Description of the attraction
The Church of Santo Domingo is located in the historic center of Mexico City on the north side of the square of the same name, not far from the Cathedral. This temple was once part of a large Dominican monastery that was demolished in 1861. Buried in the church of Santo Domingo is Pedro de Montezuma, one of the sons of Montezuma II. He died in 1570.
The construction of a simple small temple began shortly after the conquest of the city in 1527 and lasted for 3 years. The first reconstruction of the Church of Santo Domingo took place between 1556 and 1571. Then the premises of the monastery and the chapel near the temple were expanded. During a severe flood, the sacred building was seriously damaged. The architect Pedro de Arrieta was invited to restore it in the first half of the 18th century. The new temple was made in a magnificent baroque style. It is this renovated church that has survived to this day. At the end of the 18th century, the interior design was completely changed. Now all the objects in it are made in a neoclassical manner.
The Dominican monastery complex was ravaged during the redevelopment of the city of Mexico City. A new street, Leandro Valle, was built in the immediate vicinity of the church. To create it, it was necessary to demolish the buildings of the monastery and several chapels. Only the Church of Santo Domingo and the Chapel of Jesus Christ have survived.
The one-nave temple of Santo Domingo is built in the form of a Latin cross and is decorated with one tower. The large altarpiece, executed by Manuel Tolsa in a neoclassical manner, is the dominant feature of the interior. On it you can see two images on the theme of the life of the Virgin Mary, painted in oil, several sculptures of saints, gold medallions, etc.
