|
Taxco
~ Mexico ~ The Other Churches
Photography by Stephen Dyer Wells Ojeda - Charvarrieta - San Nicolas - San Miguel Arcangel - Santisima - Guadalupe - Veracruz - Ex-Convento  |
|
"...Beautiful beyond description, with cobblestoned lanes leading always up and up into a hundred little heavens, all at strange angles, and the huge ornate church standing in the center like the giant parent of eight other small churches..." Witter Bynner - 1931 A
walk up, down and around Taxco to visit these eight churches is
a rewarding afternoon tour that will give you numerous fine views
and panoramas. Hint, start with a taxi ride up to Guadalupe walk
over to Ojeda, and then descend to the others. |
 Fireworks at the Ex-Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, this is the 1804 replacement for the original 16th century building. |
 The Chapel of Señor de Ojeda (1822) stands high on a hill from which one obtains a wide panoramic view of the Spanish-style roofs and the Santa Prisca towers. |
 A fireworks castillo being constructed in the Chavarrieta courtyard, during Lent. |
 The Guadalupe Chapel was built in 1877 on the site occupied in 1735 by an oratory on one of the most prominent crags of the hills forming the buttresses of the mountain. The Capilla de la Santa Veracruz decked out in white lilies for Easter. |
||
 The fine neoclassical edifice is a 19th century replacement. It is the only one with a clock on the facade. It works too! |
 The Veracruz district and church are to the east and below Santa Prisca. The church of Santa Veracruz was built in 1817 as a substitute for a very old, Sixteenth Century, adobe chapel. |
 A children's fireworks castillo to be lit in the afternoon and featuring toys and cartoon characters. This one was erected during Semana Santa. |
 A fireworks castillo ignites in front of Chavarrieta during the Cuarisma celebrations |
 The flat area of the Veracruz courtyard was the very first neighborhood in Taxco, inhabited as early as 1539 by colonial silver miners. |
 Running under a shower of sparks outside the Ex-convento, just as the Cristo tablet has unrolled. |
 Interior of the Ex-convento de San Bernadino de Sienna, perhaps the second oldest Catholic edifice in Taxco. |
 The former Monastery was founded by Franciscan friars towards the end of the Sixteenth Century and its construction was not finished until well into the beginning of the following century. |
 It was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1805 but was rebuilt in 1823. The architecture of the church is Neo-classic style of the kind used by the famous architect Manuel Tolsa. |
 In the ancient district of Tlachcotecapan, now known as San Miguel is found San Miguel de Arcangel. |
 The San Miguel district, the primitive Tlachcotecapan of the "Royal of Mines" of Tetelcingo, around the hill on which the chapel dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel stands. |
San Miguel is one of the oldest Taxco churches. It has a single tower and received a new cast bronze bell in 2000. |
 Holy Trinity Chapel (la Santisima) one of the oldest churches in Mexico. First constructed in the 16th Century and although it was reconstructed in 1713 it is quite possible that the majority of the stones of the chapel date from the time of the Conquest. |
Inside San Miguel, the flag, framed Virgen and Saint Miguel statue will be part of the procession for the Virgen de Guadalupe on December 12th. |
 A guilty Jesus Cristo leaves His trial at the hands of the Romans outside the Capilla de San Nicolas during the Semana Santa Celebrations. |
|
.
 Lighting up a "Torito" in front of the Capilla de San Nicolas, during the Semana Santa celebrations. |
 Interior of the Capilla de San Nicolas. At Easter when all the religious fervor of Taxco is manifested by imposing processions, this little temple is used as a prison for Jesus of Nazareth. |
 Thursday night of Semana Santa one finds the Roman trial of Christ inside a packed San Nicolas. |
|
|
 Chavarrieta is solidly constructed and has an arched vault and an elegant facade and whitewashed exterior. Sited in a fairly large two level square of interesting appearance. |
 The Chapel del Señor de Chavarrieta is so named because the crucifix which was venerated there since the seventeenth century |
|
|
||
|
DigThatCrazyFarOutPlanetMan!
|
|
|