Capilla de la Concepcion, Mexico City

The Chapel of La Concepción Cuepopan (Capilla de la Concepción Cuepopan), commonly known as La Conchita or the Chapel of the Dead, is a charming Catholic temple from the 18th century, designed in the elegant New Spanish Baroque style. Situated in the Plaza de la Concepción, in the northwest area of Mexico City's Historic Center, this chapel stands as the sole surviving example of its kind in this historic district.

Originally established in the mid-18th century within the eastern part of the Cuepopan neighborhood, the chapel was initially dedicated to Lucía de Syracuse. However, by the late 18th century, it fell into disuse and was left abandoned. Around the middle of the 19th century, it found a new purpose as a mortuary for those who couldn't afford proper burials. Subsequently, in 1927, the chapel underwent restoration and transformation, becoming a SEP library (Secretariat of Public Education), and four years later, on February 9, 1931, it was officially declared a historical monument.

The chapel features a unique hexagonal floor plan, adding to its distinctive character. Its dome is adorned with visible red bricks and a lantern on top. The façade is divided into two sections. The lower part exhibits a semicircular arch adorned with intricate plant motifs and flanked by fluted pilasters, with a captivating relief of Francisco of Assisi at the keystone. Above the arch, there's a frieze embellished with plant decorations. Moving to the second section, a niche holds a sculpture depicting Jesus of Nazareth carrying the cross on his shoulders. The niche is flanked by pilasters and adorned with undulating pinnacles, topped by a broken pediment, and adorned with a relief bearing the monogram of Maria.