IGLESIA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA MERCED

Built from 1582 to 1630, the church of La Merced is without doubt one of the most beautiful monuments of the country. Its painted, stuccoed façade is very simple and pleasant to look at. The church has three naves with Mudéjar-style coffered vaults. It has a mixture of Renaissance and Baroque styles and is rich in Baroque altarpieces and paintings. The Mercedarian Order was founded in Spain around the year 1213. Its purpose was to free the slaves under Moorish rule.

The walls of the church were completed around 1582. Antonio de Montero was hired around 1619 to finish the work, which was done around 1630. From the outside, La Merced resembles Mexican Renaissance churches, as does the interior, and its coffered vaults appear to be similarly influenced. The church's altar, carved from cedar, is probably one of the most beautiful in Latin America. The paintings in La Merced, which were made especially for it, are the work of Melchor Perez de Holguin. Dating from the 1760s, they constitute a set of twenty-four portraits of the main saints of the order. The beauty of the organ in La Merced, with its musical cherubs, is second only to those in Santa Clara and the cathedral. Ask to climb the towers: if the climb is a bit steep, with sometimes little space, you can walk on the roofs and enjoy a superb view of the church of San Felipe de Neri.