The Ruins of León Viejo are an exceptional testimony of the first European settlements in the New World. As León Viejo did not develop, the ruins are a remarkable testimony to the economic and social structures of the Spanish Empire in the 16th century. IntegrityThe space on which the Ruins of León Viejo lie contains the main material, architectural and urban elements of the old town of León founded in 1524 and which disappeared in 1610. The Ruins of León Viejo preserve the plans of a Spanish-American city founded during the first stage of the conquest and colonization of the American continent. Protection and management requirementsThe Ruins of León Viejo were declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation by Law 167 and its amendments, issued on 31 May 1994 in No.