San Pedro y San Pablo College (Museum of Light)
Encyclopedia
The San Pedro y San Pablo College complex has seen a lot of changes since it was built in late 16th and early 17th centuries, and today the church portion of the complex is home to the Museo de la Luz (Museum of Light) sponsored by the National Autonomous University of Mexico
. While only the former church houses the museum, the old school complex stretches along San Ildefonso Street ending at Republica de Venezuela Street.
, Tepotzotlan
, Puebla
, Guadalajara, Zacatecas
, Guatemala
and Mérida
. Construction of the facility began in 1576 funded by Don Alonso de Villaseca and others. The college church on the corner of El Carmen and San Ildefonso was built by Jesuit architect Diego Lopez de Arbaizo between 1576 and 1603. The church annex was completed in 1603 by Diego Lopez de Albaize, and the rest of the college complex was finished in 1645.
The purpose of the school was to provide university-level education to young Creole
men. It was divided into the Lesser Schools, which taught humanities and Greek/Latin grammar, and the Superior Schools, which focused on theology, the arts and philosophy. The institution educated young men for both religious and secular vocations. Two of its more notable alumni are Francisco Javier Alegre
and Francisco Javier Clavijero
, reaching its peak during the first half of the 18th century when it had about 800 students enrolled.
When the Jesuits were expelled from Spanish lands in 1769, the college was forced to close. The school building was given to civil authorities, who first used it as a barracks and later to house the Monte de Piedad
foundation. The church fell into Augustine
hands, who took out most of the church's decoration. The altarpiece
s, paintings and other decorative objects were redistributed to other churches, especially to the Metropolitan Tabernacle of the Cathedral, where many of these pieces still remain. During this time, the complex began to seriously deteriorate.
When the Jesuits were allowed to return fifty years later in 1816, they found the complex nearly in ruins. They worked to rebuild both the church and the school, with much of the physical reconstruction done by Cristóbal Rodríguez.
However, the San Pedro y San Pablo College never returned to its function, mostly due to the Mexican War of Independence
. Shortly after independence in 1821, a number of important events occurred in the church building. In 1823, after proclaiming the independence of Mexico, Agustín de Iturbide
held meetings here which led to the promulgation of the "Reglamento Provisional del Imperio" (Provisional Regulations of the Empire). In the following year, the initial sessions of the Constitutional Congress were held here, which wrote the first Federal Constitution of Mexico
in 1824. After Iturbide's short reign as emperor, Guadalupe Victoria
was sworn in as the first president of Mexico
here.
The church reopened for worship from 1832 to 1850, but then closed to become the library of the San Gregorio College. During this time, the Virgin of Loreto image of Mexico City was here from 1832 to 1850 when it was thought that the church
it belonged to might collapse. Later, it had quite a number of uses such as a dance hall, an army depot and barracks, a correctional school called Mamelucos, a mental hospital and a storage facility for Customs.
From 1921 to 1927, the building was remodeled by José Vasconcelos
and inaugurated as a "Hall of Discussion" with an office dedicated to a campaign against illiteracy. Vasconcelos had the church building redecorated, adding a number of important early modern mural work by artists such as Xavier Guerrero and Roberto Montenegro
.
From 1927 to 1930, the building was converted to workshops for the Academy of San Carlos
, which had become integrated with the re-established National University (now UNAM). The Escuela Popular Nocturna de Música (School of Popular Evening Music) also occupied part of the building. In this way, the complex became part of University property, which it remains. In the early 1930s the university made it part of the National Preparatory School, and shortly after that it was also used as a secondary school, to house the School of Theater, an exhibition hall and other uses.
In 1944, the church part was inaugurated by President Camacho
as the National Periodical Archive (Hermeroteca Nacional), which it remained until 1979. It now houses the Museum of Light.
in design, with a portal that is flanked by two pairs of Doric pilasters, which extend up to frame a window which is stained-glass in the design of the coat-of-arms of UNAM. Above the window is a triangular pediment
which has a niche containing a statue of Athena
. The portal is topped with a large curved pediment with a small crest bearing the coat-of-arms of Spain. The bell tower of the church is situated on the northwest side, behind the main façade.
The inside of the church is in the form of a cross, with thick interior buttress
es that marked off space for the church's various chapels. These buttresses extend upwards to support a handkerchief-vaulted ceiling. These interior arches have been painted with rustic-style flora and fauna created by Roberto Montenegro, Jorge Enciso, Gabriel Fernández Ledesma
and Rafael Reyes Espindola.
Another feature of the church is its three stained-glass window pieces. Two of these were designed by Roberto Montenegro and called "La Vendedora de Pericos" (The Parakeet Seller), and the other is called "El Jarabe Tapatio" (The Jarabe Dance of Guadalajara). The stained glass window with the seal of the University visible on the church's facade was designed by Jorge Enciso. All of these designs were then crafted by Eduardo Villaseñor.
The original decoration of this church is long gone. What remains is the decorative painting that was commissioned by José Vasconcelos in the 1920s. In addition to the decorative work on the buttresses and arches, there are a few murals. In the presbytery
, Roberto Montenegro painted a mural which is alternately called "The Tree of Life" and "The Tree of Science. Xavier Guerrero decorated the dome with paintings that were inspired by the zodiac
. In the stairway in the northwest corner of the patio, there is a fresco done by Roberto Montenegro in 1923 called "The Festival of the Holy Cross" which is said to be done in a style to mimic Diego Rivera
. The cloister was decorated by Dr. Atl
and Robert Montenegro but these works have been lost. The most important of these was called "The Festival of the Cross," which was painted in the stairwell of the east patio. Later, an allegory of the Mexican Revolution
was painted here called "The Iconographic Museum of the Revolution" by Manuel Fernandez Ledezma, which was never finished.
The rest of the complex which housed the college is practically devoid of decoration except for the seal of the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico
on the facade. This part of complex originally had four patios but two were demolished to make way for Republica de Venezuela Street. In one of the remaining patios, there is an obelisk
that records the three institutions of learning that have been housed at the site. Today, this part of the building is dedicated to a number of uses, one of which is being the home of Secondary School #6.
in Baja California
. It also hosts activities such as workshops, demonstrations, conferences and talks.
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
. While only the former church houses the museum, the old school complex stretches along San Ildefonso Street ending at Republica de Venezuela Street.
History
San Pedro y San Pablo was the second college founded by Jesuits, who were sent to the new colony in the 16th century in part to start schools. The group that founded this college was headed by Father Pedro Sanchez. and the official founding occurred in 1574 with the name of Colegio Máximo de San Pedro y San Pablo (Great College of Saints Peter and Paul). It was called "Máximo" because it was built to oversee the training of priests in Mexico CityMexico 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...
, Tepotzotlan
Tepotzotlán
Tepotzotlán is a city and a municipality in the Mexico state of Mexico. It is located 115 km northeast of Mexico City about a 45-minute drive along the Mexico City-Querétaro at marker number 41. In Aztec times, the area was the center of a dominion that negotiated to keep most of its...
, Puebla
Puebla, Puebla
The city and municipality of Puebla is the capital of the state of Puebla, and one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico. Being a planned city, it is located to the east of Mexico City and west of Mexico's main port, Veracruz, on the main route between the two.The city was founded...
, Guadalajara, Zacatecas
Zacatecas, Zacatecas
Zacatecas is a city and municipality in Mexico and the capital of the state of Zacatecas. It is located in the north central part of the country. The city had its start as a Spanish mining camp in the mid 16th century. Prior to this, the area's rich deposits in silver and other minerals were known...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Mérida
Mérida, Yucatán
Mérida is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Yucatán and the Yucatán Peninsula. It is located in the northwest part of the state, about from the Gulf of Mexico coast...
. Construction of the facility began in 1576 funded by Don Alonso de Villaseca and others. The college church on the corner of El Carmen and San Ildefonso was built by Jesuit architect Diego Lopez de Arbaizo between 1576 and 1603. The church annex was completed in 1603 by Diego Lopez de Albaize, and the rest of the college complex was finished in 1645.
The purpose of the school was to provide university-level education to young Creole
Creole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
men. It was divided into the Lesser Schools, which taught humanities and Greek/Latin grammar, and the Superior Schools, which focused on theology, the arts and philosophy. The institution educated young men for both religious and secular vocations. Two of its more notable alumni are Francisco Javier Alegre
Francisco Javier Alegre
Francisco Xavier Alegre was a Jesuit scholar, translator, and historian of New Spain.-Life:Alegre was born in Veracruz, New Spain. He studied philosophy in the Royal College of San Ignacio in Puebla, then canon and civil law in Mexico City and theology in Angelópolis...
and Francisco Javier Clavijero
Francisco Javier Clavijero
Francisco Javier Clavijero Echegaray , was a Novohispano Jesuit teacher, scholar and historian...
, reaching its peak during the first half of the 18th century when it had about 800 students enrolled.
When the Jesuits were expelled from Spanish lands in 1769, the college was forced to close. The school building was given to civil authorities, who first used it as a barracks and later to house the Monte de Piedad
Nacional Monte de Piedad
The Nacional Monte de Piedad is a not-for-profit- institution and pawnshop whose main office is located just off the Zócalo, or main plaza of Mexico City. It was established between 1774 and 1777 by Pedro Romero de Terreros as part of a movement to provide interest-free or low-interest loans to...
foundation. The church fell into Augustine
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
hands, who took out most of the church's decoration. The altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s, paintings and other decorative objects were redistributed to other churches, especially to the Metropolitan Tabernacle of the Cathedral, where many of these pieces still remain. During this time, the complex began to seriously deteriorate.
When the Jesuits were allowed to return fifty years later in 1816, they found the complex nearly in ruins. They worked to rebuild both the church and the school, with much of the physical reconstruction done by Cristóbal Rodríguez.
However, the San Pedro y San Pablo College never returned to its function, mostly due to the 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...
. Shortly after independence in 1821, a number of important events occurred in the church building. In 1823, after proclaiming the independence of Mexico, Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Aramburu , also known as Augustine I of Mexico, was a Mexican army general who built a successful political and military coalition that was able to march into Mexico City on 27 September 1821, decisively ending the Mexican War of Independence...
held meetings here which led to the promulgation of the "Reglamento Provisional del Imperio" (Provisional Regulations of the Empire). In the following year, the initial sessions of the Constitutional Congress were held here, which wrote the first Federal Constitution of Mexico
1824 Constitution of Mexico
The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new constitution, the republic took the name of United Mexican States, and was defined as a representative federal republic, with...
in 1824. After Iturbide's short reign as emperor, Guadalupe Victoria
Guadalupe Victoria
Guadalupe Victoria born José Miguel Ramón Adaucto Fernández y Félix, was a Mexican politician and military man who fought for independence against the Spanish Empire in the Mexican War of Independence. He was a deputy for Durango and a member of the Supreme Executive Power...
was sworn in as the first president of Mexico
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
here.
The church reopened for worship from 1832 to 1850, but then closed to become the library of the San Gregorio College. During this time, the Virgin of Loreto image of Mexico City was here from 1832 to 1850 when it was thought that the church
Nuestra Señora de Loreto Church
The Nuestra Señora de Loreto Church in the historic center of Mexico City was the last major church constructed during the colonial period. Constructed between 1806 and 1819, the church tilts significantly to one side due to being constructed of stone of two different weights...
it belonged to might collapse. Later, it had quite a number of uses such as a dance hall, an army depot and barracks, a correctional school called Mamelucos, a mental hospital and a storage facility for Customs.
From 1921 to 1927, the building was remodeled by José Vasconcelos
José Vasconcelos
José Vasconcelos Calderón was a Mexican writer, philosopher and politician. He is one of the most influential and controversial personalities in the development of modern Mexico. His philosophy of "indigenismo" affected all aspects of Mexican sociocultural, political, and economic...
and inaugurated as a "Hall of Discussion" with an office dedicated to a campaign against illiteracy. Vasconcelos had the church building redecorated, adding a number of important early modern mural work by artists such as Xavier Guerrero and Roberto Montenegro
Roberto Montenegro
Roberto Montenegro Nervo was a Mexican painter, illustrator, and stage designer....
.
From 1927 to 1930, the building was converted to workshops for the Academy of San Carlos
Academy of San Carlos
The Academy of San Carlos is located at 22 Academia Street in just northeast of the main plaza of Mexico City. It was the first major art academy and the first art museum in the Americas. It was founded in 1781 as the School of Engraving and moved to the Academia Street location about 10 years later...
, which had become integrated with the re-established National University (now UNAM). The Escuela Popular Nocturna de Música (School of Popular Evening Music) also occupied part of the building. In this way, the complex became part of University property, which it remains. In the early 1930s the university made it part of the National Preparatory School, and shortly after that it was also used as a secondary school, to house the School of Theater, an exhibition hall and other uses.
In 1944, the church part was inaugurated by President Camacho
Manuel Ávila Camacho
Manuel Ávila Camacho served as the President of Mexico from 1940 to 1946.Manuel Ávila was born in the city of Teziutlán, a small town in Puebla, to middle-class parents, Manuel Ávila Castillo and Eufrosina Camacho Bello. He had several siblings, among them sister María Jovita Ávila Camacho and...
as the National Periodical Archive (Hermeroteca Nacional), which it remained until 1979. It now houses the Museum of Light.
Building
The facade of the church portion of the complex is NeoclassicNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
in design, with a portal that is flanked by two pairs of Doric pilasters, which extend up to frame a window which is stained-glass in the design of the coat-of-arms of UNAM. Above the window is a triangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
which has a niche containing a statue of Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
. The portal is topped with a large curved pediment with a small crest bearing the coat-of-arms of Spain. The bell tower of the church is situated on the northwest side, behind the main façade.
The inside of the church is in the form of a cross, with thick interior buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es that marked off space for the church's various chapels. These buttresses extend upwards to support a handkerchief-vaulted ceiling. These interior arches have been painted with rustic-style flora and fauna created by Roberto Montenegro, Jorge Enciso, Gabriel Fernández Ledesma
Gabriel Fernández Ledesma
Gabriel Fernández Ledesma was a Mexican painter, printmaker, sculptor, graphic artist, writer and teacher. He has been described as one of the most prolific artists in Mexican modern art.-Biography:...
and Rafael Reyes Espindola.
Another feature of the church is its three stained-glass window pieces. Two of these were designed by Roberto Montenegro and called "La Vendedora de Pericos" (The Parakeet Seller), and the other is called "El Jarabe Tapatio" (The Jarabe Dance of Guadalajara). The stained glass window with the seal of the University visible on the church's facade was designed by Jorge Enciso. All of these designs were then crafted by Eduardo Villaseñor.
The original decoration of this church is long gone. What remains is the decorative painting that was commissioned by José Vasconcelos in the 1920s. In addition to the decorative work on the buttresses and arches, there are a few murals. In the presbytery
Presbytery (architecture)
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
, Roberto Montenegro painted a mural which is alternately called "The Tree of Life" and "The Tree of Science. Xavier Guerrero decorated the dome with paintings that were inspired by the zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
. In the stairway in the northwest corner of the patio, there is a fresco done by Roberto Montenegro in 1923 called "The Festival of the Holy Cross" which is said to be done in a style to mimic Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez was a prominent Mexican painter born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo . His large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in...
. The cloister was decorated by Dr. Atl
Dr. Atl
Gerardo Murillo was a Mexican painter and writer who signed his works "Dr. Atl". He was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where he began the study of painting at an early age, under Felipe Castro...
and Robert Montenegro but these works have been lost. The most important of these was called "The Festival of the Cross," which was painted in the stairwell of the east patio. Later, an allegory of the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
was painted here called "The Iconographic Museum of the Revolution" by Manuel Fernandez Ledezma, which was never finished.
The rest of the complex which housed the college is practically devoid of decoration except for the seal 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...
on the facade. This part of complex originally had four patios but two were demolished to make way for Republica de Venezuela Street. In one of the remaining patios, there is an obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
that records the three institutions of learning that have been housed at the site. Today, this part of the building is dedicated to a number of uses, one of which is being the home of Secondary School #6.
Museum of Light
After the moving of the National Periodical Archive to the National Library José Vasconcelos in 1979, the church building lay abandoned for nearly 20 years. In 1995, as part of a project to rescue the building, Dr Jorge Flores, along with Dra. Ana Maria Cetto and Dr. Luis de la Peña, initiated the idea of creating a museum dedicated to electromagnetic radiation, commonly known as light. After extensive restoration work, the building became the Museum of Light in 1996, devoted to exhibits showing what we know about this phenomenon scientifically, such as its nature, color, perception, its relationship with time and with the stars, with the Earth's biosphere and with art. The exhibits of this museum are mostly hands-on and interactive. The Museum hosts temporary expositions, such as a tribute to the National Astronomical Observatory (Mexico)National Astronomical Observatory (Mexico)
Mexico's National Astronomical Observatory was first established on the balcony of Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City in 1878. It was later moved to Tacubaya, then on the outskirts of the city, a location remembered in the Observatorio station of the Mexico City Metro, situated nearby...
in Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
. It also hosts activities such as workshops, demonstrations, conferences and talks.