Santo Domingo Temple and Chapel of the Rosary

The Temple of Santo Domingo and the Rosary Chapel, in Puebla

The Temple of Santo Domingo shelters the Rosary Chapel, a jewel of Mexican baroque entirely covered with gold. The Puebla audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this dazzling sanctuary, considered one of the wonders of the religious art of the country.

The Rosary Chapel, a jewel of gold

The Temple of Santo Domingo, church of the Dominicans in Puebla, shelters one of the most dazzling treasures of Mexican religious art: the Rosary Chapel. Completed at the end of the seventeenth century, this chapel is considered one of the absolute masterpieces of Hispano-American baroque, and was even nicknamed in its time the eighth wonder of the world. Entering it, you are seized by the extraordinary profusion of gildings that entirely cover the walls, the vault and the dome: sculpted stuccoes, gold leaves, angels, flowers, figures of saints and symbols compose an ensemble of a vertiginous richness, bathed in a golden light. This profusion of ornaments, where the gold mingles with the azulejos and the polychrome sculptures, testifies to the religious fervour and the prosperity of Puebla in the colonial era. The chapel is dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, object of a great devotion. The temple itself, vast and richly decorated, completes this exceptional sanctuary. A jewel of the baroque and a wonder of sacred art, the Temple of Santo Domingo and the Rosary Chapel are discovered with respect.

What to see

You admire, with respect, one of the treasures of Mexican religious art: the Rosary Chapel, completed at the end of the seventeenth century, a masterpiece of Hispano-American baroque nicknamed the eighth wonder of the world, whose walls, vault and dome are entirely covered with gildings, sculpted stuccoes and azulejos, dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, in the temple of the Dominicans. The Temple of Santo Domingo is a wonder of Puebla. It is a major stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Temple of Santo Domingo and the Rosary Chapel lie in the heart of the historic centre of Puebla, reachable on foot. A place of worship, they can be visited with respect for services; access and hours follow their own conditions, which vary. It is best to check them before coming and to respect the sacred character of the place.

Why is the Rosary Chapel of Puebla famous?

Because it is one of the absolute masterpieces of Hispano-American baroque, nicknamed in its time the eighth wonder of the world; completed at the end of the seventeenth century in the temple of the Dominicans, its walls, its vault and its dome are entirely covered with gildings, sculpted stuccoes and azulejos, and it is dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary.

Where is the Temple of Santo Domingo in Puebla?

In the heart of the historic centre of Puebla, in Mexico.