbusco Market Center.
Sanbusco Market Center500 Montezuma Street
Guadalupe Historic Railyard District
(505) 989-9390
Santa Fe Builders Supply Company was one of the first businesses built on the ATS & F railroad station in Santa Fe. Shortened to Sanbusco, the center reached its peak by 1942, when the warehouses and sheds area reached five acres. By 1984 they were practically abandoned; then Schepps New Mexico bought the area. The company removed the layers of plaster, which had transformed the original building into a pueblo revival style structure, and a western warehouse was bared. Subsequently, many shops occupied the area that was transformed into one of the main shopping venues in downtown Santa Fe. Moreover, the Sanbusco Market Center is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The New Mexico Register of Historic Places and The New Mexico Register of Cultural Places.
Santa Feans are slightly xenophobic and ethnocentric, they dislike foreign – non-local in their jargon – businesses. That is reflected in the list of shops occupying the place. With the clear exception of an awesome branch of Borders there are no major brands in the area. Two shops are worth mentioning: The Reel Life strangely sells fishing equipment at an altitude of over 7000 feet, and El Tesoro, a coffee shop offering Central American treats.
Santuario de Guadalupe100 South Guadalupe Street
(505) 988 2027
Built with adobe in 1781, west of the Santa Fe Plaza and east of the future location of the Guadalupe Historic Railyard District, the historic Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe church is one of the main sanctuaries in town.
It contains the Santa Fe Archdiocese’s collection of New Mexican sacred arts; including carved saint images, Italian Renaissance paintings, and Mexican baroque paintings. The most treasured works is Our Lady of Guadalupe, painted in 1783 by Jose de Alzibar, one of Mexico's most renowned painters. Mass is held here once a month; cultural events are hosted throughout the year including art shows and musical programs.
From journal Santa Fe's Sharp Soft-Lines