Ruins of the Church of the Company of Jesus

This church originated from a petition of the Jesuits to build a school.

It was partially founded in 1561, upon the issue of the permit. In 1580 the real work began and, in 1582, the school was inaugurated. The temple was finished in 1626.

Again, earthquakes destroyed the building, which was rebuilt in 1689.

Diego de Porres designed this church, whose ruins survive as a reminder of days gone by.

The Jesuits were expelled from the country in 1767, the year when the buildings that were finally destroyed by the earthquake of 1773 started being abandoned. The most recent earthquake of 1976 also damaged them.

Visitors can see one part of the temple, in ruins, and the other part that has been restored by the Spanish Cooperation Agency, where it set up its offices.

The facade came to light again when the handicrafts market was moved to another place.

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

A restoration task

In 1992, the Spanish International Cooperation Agency committed to restore the facilities in order to open a school, the International Education Center.

They honored the commitment and the finished work is outstanding. The halls and gardens were restored to their original state, a true delight for the visitors.

Today, the facilities house several cultural activities such as poetry readings, exhibitions, and plays.