Visit San Blas Mexico in Riviera Nayarit

La Contaduría San Blas Mexico

“What say the Bells of San Blas/To the ships that southward pass/From the harbor of Mazatlan?/To them it is nothing more,” recites José Nicolás Quirarte, while he contemplates the scenery of this Nayarit port.

He speaks the verses of this famous poem in Spanish and English from the hill on top of which we find the Contaduría. La Contaduría San Blas Mexico is one of the many buildings located in this important port where history continues to live on and flourish despite the passing of the years.

“Here, we have a lot of stories,” affirms José, a proud 78- year old resident that has dedicated his life to sharing the history of the area with the many people who visit the port every day.

Visiting San Blas is like stepping back in time; to a time when things moved much slower. Here, even simple daily activities such as strolling along the streets or drinking a cup of Mexican coffee take on a new dimension with a heightened sense of enjoyment.

History of San Blas Mexico

The origins of San Blas Mexico date back to the late seventeenth century, a time when the port was constructed as a shipyard and point of departure for the colonization expeditions of the Spanish Crown.

This town was founded by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán in 1530, although King Charles III of Spain did not recognize it as a deep sea port until 1768. This was the same year that Franciscan friars led by Friar Junípero Serra headed out of San Blas towards the Nuestra Señora de Loreto Mission on a quest to colonize the Californias.

In San Blas Mexico, the first maritime customs house on the Pacific was established, and the town became the most important of the region during the Colonial period. Be sure to visit the historic buildings of the port to learn the history of San Blas first hand through the stories of its chroniclers, people, and architecture; silent witnesses to the events of the past.

Your tour can begin in the Contaduría, a stronghold constructed in 1770 atop the San Basilio Hill, and where the accounting offices of the colonial hacienda were established.

Just a few steps down the hill are the ruins of the Nuestra Señora del Rosario Temple, constructed in 1769. Here, you will feel as if you have stepped into a scene from a period film. You will soon begin to imagine how life must have been for the first faithful followers who lived the splendor of San Blas Mexico in the early centuries.

The building, near the pier where the Culture House currently stands, was once the Former Maritime Customs House, erected in the nineteenth century to control the traffic of merchandise that came through the port. San Blas Mexico also played an important role in the war for Mexico’s Independence.

The essential involvement of the Port of San Blas Mexico can be seen in a sculpture located high up in the Contaduría of priest don José María Mercado. He was an insurgent that fought to defend the freedoms of Mexicans, a fight that would eventually take his life.

Also earning a place in history is the Battalion of San Blas Mexico, which honorably defended the capital of Mexico in 1897 from North American invasion.

Planning a vacation in San Blas on the Pacific Coast of Riviera Nayarit? Visit our Nayarit hotels page to check out accommodations.