Santa Cruz de la Cañada Church

Take a right turn midway through town at Highway 76 to reach the village of Santa Cruz, established in 1695. The sizable church (varied hours, free) that’s here now (turn left at the traffic light after one mile) dates from 1733, and its altar screen is another colorful work attributed to the Laguna Santero, who also painted the reredos at San Miguel Mission in Santa Fe [1] and the church at Laguna Pueblo [2].

It is dated 1795 but was completely painted over—with the same images—in the mid-19th century, presenting a particular challenge to the preservationists who cleaned and restored the piece in 1995. Each panel presents a different combination of the original artist’s work and the “fresh coat” applied half a century later.