Convent Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Puebla facts for kids
The Church of the Virgin of Carmen is a beautiful old church in Puebla de los Ángeles, Mexico. It's also known as the Conventual Temple of Our Lady of Carmen. This church is a great example of Baroque architecture from the early 1600s.
Inside, you can see amazing artwork. There are special chapels with wonderful designs. The main part of the church, called the nave, has famous paintings. One important painting is the Santísima Trinidad by Cristóbal de Villalpando. The church also has a grand altarpiece. This altarpiece holds a statue of the Virgin Mary, made by José Antonio Villegas Cora. People celebrate a special festival for the Virgin on July 16th each year.
Contents
History of the Church
Early Beginnings
In 1548, a city official named Hernando de Villanueva received some land. He wanted to build a small chapel there. This chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of Remedies. It was located on an important road to Atlixco. This road is now a main street in Puebla, called 16 de Septiembre Avenue.
The next year, in 1549, the chapel received more land. A story says that Hernando de Villanueva was hurt in a fight. He prayed to the Virgin de los Remedios and got better. To show his thanks, he built the chapel and placed her image inside. In 1552, he gave the chapel to a group of tailors. They formed a brotherhood two years later to help care for it.
The Carmelites Arrive
In 1585, the first Carmelite monks came to New Spain. They were called the Discalced Carmelites. They were one of the last religious groups to settle in Puebla. Other groups like the Franciscans and Dominicans were already there.
By 1586, the Bishop of Tlaxcala, Diego Romano, wanted a Carmelite monastery in Puebla. He offered them the old chapel of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. The chapel was far from the city center. Because of this, it was not well cared for. The Carmelites were asked to look after it. They set up their training house there in July 1586.
Soon, the church became one of the most important and grandest in the city. Bishop Diego Romano officially gave them the chapel. The city council also gave them three more plots of land. The Carmelites then started building their large church and monastery. The official founding happened on June 26, 1586. This was approved by King Philip II of Spain. The Viceroy Álvaro de Villa Manrique y Zúñiga also agreed.
Carmelite Gardens and Water
The monastery grounds were very large. They stretched for several blocks to the south. They even included a separate chapel. The Carmelites also had famous pear orchards. These orchards are shown on old maps from the 1800s. Some say the Carmelites made money by selling fruit from these trees. The pear trees were originally brought from their farm near Mexico City.
The name "Carmel" means "vineyard" in Hebrew. This might explain the Carmelites' interest in farming. They are even credited with bringing alfalfa to Puebla. Alfalfa was unknown there until the late 1700s. To help their crops grow, the orchards received water almost from the start. They got water from several springs. These included the "eye of the Matadero" and the "San Pablo eye." They also used water from a spring on Cerro de Guadalupe.
The Old Cemetery
In front of the monastery, there was a cemetery. It was called the Pantheon of Santa María del Carmelo. The Carmelites opened it in 1844. This was because new laws from 1827 said people could not be buried inside churches anymore. Burying people inside churches was seen as unhealthy. It could cause diseases.
Other churches in Puebla also opened outside cemeteries. These included San Francisco and San Antonio. Many of these new cemeteries had special drawers or niches. These were like the old Roman tombs. A law in 1826 said cemeteries should be very large. This was because it took about three years for bodies to decompose.
By 1878, using these drawers was stopped. Temporary cemeteries were set up in church courtyards. Later, public cemeteries like the Municipal one were built. The Carmelite cemetery had four long walkways. It was about 83 meters long. It had 96 Gothic columns with arches. The burial drawers were placed under these arches.
The cemetery was closed in 1880. It was torn down in 1891. This happened when the Carmelites finally left the monastery. Even in the 1930s, some arches and parts of the old drawers could still be seen. Today, mummies of a woman and a child found in this cemetery are kept in the Regional Museum.
See also
In Spanish: Templo conventual de Nuestra Señora del Carmen (Puebla) para niños
- List of buildings in Puebla City
