Santa Prisca Parish Church

Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero, Mexico
1751-1758
In 1751, after José de la Borda struck it rich mining silver in the hills near Taxco de Alarcón, he funded the building of one of Mexico's greatest baroque churches. Notable Mexican artists participated in its construction and detailing, including Cayetano de Siguenza, Isidoro Vicente de Balbas, Joseph de Alba, and Miguel Cabrera. Like many Baroque churches, Santa Prisca took as its theme the glorification of martyrdom, a notion reflected in the altarpieces. Taxco remains a vibrant silver mining city and this active Catholic church remains its most prominent monument. An urgently-needed, full-scale restoration was begun in 1997 because of cracks and fissures in the vaults and severe water damage in the central dome. Vaults and walls have begun to separate--the result of earthquakes, vibrations from heavy traffic on nearby streets, and from past mining detonations. Presently, most important tasks are: preparation of elevation drawings to facilitate structural, gravitational, and seismic analysis; creation of an inventory of work to be done; and surveillance of the most serious structural issues.