Church of Santa María Tonantzintla

Church of Santa María Tonantzintla tickets: which one to buy

The Church of Santa Maria Tonantzintla stands in a small village near Cholula, about fifteen kilometres from the city of Puebla in central Mexico, and entry is free. Photography inside the church is strictly forbidden, which is enforced by guards. It is one of the most extraordinary churches in Mexico, and it is usually visited together with the nearby church of San Francisco Acatepec, known for its tiled facade, and the Great Pyramid of Cholula, crowned by the church of Our Lady of Remedies.

Tours from Puebla combine these sights in half a day, and colectivo buses run from Cholula. Puebla is about two hours from Mexico City by bus. The village is quiet, with a small market around the church square selling local food. The church is active, and visitors should be respectful during services. Guides at the entrance offer short explanations in Spanish, and the fee is a small tip.

Visiting Church of Santa María Tonantzintla: what to see

The church was built in the sixteenth century and decorated inside mainly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by indigenous artisans, who created one of the finest examples of Mexican folk baroque, sometimes called indigenous baroque. The name Tonantzintla means place of our little mother in Nahuatl, and the site may once have been dedicated to the Aztec goddess Tonantzin. The facade is covered in red tiles and white stucco. Inside, every surface of the walls, arches and dome is covered with gilded and painted stucco decoration: faces of angels and cherubs, many with indigenous features, fruits, flowers, birds and plants of Mexico, in gold, red, green and white. The dome depicts a heaven filled with figures.

The result has been compared to a paradise of the ancient Mesoamerican imagination, blended with Christian symbolism, and it is a remarkable expression of the fusion of cultures. The main altarpiece is gilded and holds a statue of the Virgin surrounded by angels. The side chapels are decorated in the same exuberant style, with painted figures and plants. Many of the cherubs wear feathered headdresses resembling those of pre-Hispanic dancers. The bell tower rises beside the facade, decorated with tiles. The atrium in front of the church once served for outdoor mass for indigenous converts. Craftsmen from the village are said to have worked on the decoration for generations. Village festivals fill the atrium with dancers and music.

Church of Santa María Tonantzintla opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily, with a break at midday and closed during some services. Puebla has a mild climate, with a rainy season from June to September, when afternoons bring showers. Mornings are the best time to visit, when the light enters the church and the village is quiet. The patronal feast of the church, around 15 August, the Assumption, brings celebrations and decorations.

Day of the Dead in early November is celebrated with altars and decorations in the region. Allow about twenty minutes for Tonantzintla, and combine it with Acatepec and the Cholula pyramid in a half-day excursion. San Francisco Acatepec, about ten minutes away, has a facade covered entirely in brightly coloured Puebla tiles.