San Felipe de Neri Church
San Felipe de Neri Church | |
Location | 2005 North Plaza St. NW Albuquerque, New Mexico |
---|---|
Nearest city | Albuquerque |
Coordinates | 35°5′48″N 106°40′11″W / 35.09667°N 106.66972°W |
Built | 1793-1860s (the interior was completed in 1916) |
NRHP reference No. | 69000140 |
NMSRCP No. | 39 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | October 1, 1969 |
Designated NMSRCP | February 21, 1969[1] |
San Felipe de Neri Church (
San Felipe de Neri replaced an older church, dating to the founding of Albuquerque in 1706, which collapsed in the winter of 1792–3. From its founding until 1817, church was run by
History
First church
The church was established in 1706 under the direction of Fray Manuel Moreno, a
In 1776 the church was inspected by Fray Atanasio Domínguez, who wrote that it faced east with an attached convent on the south side and was surrounded by a walled cemetery.[7] Domínguez also encountered some confusion as to the church's patron saint, which the local people evidently still believed to be Francis Xavier. Domínguez had a painting of the correct saint installed and the church has been known as San Felipe de Neri since.[6]: 67–68 The church was apparently allowed to deteriorate in the late 1700s to the point where it collapsed during the winter of 1792–93.[6]: 116
Second church
The governor, Fernando de la Concha, called the church collapse a disgrace and ordered everyone in the surrounding area to help in constructing a replacement as soon as possible.[6]: 116–117 The new church was begun in 1793 and had a more sophisticated design than the old building, with a cruciform rather than rectangular plan and twin bell towers. A convento was added on the east side for the Franciscan friars who operated the parish. In 1817, the administration of San Felipe de Neri was transferred to the Diocese of Durango,[5] as the Franciscans had outlived their intended missionary role and were draining the province's funds by continuing to draw a sizable government subsidy. In fact, provincial authorities had been trying to remove them since 1767.[6]: 117–120
Under the influence of Bishop (later Archbishop)
Architecture
San Felipe de Neri is cruciform in plan with thick
Other buildings
The church property includes several ancillary buildings which are also of historical interest.
Rectory
The rectory, also known as Moreno Hall, stands east of the church on the site of the original convento built in the 1790s. Rebuilt around 1890 by the Jesuits, the present rectory is a rectangular, two-story building of stuccoed brick with a wide portico, cross-gabled roof, and widow's walk. The west gable has a decorative octagonal window,[4] while a similar window on the front was replaced by a clock.
Our Lady of the Angels School
This was Albuquerque's first public school, built by the Jesuits in 1878. It is a one-story, gable-roofed building with a wooden
Sister Blandina Convent
The convent, attached to the west side of the church, was built in 1881 for the
Outbuildings
Also on the church property are a modest Territorial-style barn, stable, and parish hall.[4] The buildings are organized around a central courtyard.
References
- ^ a b "New Mexico State and National Registers". New Mexico Historic Preservation Commission. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ "LUCC Staff Report" (PDF). Landmarks & Urban Conservation Commission. 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
- ^ a b c "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: San Felipe de Neri Church". National Park Service. October 1, 1969. Retrieved September 20, 2017. with five accompanying photos
- ^ a b c d e f g Dewitt, Susan (1978). Historic Albuquerque Today: An Overview Survey of Historic Buildings and Districts (2 ed.). Albuquerque: Historic Landmarks Survey of Albuquerque. p. 28.
- ^ a b c d e f "Parish History". San Felipe de Neri Parish. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ ISBN 9780826331601. Retrieved September 20, 2017 – via Google Books.
- ^ ISBN 9780826337825. Retrieved September 19, 2017 – via Google Books.