The remains of a colonial-era church have emerged from the receding waters of a river in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas.

The watershed of the Grijalva river has been hit by a drought this year, causing the water level in the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir to decrease by 82 feet.

The church was built by a group of monks led by Friar Bartolome de la Casas, who arrived in the region that was inhabited by the Zoque people in the mid-16th century in the Quechula locality.

It was originally lost to the waters of the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir in 1966 when it flooded.

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Exposed: The remains of a colonial-era church have emerged from the receding waters of a river in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas

The watershed of the Grijalva river has been hit by a drought this year, causing the water level in the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir to decrease by 82 feet

The mid-16th century church is known as the Temple of Santiago, as well as the Temple of Quechula

With the walls rising to about 30 feet, the stunning structure is 183 feet long and 42 feet wide.

The bell tower reaches 48 feet above the ground of the church known as the Temple of Santiago, as well as the Temple of Quechula.

Architect Carlos Navarete, who worked with Mexican authorities on a report about the structure, said: 'The church was abandoned due the big plagues of 1773-1776.'

The church depended on the nearby monastery of Tecpatan, founded in 1564.

Navarrete believes that based on architectural similarities, it is the work of the same builder at very nearly the same time.

Its importance was derived from its location on the King's Highway, a road designed by Spanish conquistadors and still in use until the 20th century.

The church was built by a group of monks led by Friar Bartolome de la Casas, who arrived in the region that was inhabited by the Zoque people in the mid-16th century

The stunning structure is 183 feet long and 42 feet wide, with the walls rising to about 30 feet

'At that time we still found the wood from the chorus loft and the roof beams,' he said.

'Also a large ossuary of the victims of the plague that depopulated the area.

'It was a church built thinking that this could be a great population center, but it never achieved that.

'It probably never even had a dedicated priest, only receiving visits from those from Tecpatan.'

This isn't the first time the church built in the mid-16th century has been revealed.

The church depended on the nearby monastery of Tecpatan, founded in 1564. It is believed that based on architectural similarities, it is the work of the same builder at very nearly the same time

In 2002, the water was so low that visitors could walk inside of the historic structure.

Local resident Leonel Mendoza fishes in the reservoir every day and said that people celebrated when it was exposed in 2002.

'They came to eat, to hang out, to do business. I sold them fried fish. They did processions around the church,' Mendoza shared.

With the church being exposed now, Mendoza has been ferrying people out to see the remains of the church.