Religious Architecture in 16th Century New Spain

The reordering of congregations was marked and sponsored by the juxtaposition of the name of a saint with the indigenous people, who became patrons of the community. We must remember that the first missionaries were neither architects nor engineers, but with their limited knowledge, they brought the need to manage large buildings.

The Basilica Model

When construction of churches began, they used the procedure employed by early Christians: the basilica. Furthermore, the amateur architects certainly remembered the many basilica-style churches of Andalusia. The basilica offered major advantages; on one hand, its ease of construction, as wood abounded, making it easy to build beamed ceilings and armor on the ships, and the workers were also very numerous.

Of the basilicas built at this time, we have news of the old cathedral of Mexico, completed before 1532, which was occupied by the Franciscans before they built their own seat. It is known that the three monastic orders in Mexico used the basilica form:

• Franciscans: Arrived in 1523.
• Dominicans (I domini cani): Arrived in 1526 and settled by 1534.
• Augustinians: Arrived in 1533.

A relevant example is the basilica of Cuilapan in Oaxaca, now in ruins. At first, the indigenous people were reluctant to accept the Catholic religion. Around 1526, in the Valley of Mexico, the friars' convents represented the only protection against the colonists, which led the population to become fervent followers of the new religion.

The Open Chapel

As the conversion of the indigenous people grew, the number of faithful increased, and churches—no matter how large—were insufficient to contain the crowds. Consequently, the monks resorted to open chapels (capillas abiertas).

This architectural contribution of New Spain represents perhaps the only temple analogy between Christian and indigenous teocalli. In both religions, worship is practiced outside; the priests occupy the enclosed space, while the faithful remain in the large fenced yard or indigenous shrines. The open chapel is the most original type of religious architecture in the colonial era.

Types of Open Chapels

There are basically three types of open chapels. The first type is a sanctuary that opens on one side, visible from the atrium, built on the ground floor. The most notable examples include:

• The Augustinian convent of Actopan, Hidalgo.
• Coixtlahuaca in the Mixteca Alta, notable for its Renaissance ornaments.
• Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo.
• Yautepec.