Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas
TheLasCapuchinasConvent(2aAvenidaNorteand2aCalleOriente,9A.M.-5P.M.daily,
$4) was abandoned after being destroyed in the earthquake of 1773. Restoration began in
1943 and is still being carried out today; the convent now also serves as a museum. The
convent'sfoundationdatesto1726,makingitthecity'sfourth,andistheworkofrenowned
Antigua architect Diego de Porres. There are beautiful fountains and courtyards flanked by
sturdy stone pillars with stately arches and flowering bougainvillea. It is certainly the most
elegant of Antigua's convents and well worth a look for those with even a casual interest
in colonial Latin American architecture. The convent was the haunt of the Capuchin nuns
from Madrid, a rather strict order limiting its numbers to 28and requiring the nunsto sleep
on wooden beds with straw pillows and sever all ties to the outside world.
The church consists of a single nave lacking side aisles. There are two choir areas, one
adjacent to the altar on the ground floor and another on the second floor at the end of the
nave.
After the 1773 earthquakes and the subsequent transfer of the Guatemalan capital to its
new location, many of the convent's historical artifacts were likewise transferred to their
new home in the San Miguel de Capuchinas convent in modern-day Guatemala City.
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Iglesia y Convento de Santa Clara
The Santa Clara Convent (2a Avenida Sur #27, 9 A.M.-5 P.M. daily, $4) originally dates to
1702, with its current incarnation having been inaugurated in 1734 and destroyed in 1773.
Its ruins are also pleasant for a stroll and in front of its main entrance is Parque La UniĆ³n
with several wash basins, known as pilas, where women gather to do their laundry. The
park's other outstanding feature is a large stone cross, a gift from the city of Santiago de
Compostela, Spain. The church is beautifully floodlighted at night.
 
 
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