The Attic

In the ancient grounds of the San José El Altillo estate, the main house of the estate is preserved, and a modern church, La Soledad del Altillo, has been built. The grounds were slightly higher than the surrounding areas (hence the name) and were chosen in the 18th century by the Marquises of Aguayo, Don Agustín de Echevez y Subizar and Doña Francisca Valdés y Alceaga, as a base in the capital, although they owned properties and were governors in the province of the New Kingdom of León. The estate included land with fruit trees and maguey plants. In 1949, the then owner donated the property to the missionaries of the Holy Spirit.

They commissioned in 1957 two masters of modern Mexican architecture, Enrique de la Mora and Félix Candela, to conceive a compact yet spacious church: a surprising construction with a lightweight roof made of reinforced concrete in the shape of a parabolic saddle, which has become one of the icons of 20th-century Mexican architecture. The roof is suspended on a thin column shaped like a cross, the symbol of the order. Upon entering, it is noticeable that the central altar, surrounded by chairs, and the large modern stained glass windows that cover half of the wall give the impression that the roof is flying. The architects managed to create an intimate and welcoming space, almost mystical.

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