Iglesia el Jesus

Description:

• The dignified Church of Jesus, a popular choice for weddings, stands one block north of the Zócalo at the intersection of Calles 59 and 60. Also known as the Church of the Third Order, this landmark was built in the 17th century by the Jesuits. It was attached to that Catholic order's College of St. Francis Xavier, which was founded in 1618. On its exterior, the Iglesia de Jesús is constructed of roughly finished stone walls – some containing shell fossils – which contrast with a richly carved entrance. There, Corinthian columns guide the eye up to a stained glass window depicting Christ, with gleaming sunbeams emanating from his head. Inside, stained glass windows pierce the dome, illuminating hand-stenciled walls surmounted by paintings. The Parque de la Madre, a pocket size park, lies north of the church, and is graced by a reproduction of André Lenoir's statue in Paris, Mother and Child.
  
• © NileGuide2013