San Francisco--page 1 (of three pages)

		Distant view The first monastery in the city of Puebla, the Church of San Francisco is located in the oldest part of the city and formerly the center of early Puebla. Local stone of somber gray was used for its construction with the tiled front added in the mid 18th century.
According to the Wikipedia entry, the facade of stone, brick and tile was constructed between 1743 and 1767 and designed by the architect José Buitrago.
The central sculptural program includes at the very top the Archangel St. Michael, the patron saint of the city of Puebla, Below him in a niche is the Virgin Mary. Below her are three saints in niches including in the center St Joseph holding the infant Jesus and to his right St Joaquim and to his left St Anne, the parents of the Virgin. These sculptures are covered with netting now so the close-up view is somewhat impeded.
		The flared facade with roof-line sculptures of the coats of arms of the Dominican and Franciscan orders
The massive carved portal with St Anthony of Padua above the doorway
Above St Anthony the Virgin (de la Defensa) is represented and above her a relief sculpture of the most important event in the life of St. Francis, the receiving of the stigmata. Flanking this scene are sculptures of St Christopher and At Anthony.
		Panels of tiles representing urns with floral patterns (below) Other tile panels represent crosses and the figures of St Andrew and La Purisima.

Go to page 2.

Work Cited:

Guía. Arquitectura representativa de la ciudad de Puebla. Puebla: Centro para la Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural Tangible e Intangible A. C., L'Anxaneta Ediciones, 2008.


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