Church of La Soledad, Mexico City
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| Church of La Soledad Iglesia de Santa Cruz y La Soledad (in Spanish) | |
|---|---|
 Facade of the church | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish church |
| Year consecrated | 1792 |
| Location | |
| Location | Mexico City, Mexico |
 Interactive map of Church of La Soledad Iglesia de Santa Cruz y La Soledad (in Spanish) | |
| Coordinates | 19°25′54.16″N 99°7′22.91″W / 19.4317111°N 99.1230306°W |
| Architecture | |
| Architects | Cayetano de Sigüenza, Ildefonso Iniesta Bejarano, Francisco Antonio de Guerrero y Torres, Ignacio Castera |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Neo classic |
| Completed | 1787 |
The Church of La Soledad, officially known as the Church of Santa Cruz y La Soledad, is a Roman Catholic parish church of México City.
The parish of Santa Cruz y La Soledad was the seventh parish established in Mexico City. The original church was an Augustinians doctrina de indios that was secularized by the archbishop in 1750.[1] In the latter 18th century, the church was rebuilt in Neoclassic style, which remains to this day. The church deteriorated over time, but despite this was declared a national monument in 1931. In 1982, the building was restored. The church is located in the La Merced neighborhood with the Plaza de la Soledad located in front.[2][3] This neighborhood is known for prostitution, and sex workers have staged commemorations for a National Day of Sexual Workers in front of this church.[4][5]
The current building is the second on the site, originally called Santa Cruz (Contzinco).[1] According to documents from the time, the architecture of the original church was Renaissance style, built with masonry and topped with a vault in sandstone. The church was under the tenure of the Augustinians from 1633 to 1750, with the most important feature being the Virgen de la Soledad.[2] After the Augustinians left this site, the church was rebuilt by Father Gregorio Pérez Cancio [6] with the help of architects Cayetano de Sigüenza, Ildefonso Iniesta Bejarano, Francisco Antonio de Guerrero y Torres and Ignacio Castera.[2] It was finished in 1787 and consecrated in 1792.[3]
Over time, the church lost most of its luster. Its annex became a home for indians in the 1930s, and a school, leaving the church with about half of its original space. Various thefts from the 1940s to the 1970s caused the loss of candelabras, silver chalices and a reliquary. In 1970, a bus crash considerably damaged the outer fence and cracked an exterior wall. The building was declared a national monument in 1931 and was restored in 1982, allowing it to recover some of its original colonial look.[3]
The Merced area of the city now is a well-known area for prostitution. An annual “National Day of Sexual Workers” (Spanish: Día Nacional de las y los Trabajadores Sexuales) is observed here to remember the violence that is often perpetrated against sex workers.[4][5]
