The religious members of the hospitable order of San Juan de Dios founded its conjoint church (temple, hospital, schooll and convent) in this city in 1672. Halfway trough the 18th century, don Pedro de Ibarra, a prominent member of the community, left a large sum of money and several pieces of real estate for the maintenance of the hospital, which still exists (although with other sources of income), and is now known as the Dr. Gabriel García civilian hospital.
Templo de san Juan de Dios, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México.
The Compañía de Jesús was established in Pátzcuaro in 1574 in response to many requests, and expelled by its conflicts with the Spanish crown. This temple forms a physical part (though no longer operational) of what now is the Ex-colegio Jesuita. It is dedicated to San Ignacio de Loyola.
Templo de la Compañía, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México.
On the express wishes of don Vasco de Quiroga before his death, and later of the elected bishop, Brother Jaime de Chávez, and finally, in 1571, of King Philip II himself, 15 Jesuits arrived in México around 1572 under the leadership of Padre Pedro Sánchez. So in New Spain, the very first house or convent constructed was in Pátzcuaro, in 1573. So effective were the novices Juan Curiel, Juan Sánchez Baquero and the brothers Pedro Rodríguez and Pedro Ruiz de Salvatierra, that they who later were ordained as priests. Construction on this building was begun in 1585. It belonged to the Jesuits until 1767, the year they were expelled from Spain and the New Spain after several political problems with the Spanish crown (before they were dismissed by Pope Clement XIV and consequently expelled from Portugal and France, being reinstalled until 1814 by Pope Pio XIV). From then on, the building was put to many different uses, the last of which was as the primary school “Vasco de Quiroga”. Afterwards it fell into ruins and was abandoned nearly 40 years ago. In 1990, a group of citizens organized, forming a society devoted to obtaining funds for the building’s restoration and […]
Antigüo Colegio Jesuita, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México.
This building is located at the corner of Árciga and Alcantarilla streets, one block south of the Basílica. It was founded in 1540 by don Vasco de Quiroga, who named it Saint Nicholas in honor of the patron saint of his native town, Madrigal de las Altas Torres. Don Vasco’s purpose in establishing this school was to create an educational center for Spanish priests, something lacking not only in his bishopric, but in all of New Spain. It is said that its curriculum was so good, that when years later the Council of Trent ordered the construction of new seminaries to prepare priests, the organization of those study centers was a near-copy of what don Vasco had taught in his own school. It is said that this school is the oldest college in the Americas -although it operates currently with different goals and in a new location. When the episcopal see was transferred to Valladolid, the college transferred also, uniting its faculty and holdings with the college of San Miguel. Becoming one, both colleges continued operations until the institution was finally moved to the current University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo. Thus, the original name given by its creator has […]
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México.
This is the most important church in Pátzcuaro, because it is the cathedral that Vasco de Quiroga founded and began to construct in 1540, and which was a truly grandiose project. The church may be observed in the coat of arms of the city. It is composed of five equal-sized vaults that meet in the center, where the high altar is placed. This design represented for Don Vasco a solution to the problem of the multitudes of faithful, who could not be contained in a single temple and who the friars had resorted to serving in “open chapels”, which we will describe later. “Tata” Vasco proposed building a composite temple of five churches, capable of holding all the faithful at once. However, that project was never completed because the experts in construction at the time considered the size dangerous due to the earthquakes that constantly rocked the region. Another version of the story says that the construction was not carried out because the Vatican considered it an act of arrogance and a potential competitor in size and importance with the Basílica of Saint Peter in Rome. However, the only vault constructed served as cathedral from the arrival of the Jesuits […]
La Basílica, Pátzcuaro Michoacán, México.
One of the main attractions of the region is to go by boat to this isle, the largest and most important in the lake. Here can be admired and purchased a great variety of handicrafts, exquisite typical dishes can be savored in the numerous restaurants tended by the island’s inhabitants, and it is possible to walk to the summit of the island to the enormous statue of Morelos which can be seen from very far away. The interior of this huge statue is ornamented with more than 50 detailed murals describing the Mexican revolution. If one climbs to the upper part of the statue, one can enjoy yet another impressive, beautiful panoramic vista.
Janitzio, Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México.