Villa de Leyva, Colombia

This album follows on from Tunja, Colombia.

No tourists in Tunja, but that‘s probably because they were all here. There‘s rather less to see, but it‘s awfully pretty.

Villa de Leyva: Plaza Mayor. Claims to be the largest central square in Colombia.
„That slightly forlorn Spanish colonial vastness.“ Quoting myself but I am rather fond of the phrase.
Iglesia parroquial. The bust depicts Andrés Díaz Venero de Leyva (1515 near Burgos – 1576 Madrid), first Gobernador y Capitán General (as the title was then – not Viceroy) of the Nuevo Reyno de Granada (as it was called then). He founded the town named after him in 1572.
Iglesia parroquial (17th c.)
AEDICVLAS ISTAS ANIMAE SVFFRAGIA N(ost?)RAE ILLESAS SERVET TEMP(us) IN NOMINE [do the crossed keys signify a word?] DEVS. 1602

Not sure I‘m transcribing this correctly, or quite what it means. „May time (God?) preserve these chapels from harm … in the name [of… what is the referent here? or could that be TEMP(or)I NOMINE?] 1602“. animae suffragia nostrae = „the suffrages [= intercessory prayers] of our soul“ or „for our soul“? — but is the word really „nostrae“? Why is „soul“ in the singular? Did the mason copy the letters quite correctly?
Iglesia de Santa Clara. The interior is very plain. The attached convent of Poor Clares actually has nuns in it, and they have a museum exhibiting their art treasures, with paintings by Gregorio Vásquez et al. and all that. But we skipped it.
Our accommodation, the Hostal Renacer. The nicest hostel I‘ve ever been to.
I just don‘t photograph well.

Next album: Convento del Santo Ecce homo