The Historic Centre of Zacatecas is a well-preserved Spanish colonial town based on mining industry. Many of its streets are steep or at different levels due to the mountainous setting. Zacatecas was founded 1548, two years after the nearby discovery of silver. This and other mines in the vicinity attracted a large population, and it soon became one of the chief mining centres of Mexico. Silver from Zacatecas and from Potosà in Bolivia was coined as pieces of eight and transported around the w