In 1580 poet and playwright Juan Ruiz de Alarcón was born in this mining city, and in 1872 Taxco's name was officially converted to "Taxco de Alarcón".

In 1708, Don José's brother had spent most of his family's fortune to buy an old concession of the steep hills west of the city, and, picks in hand, commenced on working the mines. Shortly after, José de la Borda joined him and discovered the vein of a lifetime, named San Ignacio, and soon attained the wealth he had sought.

A devout Christian and a very generous man, Borda commissioned the seven year long construction of the Parish of Santa Prisca, giving rise to the famous words: "God gives to Borda, Borda gives to God". On February 12, 1751, Borda obtained a decree from the Viceroy to build the church, and offered to finance the whole construction on condition that neither the catholic order nor the Viceroy would ever interfere with the project.

1931-Dwight Morrow, the US Ambassador to Mexico, suggested to William Spratling (known throughout  Mexico as "The Father of Mexican Silver") that Taxco had been the site of silver mines for centuries, Taxco had never been considered a location where jewelry and objects of silver were designed and made. Spratling hired an experienced goldsmith from Iguala who moved to Taxco and created silver jewelry from Spratling’s designs. Other craftsmen joined Spratling's shop and the enterprise grew far and beyond Spratling’s expectations!  He had created an apprentice system of training young silversmiths, many of these new and talented artisans had an opportunity to develop their craft. Over time many of these artisans opened shops of their own. What Spratling created continues to flourish today in Taxco.

Today Santa Prisca is both the visual and historical center of Taxco, and the great cost of its elaborate construction and interior decorations nearly bankrupted Borda. He was even forced to sell the monstrance he had initially given to the church.

On March 19, 1990 Taxco, with its colonial architecture, cobblestone streets that wind narrowly up and down the hillside, and the magnificent Temple of Santa Prisca on Borda Plaza, was decreed a National Historical monument. Taxco is at an altitude of 5396 feet above sea level.