Palace of the Inquisition
Palace of the Inquisition | |
---|---|
Palacio de la Inquisición | |
General information | |
Architectural style | New Spanish Baroque |
Address | República de Venezuela #33, Centro Histórico, Mexico City. C.P. 06010 |
Construction started | 1732 |
Completed | 1736 |
Owner | National Autonomous University of Mexico |
The Palace of the
Inquisition in New Spain
From nearly the beginning of the colonial period until the Mexican War of Independence, this spot has been the headquarters of the Inquisition in the colony of
The Inquisition was officially established here due to a 1566 conspiracy led by
The Inquisition here heard a number of other famous cases during its time, including the prosecution of the Carbajal family for reversion to
Architectural history
The building that stands at the site now was built between 1732 and 1736 by
Originally Arrieta constructed a two-story building, with a third floor added in the 19th century. As the headquarters of the Inquisition, this building had hearing rooms, judges’ chambers, a secret chamber, a jail, and accommodations for two inquisitors.[2] The palace was popularly known as the Casa Chata ("Flat-faced House"). This referred to how its southwest corner being canted (seemingly cut off or pushed in) in order to face Santo Domingo Plaza. Its jail was known as the "prison of an eternity" (la cárcel de la perpetua), since many inmates were confined for life.[3]
Post-Inquisition history
After the end of the Inquisition, in 1838, it was put up for sale by
When all the faculties of UNAM, including the School of Medicine, moved to the Ciudad Universitaria in the 1950s, this palace was is such poor shape that a number of its arches were in danger of falling. Restoration work commenced shortly afterwards and was completed in 1980. In 1982, the building that once was the prison was reintegrated into the main complex and since then has been used as a theater and to accommodate the lectures of visiting professors.[1]
Today the building still belongs to UNAM and functions as the Museum of Medicine. This museum was inaugurated on 22 December 1980, and designed as a way to preserve the history of medicine in Mexico as well as promote the values associated with this field. It was also considered to be a way to conserve one of the properties that UNAM still holds in the historic downtown area. The museum has 24 rooms that cover the history of medicine in this country, from
Description
Like many other buildings in the historic downtown, the facade is covered in tezontle (a blood-red porous volcanic stone), with windows and doors framed with chiluca (a grayish-white stone), but the building has two main notable features. This first is that its main portal is located at the southwest corner, which is canted (cut off) in order to face Santo Domingo Plaza. Arrieta came up with the idea, an innovation in New Spain. With this design, not only would the building face the plaza, its two side streets would lead to its door. This feature would earn the palace the nickname of "flat-faced" (chata), and this idea was declared innovative and beautiful. The other feature is the patio. The arches on the four corners do not rest on columns, but seem to hang from the ceiling, similar to a vaulted ceiling. In fact, they are crossed arches that are supported by pillars attached to the walls and the first columns on each side.[1]
Gallery
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The plaza in 1883, by Thomas Brocklehurst.[7] The palace is in the back.
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The plaza in 1900, by Abel Briquet. The palace is at the background.
See also
- Plaza de Santo Domingo, the square where this palace is located.
- List of colonial non-religious buildings in Mexico City
References
- ^ ISBN 968-5437-29-7.
- ^ ISBN 968-32-0540-2.
- ^ )
- ^ "Museo de la Medicina Mexicana – Presentación" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
- ^ "México y sus alrededores. Colección de monumentos, trajes y paisajes". Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library Foundation. Spain. p. Lit. XVIII.
- ^ Guadalupe Lozada León (2019). "Palacio de la Inquisición". Relatos e historias en México. Mexico: Editorial Raíces S.A.
- ^ Thomas Brocklehurst (1883). Mexico to-day, a country with a great future; and a glance at the prehistoric remains and antiquities of the Montezumas. London. p. 32.
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