HISTORICAL ARCHTECTURE

 

Puebla?s rich history and culture can be seen in it baroque, renaissance and classical architectural styles. In fact, in 1987 the UNESCO declared Puebla a World Heritage Site due to its beautiful buildings.

 

Catedral ? Located on 16 de Septiembre Street, on the corner of 5 Oriente. This building, which has 14 chapels of various styles, houses numerous works of art, such as the main cupola and the altar, which was painted by artist Cristobal de Villalpando. The main façades are transition-period baroque. They have classical columns with Doric, Ionic and Corinthian capitals. The 69-meter (228-foot) towers are the tallest in Mexico. The choir has finely carved benches decorated with wood, onyx and ivory inlays, as well as Arabic ornamental bows. The Cathedral also has two organs donated by the Carlos V.

 

Palacio Municipal ? Located on Av. Maximino Avila Camacho, in Puebla. The hewn stone, renaissance-style façade differs from other buildings in that it uses Ionic columns and triangular gables that crown the windows. The building has two floors topped with a central attic, which has a public clock and a tower on each end.

 

La Concordia y el Patio de los Azulejos ? Located in the city of Puebla, at Calle 3 Sur and 9 Poniente. This is one of the most representative buildings of local architecture. It has a hewn stone, baroque-style facade with images of saints made from marble. Next to the convent you?ll find a college that was once a house of prayer.

 

Ex Colegio Carolino (Puebla Autonomous University Building) ? Located in Puebla on Avenida Maximino Avila Camacho, at 4 Sur. The facade has several doorways with balconies that lead to three interior patios. One of the building?s most notable features is an imperial staircase in the main lobby, where you?ll see large oil paintings.

 

Ex Palacio del Arzobispado (Palacio Federal) ? Located in Puebla?s main square, at Avenida Juan de Palafox and Mendoza. This magnificent construction conserves the facades of the old colleges of San Pedro and San Juan, as well as that of the Palace, making it a true gem of colonial architecture. It also has a harmonious combination of red brick and Talavera tile.

 

Fuente a la China Poblana ? Situated at Blvd. Heroes de 5 de Mayo and Defensores de la Republica. This monumental work has Talavera, hewn stone and petatillo sculptures. Its foundation is 30 meters (100 feet) in diameter. In the middle of the structure an enormous column supports two basins and a pedestal, where the famous 3-meter (10-foot) China Poblana statue stands.

 

Biblioteca Palafoxiana ? Located at 5 Oriente No. 5, this building houses the Casa de la Cultura. This library museum was designated a historical monument by presidential decree due to its extensive collection. It houses 43,000 volumes in languages such as Hebrew, Latin, Sanskrit, Chaldean and Greek. The subject matter includes philosophy, theology and canon law, among other themes. The library has valuable texts, such as the Nuremberg Chronicle, which dates back to 1493. It also houses the Christian Doctrine, the Ortelius Atlas and the Polyglot Bible. Here you can also admire a baroque altarpiece, an oil painting that represents the Virgin of Trapana and another of Saint Thomas Aquinas. You also see tables with onyx inlays and a finely sculptured bookcase.

 

Templo y Ex Convento de San Francisco ? Located on Blvd. Heroes del 5 de Mayo. This structure has a tower with four hewn stone bodies with broken moldings and Ionic and Doric pilasters. On the main façade of gray hewn stone, you?ll see images of vases and flowers and a churrigueresque portal. They are flanked by two large tile panels and enriched by three plateresque bodies. You?ll also see choir stalls, neoclassic altarpieces and the mummified body of the devout Sebastian de Aparicio.

 

Templo de Santo Domingo ? Located at 5 de Mayo, at the corner of 4 Poniente. The facade is of gray hewn stone and it is pure classical style. It features three Doric columns. From its large atrium, you can appreciate the mortar baroque adornments on the conventional façade. You also see large vaults and magnificent gold-covered altarpieces of baroque, churrigueresque and Salomonic baroque styles.