page_title: La Santísima Church
section_title: The church
hierarchical_section_title: La Santísima Church / Description / The church
caption_attribution_description: English: Main portal of La Santisima Church in Mexico City
context_page_description: La Santísima Church is located 12 La Santísima Street at corner of Emiliano Zapata Street in the historic center of Mexico City. Its full name is Church and Hospital of the Most Holy Trinity. The church was built between 1755 and 1783 as a temple for the adjoining hospital/hospice for priests. The hospital functioned until 1859, when the Reform Laws nationalized much of Church's property in Mexico. The church still retains its original function but the adjoining hospital and office sites have since moved into private hands with only parts of the original structures still intact and preserved.
context_section_description: The church building consists of three naves with the center one being significantly wider than the side ones. Its architectural style is similar to the Tabernacle of the Mexico City Cathedral.  Because of this, many consider this church to be the work of the same architect, Lorenzo Rodriguez. However, this is in dispute because some elements that are common in Rodriguez's other works are lacking here, and some records indicate that architect Ildefonso Iniesta Bejarano was involved in the project. The dome outside is decorated with tiles forming Maltese crosses, a symbol of the Trinitarians. The basic floor plan is that of a Latin cross, common to churches in the 17th and 18th centuries. It has a vaulted roof of eight sides which reaches to a central point, containing windows for lighting. The church is of the profusely-decorated Baroque style, but some areas, like the roof are relatively unadorned.
  The main facade contains some aspects of the older churches that surround it, such as the cross layout, the relief work and window of the chorus, although new aspects such as estipite columns were introduced. The facade also contains twelve medallions done in relief, each representing an apostle. Among the columns there are ten sculptures, five of which represent bishops, four represent popes and one represents a priest, each of which are identified as learned scholars of the Church. The main portal is Churrigueresque style worked in "chiluca", a hard gray stone and flanked by two pillars. The keystone of the central arch of this entrance is decorated with a medallion with the papal coat-of-arms covered by a series of volutes. Above this, there is a relief depicting the Holy Trinity with God the Father dressed as a pope. The depiction of the Trinity is due to the church's patronage by a Trinitarian brotherhood originally formed by tailors.
  The side entrance to the church is also Churrigueresque with estipite columns, with Saint Peter in the central niche, reflecting the complex's other patron, a clerical brotherhood devoted to this saint. In the arch, there is an icon of Ildephonsus of Toledo as well as a medallion with an image of Saint Anthony the Great, who became popular in Mexico at the time the church was built. There are also medallions of John the Baptist and another unidentified saint. This side entrance was also the entrance to the hospital. Both entrances are profusely decorated in the Baroque style, mostly with images of apostles, bishops and scholars accompanied by angels and cherubs.
  On the side of the church facing Emiliano Zapata street, there is a niche flanked by small estipite columns. In this niche is a representation of the Corpus Christi, dedicated to the Holy Eucharist. During the colonial period, this was the scene of a major festival in the capital.
  The tower rises to the side of the main facade. It is topped by a very large sculpture of the papal crown, representing the supreme authority of the papacy.  It contains estipite columns which were never finished and are unique among churches in Mexico City.
  Inside, very little remains of the original church decoration. The church was decorated with artwork and altarpieces with gold leaf but these have disappeared. One thing that remains is the wooden screen that blocks light from entering the main entrance. It is made of cedar decorated with carved geometric figures along with flowers and mermaids. It contains a stained glass window depicting the Holy Trinity. Another is the choir balustrade, also made of cedar and intricately carved with baskets of fruit.
caption: Main portal of the church
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