Friday, December 16, 2011

Mexican Unesco cards

From a trade with Luis, i've got these two mexican Unesco cards, one from a new site, Zacatecas and the other from Chichen Itza. I requested the Zacatecas card because it was from a new site and a few days after getting it, i've received another one from a RR in the PC forum.

Zacatecas is a city and municipality in Mexico and the capital of the state of Zacatecas. It is located in the north central part of the country. Today, the city center is a World Heritage Site, due to the Baroque and other structures built during its mining heyday and mining still remains an important industry.
The church of St. Agustine (ex-templo de San Agustín) was built by the religious order of San Agustín which arrived in the City of Zacatecas in 1575; was consecrated in 1617 and was refurbished and re-consecrated in 1782.
After the Reform Laws, the complex was sold to private buyers who turned it into a pool hall and hotel or apartments. In 1882, it was sold again, this time to the American Presbyterian Society, which demolished the main façade because it did not represent the concepts of that society. The Catholic Church regained possession in 1942 and it is now the Bishop's palace. Reconstruction efforts began in 1948 and continued sporadically until 1969. Only part of the monastery complex survives and is home to the Rafael Coronel Museum. The exquisitely beautiful right side façade of the church remains, worked in sculpted stone, with the scene of St. Agustine being converted to Christianity. Inside, the church has distinctive arches as well as a cupola and side portal. The sacristy contains some of the sculptures from the original main façade. It also contains a collection of colonial artwork and hosts exhibitions. - in:
wikipedia



The Temple of the Warriors is one of the most impressive and important structures at Chichen Itza.
It might be the only known late classic Maya building sufficiently big enough for really large gatherings.
The temple consists of four platforms, flanked on the south and west sides by 200 round and square columns.
All square columns are carved in low relief, with Toltec warriors; in some places they are cemented together in sections, painted in brilliant colors and covered with plaster.
The Temple of Warriors is approached by a broad stairway with a plain, stepped ramp on either side, and each ramp has figures of standard-bearers to hold flags. Before the main entrance a chacmool reclined.
On the top, serpent columns which had S shaped supported wooden lintels (now gone) above the doorways. Astronomical signs and decorative features on the head of each serpent are carved over the eyes. - in:
http://www.chichenitza.com/listingview.php?listingID=16

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