The essence of the old Mexico lives on in the state capital. By night the historic center transforms into a true multi-colored spectacle, thanks to the city’s lighting master plan, which was put in place to show off the beauty of architecture in San Luis Potosi.

As you walk through the main plazas, whose origins go back more than 500 years, you cannot fail to notice the stately palaces and gardens.

You can begin your tour in the Plaza del Carmen, where the church of the same name was built in 1743 – an example of Mexican Baroque. Inside there is a delightful wooden niche dedicated to the Virgin and an altarpiece to the seven princes. Nearby there are equally beautiful buildings, such as the  De la Paz theater and the Mask Museum.

The Neoclassical Government Palace in the Plaza de Armas is famous as the place where President Benito Juárez signed the death sentence of the Emperor Maximilian. This event is represented in wax figures.

The Cathedral, which was elevated to this status in 1854, stands in the same square. The twelve apostles are portrayed on the facade in Carrara marble, and another set of apostles appear elsewhere in stone.

Two other plazas to visit are the Founders’ Plaza and the Plaza San Francisco. The former plaza houses the Autonomous University, established in a former Jesuit monastery, which later became the Colegio Guadalupano Josefino and the Literary and Scientific Institute. In the Plaza San Francisco stands the church of the same name. In the sacristy you can see paintings by artists such as Miguel Cabrera, Antonio de Torres, and Francisco Martínez.

The San Francisco Garden, which was formerly the little square belonging to the Franciscan church and monastery, was remodeled in the 1970s, and during the evenings it has a bohemian atmosphere with craft sellers, bars, and restaurants.