http://www.newser.com/story/comments/214619/400-year-old-church-emerges-in-reservoir.html

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The remains of a mid-16th century church known as the Temple of Santiago is visible from the surface of the Grijalva River, near the town of Nueva Quechula, in Chiapas state, Mexico, Oct. 16, 2015. 
(AP Photo/David von Blohn)

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NEWSER) – Huh, this wasn't there last year—a 16th-century church emerging from the waters of a Mexican reservoir. But it actually makes sense, because drought is causing the water level to fall 82 feet in the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir, revealing a church that was flooded during construction of a dam nearly 40 years ago, the AP reports. Known as the Temple of Santiago, the building is about half-way visible in the watershed to the Grijalva river. In fact, the water level got so low in 2002 that people could actually walk inside: "The people celebrated. They came to eat, to hang out, to do business. I sold them fried fish," says a fisherman who's now offering Temple of Santiago boat tours. "They did processions around the church."

The church harks back to colonial times, when the Spanish friar Bartolome de las Casas showed up with a group of monks who built the Temple of Santiago, the Independent reports. Las Casas, the first Bishop of Chiapas, initially believed in subjugating the native people, but later argued for abolishing slavery and helped persuade King Charles of Spain to grant the natives their freedom, reports Latin American History. But when conquistadors and settlers revolted, Charles reversed much of the new legislation. As for the church, it "was abandoned due the big plagues of 1773-1776," an architect says. Re-discovered in the 20th century, he says, it contained "a large ossuary of the victims of the plague that depopulated the area."

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http://www.inquisitr.com/2505210/drought-in-mexico...uncovering-stunning-structure/
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http://www.inquisitr.com/2505210/drought-in-mexico...uncovering-stunning-structure/
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Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/2505210/drought-in-mexico-reveals-beautiful-remains-of-mid-16th-century-church-water-levels-drop-82-feet-uncovering-stunning-structure/#HBgqP4BJUXOIXHtt.99

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http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/paul_v_lashkevich/post374584222/

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BUZZWORTHY

OCTOBER 18, 2015
DROUGHT IN MEXICO REVEALS BEAUTIFUL REMAINS OF MID-16TH CENTURY CHURCH, WATER LEVELS DROP 82 FEET UNCOVERING STUNNING STRUCTURE

TARA WEST
The drought in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas has caused water levels in the Grijalva river reservoir to drop 82 feet. As the water level dropped, a stunning structure was revealed beneath the waters that had been buried under the liquid for 50 years, only being exposed once in all of those years. The stunning mid-16th century church was submerged in the river in 1966 when the area flooded. However, thanks to the recent drought, the ancient remains are visible once more to those in the area.

The Daily Mail reports that the Temple of Santiago, also known as the Temple of Quechula, was built by monks in the 16th century. The grand structure was an iconic building along the Grijalva river until 1966, when the area was flooded and the church was buried beneath its waters. The historic church was connected with the nearby monastery of Tecpatan, which was founded in 1564. The church remained occupied until the plagues of 1773 through 1776. During the plagues, the church was abandoned and would remain as nothing more than a symbol of the past.


The church was important as it sat near the King’s highway which was used by Spanish conquistadors. However, there was sadness in the community when the historically relevant church was submerged in the flooding of 1966. Though the church has remained mostly underwater, a local fisherman, Leonel Mendoza, says that the remains became visible in 2002. The waters were down so low that people could enter the top portions of the church. He noted that the exposure of the ancient church was a cause for celebration in the region and people would come to the location to do processionals to the church and picnic outside. He claims the church being exposed was good for his business, as people would come and buy fried fish from him. However, with the waters receding once again with the recent droughts, Mendoza says that more of the church is exposed and many people are requesting a tour of the remains via his boat.

“They came to eat, to hang out, to do business. I sold them fried fish. They did processions around the church.”


According to SF Gate, the church is large, measuring 183 feet in length and 42 feet wide. The walls are about 30 feet high, with a bell tower that reaches 48 feet in height. When the church remains were originally revealed, people claim that a wood chorus loft and roof beams were still present in the structure. The remains also showcase an ossuary for plague victims. Though the church appears to be a somewhat grand structure, architect Carlos Navarete says it was likely never a large church body and may not have even had its own dedicated priest. Instead, it is believed the church relied on visiting priests from Tecpatan.

“At that time we still found the wood from the chorus loft and the roof beams. Also a large ossuary of the victims of the plague that depopulated the area. It was a church built thinking that this could be a great population center, but it never achieved that. It probably never even had a dedicated priest, only receiving visits from those from Tecpatan.”


Though the church was not a success during its time of use, it is drawing visitors from around the area now that it is visible once more. What do you think about the iconic church emerging from the waters once more?

[Image Credit: Getty Images/ Jasper Juinen]


Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/2505210/drought-in-mexico...structure/#HBgqP4BJUXOIXHtt.99
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http://en.whaatsnew.com/2015/10/people/194673

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Colonial-era church emerges from the water in a reservoir in Mexico

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Colonial-era church emerges from the water in a reservoir in Mexico
Par Mashable dans People le 18 October 2015 а 21 h 47 min

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ChurchThe remains of a mid-16th century church known as the Temple of Santiago, as well as the Temple of Quechula, is visible from the surface of the Grijalva River, which feeds the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir, due to the lack of rain near the town of Nueva Quechula, in Chiapas state, Mexico, Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. в
Image: David von Blohn/Associated Press
By The Associated Press2015-10-18 19:47:23 UTC
Leonel Mendoza fishes every day in a reservoir surrounded by forest and mountains in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas. But in recent days, he also has been ferrying curious passengers out to see the remains of a colonial-era church that has emerged from the receding waters.
A drought this year has hit the watershed of the Grijalva river, dropping the water level in the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir by 25 meters (82 feet).
It is the second time a drop in the reservoir has revealed the church since it was flooded when the dam was completed in 1966. In 2002, the water was so low visitors could walk inside the church.
Church 2
Image: David von Blohn/Associated Press
“The people celebrated. They came to eat, to hang out, to do business. I sold them fried fish. They did processions around the church,” Mendoza recalled during a telephone interview Friday.
The church in the Quechula locality was built by a group of monks headed by Friar Bartolome de la Casas, who arrived in the region inhabited by the Zoque people in the mid-16th century.
The church is 61 meters (183 feet) long and 14 meters (42 feet) wide, with walls rising 10 meters (30 feet). The bell tower reaches 16 meters (48 feet) above the ground.
Church 3
“The church was abandoned due the big plagues of 1773-1776,” said architect Carlos Navarete, who worked with Mexican authorities on a report about the structure.
It depended on the nearby monastery of Tecpatan, founded in 1564. Navarrete believes that based on architectural similarities, it is the work of the same builder at very nearly the same time. Its importance was derived from its location on the King’s Highway, a road designed by Spanish conquistadors and still in use until the 20th century.
“At that time we still found the wood from the chorus loft and the roof beams,” he said. “Also a large ossuary of the victims of the plague that depopulated the area.”
“It was a church built thinking that this could be a great population center, but it never achieved that,” Navarrete said. “It probably never even had a dedicated priest, only receiving visits from those from Tecpatan.”
Church 4
Image: David von Blohn/Associated Press
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