Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Fátima

What it is. A twentieth-century parish church on Chiapas in Roma Norte, built by the Theatine order —the Clerics Regular founded by Gian Pietro Carafa— who arrived in Mexico and were given this site. Construction was entrusted to Father Juan Sullana in 1950 and the church was completed in 1972.

The story worth knowing. It was paid for, in part, by show business. Among those who raised funds for the building were the singer Francisco "El Charro" Avitia, known as the golden voice of Mexico, who sang to collect money for it, the comedians Viruta and Capulina, the tenor Juan Arvizu and the actress Ana Bertha Lepe —a church funded from the stages and radio studios of mid-century Mexico City. The facade carries stained glass depicting the coronation and glorification of the Virgin.

Practical notes. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:30–19:00, closed Monday and Sunday outside service times; entry is free. It sits in the middle of Roma Norte, so it combines with a walk around Plaza Río de Janeiro and Álvaro Obregón. Metro Insurgentes and Hospital General are both nearby, as is the Álvaro Obregón Metrobús stop.