Loreto (Baja California Sur)
| Loreto | ||
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Coordinates: 26 ° 1 ′ N , 111 ° 21 ′ W Loreto on the map of Baja California Sur
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| Basic data | ||
| Country | Mexico | |
| State | Baja California Sur | |
| Municipio | Loreto | |
| Residents | 10,283 (2010) | |
| Detailed data | ||
| height | 20 m | |
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Loreto is a city in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur with about 12,000 inhabitants.
Loreto was founded as a mission by the Jesuits in 1697 , as the first and therefore oldest Spanish settlement in all of California . At the same time, Loreto became the first capital of California and remained so until 1777, when Monterey , located in northern Upper California , became the capital.
The mission church with attached mission museum as well as the historical town center have been preserved and restored. Since the entire city has not expanded significantly, you can get an authentic feeling of the Spanish colonial times when visiting Loreto.
Loreto is the only city within a radius of 300 kilometers, but it has an international airport (with connections to several Mexican cities and daily flights to Los Angeles ). Around Loreto there are cactus deserts, sandy beaches and rich fishing grounds as main tourist attractions.