Sharing the same
complex with La Parroquia dedicated to the militant Michael
is a much simpler church dedicated to another archangel, in
this case
Rafael. The tower was refaced by Ceferino
Gutierrez after he added La Parroquia's iconic facade.
He feared that San Rafael's original baroque style
would clash with his "Gothic" masterpiece. (For an
explanation of the statue of Bishop Diez de Sollano high on
the column below,
click here).
Long ago the town decided that Rafael's clock on this
tower would be the official time in San Miguel de Allende.
It chimes on the quarter hour. (So do many more
bells, but Miguelinos accept this one as gospel).
[15]
The clock is a replacement for one given by the city of
Madrid in 1762. That one is still working in town in El Charro.
One prominent guide book calls the inside of San Rafael a
"waxworks" because it seems to store a lot of statues between
religious parades.
[15]
This church was built in the early 18th century, after La
Parroquia. However, a church to San Rafael was the
first building erected in the Jardin area where both now
stand. Construction started in 1564, within a
couple decades of the town's founding.
Near the main door rise steps to the choir with "lockers"
for the remains of those who can afford to spend eternity
here.
