San Juan Bautista Church (Parroquia San Juan Bautista)
Mexico City, Distrito Federal
One of the oldest churches in Mexico City, the 16th-century San Juan Bautista Church (Parroquia de San Juan Bautista) is a marvellous example of New Spanish baroque. Beyond the unassuming whitewashed facade, visitors can attend weekly services, relax in the courtyard, or simply marvel over the lavishly reconstructed interior, dominated by intricate frescoes and gilded detailing.
The Basics
Capped by an elaborate vaulted ceiling, the single-nave Parroquia de San Juan Bautista is one of the most notable churches in Coyoacán and a National Monument of Mexico since 1934. Stop by independently for one of the several weekly services or visit as part of a guided Coyoacán tour. Travelers with limited time in the area can even combine a stop at San Juan Bautista with visits to other Mexico City highlights, such as the canals of Xochimilco and the Frida Kahlo Museum.
Things to Know Before You Go
San Juan Bautista is a must for fans of architecture and religious artwork.
Services and confessions are held daily.
Entry to San Juan Bautista Church is free.
The Parroquia de San Juan Bautista is both wheelchair and stroller accessible.
How to Get There
The San Juan Bautista Church is situated just off Plaza Hidalgo, in the heart of the Coyoacán neighborhood. The church is a 30-minute walk or 10-minute taxi ride from the Viveros/ Derechos Humanos metro station (Line 3) and can be easily reached by private transport from other points of the city.
When to Get There
San Juan Bautista Church is open year round from roughly 7am to 8pm, with services and confessions conducted daily. Sunday mass is perhaps one of the best times to attend.
The Artwork of San Juan Bautista Church
Pay special attention to the numerous religious frescoes and paintings in the San Juan Bautista Church, including those depicting the Virgen de Guadalupe, Juan de Fabregat’s Life of Christ ceiling fresco, and the Vision of Saint Teresa. Paintings aside, San Juan Bautista also houses numerous sculptures, altarpieces, and devotions.
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