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In 1870, Antonio Guzmán Blanco had the old 1764 San Felipe Neri chapel demolished. In memory of his wife Ana Teresa, Santa Ana Church was built on the same site –name which was changed to Santa Teresa in 1876–. Built in two stages, near Plaza Washington and the Municipal Theater, the basilica is the integration of two churches of neoclassic style, popular in many European capitals and Guzmán Blanco’s favorite. This style served to unify both churches into a harmonious whole. The west façade is dedicated to Santa Ana, and the eastern one to Santa Teresa (the worship center of the Nazareno of San Pablo). Hurtado Manrique’s skill in the use of neoclassic forms can be seen here, achieving an original distribution, with the main altar in the center –an unconventional liturgical arrangement– prompted by the purchase of land at the end of the block in a second stage. With this additional space the architect achieved a dynamic movement of volumes, using different elliptic domes, vaults, towers and façades. This work, which is Hurtado Manrique’s most important, and the most ambitious one of nineteenth century Caracas architecture, had two opening ceremonies, one civilian and one religious. The basilica remains in the memory of Caracas because of the 1902 earthquake and the 1952 fire, both occurring during mass on Holy Wednesday. In 1959 it was declared a National Historic Monument.
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