Hospital de Jesús Nazareno
Encyclopedia
The Church and Hospital of Jesús Nazareno are supposedly located at the spot where Hernán Cortés
and Moctezuma II
met for the first time in 1519, which was then the beginning of the causeway leading to Iztapalapa
. Cortés ordered the hospital built to tend to soldiers wounded fighting with the Aztecs. The Jesús Hospital is one of the oldest buildings in Mexico City
. It was most likely operating by 1524, although there is some dispute about this, as it was one of three hospital started around the same time and records have different dates of first opening. The hospital with its church was originally called Purísima Concepción. At the beginning of the colonial period, it was popularly known as the Hospital del Marqués.
The hospital was designed by Pedro Vázques and Cortés left a number of farmlands in his will for the benefit of the institution. Cortés died before the hospital building was finished, and the colonial government hired Alonso Pérez de Castañeda. Six years and 43,000 pesos later, it was still not finished. 130 years later Antonio de Calderón Benavides was named head of the institution and worked to finish it. At this time the hospital received an image of Jesus of Nazarene, and the hospital was renamed after the image when it was finally dedicated in 1665. To one extent or another, just about all of New Spain
’s major architects had a hand on this build from construction to repair work. Some on the list include Claudio de Arciniega, Diego de Aguilera, Sebastian Zamorano, Pedro de Arrieta and Francisco Antonio Guerrero y Torres.
In 1646, the hospital was the site of the first autopsies
performed on the American continent, performed to teach anatomy to medical students of the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico
. In 1715, the hospital published the Regia Academia Mariana Practica Medica to promote more professional practices in the field of medicine in New Spain. The building today continues to function as a hospital.
The church is stripped bare; however, the choir and part of the nave conserve a mural done by José Clemente Orozco
. The work was inspired both by the Apocalypse
and the horrors of the Second World War. Orozco worked on this from 1942 to 1944 but never finished it. The small dome resting on the church tower has an image of the Archangel Michael that is often mistaken as a portrait of Cortés. The coffered ceilings with golden flowers on a blue background on the sacristy are the work of Nicólas de Ylleascas.
Cortés' remains were placed in the church portion by Viceroy Revillagigedo in 1774. At the same time Manuel Tolsá
created a bust of the conquistador as well as his coat of arms done in bronze. Today, there is still a small plaque at the front of the church, to the left of the main altar to indicate the tomb. However, in August 1882, there was a proposal to move the remains and place them next to those of some of the heroes of Mexican War of Independence
, but this caused an uproar with some trying to desecrate the tomb in the church. The remains were removed to a secret secure site.
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
and Moctezuma II
Moctezuma II
Moctezuma , also known by a number of variant spellings including Montezuma, Moteuczoma, Motecuhzoma and referred to in full by early Nahuatl texts as Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, was the ninth tlatoani or ruler of Tenochtitlan, reigning from 1502 to 1520...
met for the first time in 1519, which was then the beginning of the causeway leading to Iztapalapa
Iztapalapa
Iztapalapa is one of the Federal District of Mexico City’s 16 boroughs, located on the east side of the entity. The borough is named after and centered on the formerly independent municipality of Iztapalapa, which is officially called Iztapalapa de Cuitláhuac for disambiguation purposes...
. Cortés ordered the hospital built to tend to soldiers wounded fighting with the Aztecs. The Jesús Hospital is one of the oldest buildings in Mexico City
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...
. It was most likely operating by 1524, although there is some dispute about this, as it was one of three hospital started around the same time and records have different dates of first opening. The hospital with its church was originally called Purísima Concepción. At the beginning of the colonial period, it was popularly known as the Hospital del Marqués.
The hospital was designed by Pedro Vázques and Cortés left a number of farmlands in his will for the benefit of the institution. Cortés died before the hospital building was finished, and the colonial government hired Alonso Pérez de Castañeda. Six years and 43,000 pesos later, it was still not finished. 130 years later Antonio de Calderón Benavides was named head of the institution and worked to finish it. At this time the hospital received an image of Jesus of Nazarene, and the hospital was renamed after the image when it was finally dedicated in 1665. To one extent or another, just about all of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
’s major architects had a hand on this build from construction to repair work. Some on the list include Claudio de Arciniega, Diego de Aguilera, Sebastian Zamorano, Pedro de Arrieta and Francisco Antonio Guerrero y Torres.
In 1646, the hospital was the site of the first autopsies
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
performed on the American continent, performed to teach anatomy to medical students of the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico
Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico
The Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico was founded on 21 September 1551 by Royal Decree signed by Charles I of Spain, in Valladolid, Spain. It is generally considered the first university officially founded in North America and second in the Americas.After the Mexican War of Independence it...
. In 1715, the hospital published the Regia Academia Mariana Practica Medica to promote more professional practices in the field of medicine in New Spain. The building today continues to function as a hospital.
The complex
The complex consists of a church and the hospital divided into four sections. The original hospital building is hidden by a modern façade, but the façade of the church is original. After passing the main entrance, one comes to a two-story colonial courtyard filled with plants and a fountain in the center. The hospital courtyard was originally decorated with Tuscan columns, but have since been replaced by equally austere ones. The original staircase remains, which contains a bust of Cortés and past this staircase is a second courtyard. One courtyard was for men and the other for women. The best-known portrait of Cortés can still be seen here. On the frieze of the upper corridors of the south side have a series of small and grotesque faces, which are popularly and mistakenly considered to be those of Cortés’ relatives.The church is stripped bare; however, the choir and part of the nave conserve a mural done by José Clemente Orozco
José Clemente Orozco
José Clemente Orozco was a Mexican social realist painter, who specialized in bold murals that established the Mexican Mural Renaissance together with murals by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and others...
. The work was inspired both by the Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
and the horrors of the Second World War. Orozco worked on this from 1942 to 1944 but never finished it. The small dome resting on the church tower has an image of the Archangel Michael that is often mistaken as a portrait of Cortés. The coffered ceilings with golden flowers on a blue background on the sacristy are the work of Nicólas de Ylleascas.
Cortés' remains were placed in the church portion by Viceroy Revillagigedo in 1774. At the same time Manuel Tolsá
Manuel Tolsá
Manuel Tolsá was a prolific Neoclassical architect and sculptor in Spain and Mexico.-Biography:...
created a bust of the conquistador as well as his coat of arms done in bronze. Today, there is still a small plaque at the front of the church, to the left of the main altar to indicate the tomb. However, in August 1882, there was a proposal to move the remains and place them next to those of some of the heroes of Mexican War of Independence
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
, but this caused an uproar with some trying to desecrate the tomb in the church. The remains were removed to a secret secure site.