Museo Nacional del Virreinato facts for kids

Facade of the main door to the museum in February 2018

The National Museum of the Viceroyalty (or Museo Nacional del Virreinato in Spanish) is a cool museum in Tepotzotlán, Mexico State, Mexico. It's inside an old building that used to be the College of San Francisco Javier. This amazing place was first built by the Aztecs. Later, the Jesuits used it starting in the 1580s.

The complex had three important schools. One taught native languages to Jesuit priests. Another was a school for native boys. The third, the College of San Francisco Javier, trained Jesuit priests. Today, the old college and the Church of San Francisco Javier are part of the museum. They show off a huge collection of art and everyday items from Mexico's colonial times. The Church of San Francisco Javier also has some of the most important Churrigueresque altarpieces in Mexico. Only the Church of San Pedro Apostol is still used for church services today.

The College of San Francisco Javier
The Museum
Church of San Francisco Javier
Church of San Pedro Apostol
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The College of San Francisco Javier

A figure of a Moor being trampled by a conquistador's horse at the museum.

The Jesuits came to Mexico in 1572. Other groups like the Franciscans had already taught many people in central Mexico about Christianity. But the Jesuits found a need in education. They arrived in Tepotzotlán in the 1580s. They started a school to teach priests native languages.

A local leader, Martín Maldonado, was impressed by the Jesuits. He gave them a lot of money to start a school for native boys. This school was called San Martín. Boys learned religion, reading, writing in Spanish, and music there. In the mid-1580s, the training for Jesuit priests moved here. It came from a college in Mexico City. This new place was called the College of San Francisco Javier. These schools made Tepotzotlán a very important learning center in New Spain.

The school grew throughout the 1600s. The Church of San Francisco Javier was started in 1670. The school became more famous and bigger. But in 1767, the Jesuits were sent away from all Spanish lands. The Spanish Crown took over all their properties.

The college was empty for eight years. Then, Archbishop Alonso Nuñez de Haro y Peralta took care of it. He renamed it the Royal College of Instruction, Voluntary Retreat, and Correction for Secular Clergy. This place trained new priests. It also served as a home for older or sick priests. It was even a place for priests who had made mistakes to get guidance.

The Jesuits came back to former Spanish lands in the mid-1800s. But there weren't enough of them to take over the college in Mexico. In 1859, new laws said the complex belonged to the nation. However, the Church of San Francisco Javier still held church services. Because prisons were in bad shape, old monasteries were sometimes used as jails. But in 1871, the local people wouldn't let the college be used as a jail. Later, Porfirio Díaz thought about it again, but it never happened.

During the Mexican Revolution, the school was still open. General Coss ordered the priest and his group to leave. It was rumored they were trying to restart a religious order. The general knew the priest was a painter. He told him to paint a picture of Venustiano Carranza and stop being a priest. The priest refused and was sent to prison. The students went to Mexico City. Soldiers then took over the complex and damaged it.

The Jesuits left the college for good in 1914. The church was opened to the public. People thought there were treasures buried there. This led to searches in 1928, 1931, 1932, and 1934. These searches caused damage to the main church. The complex was declared a national monument in 1933. It is one of the few places in Mexico that is still completely whole. Its altarpieces and artworks are all still there.

In 1961, work began to fix up the church and college. President Adolfo López Mateos opened it again in 1964. Most of the museum's collection came from an old religious art museum. This museum was part of the Mexico City Cathedral. Other valuable items came from the National Museum of History. A special blanket came from the Museo Nacional de Antropología. Other things were given by private people.

The Museum

Main altar of the college's domestic chapel

Most of the complex is now the National Museum of the Viceroyalty. It's in what used to be the College of San Francisco Javier. This museum is one of the most impressive in Mexico. This is because of its collection and the beauty of the building. The college was renovated from 1961 to 1964. It was opened with much the same look and collection it has today.

The complex has several inner courtyards. These include the Aljibes and the Naranjo. It also has a chapel, library, dorms, dining hall, and kitchen. A wide, arched path leads to large gardens. These gardens are over 3 hectares big. They have sculptures and the original Salta de Agua fountain. This fountain marked the end of the old Chapultepec aqueduct.

Much of the museum's collection is religious art. These pieces came from the old Museum of Religious Art. They are spread out in many rooms of the college. There are items made of ivory, wood, and a paste from corn stalks. Religious clothes like chasubles and capes are also on display. There are many items made of precious metals, especially silver. These include chalices, crosses, and candlesticks.

The museum shows important artworks and objects from Mexico's colonial period. It has twenty paintings by Cristóbal de Villalpando. There are also works by Juan Correa, Maerten de Vos, and Miguel Cabrera. This is one of the biggest collections from the Mexican colonial era. These paintings use different techniques and are mostly about religious topics. Sculptures include works made with "estofado" and "encarnado." These were popular techniques at the time. Some sculptures look very real, with hair, glass eyes, and real teeth.

You can also see everyday items from the colonial period. These include silverware, textiles, and tools. There are ceramic pieces in the Majolica and Talavera styles. You can also see Asian pieces brought by the Manila galleon. The museum's furniture collection shows how styles changed. It includes tables, chairs, and desks with metal and mother-of-pearl designs. Many tools, weapons, and horse-riding items are here. These include swords, guns, helmets, and suits of armor. There is also a collection of lacquered items from Michoacán and Chiapas from the 1600s.

The museum has beautiful feather art and interesting glass objects. Most of the glass is from Spain, France, England, and Germany. The library has about 4,000 old books. These books are from the 1500s to the 1800s. They are in different languages and have various types of covers.

The museum offers guided tours. It has a library focused on colonial history and a book store. The Hostería del Convento is a hotel and restaurant inside the complex. Every year, this hotel hosts "posadas." These are pre-Christmas celebrations. They also have nativity plays. This tradition started again in 1963. It fills the air with songs and fireworks. These events also feature piñatas and "ponche," a hot, spiced fruit drink.

Church of San Francisco Javier

Main altar of the Church of San Francisco Javier, part of the Museum complex

The Church of San Francisco Javier has a typical Latin cross shape. It has a cupola (a small dome) with a pendentive (curved supports). The church's groin vaults (arched ceilings) still have their original decorations. In the pendentive, there's a mural from the 1600s. It shows Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Francis of Borgia, and Ignatius of Loyola. In the 1700s, these paintings were covered. They were moved to another part of the church in the 1960s.

The front of the Church of San Francisco Javier was built between 1760 and 1762. It's made of grey stone and covered the older front from the 1600s. This front is thought to be designed by Ildefonso Iniesta Bejarano. The front shows themes that are also inside the church. The most important image is the Virgin Mary. She is shown as the Great Patroness of the Jesuits. At the very top is an image of the Archangel Michael. The decorations on the front continue up the bell tower. This tower is from the 1700s. You can clearly see the "estipite" column here. This front is considered the most important example of the Churriguerisque style in Mexico.

The large open area in front of the museum is called the Plaza de la Cruz. It has a stone cross carved with scenes from the Passion of Christ.

The Church of San Francisco Javier is no longer used for religious services. It is now part of the museum. This church has one of the most important collections of Churrigueresque altarpieces in Mexico. These altarpieces have the Baroque estipite column. They were made in the 1700s by Higinio Chavez. All were made of white cedar wood and covered in gold leaf. The main altarpiece has a painting of God, the Father at the top by Miguel Cabrera. Below it is an image of the Immaculate Conception. On the sides are Saint Joachim and Saint Anne. Below that is an image of John the Baptist with Saint Joseph next to him. The altar also has images of two martyrs who died in Japan. In the center of the altarpiece is Saint Francis Xavier. He has a flaming heart on his chest, showing divine love.

The main altar and the side altars have similar themes. The altars on one side are dedicated to important Jesuit saints. These include Saints Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Joseph. The altars on the other side are for those of the Third Order of the Company of Jesus. These include Francis of Borgia, Aloysius Gonzaga, and Stanislav of Kotska. Another altarpiece is for the Virgin of Guadalupe. It was finished in 1756. This altar shows the Virgin as she appeared to Juan Diego. It also has other saints linked to harvests, like Saint Barbara.

In the second part of the church is the Chapel of the Virgin of Loreto. It has a door that looks like the house of Loreto. At the back of the church is the Alcove of the Virgin. There is also the Chapel of the Relic of Saint Joseph. The House of Loreto is believed to be the home of the Virgin Mary. Behind it is a small room for the Virgin of Loreto. Nearby is a very small room for a relic believed to be from Saint Joseph. Next to this are the presbytery and the sacristy. The sacristy is full of oil paintings. The Church of San Francisco Javier, the Loreto Chapel, and the Alcove of the Virgin of Loreto are considered works of art themselves.

Church of San Pedro Apostol

To the left of the Church of San Francisco Javier is the Church of San Pedro Apostol. Its main entrance faces the open area in front of the museum. It is built in the Neoclassic style. This is the only part of the museum complex that is still used for church services.