The Parroquia de Santa Prisca y San Sebastían, 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 1759. It is located on the east side of the main plaza of Taxco.[1]
The construction was ordered by José de la Borda, one of the most prosperous mine owners of the region of Taxco in the 18th century. From 1758 to 1806, the temple was the tallest building in Mexico, but was surpassed by the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in San Luis Potosí City. The Church of Santa Prisca considered one of the best of New Spanish Churrigueresque.[2]
The Santa Prisca de Taxco, main representation of the New Spanish baroque in Taxco.
The church was built between 1751 and 1759 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.[3] 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.
Although he had arrived in Taxco only about thirty-five years before the construction of the Santa Prisca temple, José de la Borda was already one of the most important figures in the mineral, which is why the Archbishopric of Mexico allowed him to erect the parish your entire taste.
Cayetano José de Siguenza drew the plans in the form of a very narrow Latin cross due to the conditions of the land and the architect Diego Durán Berruecos built it between 1751 and 1759.[4][5] The altarpieces were designed by the brothers Isidoro Vicente and Luis de Balbás (adoptive sons of Jerónimo, the Mexican Churrigueresque master) who took advantage of the structure of the building to trace the symbolic and religious axes.[4]
Description
The parish is located in a small hollow with respect to the rest of the city of Taxco artificially leveled. It has a Latin cross plan, with a side nave that serves as a chapel for the altar of the Souls and a tribune on a street with Gothic ribbed vaults with tiercerons with a decorated main key that camouflages access to the Sagrario (sanctuary). It has two twin towers in the Churrigueresque style and a chapel decorated with Talavera azulejos, characteristic of New Spanish architecture.
The main facade is oriented to the west as was the custom, and in it classicist pilasters are combined with Solomonic columns used in the 17th century, which combined with posters, scrolls, ribbons, foliage, niches with saints, shields, diamond points, etc. arrive at an abundance of elements.[4]
In this way, it is seen how the work has a great verticalist and dominant sense. The high Churrigueresque-style towers were very well crafted in their upper part to leave intact the plinth that acts as a visual buttress to frame the portal of the altarpiece. This is how the front has a language of architectural composition, typical of the time, with cylindrical columns in the lower part and twisted columns in the upper part.
Santa Prisca has nine floor-to-ceiling altarpieces, worked in wood and covered with gold leaf. The style of the altarpieces forms a unit with the architectural ensemble, that is, it is a sample of mid-18th century New Spanish Baroque. The main altarpiece is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and the patron saints of the city of Taxco de Alarcón: Saint Prisca and Saint Sebastian. It looks like a cascade of superimposed carvings where the tectonic and compositional structure is lost, leaving the whole that wants to be shown as a whole instead of being divided into parts. In the chapels of the transept of the temple there are two other important altarpieces, one dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe and the other to the Virgin of the Rosary.
The central themes of the construction are: the patron saint Saint Prisca, Saint Sebastian, the evangelists, the shells (which symbolize the baptism of Jesus), the laurel leaves (which symbolize the triumph of faith) and the grapes, which represent the blood of Christ. Inside there are paintings by Miguel Cabrera, called "the divine", an Oaxacan painter born in the 17th century, to whom José de la Borda commissioned the paintings that decorate the building. In this church Miguel Cabrera painted Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, Martyrdom of St. Prisca, and also a great Assumption which still hangs in the sacristy.[6]
The oldest document of the parish archive dates from 1598.
Legend of Santa Prisca
There is a legend associated with the Santa Prisca Church. While it was in construction, José de la Borda left Taxco on business to Guanajuato, leaving construction work to the builders. Soon after Borda left, the sky filled with black clouds and cold winds struck the streets, whistling through the towers of the unfinished church. The dark and cold terrified the workmen as the large storm approached. Suddenly a large bolt of lightning struck showing an undefined black silhouette that was swooping down on the church. Then it struck the cupola of the church, lighting it brilliantly. All of the tile covering the cupola began to shine with strange lights, allowing the inscription “Gloria a Dios en las alturas y paz en la tierra a los hombres de buena voluntad” (Glory to God in the Highest and peace on earth for men with good will) to be seen clearly. The whole town got down on their knees to pray, fearing that angry demons would destroy the church. Floating around the church were flashes of light and above the church appeared a beautiful woman who, smiling and with a peaceful face, caught the following lightning bolts in her hands.[7]
Gallery
Interior of the temple, Templo de Santa Prisca de Taxco.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Prisca Church (Taxco de Alarcón).
^"El brillo de Taxco". Mexico Desconocido Guerrero El Destino del Mundo (in Spanish). Mexico City: Grupo Editorial Impresiones Aéreas. 135: 77–84. May 2007. ISSN 0188-5146.
^Allen, Jim; Jan McHargue. "Silver, Saints, and Sinners: Semana Santa in Taxco, Mexico". Mexconnect. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
^ abcFernando Guzmán Schiappacasse, Gloria Cortés Aliaga, Juan Manuel Martínez Silva (2004). Arte y crisis en Iberoamérica: segundas Jornadas de Historia del Arte. RIL Editores. p. 27. ISBN9562843874.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
church, santa, prisca, taxco, parroquia, santa, prisca, sebastían, commonly, known, church, santa, prisca, colonial, monument, located, city, taxco, alarcón, southern, state, guerrero, mexico, built, between, 1751, 1759, located, east, side, main, plaza, taxco. The Parroquia de Santa Prisca y San Sebastian commonly known as the Church of Santa Prisca is a colonial monument located in the city of Taxco de Alarcon in the southern state of Guerrero Mexico built between 1751 and 1759 It is located on the east side of the main plaza of Taxco 1 Church of Santa Prisca de TaxcoThe facadeLocationTaxcoCountryMexicoDenominationRoman Catholic ChurchArchitectureStyleNew Spanish BaroqueGroundbreaking1751Completed1759SpecificationsMaterialsStoneThe construction was ordered by Jose de la Borda one of the most prosperous mine owners of the region of Taxco in the 18th century From 1758 to 1806 the temple was the tallest building in Mexico but was surpassed by the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in San Luis Potosi City The Church of Santa Prisca considered one of the best of New Spanish Churrigueresque 2 Contents 1 Construction 2 Description 3 Legend of Santa Prisca 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 ReferencesConstruction Edit The Santa Prisca de Taxco main representation of the New Spanish baroque in Taxco The church was built between 1751 and 1759 by Jose 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 3 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 Jose de la Borda benefactor and founder of the parish could officiate mass Although he had arrived in Taxco only about thirty five years before the construction of the Santa Prisca temple Jose de la Borda was already one of the most important figures in the mineral which is why the Archbishopric of Mexico allowed him to erect the parish your entire taste Cayetano Jose de Siguenza drew the plans in the form of a very narrow Latin cross due to the conditions of the land and the architect Diego Duran Berruecos built it between 1751 and 1759 4 5 The altarpieces were designed by the brothers Isidoro Vicente and Luis de Balbas adoptive sons of Jeronimo the Mexican Churrigueresque master who took advantage of the structure of the building to trace the symbolic and religious axes 4 Description EditThe parish is located in a small hollow with respect to the rest of the city of Taxco artificially leveled It has a Latin cross plan with a side nave that serves as a chapel for the altar of the Souls and a tribune on a street with Gothic ribbed vaults with tiercerons with a decorated main key that camouflages access to the Sagrario sanctuary It has two twin towers in the Churrigueresque style and a chapel decorated with Talavera azulejos characteristic of New Spanish architecture The main facade is oriented to the west as was the custom and in it classicist pilasters are combined with Solomonic columns used in the 17th century which combined with posters scrolls ribbons foliage niches with saints shields diamond points etc arrive at an abundance of elements 4 In this way it is seen how the work has a great verticalist and dominant sense The high Churrigueresque style towers were very well crafted in their upper part to leave intact the plinth that acts as a visual buttress to frame the portal of the altarpiece This is how the front has a language of architectural composition typical of the time with cylindrical columns in the lower part and twisted columns in the upper part Santa Prisca has nine floor to ceiling altarpieces worked in wood and covered with gold leaf The style of the altarpieces forms a unit with the architectural ensemble that is it is a sample of mid 18th century New Spanish Baroque The main altarpiece is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and the patron saints of the city of Taxco de Alarcon Saint Prisca and Saint Sebastian It looks like a cascade of superimposed carvings where the tectonic and compositional structure is lost leaving the whole that wants to be shown as a whole instead of being divided into parts In the chapels of the transept of the temple there are two other important altarpieces one dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe and the other to the Virgin of the Rosary The central themes of the construction are the patron saint Saint Prisca Saint Sebastian the evangelists the shells which symbolize the baptism of Jesus the laurel leaves which symbolize the triumph of faith and the grapes which represent the blood of Christ Inside there are paintings by Miguel Cabrera called the divine an Oaxacan painter born in the 17th century to whom Jose de la Borda commissioned the paintings that decorate the building In this church Miguel Cabrera painted Martyrdom of St Sebastian Martyrdom of St Prisca and also a great Assumption which still hangs in the sacristy 6 The oldest document of the parish archive dates from 1598 Legend of Santa Prisca EditThere is a legend associated with the Santa Prisca Church While it was in construction Jose de la Borda left Taxco on business to Guanajuato leaving construction work to the builders Soon after Borda left the sky filled with black clouds and cold winds struck the streets whistling through the towers of the unfinished church The dark and cold terrified the workmen as the large storm approached Suddenly a large bolt of lightning struck showing an undefined black silhouette that was swooping down on the church Then it struck the cupola of the church lighting it brilliantly All of the tile covering the cupola began to shine with strange lights allowing the inscription Gloria a Dios en las alturas y paz en la tierra a los hombres de buena voluntad Glory to God in the Highest and peace on earth for men with good will to be seen clearly The whole town got down on their knees to pray fearing that angry demons would destroy the church Floating around the church were flashes of light and above the church appeared a beautiful woman who smiling and with a peaceful face caught the following lightning bolts in her hands 7 Gallery Edit Interior of the temple Templo de Santa Prisca de Taxco The passageway to the Sagrario on Calle del Arco Choir Altarpiece Reredos Reredos Sacristy furniture Dome Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco in 1919 Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco in 1930 Main altar of the Church in 1908 INAH Interior of the Church of Santa Prisca in 1920 Roof Upper facade The portal The Martyrdom of St Prisca 1760 by Miguel Cabrera Located inside 6 8 See also EditTaxco New Spanish BaroqueReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Prisca Church Taxco de Alarcon El brillo de Taxco Mexico Desconocido Guerrero El Destino del Mundo in Spanish Mexico City Grupo Editorial Impresiones Aereas 135 77 84 May 2007 ISSN 0188 5146 Laura Perez Rosales 1996 Mineria y sociedad en Taxco durante el siglo XVIII Universidad Iberoamericana p 15 ISBN 9688592641 Allen Jim Jan McHargue Silver Saints and Sinners Semana Santa in Taxco Mexico Mexconnect Retrieved 2009 08 26 a b c Fernando Guzman Schiappacasse Gloria Cortes Aliaga Juan Manuel Martinez Silva 2004 Arte y crisis en Iberoamerica segundas Jornadas de Historia del Arte RIL Editores p 27 ISBN 9562843874 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Cayetano Jose de Siguenza Real Academia de la Historia Spain a b Leslie Bethell 1984 The Cambridge History of Latin America Cambridge University Press p 724 ISBN 0521245168 Enciclopedia de los Municipios de Mexico Guerrero Taxco de Alarcon in Spanish Retrieved 2009 08 26 Miguel Cabrera EL MARTIRIO DE SANTA PRISCA SANTOS ARCA Arte Colonial Coordinates 18 33 23 N 99 36 17 W 18 55639 N 99 60472 W 18 55639 99 60472 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco amp oldid 1128332337, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
