La Merced Cloister
Encyclopedia
The La Merced Cloister is all that is left of a monastery complex built in the late 16th and early 17th century by the Mercedarian order. It is located on Uruguay and Talavera Streets in the historic downtown of Mexico City
. The complex lent its name to the area around it, La Merced, which in turn, inspired the name of the metro station
and the famous La Merced market
.
in 1593. Before establishing missions and churches in other parts of Mexico, the La Merced Monastery was established between the 16th and 17th centuries in Mexico City. The complex was designed and constructed by Juan de Herrera
. The first stage of monastery’s construction was begun with its church, now gone, begun in 1594 and ended toward the mid 17th century. The second stage, consisting mostly of the upper floor, was consecrated in 1703.
Due to the Reform Laws
, the church and other parts of this monastery were destroyed in 1862, leaving only the one cloister
that remains to this day. The only documentation of how the monastery looked before is preserved in a 1842 painting of the complex by Pedro Gualdi. The first post-Reform use of the building was as a military barracks, resulting in the destruction of the west facade and the heavy modification of the southern one. In later years, the cloister would serve as a gymnasium, school, museum, child care center and INBA (National Fine Arts Institute) tapestry workshop.
One reason this building has managed to survive to the present day is that it was the home and studio of artist Dr. Atl
in the 1920’s. When he moved in, it was in very poor condition, forcing him to live on the building’s roof. Later, he restored the patio area, reconstructed the back part of the building and replaced the balustrades of the upper floor.
and Moorish
elements, and has been called one of the most beautiful monasteries built in Mexico because of its elaborate decoration. In the middle is a patio, surrounded by two floors of columns with arches, behind which are walkways. A large staircase leads to the upper floor and tower next to the street. On each of the four sides of the patio, the seven ground-floor columns divide into fourteen upper-floor columns. The ground-floor columns are of Doric style and the keystone
s of each of the arches bear medallions with images of apostles or Mercedarian monks. The columns of the upper floor, built later, have more decoration than the lower. These columns are decorated with lattice
s intertwined with foliage and fruit. The spaces between the pilasters are decorated in Baroque style, with sculpted images of Mercedarian monks in the triangles that extend from the arches to the ceiling. On the undersides of the arches, small pyramids point downwards.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. The complex lent its name to the area around it, La Merced, which in turn, inspired the name of the metro station
Metro Merced
Merced is an underground station on Line 1 of the Mexico City Metro. It is located in the Venustiano Carranza borough, slightly to the east of the centre of Mexico City. The station building was designed by Félix Candela, and it was opened on 5 September 1969.The station logo depicts a box with...
and the famous La Merced market
La Merced Market, Mexico City
The La Merced Market is a traditional public market located in the eastern edge of the historic center of Mexico City and is the largest retail traditional food market in the entire city. The area, also called La Merced, has been synonymous with commercial activity since the early colonial period...
.
History
The Order of Mercedarians came to MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in 1593. Before establishing missions and churches in other parts of Mexico, the La Merced Monastery was established between the 16th and 17th centuries in Mexico City. The complex was designed and constructed by Juan de Herrera
Juan de Herrera
Juan de Herrera was a Spanish architect, mathematician and geometrician.One of the most outstanding Spanish architects in the 16th century, Herrera represents the peak of the Renaissance in Spain. His sober style was fully developed in buildings like the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial...
. The first stage of monastery’s construction was begun with its church, now gone, begun in 1594 and ended toward the mid 17th century. The second stage, consisting mostly of the upper floor, was consecrated in 1703.
Due to the Reform Laws
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
, the church and other parts of this monastery were destroyed in 1862, leaving only the one cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
that remains to this day. The only documentation of how the monastery looked before is preserved in a 1842 painting of the complex by Pedro Gualdi. The first post-Reform use of the building was as a military barracks, resulting in the destruction of the west facade and the heavy modification of the southern one. In later years, the cloister would serve as a gymnasium, school, museum, child care center and INBA (National Fine Arts Institute) tapestry workshop.
One reason this building has managed to survive to the present day is that it was the home and studio of artist Dr. Atl
Dr. Atl
Gerardo Murillo was a Mexican painter and writer who signed his works "Dr. Atl". He was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where he began the study of painting at an early age, under Felipe Castro...
in the 1920’s. When he moved in, it was in very poor condition, forcing him to live on the building’s roof. Later, he restored the patio area, reconstructed the back part of the building and replaced the balustrades of the upper floor.
Description
The cloister is noted for its mix of BaroqueBaroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
and Moorish
Moorish architecture
Moorish architecture is the western term used to describe the articulated Berber-Islamic architecture of North Africa and Al-Andalus.-Characteristic elements:...
elements, and has been called one of the most beautiful monasteries built in Mexico because of its elaborate decoration. In the middle is a patio, surrounded by two floors of columns with arches, behind which are walkways. A large staircase leads to the upper floor and tower next to the street. On each of the four sides of the patio, the seven ground-floor columns divide into fourteen upper-floor columns. The ground-floor columns are of Doric style and the keystone
Keystone (architecture)
A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone piece at the apex of a masonry vault or arch, which is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight. This makes a keystone very important structurally...
s of each of the arches bear medallions with images of apostles or Mercedarian monks. The columns of the upper floor, built later, have more decoration than the lower. These columns are decorated with lattice
Latticework
Latticework is a framework consisting of a criss-crossed pattern of strips of building material, typically wood or metal. The design is created by crossing the strips to form a network...
s intertwined with foliage and fruit. The spaces between the pilasters are decorated in Baroque style, with sculpted images of Mercedarian monks in the triangles that extend from the arches to the ceiling. On the undersides of the arches, small pyramids point downwards.