Ex Templo de San José

You are standing in front of a fascinating historic site. This temple, inaugurated in 1716 by the Jesuits, was built to replace a small hermitage dedicated to Saint Joseph, the patron saint of ship carpenters in the city’s craftsmen guild. When the Jesuits arrived in Campeche in the early 18th century, they transformed that modest chapel into a much larger temple, leaving a lasting mark on the city’s architecture. The building utilises baroque and neoclassical elements and stands out as a prime example of the Talavera style, with a façade decorated with blue and white Talavera ceramics. Talavera tiles are traditional Mexican ceramics with a milky white background, hand-painted with colorful patterns, most often in cobalt blue. This craft dates back to the 16th century and reflects a mix of Spanish, Arab, Chinese, and Indigenous influences. Talavera was used both for everyday objects and for decorative tiles on churches and building façades. In 2019, the craftsmanship behind Talavera ceramics was recognized as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Here, the tiles give the building a very distinctive character. The temple is also notable for its two towers, one of which has housed a maritime lighthouse since 1865, making the Ex Templo de San José the only colonial temple in Mexico to include a functioning lighthouse. The building served as a place of worship until 1914, after which it was assigned to various civil and cultural uses. Today it hosts temporary exhibitions that visitors can explore freely.