There are so many churches in Mexico.
They are vital to the framework of Mexican life. Here in Merida they are a bit more unpretentious than in say Puebla. We saw quite a few churches, chapels, and convents on this trip. They included some of the most incredible craftsmanship that we have ever seen; And the most gold leaf. They absolutely glow in the dark from the amount of gold leaf, because of this the natural light that enters through the tambor style windows negates the need for daytime artificial lighting.There were a number of members of our group that were offended but the ostentatiousness of the wealth displayed in the churches. The comments centered on how many people could be helped with the money used to decorate and maintain these incredible buildings.
AND the churches are owned by the government; it's the government that maintains them, not the church.
The first, and therefore the most startling (for us) church we entered on our trip was La Iglesia de Santo Domingo y Capilla del Rosario in Puebla de los Angeles, Puebla; construction started in the mid 16th century and was not completed until 1690, nearly a century later. Both it's Baroque entrance and main alter date from 1688.The statue of Our Lady of the Rosary is sculpted from cypress wood and it thought to be one of the finest examples of colonial art in Mexico.
Our Lady of the Rosary altar
Our Lady of the Rosary altar
This is the main altar
A detail fragment
One of the many additional altars in the church
details from the baroque facade
details from the baroque facade
