La Tercena

2004 World Monuments Watch

A rare example of early sixteenth-century civic architecture, La Tercena in Metztitlán, Hidalgo, boasts a combination of indigenous and European architectural elements, including a portico with columns decorated with latticework and fruit motifs and a gargoyle with an eagle’s head of Prehispanic design. Preserved inside is an extraordinary suite of polychrome murals. One of the few surviving buildings of its kind in Mexico, this unique architectural gem, which is currently owned by the federal government, is threatened by cracks caused by seismic activity, vandalism, and a lack of community interest in its preservation and reuse. The building will be lost without a conditions assessment, emergency stabilization work, and the implementation of security measures and a long-term conservation plan.