La Valenciana Church (San Cayetano) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids La Valenciana Church |
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Iglesia de la Valenciana (Spanish)
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La Valenciana Church
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| Denomination | Catholic |
| Tradition | Roman Rite |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Cajetan |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Churrigueresque |
| Groundbreaking | 1775 |
| Completed | 1788 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | León |
The La Valenciana Church, also known as the San Cayetano Church, is an old church from the 1700s in Mexico. It was built right next to the La Valenciana mine, which was famous for having the biggest silver vein ever found in Mexico!
A man named Antonio de Ordóñez y Alcocer owned the mine. He built the church to thank his special saint, Saint Cajetan, for all the amazing wealth the mine brought him. This church is famous for its beautiful gold leaf, especially on the main altarpieces, which are completely covered in shining gold. The church is also a place where the Festival Internacional Cervantino, a big arts festival, takes place.
Contents
Discovering the Church's Design
The La Valenciana Church sits on a hillside looking over the city of Guanajuato. It's on the road that goes to Dolores Hidalgo. This church is a great example of the Mexican Churrigueresque style. This style is known for its very detailed and fancy decorations.
Building Materials and Outside Look
The church is made from a pink volcanic stone called cantera. In front of the church, there's an unevenly shaped open area called an atrium. A wall with decorative tops, called merlons, surrounds this atrium.
Around the main and side doors, the pink stone is carved with amazing detail. These carvings look like fancy altarpieces. The two main doors are made of fine wood and are carved in a style popular at the time.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church is shaped like a Latin cross. Where the two parts of the cross meet, there's a special eight-sided dome called an octagonal cupola.
The front part of the church, called the chancel, holds three very large altarpieces. These are also in the Churrigueresque style and are completely covered in gold leaf. The one in the middle is dedicated to Saint Cajetan.
The church still has some of its original furniture. This includes the pulpit, where sermons are given, and the organ. The baptismal font, used for baptisms, is from the 1800s. It looks a bit different from the rest of the building. You can also see several paintings by Luis Monroy, which were done in the late 1800s.
The building next to the church holds the old records of the University of Guanajuato.
History of La Valenciana
The La Valenciana Church is one of several churches built near mines in Guanajuato. Other examples include the Cata and Rayas churches. Antonio de Ordóñez y Alcocer paid for this church to thank his patron saint, Saint Cajetan.
The Silver Mine's Story
The La Valenciana mine first started operating in 1558. However, it was stopped in 1559 because people thought all the silver was gone.
The money from this mine paid for the church to be built. Ordóñez tried digging in many mines and lost money many times. But then, in 1760, he reopened the Valenciana mine. He dug down 80 meters and found the biggest silver vein ever in Mexico! A famous explorer, Alexander von Humboldt, studied the mine in the late 1700s and confirmed this.
Because of this huge discovery, King Carlos III gave Ordóñez a special noble title in 1780. He became the Count of La Valenciana and Viscount of the Mine.
Building the Church
Construction of the church began in 1775. The main architect was Andrés de la Riva, and the master carpenter was Manuel Antonio de Cárdenas. Both of them passed away before the church was finished. Jorge Archundia and José Simón Cayetano Tovar took over their roles.
The church was completed in 1788. It was dedicated to Saint Cajetan. The count's family also wanted to build a monastery for a group of monks called the Theatine order. They built a house for the monks, but no monks ever lived there.
Since it was built, the church has lost one of its bell towers. Also, some of the statues of saints from its front have disappeared. In 2014, people became worried about the church's condition. The remaining bell tower was especially damaged by water. Dust had also built up on the beautiful altarpieces.
The church is one of the places where the Festival Internacional Cervantino is held.
See also
- List of buildings in Guanajuato City
- In Spanish: Iglesia de la Valenciana para niños
