Ruins of the Church of Saint Joseph “The Old”

They are located on 5th Avenue South and 8th Street West. These ruins are surrounded by peace and quiet because the area is not as busy as others of Antigua Guatemala.

The facade is traditional, with two high bell towers. It has columns with round ornaments as opposed to the spirals of the Salomon style. The altars are very detailed and of a very high artistic value.

Its most evident attractions were to be the beauty of the imagery, per the standards of its day. For this reason, St. Joseph, made by Alonso de Paz, was a true work of art.

The initial plans of the temple surpassed reality, according to the history of the Colonial City. Bureaucracy and red tape became the patrons of the building.

A municipal decree was issued in 1740, which granted permission to start building as soon as the blueprints were finalized.

The church was built and, two years after, Philip V ordered the place shut down because it has been built without complying with the necessary requisites. He went so far as to penalize the authorities that had overseen the requirements.

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

History emphasizes the labors of the faithful in constructing the temple after the earthquakes; a simple paperwork glitch would not stop them. Therefore, additional work was done to the church and the formal inauguration was planned for February 1762. The faithful, after completing all necessary procedures, visited the Royal Audience and solved the problem.

The earthquakes of 1773 severely damaged the huge house of God. At one time, the Carmelite nuns would tan hide in the ruins. In 1990, the restoration of the temple began and, slowly, it has recuperated the impressive beauty and dignity of its day.