Façade of Convento de Tepoztlan, Mexico, 16th century RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE he first waves of mendicant friars (Franciscans, Augustinians, and Dominicans) relied on plentiful native labor to build mission complexes. These friars modelled their churches after European architectural styles, including Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance. Indian stonecutters and artisans were remarkably adept at rendering alien European forms using native materials. Some early Christian architecture is imbued with pre-Conquest iconography, creating a unique Indo-Christian style. A unique feature of early mission churches, with no European precedent, was the use of open chapels to celebrate outdoor masses. Open chapels were reminiscent of pre-Columbian temple courtyards and solved the problem of accomodating the multitudes of converts.						3 of 7   Colonial Life
							Yanhuitlan, Oaxaca, Mexico, 16th century