Convent of Saint Claire

It is located on 2nd Avenue North, across the street from the Unión laundry facilities. It has a well-preserved large courtyard surrounded by elegant halls.

The Sisters of the Order of Saint Claire that had arrived from Puebla, Mexico, founded this enormous convent in 1699.

José Hurtado de Arria and María Ventura Arrivillaga financed the building. It started out as a small venture, with a church and a few houses that, in time, became the huge complex we can still see today.

On January 14, 1700, 5 nuns and a novice became the first inhabitants of the convent.

In 1703, formal construction of the complex began and was finalized two years later. Many historians have stated that the convent’s shingled roof caved in during the earthquake of 1717.

The building became so damaged that the nuns had to seek shelter in Comalapa until the roof was repaired.

The reconstruction spanned over 26 years. The President of the Audience, Antonio Echeverría Suvisa, who died in 1733 and did not see the fruits of his funds, financed the effort. There are no traces remaining of the original building. The new facilities were inaugurated and consecrated on August 11, 1734.

In 1773, another earthquake destroyed the building. The few elements that remained standing were ruined by another earthquake in 1874. What we see today is the product of the efforts of the complex’s management.

Location in La Antigua Guatemala Click here and go to the interactive map.

The outside of the convent is profusely decorated and so are some areas inside. It is a favorite tourist site.

Of ancient origins

Saint Claire of Assisi founded the Order of the Sisters of Saint Claire with the help of Saint Francis, in 1212. Their bylaws are the same that Saint Francis produced for the friars in 1223, albeit with some changes.