La Valenciana church in Guanajuato, Mexico

The colonial church of La Valenciana is seen from behind. Several other buildings are parallel to the church, while a semi-circular greenspace sits in front of the church.The church of La Valenciana was completed in 1788, when Guanajuato was one of the richest cities in the New World. Silver made colonial residents very wealthy, and that wealth is expressed in the highly-decorated Baroque architecture of the church. Guanajuato is a large city in the central highlands of Mexico. It was an important colonial city because of the area's large silver deposits. Silver continues to be a major export, while tourism and industry round out the balance of the economy. Because it was an important colonial site, the city boasts of lavish colonial architecture and a historic city center that is recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage.