Origins of this place date back to year 1779, when silver was discovered in this part of Mexico. Crowds of fortune seekers arrived here; silver fever has led to rapid population growth. At the beginning, the settlement was named Real de Minas de Nuestra Seńora de la Concepción de Guadalupe Limpia de Los Alamos de Catorce, or Royal Mines of Our Lady of Conception of Guadalupe of the Fourteen Poplars. It was the colonial era and most of the precious metal mined was sent directly to Spain. Living conditions in Catorce were not very favorable. With no roads, the place was isolated; there was the lack of water, food was hard to get. With no local authorities, the anarchy ruled the place.
Over the years, the legend arose around the wealth of the silver mines of Catorce and the population has grown to about 15,000. When at the beginning of the twentieth century, the price of silver dropped drastically, the mines closed, and the population decreased to 250 permanent residents. Almost from day to day, Real de Catorce become a ghost town. For us it was a unique place, beautifully located and almost magical. Old abandoned houses, narrow cobbled streets, breathtaking views, and of course, numerous ruins of the mines, all that create the great atmosphere.
In the mountains above Real de Catorce, there is a holy place for Huicholes Indians, the place of their annual pilgrimage
