IGLESIA DE JESÚS NAZARENO
A church where you can admire a fresco by José Clemente Orozco on which the artist worked from 1942 to 1944
It is a church as well as the oldest hospital on the continent (1524), whose construction was ordered by Cortés himself, at the supposed location of his first meeting with the Aztec emperor Moctezuma. Like many other buildings in the city, it was built with materials from dismantled Aztec temples. The hospital is still in operation, although it is housed in a newer building with a modern façade that covers the original building. Its portico is that of the first cathedral of Mexico City, from the 16th century. Inside the church is a fresco by José Clemente Orozco, which he worked on from 1942 to 1944, but never completed. It depicts the horrors of the Second World War and is inspired by the Apocalypse, the last book of the New Testament.
But the church is also known for housing the remains of the conquistador Hernán Cortés, since 1947, because he was buried in Seville, but before he died, he ordered that his remains be brought to New Spain. In four hundred years, this repressed character of Mexican history has had a dozen burials between Spain and Mexico. This posthumous wandering is as much due to contentious testamentary interpretations as to the fact that no one seems to want to welcome him to their territory... A small, discreet plaque next to the altar indicates the location of the remains, within the walls of the building.
Did you know? This review was written by our professional authors.
Book the Best Activities with Get Your Guide
Members' reviews on IGLESIA DE JESÚS NAZARENO
The ratings and reviews below reflect the subjective opinions of members and not the opinion of The Little Witty.