Tepotzotlán - Convent Site

The façade of the convent church, which was basically built between 1628 and 1762, is, with La Valenciana at Guanajuato and Santa Prisca in Taxco, among the most outstanding examples of Churrigueresque style in Mexico. It was crafted by various artists between 1760 and 1762 and its harmonious arrangement of figures includes "estípites" (Eng. stipites = pilasters in the shape of a pyramid with the point downwards) at the top, niches with plinths and sculptures and medaillons with reliefs. The statue of San Francisco Xavier can be seen over the window while in the side niches there are statues of the saints Ignacio de Loyola, Francisco de Borja, Luis Gonzaga and Estanislao de Kotska, the most important personalities in the Jesuit order. The two-storey tower is also decorated with "estípites". The small tower set back to the left belongs to the Casa de Loreto. Passing through the convent the interior of the church is reached, its broad nave containing seven magnificent altars, predominantly carved in wood and painted in gold, displaying the typical Churrigueresque style. The high altar is in three sections and in its design is similar to the façade of the church. In the middle there is a statue of San Francisco Xavier while higher up in the centre there are especially expressive sculptures of the Immaculate Conception (high up in the middle) and John the Baptist (left-hand niche). The right-hand top part of the altar is dedicated to Luis Gonzaga, the left-hand part to San Estanislao de Kotska. The other altars, dating from between 1733 and 1758, are also remarkable, as are the chapels of San Ignacio de Loyola with sculptures of the order's founder, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe with a painting and frescos of Mexico's patron saint by Miguel Cabrera, Nuestra Señora de la Luz with a fine statue, and Nuestra Señora de Loreto, which contains a copy of the house of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth and a reredos with an early Italian statue.

Adjoining the last-named chapel is an octagonal room, the Camarín, which ranks as one of the finest examples of Mexican High Baroque art. The hand of Indian artists can be detected in the shapes and composition of the retablos and of the ceiling. The figures of the archangels and the black oxidised representations in silver are remarkable. The early ribbed vaulting in the Camarín shows Mudéjar influence. The light entering through the alabaster windows contributes to the magnificent overall impression.

Returning to the nave of the church we see on the right-hand side the chapel of Relicario de San José, which contains a painting of JoséIbarra and an especially fine small reredos.