Lorenzo de la Hidalga facts for kids
Lorenzo de la Hidalga (born July 4, 1810 – died 1872) was a talented architect from Spain. He spent most of his working life in Mexico. Sadly, not many of his buildings are still standing today. This is because of things like earthquakes, city changes, and other reasons.
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Early Life and Education
Lorenzo de la Hidalga was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, in 1810. When he was still quite young, he began studying at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. He worked hard and graduated in 1836 with a degree in architecture.
After finishing his studies, he traveled to Paris, France. There, he was very inspired by the popular Neo-Classical style of buildings. He also learned about new ideas for how buildings should be designed and how they should work. He studied the creations of famous architects from that time.
Moving to Mexico
In 1838, Lorenzo de la Hidalga moved to Mexico because of family reasons. He married Ana García Icazbalceta, whose brother, Joaquín García Icazbalceta, was a well-known historian. Lorenzo and Ana made their home in Mexico City.
They quickly became part of the city's smart and artistic groups. Lorenzo also helped build things on some of his wife's family properties. He was honored by the Academia de San Carlos, a famous art school. However, he chose not to teach there.
Working with Leaders
Lorenzo de la Hidalga was very good at working with different political leaders. He designed buildings for both President Santa Anna and Emperor Maximilian I.
In the 1840s, while working for President Santa Anna, a businessman named Francisco Arbeu hired him. Lorenzo was asked to build a grand theater called the Gran Teatro Santa Anna. This theater later changed its name several times and became known as the Gran Teatro Nacional.
Other Important Projects
During the same time, Lorenzo de la Hidalga also built a market at the Plaza del Volador. He also started a project to create a monument for the heroes of Mexican Independence. This monument was planned for the Plaza de la Constitución, a main square. However, this monument was never finished.
Later, during the short time of the Second Mexican Empire, he was named the "Architect of the Palace and the Cathedral Church." He began several more projects, but they were not completed. This was because the political situation in Mexico was very unstable. Lorenzo de la Hidalga passed away in Mexico City in 1872.
Buildings That Didn't Last
Many of Lorenzo de la Hidalga's works have not survived over time.
- The Gran Teatro Nacional was taken down in 1901. This was done to make the Avenida Cinco del Mayo wider and longer.
- The Plaza de Volador market was destroyed by a fire in 1870.
- The current Tampico Cathedral is mostly a rebuilt version. The main part of his original church fell down in 1917. One of its towers was hit by lightning and destroyed in 1922.
- An aqueduct he built in Puebla lasted until the earthquake of 2017.
One of the few original parts of his work that still stands is the cupola (a small dome) at Santa Teresa la Antigua. This used to be a convent and is now an art center. He built this dome to replace the original one, which had fallen during an earthquake in 1845.
See also
In Spanish: Lorenzo de la Hidalga para niños
