Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
companied by bell ringing and firecrackers, starts and ends there on the last Thursday
evening of each month.
Inside the monastery ruins is a fountain 27m in diameter, said to be the largest in His-
panic America. It's in the shape of a water lily (traditionally a symbol of power for Maya
lords), and lily motifs also appear on the church's entrance arch. Go upstairs for a bird's-
eye view of the fountain and the town.
Iglesia y Convento de la Recolección
RUIN
(Av de la Recolección; admission Q40; 9am-5pm)
A serene air pervades the remains of the monas-
tery of La Recolección, which stands well west of the center. It was erected in the early
1700s by the Récollets (a French branch of the Franciscan order). The earthquake of 1773
toppled the structure, of which the great arched doorway remains intact.
Despite its short life as a monastery, the complex was left alone, serving variously as a
squatters' residence, fairground and art- restoration workshop. Clamber up to the 2nd
floor for better views, but watch your step.
Colegio de San Jerónimo
(Real Aduana; ; cnr Calz de Santa Lucía & Calle de la Recolección; adult/student Q30; 9am-5pm)
Built in
1757, the Colegio de San Jerónimo was used as a school by friars of the Merced order, but
because it did not have royal authorization, it was taken over by Spain's Carlos III and, in
1765, designated for use as the Real Aduana (Royal Customs House). Today it's a tran-
quil, mostly open-air site.
The handsome cloister centers around an octagonal fountain - it's an evocative setting
for dance and other cultural performances. Upstairs you'll find excellent photo angles of
Volcán Agua through stone archways.
RUIN
Casa del Tejido Antiguo
( 7832-3169; Calle de la Recolección 51; admission Q15; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat)
This space is like a mu-
seum, market and workshop rolled into one, with exhibits on regional outfits and daily
demonstrations of backstrap weaving techniques. Founder Alicia Pérez, an indigenous
Kaqchiquel woman, is an expert on the significance of designs that appear on the
tocoy-
MUSEUM
