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Eldar Kadymov | all galleries >> Galleries >> Viva Mexico ! > The Church of San Francisco Javier, Tepotzotlan
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19-OCT-2009

The Church of San Francisco Javier, Tepotzotlan

Temperature; +22C Wind; None Rain; None

The Museo de Virreinato, or Museum of the Viceregal (Colonial) Period, is housed in a complex that was built by the Company of Jesus or Jesuits in the 1580s. Here they established three schools. The first was dedicated to training Jesuit missionaries the indigenous languages of Mexico, the second was to provide education to Indian boys. The third was the movement of the training of Jesuit priests from the College of San Pedro y San Pablo in Mexico City to a new facility called the College of San Francisco Javier. These schools would make Tepotzotlán one of the most prestigious educational centers in New Spain.
The Church of San Francisco Javier was begun in 1670 and finished in 1682. The layout of the church is of typical Latin cross design with a cupola and groin vaults. The facade of the church of San Francisco Javier was constructed between 1760 and 1762 of grey stone and covered the original facade from the 17th century. The facade summarizes the themes that are presented in the altarpieces inside. The most prominent image is of the Virgin Mary as the Great Patroness of the Jesuits. The ornamentation of its facade continues up through the bell tower which dates from the 18th century.

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Barbara Read and Fred Schaad19-Sep-2010 00:24
Indeed, this is a lavishly decorated ceiling. Amazing work.
malcolm haslam18-Sep-2010 18:46
You've just got to marvel at it...
:-)