La Purísima, Minor basilica in downtown Monterrey, Mexico.
La Purísima is a minor basilica in downtown Monterrey featuring an unusual structure made of intersecting parabolic forms that create a cross-like shape. The main nave rises approximately 15 meters high with eight side chapels radiating outward from the central space.
Construction began in 1939 under Archbishop Guillermo Tritschler and replaced an earlier temple that had stood at the same location. The project earned the National Architecture Award in 1946, marking a turning point in how churches were designed in Mexico.
The basilica serves the local community as a place for worship and spiritual gatherings, drawing people who appreciate its modern design approach to sacred space. The building demonstrates how contemporary architecture can honor religious tradition while embracing bold innovation.
The basilica is located on Avenida Hidalgo in the downtown area and welcomes visitors during daylight hours. Since it remains an active place of worship, visitors should be respectful during services and plan to explore the architecture when fewer worshippers are present.
The building demonstrates advanced concrete shell construction using hyperbolic and parabolic forms that later influenced architects like Felix Candela. This structural innovation in the 1940s opened new possibilities for modern church design.
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