Photo: Henryficar on Wikimedia Commons
The Santa Catarina Church faces the plaza of the same name in the famous La Lagunilla neighborhood, just north of Mexico City's Historical Center. The neighborhood is most famous today for the Sunday antiques market. In truth, multiple marketplaces keep the streets teeming most of the week.
[caption id="attachment_11772" align="alignright" width="160"] Barrio Atzacoalco
Walking Route[/caption]
The main parish church for the neighborhood, the Brotherhood of Santa Catarina founded the church in 1568. They're known to have been in the neighborhood since 1537. The same brotherhood established a hospital in the east of the neighborhood, presuming the original lagoon was not yet quite dry. They dedicated a chapel here to Saint Catharine of Alexandria. Along with a cemetery, the complex is thought to have been supported in some measure by Hernán Cortés.
Historically, the church is also famous for its location at the beginning of the road to the Basilica de Guadalupe and for being directly north of the Cathedral. The Plaza de Santa Catarina, the former atrium, hosted welcome events for new viceroys. Santa Catarina was also the the patron saint of the university and so many events associated with the university occurred here too.
The much smaller chapel was upgraded to a parish church along with the Church of Santa Veracruz due to increasing need in 1568. Rebuilt on a number of occasions, the building we see today dates from the mid-18th century. The façade is mid-17th century. Simple and made entirely of tezontle and quarry, it's one of the most striking you'll see. The two bodies surround the portal. With paired and fluted pilasters, the niche of the second body is flanked by a pair of simple stipes. The framed chorus window has oculi on either side.
Nearest at 0.07 kms.
Nearest at 0.22 kms.
Nearest at 0.25 kms.
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