Located in the Guayangareo Valley, in a area inhabited in pre-Hispanic era by Purépecha and Matlatzinca, Morelia was founded in 1541 by Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza, under the name Valladolid. In 1580 it became the capital of the colonial province, and after the Mexican War of Independence, the city was renamed Morelia, in honor of José María Morelos. The city was the birthplace of several important personalities of independent Mexico and has played a major role in the country's history. Because it is an outstanding example of urban planning, which associates the ideas of the Spanish Renaissance with the Mesoamerican experience, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. More than 200 historical buildings, all in the region's characteristic pink stone, reflect the town's architectural history, revealing a masterly and eclectic blend of the medieval spirit with Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical elements.
The historic center of Morelia has the original layout from 1541, its heart being the Cathedral and its surrounding plazas: the Plaza de Armas, also known as the Plaza de los Mártires, the Juárez Plaza and the Melchor Ocampo Plaza. The first church on the Cathedral site was built in 1577, but this structure was destroyed by a fire. In 1660, Bishop Marcos Ramírez del Prado, placed the first stone of the new Cathedral, which was designed by Vicenzo Baroccio. It was consecrated in 1705, even though it wasn't yet finished, receiving the name Cathedral of the Divine Savior and being dedicated to the Transfiguration of Jesus. The facade as a relief of the transfiguration of Christ and the east nave is dedicated to the sheepherders and Wise Men of the Nativity. Built of pink cantera stone, the Cathedrals two sixty meter high towers still dominate the skyline of the city, and are the second tallest Baroque towers in Mexico. In its structure were mixed elements of Neoclassical, Herreresque and Baroque architecture.
References
Morelia - Wikipedia
Morelia Cathedral - Wikipedia
Historic Centre of Morelia - UNESCO official website
sender: Maggie Alonso (direct swap)
sent from Ecatepec (Mexico / Mexico), on 30.08.2013
photo: Encar
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