Church of La Soledad, Mexico City facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of La SoledadIglesia de Santa Cruz y La Soledad |
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Facade of the church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish church |
| Year consecrated | 1792 |
| Location | |
| Location | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Cayetano de Sigüenza, Ildefonso Iniesta Bejarano, Francisco Antonio de Guerrero y Torres, Ignacio Castera |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Neo classic |
| Completed | 1787 |
The Church of La Soledad, also known as the Church of Santa Cruz y La Soledad, is an important Roman Catholic church in Mexico City. It is a parish church, which means it serves a local community.
This church was the seventh parish created in Mexico City. The first church on this spot was built by the Augustinians, a group of priests. In 1750, the church became a regular parish church. Later in the 1700s, the church was rebuilt in a style called Neoclassic. This is the building you see today.
Over many years, the church started to show its age. But it was still very important! In 1931, it was declared a national monument. This means it's a special building protected by the country. In 1982, the church was carefully repaired and restored. You can find this historic church in the La Merced neighborhood, with a plaza right in front of it.
History of the Church
The building you see now is actually the second church on this spot. The first church was called Santa Cruz. Old records show that the first church was built in the Renaissance style. It was made of stone and had a vaulted ceiling.
From 1633 to 1750, the Augustinian priests were in charge of the church. The most important part of the church for them was a special image of the Virgen de la Soledad (Virgin of Solitude). After the Augustinians left, the church needed to be rebuilt. Father Gregorio Pérez Cancio led this project. He got help from several skilled architects. These included Cayetano de Sigüenza, Ildefonso Iniesta Bejarano, Francisco Antonio de Guerrero y Torres, and Ignacio Castera. The new church was finished in 1787 and officially opened in 1792.
Over time, the church lost some of its original beauty. In the 1930s, a part of the church building became a community center for local people and a school. This meant the church had less space than it used to. Between the 1940s and 1970s, some valuable items were stolen from the church. These included candle holders, silver cups, and a special container for holy items. In 1970, a bus accident caused damage to the outer fence and an exterior wall.
Even with these challenges, the building was declared a national monument in 1931. This helped protect it. Then, in 1982, the church was restored. This work helped it look more like it did when it was first built centuries ago.
What the Church Looks Like
The front of the church, called the facade, was built in the 1700s. It is in the Neoclassic style. It's covered with gray sandstone slabs. Tall, flat columns, called pilasters, are also made of this stone. The facade is divided into five parts. The main entrance has two levels and a decorative top.
Around the entrance, you can see carvings of symbols related to the Passion of Christ. There are also figures of John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene. In the middle of the second level, there is an image of the Virgen de la Soledad. It is framed by pairs of Ionic pilasters. Other parts of the facade have sculptures of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. The very top of the facade has a decorative band called an entablature. It also has two crests and a curved triangular shape called a pediment with a cross carved into it. On each side of the facade, there are two large round bell towers. Each tower has four arches for the bells.
Inside, the church has a rectangular shape with three long sections called naves. Six sculpted Neoclassical columns support the main nave. Arches support other parts of the building. The roof is made of barrel vaults, which are curved like a barrel cut in half. These vaults have small windows, called lunettes, in the three main areas of the central nave. The main dome, called a cupola, is shaped like an octagon. Above the area where the altar is, called the presbytery, there is another vault. The roof here is made of eight smaller barrel vaults.
The floor in the main nave is a mosaic of red and white tiles. In the presbytery, it's green and white. There's also a marble staircase. Eight windows along the side walls and eight in the cupola let in lots of natural light.
The choir area is large and extends over the back of all three naves. It is supported by three arches. A beautiful wrought iron railing with small bells encloses this area. These bells are original to the church. The tabernacle area, where the host is kept, is made of wood. It holds an image of the Virgen de la Soledad, dressed in a black robe with silver embroidery.
The current marble altar was put in place in 1903. It is also purely Neoclassic, just like the pulpit and the railing of the choir. Most of the furniture inside the church dates from the 1800s. In the sacristy, which is a room where priests prepare, there are paintings. One famous painting is by Miguel Cabrera and is called “La Santísima Trinidad” (The Most Holy Trinity).
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de la Soledad (Ciudad de México) para niños
- List of colonial churches in Mexico City
