On September 16, 1810, conspiring with Ignacio Allende, Father Hidalgo rang the bells in the call for independence, beginning the Mexican War of Independence. This bell now hangs in Mexico City, rung by the president each Independence Day as he gives “el Grito,” the cry for freedom, and reads the names of the heroes of independence. In 2008, when San Miguel was given UNESCO World Heritage status, the church bells rang without pause for days.
Celebrations in the churches are accompanied by the music of mariachis, a uniquely Mexican sound that perfectly harmonizes with the sounds of the bells, the laughter of children playing, and the splashing of fountains. Whether it is a funeral, a quinceañera, a wedding, or a baptism, and especially when they are quietly inhabited by a few souls in deep prayer, the beautiful churches and chapels of San Miguel offer quiet reflection, joyous celebration, and a soulful lesson on faith, community, love, respect, architecture, and history.
By any measure, these churches celebrate the history of Mexico, showing the evolution of Spanish colonial architecture as it mixed with Indigenous traditions and skills. From the lofty pink spires of La Parroquia, to the simple rustic church of La Salud, to the deeply revered and colorful Templo Oratorio de San Felipe Neri, to the original San Miguel Viejo, the churches and chapels of San Miguel offer order, inspiration, reverence, and a place for quiet escape. And each reflects the deep faith the residents feel, not only for their God but for their families, their communities, and their shared history.
*****
San Miguel de Allende: the soul of mexico is available from your favorite bookstores including Aurora Books and La Biblioteca Tesoros in San Miguel, or from many of your favorite internet sites including Schiffer, Amazon, Barnes & Nobel and Thrift Books. If you would like an autographed copy of our new book, please send us an email request and you can buy it directly from us at steven@houseandhouse.com.
**************
Cathi and Steven House, the founders and principals of House + House Architects, have received over 50 design awards for their work in California, Mexico, Africa and the Caribbean, and have been featured in prestigious publications throughout the world including two monographs, House + House Architects: Choreographing Space and Houses in the Sun: light movement embrace. Their studies of vernacular architecture have been published in Mediterranean Villages: an architectural journey, and in Villages of West Africa: an intimate journey across time, which document the people, villages and unique architecture. Cathi and Steven lecture extensively and created CASA, The Center for Architecture, Sustainability + Art, a study abroad program based in Mexico.
House + House Architects' work reflects Cathi and Steven's passion for soulfully designed buildings intimately responsive to their site and to their inhabitants.
www.houseandhouse.com
**************
*****
Please contribute to Lokkal,
SMA's online collective:
***
Discover Lokkal:
Watch the two-minute video below.
Then, just below that, scroll down SMA's Community Wall.
Mission
Visit SMA's Social Network
Contact / Contactar
