NEW MEXICO

NEW MEXICO | ARCHITECTURE

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION

Adobe Abounds

Discover these historic New Mexico churches

By Stacey Zable A

RCHITECTURE AND HISTORY ENTHUSIASTS need only take a short drive from Taos, N.M., to view prime examples of the state’s iconic adobe structural style. Still active places of worship, these 200-year-old parishes offer a tribute to the legacy and enduring culture of New Mexico:

SAN FRANCISCO DE ASÍS CHURCH Ranchos de Taos Built between 1772 and 1816, this majestic Spanish colonial beauty lies in a quaint village only 4 miles south of Taos. This National Historic Landmark has inspired such artists as Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams and Paul Strand.

Striking features of this 120-foot-long example of Franciscan architecture include twin bell towers, an arched portal entrance, 6-foot-thick walls and high viga (wooden beam) ceilings. The church is so revered that its walls receive a new layer of adobe from parishioners during an “enjarre” — or re-mudding — every June.

The interior is a controlled environment designed to protect the 19th-century painting by Henri Ault, The Shadow of the Cross, which casts a mysterious glow in the dark. sfdataos.org

EL SANTUARIO DE CHIMAYO Chimayo Approximately 50 miles south of Taos, this Spanish colonial National Historic Landmark was built from 1813 to 1816 on soil that is said to have healing properties. Attracting close to 300,000 visitors a year , the church is a popular destination for Catholic pilgrimages in addition to being a draw for those seeking a cure for their afflictions.

The small adobe church offers such architectural elements as wooden doors and twin front towers with belfries. Inside, one of the chapel’s walls is filled with hanging canes, braces and wheelchairs, paying homage to those who found “cures” at the church. A small prayer room houses “El Pocito,” a hole filled with the purportedly magic soil. holychimayo.us

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