Barrio de Analco, meaning "on the other side of the water," has the distinction of representing the active working-class society of Spanish Colonial heritage. Established in 1620 with the Chapel of San Miguel as its future central point, the barrio or town boasts of Spanish Pueblo architecture involving adobe bricks and flat roofs.

Originally, it was built for the benefit of the soldiers, Indians, and laborers who have established a living on the opposite river side of the Palace of Governors. It houses seven other historic structures and several more structures around them, including the Chapel of San Miguel, which is also known as the oldest church in the United States.

It was declared as a National Historic Landmark on November 24, 1968.