From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Church of La Soledad, Mexico City
Church of La Soledad, Mexico City
Church of La Soledad century, the church was rebuilt in Neoclassic style, which
Iglesia de Santa Cruz y La Soledad (Spanish) remains to this day. The church deteriorated over time,
but despite this was declared a national monument in
1931. In 1982, the building was restored to much of its
colonial look. The church is located in the La Merced
neighborhood with the Plaza de la Soledad located in
front.[2][3] This neighborhood is known for prostitution,
and sex workers have staged commemorations for a Na-
tional Day of Sexual Workers in front of this church.[4][5]
History
Facade of the church
Basic information
Location Mexico City, Mexico
Geographic 19°25′54.16″N 99°7′22.91″W /
coordinates 19.4317111°N 99.1230306°W / 19.4317111;
-99.1230306Coordinates: 19°25′54.16″N
99°7′22.91″W / 19.4317111°N
99.1230306°W / 19.4317111; -99.1230306
Affiliation Roman Catholic
District Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico
Year 1792
consecrated
Ecclesiastical Parish church
or
organizational
status
Architectural description
Architect(s)
Architect(s) Cayetano de Sigüenza, Ildefonso Iniesta
Bejarano, Francisco Antonio de Guerrero
y Torres, Ignacio Castera
Architectural Church Main nave
type
The current building is the second on the site, originally
Architectural Neo classic
called Santa Cruz (Contzinco).[1] According to documents
style
from the time, the architecture of the original church
Completed 1787 was Renaissance style, built with masonry and topped
with a vault in sandstone. The church was under the
Soledad,
The Church of La Soledad officially known as the Church tenure of the Augustinians from 1633 to 1750, with the
of Santa Cruz y La Soledad, is a Roman Catholic parish most important feature being the Virgen de la Soledad.[2]
church of México City. After the Augustinians left this site, the church was re-
The parish of Santa Cruz y La Soledad was the seventh built by Father Gregorio Pérez Cancio [6] with the help
parish established in Mexico City. The original church of architects Cayetano de Sigüenza, Ildefonso Iniesta Be-
was an Augustinians doctrina de indios that was secular- jarano, Francisco Antonio de Guerrero y Torres and Igna-
ized by the Archbishop in the 1750.[1] In the latter 18th
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Church of La Soledad, Mexico City
cio Castera.[2] It was finished in 1787 and consecrated in The entirety is topped by an entablature, which contains
1792.[3] two crests and a curved pediment with a relief of a cross.
Over time, the church lost most of its luster. Its annex To the sides of the facade are two large circular bell tow-
became a home for indians in the 1930s, and a school, ers, each containing four arches.[2][3]
leaving the church with about half of its original space. The interior is rectangular with three naves. Six
Various thefts from the 1940s to the 1970s caused the loss sculpted Neoclassical columns support the main nave,
of candelabras, silver chalices and a reliquary. In 1970, with arches supporting other parts of the building.[2][3]
a bus crash considerably damaged the outer fence and The roof is formed by barrel vaults with lunettes in the
cracked an exterior wall. The building was declared a na- three main areas of the central nave. The cupola is in
tional monument in 1931 and was restored in 1982, allow- the shape of an octagon. Above the presbytery, there is
ing it to recover some of its original colonial look. [3] another vault and a roof formed by eight small barrel
The Merced area of the city now is a well-known area vaults. The floor is done in mosaic, red and white in the
for prostitution. An annual “National Day of Sexual main nave with green and white in the presbytery and a
Workers” (Spanish: Día Nacional de las y los Trabajadores Se- marble staircase. Eight windows line the side walls and
xuales) is observed here to remember the violence that is eight are in the cupola, allowing in a large quantity of
often perpetrated against sex workers.[4][5] natural light.[3]
The choir area is large, extending over the back of the
Description three naves and supported by three arches. The area is
enclosed by a wrought iron railing with small bells which
are originals. The tabernacle area is made of wood and
contains an image of the Virgen de la Soledad, in a black
robe with silver embroidery.[2][3]
The current marble altar was placed here in 1903 and
is purely neoclassic as are the pulpit and the balustrade
of the choir.[2][3] Most of the furnishings date from the
19th century. There are paintings in the sacristy, and
notable one by Miguel Cabrera called “La Santísima
Trinidad.”[2]
References
[1] ^ O’hara, Matthew (2006), "Stone, Mortar, And
Memory: Church Construction And Communities In
Late Colonial Mexico City", Hispanic American
Historical Review 86 (4): 647–680, doi:10.1215/
00182168-2006-046,
http://www.drclas.harvard.edu/uploads/images/
102/history_workshop_ohara.pdf
[2] ^ Bueno de Ariztegui (ed), Patricia (1984). Guia
Turistica de Mexico – Distrito Federal Centro 3. Mexico
City: Promexa. pp. 98–99. ISBN 968 34 0319 0.
[3] ^ "Parroquia de Santa Cruz y Soledad [Parish of
Santa Cruz y Soledad]" (in Spanish). Mexico:
Area with the image of the Virgin of Solitude IDAABIN. March 2003.
http://www.indaabin.gob.mx/dgpif/historicos/
The facade of the 18th-century building is Neoclassic, soledad.htm. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
covered in slabs of gray sandstone, with the pilasters of [4] ^ Icela Lagunas (July 9, 2007). "Celebrarán día de las
the same material. It divides into five sections with a sexoservidoras en La Merced [Will celebrate Sex
main portal that has two levels and a crest. The ornamen- Worker Day in La Merced]" (in Spanish). El Universal
tation of the portal includes symbols of the Passion and (Mexico City). http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/
figures of John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene and others. notas/435972.html. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
At the center of the second level is an image of the Vir- [5] ^ Jaime Montejo (July 9, 2009). "Celebración del 11
gen de la Soledad framed by pairs of Ionic pilasters. The de julio día nacional de la trabajadora sexual en
other sections of the facade are divided by pilasters and México [Celebration on 11 July of the National Day
have sculptures of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. of the Sexual Worker in Mexico]" (in Spanish).
Periodistas en linéa (Mexico).
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Church of La Soledad, Mexico City
http://www.periodistasenlinea.org/ Señora (años de 1773 a 1784), edited by Gonzalo
Obregón (Mexico: Instituto Nacional
modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=13186&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.de
Retrieved August 16, 2010. Antropología e Señora (años de 1773 a 1784), edited
[6] Gregorio Pérez Cancio, Libro de fábrica del templo by Gonzalo Obregón (Mexico: Instituto Nacional de
parroquial de la Santa Cruz y Soledad de Nuestra Antropología e Historia, 1970
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Church_of_La_Soledad,_Mexico_City&oldid=463469176"
Categories:
• Buildings and structures in Mexico City
• Roman Catholic Church in Mexico
• Landmarks in Mexico City
• Religious buildings completed in 1787
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