Hospicio Cabañas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hospicio Cabañas |
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Chapel of Hospicio Cabañas
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| General information | |
| Location | Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Height | Chapel dome: 32.5 metres (107 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 1 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Manuel Tolsá |
| Official name: Hospicio Cabañas, Guadalajara | |
| Type: | Cultural |
| Criteria: | i, ii, iii, iv |
| Designated: | 1997 (21st session) |
| Reference #: | 815 |
| Region: | Latin America and the Caribbean |
The Hospicio Cabañas (pronounced: Oh-SPEE-see-oh Cah-BAH-nyas) is a very old and large building in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. It used to be a place that helped many people, like orphans and sick individuals. Today, it is a famous museum. Inside, you can see amazing paintings called frescoes by a well-known artist named José Clemente Orozco. Because of its history and art, the United Nations (specifically UNESCO) named it a World Heritage Site in 1997.
History of the Hospicio Cabañas
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The Hospicio Cabañas was started in 1791. It was founded by the Bishop of Guadalajara. His idea was to create one big place that could be a hospital, an orphanage (a home for children without parents), and a place for people who needed help or work.
The building is named after Juan Ruiz de Cabañas. He became the Bishop of Guadalajara in 1796. Bishop Cabañas hired a famous architect named Manuel Tolsá from Mexico City to design the building.
Design and Construction
Manuel Tolsá's design was inspired by famous buildings like Les Invalides in Paris and El Escorial near Madrid. The buildings form a large rectangle, about 164 meters (538 feet) long and 145 meters (476 feet) wide. Most of the buildings have one floor and are about 7.5 meters (25 feet) tall. The chapel, which is the church part, is twice as tall. Its dome reaches 32.5 meters (107 feet) high. The entire complex was built on one level. This made it easier for sick people, older people, and children to move around.
Construction continued even after Bishop Cabañas died in 1823. The building was finally finished in 1829.
From Hospital to Museum
For a short time in the mid-1800s, the Hospicio Cabañas was used as military barracks. But it mostly served as a hospital for a very long time, until 1980.
After 1980, the building became the Cabañas Cultural Institute. This institute has schools for arts and crafts. The most famous part of the inside of the building is a series of huge paintings called frescoes. These were created by the artist José Clemente Orozco. One of his most well-known works, called The Man of Fire, is here. He painted it between 1936 and 1939.
In 1997, the Hospicio Cabañas was officially named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it is considered very important to the world's history and culture.
In 2014, a French artist named Daniel Buren created special art installations in 18 of the building's 23 courtyards. He used geometric patterns and bright colors to change how the courtyards looked.
Outside the building, you can also see sculptures by Alejandro Colunga. These include La sala de los magos (The Room of the Magicians) and Los magos universales (The Universal Magicians).
See also
In Spanish: Hospicio Cabañas para niños
