El Templo de Santa Prisca, or the Santa Prisca Church, is a magnificent Baroque structure located in the city of Taxco. Built in the 18th century, the church is a colonial landmark that was commissioned by a prosperous Spanish mine owner. Made from pink stone, boasting large twin towers and decorated with tiles, this is an ornate monument that no architecture enthusiast would want to miss. Inside, nine enormous altarpieces stretch from the floor to the ceiling, and each is covered in gold.
Santa Prisca Church, Taxco
The church of Saint Prisca (El Templo de Santa Prisca ) is one of the most stunning churches in the region. The construction was a demonstration of wealth and power by an influential silver mining baron that ultimately bankrupted him, much to the benefit of today’s visitors to Taxco.
Santa Prisca Church, Taxco Tourist Information
Old colonial mining towns can often be distinguished from other Mexican towns by their extravagant Churrigueresque styled churches. These churches were funded by the riches extracted from beneath the towns and as Taxco had the largest silver vein in region the exterior of the Santa Prisca is spectacular.
Mexico’s silver veins were located within the hills which run the length of the country and for Taxco this resulted in a town with minimal suitable flat land for grand church construction. The El Templo de Santa Prisca is significantly narrower than many similar churches of the era and this extenuates the height of the two towers.
The Santa Prisca stands to the southern edge of the Plaza Borda, Taxco’s main central square. The church was constructed between 1751 and 1758 funded by Jose de la Borda as a suitable venue for the priest Manuel de la Borda to practice his faith. Why should Manual require such a magnificent church- because he was the son of Jose Borda!
The Parroquia de Santa Prisca y San SebastÃan, commonly known as the Church of Santa Prisca, is a colonial monument located in the city of Taxco de Alarcón, in the southern state of Guerrero, Mexico, built between 1751 and 1758. It is located on the east side of the main plaza of Taxco, and is one of the few Baroque buildings in the state of Guerrero.
The construction was ordered by the Catalan miner José de la Borda, one of the most prosperous of the region of Taxco in the 18th century. De la Borda was one of the most important mine owners in the region. From 1758 to 1806, the temple was the tallest building in Mexico, but was surpassed by the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Construction
The church was built between 1751 and 1758 by José de la Borda (ca. 1700–1778), who had made a great fortune in the silver mines surrounding the town. Despite his wealth, however, the opulence of the church nearly bankrupted him. The construction of the church of Santa Prisca in Taxco lasted 15 years and was aimed at creating a space where the priest Manuel de la Borda--son of José de la Borda, benefactor and founder of the parish--could officiate mass. The architectural design was provided by the French architect Diego Durán and the Spanish Cayetano Sigüenza. The altars are work also of the Spanish Isidro Vicente and Luis de Balbás.
Description
The parish is located in a small ravine to the west of the old city of Taxco. It has a Latin cross plan, with an aisle chapel which serves as the altar of the souls. It has Churrigueresque twin towers and a chapel decorated with Talavera tiles, typical of New Spanish architecture. The church is narrower than most due to the lack of flat land on which to build in the area. It is built with pink stone, flanked by two towers which are plain in the lower half but highly decorated in the upper bell portions. The crown overlooking the main portal has a representation of the Assumption of Mary. The cupola is covered in colored tile.
Inside, there are nine floor-to-ceiling altarpieces, all covered in gold. The main altarpiece is dedicated to the church’s two patron saints, Santa Prisca and San Sebastian. In the chapels of the transept of the church are two other important altarpieces, one dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe and the other to the Virgin of Rosary.
Inside the church are paintings by Miguel Cabrera, called "the divine," a Oaxacan painter born in the 17th century, who was commissioned by José de la Borda to decorate the building.
Reference:
1. touropia
2. guanajuatomexicocity
3. wikipedia
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