 | Antigua Guatemala Churches Reviews | 1 - 10 of 27 |  |
Another interesting combo with a functioning church attached to a much larger structure in ruins. The visit is hauntingly evocative. Within the church is the tomb of Hermano Pedro, a Saint who is credited with healings. Part of the visit includes rooms full of crutches and braces that became unnecessary once sufferers were cured. If you walk to the church of Hermano Pedro (not too far away), you will encounter handicapped and stricken people hoping to be cured too. Leave a Comment Directions: The Iglesia San Francisco is at the end of the 8a Calle Oriente. The Iglesia Hermano Pedro is one block South of the Catedral.
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 Catedral de Santiago, Antigua
Guatemala by bellatrix
The interior is unimpressive but holds a carving of Christ by Quirio Cataño, who also carved the famed Cristo Negro of Esquipulas. Leave a Comment Address: 5 Calle OrienteDirections: The ruins of the rest of the cathedral can be entered from 5 Calle Ote. (Ruins open daily 9am-5pm. Q3. Church open 9am-noon and 3-6pm. Free.)
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La Merced is a mustard colored church on a lively little square. The inside of the church is plain but attractive. In the monastery, you will find the largest fountain in Colonial America. Leave a Comment Address: At the Northern end of townDirections: From the famous Arco, looking North, you can see La Merced.
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 The front side of the
cathedral by HasTowelWillTravel, 1 more photos |
Located on 1era Calle Pte., just three blocks north and a half-block west of the Central Park, the yellow and white La Merced church boasts the most intricately decorated facade in all of Antigua. Truly a work of art, a visit to the Iglesia La Merced, and to the Covento Mercedario next door, must be a part of any traveler's stay in Antigua. Entrance to the convent costs a mere Q3 ($0.39) - a great bargain.
It seems to me that I read somewhere that the fountain inside the Convento Mercedario is the largest colonial fountain in all of Central America. Worth a second look. If you would like to check out a few more pictures of the La Merced Church and Convent, please take a look at my "La Merced" Travelogue. Leave a Comment
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The cathedral, as with many churches in the city, was heavily damaged by a series of earthquakes in the 16th and 17th centuries. Building began in 1542 but the original structure was demolished in 1688. The current edifice was built btween 1669 and 1680. The quake that broke camel’s back was in 1773 and lead to the relocation of the nation’s capital from Antigua to Guatemala City. Many of the damaged churches and cathedrals were left abandoned or reutilized but without rebuilding or removing the resulting rubble. The cathedral was renovated between 1780 and 1820 to include a scaled-down worship area that is in use today. This area was just the entry hall for the original structure.
The façade which faces the Parque Central has also been renovated and is beautifully lit at night. Visitors can tour the unrestored areas of the cathedral in which one can get an idea of how large the original cathedral was before the earthquake. The large boulders still in the spots where they fell also gives one and indication of why renovations were never made. Be sure to go down to the small underground chapel accessible via a set of stairs behind the former altar. Leave a Comment Address: 4a Avenida Sur on east side of the Parque Central
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 San Jose Cathedral by Sue08080Leave a Comment Address: Parque Central
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 San Agustín by thelukeyLeave a Comment Directions: The San Agustín Church is located on the corner of 5ta Calle Pte. and 7ma Ave. (two blocks west of the central park).
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It is here that you can visit the tomb of and celebrate the work of Central America's only saint, Hermano Pedro. He lived during the 17th century and is known for his work for the poor, capped by his opening of a hospital specifically for their care. He was made a saint in 2002 which led to a visit to Guatemala by Pope John Paul II.
The church structures date from the 15th century but most of what can be seen (functional and ruins) is from later restorations. Inside the operating portion of the church are many monuments to Hermano Pedro including a striking mural on the south wall. His tomb is in an area on the north side of the church and features very nice wooden carvings on its sides. In the ruins area of the church is a museum dedicated to the saint with some of his personal belongings on display as well as great photo documentation of the Pope's visit in 2002. Be sure to check out the wall paintings to the right as you pass through the admission gate to the ruins portion of the grounds. Admission to the church and tomb is free.
Outside the church is a small crafts market with several stalls of textiles, masks, etc. Check these out and also Gigantes, the craft store across the street (7a Calle Oriente). Leave a Comment Address: Enter on 7a Calle Oriente or Calle de los PasosDirections: Just a block and a half east of the Iglesia y Convento de Santa Clara
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One of the oldest stil standing churches in Antigua, this church was built in 1579 and still stands despite being damaged by earthquakes many times. One attractions of this church for the faithful is the tomb of Saint Hermano Pedro de Betancourt who is credited with converting many of the local Mayan population to Christanity. Leave a Comment
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