Church of the Virgin of Ocotlan, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, 17th to 18th Century
This stunning church sits on a hillside overlooking the city of Tlaxcala. It marks the spot where, according to legend, the Virgin made a miraculous apperance in 1540. It remains a pilgrimage destination to this day. Though the foundations for this sumptuously decorated church were laid in 1687, the building was not completed till the last decades of the 18th century. As late as 1957, an ornate fence was built surrounding the atrium of the church. The brilliant white Facade and Bell Towers make a striking contrast tot he bright red tile of the tower bases. This church serves as an excellent example of Mexican Churrigueresque architecture with its ornately carved facade replete with volutes, estiples, angles, saints, and the Virgin Mary herself.