The Magic of Santa Clara Church and Convent
The Santa Clara Church and Convent is one of Antigua’s most captivating historical gems and a premier venue for weddings and social events.
Construction began in 1703 and was completed in 1734 by renowned Guatemalan architect Diego de Porres who also designed Las Capuchinas and City Hall. The church has one of the most ornate Baroque church facades in the region. Interestingly, the main entrance was intentionally filled in after De Porres had to rapidly redesign the layout to comply with traditional east-west ecclesiastical alignments. The exterior features stunning Italian Renaissance-inspired columns decorated with intricate, hand-carved stone mermaids—a signature motif of De Porres, who also featured them on the iconic central plaza fountain.
Following the 1773 earthquake and the relocation of the colonial capital to Guatemala City, the complex was abandoned, and the church was used to cultivate corn until the roof collapsed in 1874. Today, the ruins retain a deeply mystical atmosphere. Visitors can explore the ancient crypts and experience a fascinating acoustic phenomenon in the sacristy known as the “telephone effect,” where whispering into one corner can be clearly heard on the exact opposite side of the room.
Originally built to house 34 cloistered nuns from the Order of Saint Clare, the convent was ahead of its time. It became one of the few in Antigua to include a tile-decorated fountain. This beautiful feature was relocated to the Royal Palace in 1936 during early preservation efforts. Following major damage from the 1976 earthquake, the National Council for the Protection of Antigua (CNPAG) launched extensive reinforcement work in the 1980s, during which teams recovered the original sculpted head of Saint Michael from the façade, now on display at the Museum of Las Capuchinas.
Open daily: 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission: 5Q for Guatemalans, and 40Q for foreigners. Rental for Church Venue (capacity for: 200 guests) and Convent (100 guests) under $2,000 each. Management: CNPAG.
Written by Elizabeth Bell
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