Religious sites
+52 (55) 5512 8940
Av. Hidalgo #45, Col. Centro. 06300, Alameda
What it is. A church on Avenida Hidalgo, facing the Alameda Central, with one of the most striking facades in the historic centre: a deep concave shell-shaped portal in grey stone, curving inwards around the door. It is baroque, eighteenth-century, and completely unlike the flat church fronts on either side of it.
Why there are always people outside. The church holds the remains of San Juan de Dios, and it has become one of the most intensely visited devotional sites in the city — people come to ask for help in matters of love and reconciliation, and the queue at the side chapel is often longer than the congregation at mass.
What is next door. The Museo Franz Mayer, in the former hospital of the same order, holds the finest decorative arts collection in Mexico and has a cloister café that is one of the quietest places in the centre. The Alameda, the oldest public park in the Americas, is across the street, with the Palacio de Bellas Artes at its eastern end.
Practical notes. Av. Hidalgo #45, Centro. Metro Hidalgo, lines 2 and 3, and Bellas Artes, line 8, are both a short walk. Entry is free. Dress as the congregation does and keep photography discreet, especially around the side chapel.
