Anyone who’s traveled extensively in Mexico undoubtedly has a favorite parish church or cathedral. Regardless of whether or not you’re of the Catholic faith, you can’t help but admire the gorgeous churches that grace the principal plazas of every town of any size throughout the country. My choice for the honor of prettiest church goes to Templo de Santa Maria de la Asuncion (St. Mary’s Church of the Assumption) in the tiny village of Tequisquiapan, Mexico.

Templo de Santa Maria de la Asuncion in the main plaza of Tequisquiapan

Founded in 1551, the town of Tequisquiapan is a visual feast of cobblestone streets overhung with lush Bougainvilla blooms, houses of gray quarried stone and wrought-iron windows, all topped with tranquil blue skies. The crowning glory of the town is Plaza Miguel Hidalgo, where a miniature electric locomotive carries children around the stone-paved square while parents sip refrescos in the shade of the surrounding arcaded esplanade.

Toy train treats kids to rides around the colonnade-ringed central plaza

At the head of the square stands Templo de Santa Maria de la Asuncion, an exquisite example of neoclassical architecture with a facade of pink granite, smooth columns topped by a triangular pediment, a beautiful tower decorated with symmetrical flower carvings, and a clock that dates from 1897. Built in stages beginning in the sixteenth century, Templo de Santa Maria de la Asuncion was finished in 1874 and has ever since attracted visitors who come to this picturesques village just to see its beautiful parish church.

Photo Credit: Barbara Weibel
Article by Barbara Weibel of Cultural Travel with Hole In The Donut