Tepotzotlan

Once upon a time, Tepotzotlan was a sleepy little village about 50 kilometers from Mexico City.  It still qualifies as a village, and it's still about 50 kilometers from the city, but it is by no means sleepy.  In the late 16th (or was it early 17th) century Jesuits founded a church, a convent,  and a colegio (probably something like a prep school) for local Indian boys.   The whole complex has been turned into a stunningly beautiful and fascinating museum.

My friend Brian is here from New Jersey, and we decided to get out of the city and see something different, so we took the Metro (city subway) and then a bus, which took about 1 1/2 hours and cost all of 21pesos (less than $2USD).  The museum is fascinating -- it tells the story of Mexico through portraits, artifacts, furniture, household items and liturgical items.  The real gem is the convent church -- amazing Baroque decoration on the retablos (reredos behind the altar): birds, plants, flowers, leaves, angels, shells and much more in intricately carved wood gilded.  And painted ceilings in the most over-the-top kind of embellishment. 

Lunch in a restaurant within the confines of the old Convent topped it off -- pollo en mole poblano  and   pork in adobo sauce washed down with good Mexican beer.  Another day, another adventure.


A view of the Church, convent and colegio,  now the Museo de los Virreyes

The main square of Tepotzotlan.



 Here I am standing in front of the pulpit of the convent church.

(Where else would I be?)

 

 

The altar of the Virgin of Guadalupe

 

 

Close-up of one of the altarpieces, to show the detail, although now photo can begin to show the beauty and grandeur of this place.

 

 

Frescoes on the ceiling and the interior of the dome