Around 1650, baroque forms began to appear in Latin America, where they were applied atop the stylistic stratifications deposited by Spanish domination dating back to the early 16th century. There were also contributions from local traditions and hybrid forms that resulted from crosses. Despite the reception of the treatises by Vignola and Serlio over the course of the 16th century and the uniformity of typologies established by the various religious orders, with the adoption of an apparently homogeneous language, resemblances between colonial architecture and the architecture of the mother countries Spain and Portugal are often only superficial. New World architects often demonstrated uncommon inventiveness in adapting European building techniques to geograph ical needs, while the completely different climatic conditions demanded different spatial concepts, and the constant danger of earthquakes required different calculations in terms of construction techniques. Encounters between different cultures sometimes resulted in especially innovative forms: the Mexican atrien repeat a traditional typology adapted to the needs of evangelization. The capillas posas (`open chapels’) are as stunning as they are functional: a pragmatic concession to the type of life of the indigenous peoples, indissolubly tied to nature. The rich stucco decorations of Mexico repeat the exuberance of the Spanish Churrigueresque, fully exploiting the artisanal implications of the baroque language. In the more primitive regions - the Caribbean and Central America - the architecture of the colonies made fewer compromises, and forms strongly related to the mother countries were directly transplanted to the New World. In its drive to astonish and convert the indigenous peoples, the Catholic Church became the true motive force in the conquest, with architecture and the rhetoric related to it primary means to achieve that goal. In this way cathedrals, parish churches, the churches of the religious orders, and sanctuaries became visible signs of the functioning of the colonial system, which drove secular architecture into roles of a secondary importance.