Ex Hacienda San Mateo Amozoc, un lugar abandonado lleno de historia.

The former Hacienda of San Mateo in Amozoc, Puebla, is a place where echoes of the viceregal past mingle with tales of turbulent times. Located in a region historically known as the obligatory passage between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City, this estate witnessed the opulence of the Puebla aristocracy and the subsequent neglect brought on by the Revolution. In its heyday, the hacienda was not just an agricultural and livestock operation; it was a small walled city. The air in Amozoc, nicknamed "the place where there is no mud," blew between its tall towers and quarry stone arches, sheltering the lives of families who ruled vast tracts of land. Travelers heading to the capital would often stop near its walls to rest, admiring the imposing facade that today, though ruined or fragmented, still displays the pride of its builders. One of the most fascinating moments in the Amozoc area occurred in June 1865, when Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg stayed in the region before his triumphant entry into Puebla. It is said that the stately atmosphere of haciendas like San Mateo and the nearby "Ánimas" provided the necessary shelter for the imperial entourage to rest, thus connecting this corner of Puebla with the destinies of the European monarchy on Mexican soil. As is common with many structures of this magnitude, the former Hacienda of San Mateo has fueled local legends. With the passage of centuries and its abandonment following the disintegration of the haciendas under the Porfirio Díaz regime, the site became populated with stories of hidden treasures and presences from the past. For the inhabitants of Amozoc, its ruins are a reminder of the "era of the silver spurs," when local artisans adorned the first Mexican charro while the landowners roamed these lands. It boasted a stately main house, three stone staircases, and an arched portico that defined its viceregal elegance. It was one of the eight key haciendas in the Amozoc jurisdiction during the 19th century, home to a diverse population of Spaniards, mixed-race people, and Indigenous people. Although time has worn its walls, today it is a fundamental geographical and cultural landmark for understanding the identity of Amozoc de Mota. The chapel of the former Hacienda of San Mateo is the spiritual and architectural heart of the complex. Unlike the city's grand churches, this chapel was designed for the privacy of the landowners and the evangelization of the region's workers. The structure we see today began to take clearer shape around 1890. It features a simple Neoclassical style, characteristic of haciendas that sought elegance without the excessive ornamentation of the Baroque. The facade is austere, decorated with engaged columns flanking the main entrance. Inside, its roof is a barrel vault supported by transverse arches, an uncommon architectural element in the churches of the Puebla region, giving it a unique acoustic and visual presence. The chapel has a dual spiritual identity. It is dedicated, naturally, to Saint Matthew, the patron saint who gives the hacienda its name. However, it also houses a special devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. This French devotion, associated with the healing of the sick, was very popular at the end of the 19th century among wealthy families, who sought divine protection against the epidemics of the time. In the popular imagination of Amozoc, the chapel is not only a place of prayer but also the setting for unsettling tales. It is said that on the quietest nights, a female figure dressed in white wanders near the entrance of the chapel and the old tunnels of the hacienda. Locals say it could be the tormented soul of a former resident who still watches over the treasures that, according to legend, were buried under the altar or in the walls of the oratory during the Revolution.