Today, an old section of the town is part of a proclaimed World Heritage Site, attracting thousands of tourists and new residents from abroad every year.Īt the beginning of the 20th century, the town was in danger of becoming a ghost town after an influenza pandemic. San Miguel de Allende was also a critical epicenter during the historic Chichimeca War (1540–1590) when the Chichimeca held back the Spanish Empire during the initial phases of European colonization.
The city's name derives from two persons: 16th-century friar Juan de San Miguel, and a martyr of Mexican Independence, Ignacio Allende, who was born in a house facing the city's central plaza. A part of the Bajío region, the city lies 274 km (170 mi) from Mexico City, 86 km (53 mi) from Querétaro, and 97 km (60 mi) from the state capital of Guanajuato. San Miguel de Allende ( Spanish pronunciation: ) is the principal city in the municipality of San Miguel de Allende, located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato, Mexico. Protective town of San Miguel de Allende and Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco