The Colonial Bishop of Guadalajara founded Hospicio Cabañas in 1701 to serve not only as a hospital but also as a church, orphanage, and workhouse for the poorer inhabitants of the city. By 1796 the original building required an expansion and a facelift, so the colonial authorities hired the renowned Spanish architect Manuel Tolsá to construct the building. No expense was spared. Inspired by the Baroque grandeur of the Les Invalides in Paris and El Escorial in Madrid, Tolsá got to work designing a large, Neoclassical building. Construction took well over a decade,…
