La Purísima Concepción, Ticomán

La Purísima Concepción, Ticomán is a very old church in the north of Gustavo A Madero. Often today referred to simply as La Purísima, it’s one of the neighborhoods of the ancient Ticomán village. These came later to be associated with towns on the outskirts of the Villa de Guadalupe. In fact, the Ticomán archaeological digs are among the oldest in the City. Civilizations here are thought to date from the pre-Classic period. That makes them contemporary with the Cuicuilco civilization in the very south of the City. Human remains recovered here had been interred some 2,500 years ago.

The church here was likely finished in 1590. It’s strongly associated with that of Santa María Ticomán, as are all the old barrios of the town of Ticomán. In 1761, the chapel which had long been run by Franciscans, was given over to secular priests. And it was well-used for the next 200 years.

The building needed to be completely restored by the late 20th century, as it was almost entirely in ruins. During the reconstruction, several colonial-era burials were excavated. The atrium is not original but some vestiges of it remain. It is a remarkable structure, nonetheless.