Edomex. Los Reyes Magos at Culhuacan

For our 2024 year end seasonal post we revisit our updated page on the superb mural of the Three Kings at Culhuacan:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/344482387409714942/2092191172854645090

text and images ©2024 Richard D. Perry

all rights reserved

Hidalgo. The Chapels of Atotonilco de Tula 3

 Possibly the earliest religious structure in the Atotonilco area, the ruined chapel of San Pedro Boxfi, is now located in the cemetery of this town barrio.

 Of substantial stone construction, the now roofless structure retains most of its facade, which probably dates to the late 16th century.  

Like its neighbors, the broad arched doorway is spanned by huge blocks densely carved with reliefs, in this case a sequence of human or animal figures emerging from spiraling foliage, that terminates in Aztec type speech scrolls. Slotted scrolls adorn the jambs and flanking pilasters.

Outlying pilasters and a large overhead cornice, form a kind of alfiz above the doorway, and over that is an empty niche carved with rosettes. 

One unusual feature is the remains of a broad rectangular band spanning the upper facade, inlaid with white stone in which were embedded large sculpted brownstone rosettes, only one remains of four originally.

Although this chapel was built by the Franciscans, no insignia of the order appear on the facade. The only evidence of their heritage is a sculpted shield of the Stigmata set on the remaining pilaster of the former sanctuary arch inside the nave.

text © 2024 Richard D. Perry

images adapted from online sources.

Hidalgo. The Chapels of Atotonilco de Tula 2.

In the second of our posts on the churches of Atotonilco we look at the 16th century chapel of San Jose Zacamulpa. The small single nave chapel is sturdily built, with semicircular apsidal buttresses, crenelated nave walls and an exterior stairway leading to the choir, as well as a two tier belltower.

The chapel, a dependency of the church/convento of Santiago we reviewed in our previous post, is also notable for its carved entry porch. Set on broad stone jambs capped with bands of rosettes and vines above and below, the archway is sculpted with a chain of floral motifs linked by vines.

The doorway is surmounted by a square alfiz framed by a ribboned molding resembling the Franciscan knotted cord. To either side of the bust of the patron saint in the overhead niche, the Franciscan connection is underlined by a pair of tasseled medallions enclosing the Five Wounds.

text © 2024 Richard D. Perry

images from online sources