Visiting the Ruins in Antigua, Guatemala

Colonial Convents and Churches Attract Tourists and Visitors

Aug 28, 2009

Don't know what to do in Antigua, Guatemala? Visit the city's colonial past at these ruins!

Present-day Guatemala was once the heart of the mighty Maya Empire. Although there are no Maya ruins in the charming colonial city of Antigua, there are still plenty of ruins to see! These ruined churches and convents are definitely worth checking out and any of them can easily be seen in an hour.

Prior to 1773, Antigua, then referred to as Santiago, was the bustling and growing capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala. As such, it was home to the convents and churches that housed the various religious orders working in the region. In 1773, the city was destroyed by a series of earthquakes, crumbling the heavy walls of these convents and sending tons of masonry crashing down.

The city was ordered abandoned in favor of present-day Guatemala City, although some people remained. For centuries, the convents and churches lay in ruins, inhabited by families of poor squatters. It wasn’t until the mid 20th century that increasing tourism convinced the local government to open the ruins to visitors.

All of the ruins mentioned are similar in that there is a small entrance fee (anywhere between $0.75 and $3.50 or so, in US dollars, depending on the site) and are open daily from 9 to 5. All of the ruins are safe, well-tended and make for a pleasant walk. Unfortunately, none of them have any information posted about what the various areas were used for or any history about the convent or church.

Located in the southeast corner of the city on 7th calle oriente and 1st calle sur, the ruins of the San Francisco church are probably the most impressive in Antigua. The church itself has been partially rebuilt and is still used for services, but there is a small fee to get into the ruins behind the current church. Be sure to go all the way to the back to check out the cave-like vaults!

The ruin area is home to the Brother Pedro museum, dedicated to Pedro de Betancour, Antigua’s own saint. The museum is full of a puzzling mixture of precious stones, coins, religious bric-a-brac and seemingly random bits of colonial daily life. Be sure to check out the paintings, photos and plaques left behind by those thanking Brother Pedro for miracles. The remains of Brother Pedro himself occupy a side nave off the restored church: go on a Sunday to get close to his urn.

Like the San Francisco church, Antigua’s main cathedral, located on the main square, has been partially rebuilt. Behind the church on the south side (5th calle oriente) is an entrance to the ruins of the previous structure. The ruins here are fascinating, because the arches, pillars and old ceiling are still partially intact. Inside the ruins are the tombs of legendary conquistador Pedro de Alvarado and his family.

There are several other ruined buildings in Antigua, not all of which are open to the public. San Francisco and the old cathedral are the most impressive, but the Mercedarian church, the Recolección Church, the Capuchin convent and San Jerónimo church are all attractive and worth checking out.

There is much to see and do in Antigua, from volcano hikes to shopping to sampling the local cuisine, but no visit would be complete without a trip to the timeless ruins left behind by the 1773 earthquakes!

The copyright of the article Visiting the Ruins in Antigua, Guatemala in Guatemala Travel is owned by Christopher Minster. Permission to republish Visiting the Ruins in Antigua, Guatemala in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.