San Felipe de Neri Church is listed on the American National Register of Historic Places. The church that now stands on the Old Town Plaza was constructed in 1793, on the site of the 1706 mission building. The church, in the shape of a cross, was constructed of adobe with walls over 5 feet thick.
Soaring above the sanctuary of the church, one on either side, are a matching pair of square adobe bell towers/steeples topped with smaller and intricately decorated whitewashed belfrys. Each tower has square pilasters at each corner, capped with white cross gabled caps, each with a white cross atop. The towers have what would appear to be white belfry vents all around with gabled tops. Above are similar white gabled parapets. Stepped in from the main tower is a smaller belfry, all white and again with corner pilasters, gabled caps with crosses and gabled parapets on all sides. These smaller belfries are essentially miniature versions of the main towers. In another setting we might say that the white trim and belfries were built of terra cotta, but we doubt that to be the case here. Though the church itself dates from 1793, the towers weren't added until 1861.
The Historic District of Old Town Albuquerque, is a must visit location for anyone on the Route 66 road trip, as many travelers would have done since the Mother Road's inception in 1926 on their journey through the City of Albuquerque.
Church
Web Site
Services
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 7:00 am
Thursday 7:00 am Communion Service
Friday 7:00 am
Saturday 5:30 pm
Sunday 7am, 8:30 am (in Spanish) & 10:15 am
Old Town Albuquerque, is the center of an area that has known a European presence for over 500 years, in a city that was founded in 1706. Flags flying in the plaza represent countries of Albuquerque's history: Spain, Mexico, and the United States. The Confederate States of America even ruled for a few short weeks. Buildings around the Old Town plaza and on the side streets are authentic adobes up to 300 years old, many built in Albuquerque's distinctive "Territorial Style" architecture combining traditional adobe building methods with Greek details.
From the Albuquerque Bed & Breakfasts
San Felipe de Neri was built in 1793 to replace the original 1706 mission church. The adobe church is built in the traditional colonial style with Spanish overtones and mixtures of 18th and 19th century decorative and building elements. The interior has wood paneled wainscoting, a stamped metal ceiling, an elaborate altar and plaster walls painted to resemble marble. San Felipe de Neri Church presents an interesting combination of the old and new building traditions of New Mexico.
From National Parks