ARCHITECTURE IN

MEXICO
Rodolfo Dominguez Exsome
BAROQUE ARQUITECTURE
In the mid’late 16th century. European
architects started experimenting with
dramatic new styles. In contrast to the
rational, composed structures of the
Renaissance, they were bold,
emotional, dramatic, and absolutely
plastered with ornamentation. This
style was the Baroque. One
characteristic of the Mexican Baroque
is its ornamentation. Most
architectural facades are covered in
countless reliefs or moldings of
Baroque Example

■ Another notable characteristic of the

Mexican Baroque is its materials. While
European Baroque architects worked heavily
in stone, with some plaster molding,
Mexican Baroque artists embraced a wider
range of media. They carved plaster into
complex geometric patterns; a technique
called yesería. Polished and gilded wood are
found in many buildings. Especially notable
are the retablos, paintings of saints set in
wood frames that are ubiquitous features of
Mexican churches. Saints are often carved as
life-sized wooden statues as well.
Neoclassical
architecture
■ Neoclassical architecture is
an architectural style
produced by the Neoclassical
movement that began in the
mid-18th century in Italy and
France. It became one of the
most prominent architectural
styles in the Western world.
The prevailing styles of
architecture in most of
Europe for the previous two
centuries, Renaissance
architecture and Baroque
architecture
NEOCLASSICAL EXAMPLE
The Benito Juarez Hemicycle is a
Neoclassical monument located at
the Alameda Central park in Mexico
City, Mexico and commemorating
the Mexican statesman Benito
Juarez. The statue of Juarez is
flanked by marble Doric columns.
There are two allegorical female
statues next to Juarez, representing
the fatherland and law. The
pedestal bears the inscription "Al
benemerito Benito Juarez la Patria".