Large Leaderboard

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Day 48 Wednesday June 12, 2013

This is the Church of Santo Domingo and it's another impressive example of how influential the church was in shaping modern day Mexico. The main portal is of pure classic style finished in gray cantera stone. It consists of three levels with paired Doric-like columns. The façade of the old monastery is highly decorated in Baroque style, in front of which is a large atrium. Inside the ceiling consists of two large vaults and contains gilded altarpieces in Baroque, Salmonic and Churrigueresque styles.











This the Chapel of the Rosario that is located in the Church of Santo Domingo. The chapel is on the short list of "must see" while in Puebla. The Chapel was built between 1650 and 1690 and was the first to be dedicated to the Our Lady of the Rosary. The chapel is filled with symbolism, as it is filled with images and elements which are representative of the Baroque of New Spain. The chapel contains three themes important to the Church, the mysteries of the rosary, the virtues associated with it and the Virgin of the Rosary herself. The chapel is decorated with sculpted plaster that has been gilded done by local artists. There are also six paintings done by José Rodriguez Carnero as well as paintings by the altar depicting the life of the Virgin.








This is the front of the church with some impressive bronze pieces on display.


Mexicans love their cell phones...this policewoman was hard at it along with the woman seated on the bench...but she must have sensed something and looked up just before I snapped the photo.



I have also visited the Museo Biblioteca Palafoxiana today. The oldest book that was on display was printed in 1596. I saw thousands of books in the most impressive library I have ever seen. Photographs were off limits in the library so I just stood in wonder...the room was approximately 150 feet long and 50 feet wide with finely crafted bookshelves all the way around the room reaching a height of about 25 feet and having three levels with stairs and catwalks. Founded in 1646, it was the first public library in colonial Mexico, and is sometimes considered the first in the Americas. It has more than 41,000 books and manuscripts, ranging from the 15th to the 20th century.

No comments: