Temple of San Antonio de Padua
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449 918-70-32
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The San Antonio Temple is a religious monument and masterpiece, located in the historic center of Aguascalientes. This iconic building was designed and built by self-taught architect Refugio Reyes Rivas.
Construction began on October 22, 1895, but a year later, work was suspended due to lack of funds. It was then that Antonio Morfín Vargas, a prosperous landowner, decided to act as the sponsor of the project, thus securing its blessing on December 8, 1908.
Although its construction was commissioned by the Franciscan Order, the temple is currently under the care of the Augustinian Order.
The characteristic that makes it unique in the country is its eclectic nature, as it incorporates diverse architectural styles such as Gothic, Neoclassical, Baroque, Moorish, and Russian (due to the bulbous dome on the main tower).
This monument, built with yellow quarry stone from Ciénega Grande, Aguascalientes, also features green and pink quarry stone. It also features ornamental details and contrasts of the Corinthian and Doric orders, and a double-stained-glass dome. All of this has led to it being considered by most as the most beautiful temple in the city.
The central tower is the largest and has a clock in the center below it.
Refugio Reyes managed to build this divine monument, despite the fact that people did not trust the temple to be a safe place and believed the foundations were weak. This belief was due to the fact that Reyes had not studied architecture and all his knowledge had been acquired empirically. Therefore, the only way Reyes managed to gain the population's trust in the structure was to stay with his family for two full days at the temple, so that the population could verify its solidity.
