Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Texcoco, 16th-century cathedral in Texcoco, Mexico
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Texcoco is a 16th-century religious structure featuring a Latin cross floor plan, an octagonal dome, and two three-story towers. The towers are decorated with plant motifs that enliven the facade and make the building visible from a distance.
Franciscan friars began a monastery here in 1526, with Friar Pedro de Gante and local workers building one of the earliest religious complexes in New Spain. This project was part of the wider evangelization efforts that Spain launched after conquest.
The interior displays Baroque altarpieces and colonial paintings created by artists adapting to Spanish traditions. These works reflect how local craftsmen incorporated their own techniques into the imported religious art.
The building sits about 26 kilometers from Mexico City and maintains regular religious services that visitors can observe from appropriate areas. Expect longer crowds when major ceremonies are taking place, and dress respectfully since this is an active place of worship.
A side chapel displays an ancient Castilian script carved by indigenous converts in random order without following alphabetical sequence. This unusual letter arrangement puzzles researchers wondering how local craftsmen understood and interpreted the alphabet.
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