Sights of Patzcuaro

Templo del Calvario

Temple of the Calvary

This tiny temple is completely out of the way and we accidently stumbled upon it on our way to a holiday party this past December. It is a one room temple near the bottom of "El Estribo" the large hill with a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding region. 

The Temple was built in 1666 on the site of 

what had originally been a 'Yacata' or Purepecha 

pyramid for the late emperor Tariacuri. 

Upon first entering the temple it feels and looks just 

like any other small temple in the region, a little run down but immaculately clean, a few pews, and saints carefully draped in robes.

And THEN you take a closer look.

 In Templo del Calvario, not only are there far more 

Christs on a cross than normal, but every icon is definitively frightening due to any combination of agonizing and doomed expressions, mangy hair, bloody wounds and pale lifeless faces.

The Temple of the Calvary has been appropriately adorned. This icon of Christ on the cross not only has ace bandages on his leg, but is being held on the cross by the bandage on his arm. Similarly, a glass box-encased Jesus, bloody from all his beatings, had his head wound carefully wrapped in a white bandage. 

Outside on the wall of this tiny, fascinating temple there is a plaque in some unknown language. Below this, there are 4-5 tombs that are so old and weathered that you are lucky to make a few words out. The engraving on one was completely eroded away and now only an unmarked tomb remains. 

In front of the temple grounds there is a 'garden vista'. We almost passed this without noticing because the garden was actually a number of cactus and other unruly plants among dried brown weeds and dirt, and the view was essentially nondescript. However there was a fantastically large cactus that Nathan grabbed a great up-close and personal photo of. 

In someone's yard I recognized the remains of the LARGEST agave bloom I have ever seen in my life. It was absolutely stunning once you realized what you were looking at. 

This picture just can't do it justice so here's a little explanation. For one, that post you see towards the bottom left corner was the size of me. Second, notice that long tube-like protrusion hanging down from the top of the plant to the ground? That was the flower stalk, all withered up and dead. Just imagine how high that stalk rose when it was alive and standing straight up! Finally, those dead looking curled up leaves that look like giant corn stalk leaves were the thick fleshy pads of the agave plant that you normally see sticking out and up to the sky. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with agave flowers, they are most remarkable because the plant will grow and grow and grow, saving all it's energy for multiple years. And when the conditions are just right, the plant 'sacrifices' it's leaves for the growth of the ginormous flower stalk, like the example below.

photo from http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/12/