Perhaps the most famous landmark in San Miguel de Allende is its iconic Parish of San Miguel Arcángel, which adorns the main square and steals the show. But just 20 minutes away, there’s another ecclesiastical treasure that you shouldn’t miss on your visit: the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco. This place is known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas” for good reason: its interior is covered in stunning murals reminiscent, in scale and intensity, of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, famous for the Michelangelo frescoes that decorate its vault. But that’s not all. This sanctuary also plays a key historical role: it was here that Miguel Hidalgo took the banner bearing the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe to wave it in front of the insurgent army at the start of the War of Independence. So it’s definitely not just any church.
Sanctuary of Jesus Nazareno of AtotonilcoSanctuary of Jesus Nazareno of Atotonilco, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas.” Photo: ShutterstockSanctuary of Jesus Nazareno of AtotonilcoThe Sistine Chapel of the Americas. Photo: Shutterstock
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The “Sistine Chapel of the Americas” was founded in 1740 by Father Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro, who dreamed of building a church similar to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This sanctuary is dedicated to Jesus Nazareno and originally served as the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. It has a complex architectural structure with a main nave, seven adjoining chapels, a sacristy, and six dressing rooms—those small spaces where worship is held in a more intimate manner. The façade is so imposing that it resembles a fortress, with walls 10 meters high. Its domes reach 20 meters, and the clock tower is the same height. A special detail: the main entrance has a mixtilinear arch—a decorative shape with curves and angles—facing east, toward Jerusalem, alluding to its original inspiration.
The church covered in murals inside
But if the exterior of the sanctuary is already impressive, what truly leaves you speechless is its interior. There is practically no free corner: walls and ceilings are almost entirely covered with murals from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as sculptures, inscriptions, and oil paintings. All of this is part of a style known as Mexican Popular Baroque, where the indigenous influence is clearly noticeable. Most of the mural work was done by Antonio Martínez de Pocasangre, a Querétaro artist of Spanish descent, along with some additional pieces by José María Barajas. The work was completed over more than thirty years, mainly using tempera, although there are sections that were retouched in oil. The result is a visual explosion of religious images without empty spaces, placed next to each other in no apparent order.
A Living Treasure on the Outskirts of San Miguel de Allende
In 2008, the church was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the city of San Miguel de Allende. Although it is visited by hundreds of people on weekends, the Sistine Chapel of the Americas comes alive four or five times a year, when the cloister becomes the site of spiritual retreats and pilgrimages. During Holy Week, for example, a mass retreat is held that includes fasting, crowns of thorns, flowers, and prayer. As mentioned, the sanctuary is just 14 kilometers from San Miguel de Allende, in Atotonilco, a small rural community surrounded by dry grasslands and mesquite trees. The area is known for its abundance of springs and hot springs. Today, you can still find some of those springs just outside the church. The sanctuary is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. And whether you’re a believer or not, it’s a place that impresses anyone with its artistic wealth.
Source: foodandpleasure
