Landmark 5 km southeast of Cholula
A village church with a curving facade covered in Talavera tile, the third of Cholula's famous tiled and gilded churches.
San Bernardino Tlaxcalancingo is a village south of Cholula, now half swallowed by the growth of San Andrés Cholula and Puebla, and it is usually visited as the third stop on the route of churches that includes Tonantzintla and Acatepec. Its parish church is the reason to come.
The church dates largely from the 18th century. Like Acatepec, its facade is clad in glazed Talavera tile made in the region, set against red brick in panels of blue, white and yellow, and a sunburst at the base of the tower records that the tiling was done in 1782. The facade bends and folds in a way that catches the light differently through the day, and the walled atrium is entered through a showy gateway, a common way of marking off sacred space in Mexican churches.
Inside, the church was remodeled later in a more sober classical style, with a dome ringed by a balustrade and shallow side chapels, so the contrast with the riot of Tonantzintla is striking. Seeing all three churches in one morning is the best way to understand how Puebla's villages put their own stamp on Baroque architecture.
What to see and do
Study the tiled facade and the 1782 sunburst at the base of the tower.
Walk through the atrium gateway.
Compare the sober interior with Tonantzintla's.
Visit Tonantzintla and Acatepec on the same morning.
Getting there
Tlaxcalancingo is about 15 minutes south of Cholula by car or taxi, off the road toward the Puebla–Atlixco highway, and local buses and colectivos run through it. Church hours vary, and the doors may be closed outside Mass times, so mornings and Sundays are the safest bet.
5 km southeast of Cholula
Directions from Cholula on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather mild
San Bernardino Tlaxcalancingo shares the climate of Cholula, 5 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Cholula your base
San Bernardino Tlaxcalancingo is an easy trip from Cholula, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Cholula
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.