Church of Saint Augustine stands in the central historic part of Antigua in Guatemala, just few blocks west of the Central Park. It was constructed in the second half of the 17th century. Today Church of Saint Augustine is one of the main religious and architectural monuments of the city's history. Its facade is decorated with a depiction of its patron saint San Augustine was made by the colonial era painter Anthony Ramirez. Significant damage to the structure of the church was done in 1717 during a strong earthquake. Church of Saint Augustine is currently closed and not functioning.
Location: 7a Avenida Norte, Antigua
This monument is located between the 7th. South Avenue and 5 West
Street. Verle Annis, in his book "The Architecture of La Antigua
Guatemala" (1543-1773) reveals that in 1610, the first Augustinian friar
arrived from Mexico to Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, today La
Antigua Guatemala.
In that same year, he returned to Mexico to
ask the King and the ecclesiastical authorities for permission to build
a new convent in the city he had left behind.
In 1611, returning
to the City of Santiago de los Caballeros, he requested authorization to
found the convent building, but this was denied by the Mayor,
considering that it was not necessary to establish a fifth convent.
Four years later, 11 more religious arrived from Mexico to establish
themselves. For 1637, the architect Juan Pascual presents the plans of
what would be the monumental complex. The City Council grants the
construction permit to the Augustinian friar, and with the help of a
wealthy citizen, the construction of the Church and Convent of San
Agustín begins on January 28, 1657.
The main façade of the church
and its 5 effigies was complemented by a small fountain in its atrium
-which currently no longer exists-, while inside its convent it had a
two-story archway. Its gardens and orchards extended to the west,
reaching what is now the Alameda Santa Lucía.
The earthquakes of
1751 caused considerable damage, but those of 1773 almost caused its
destruction. The dome of the main altar collapsed in the 1917
earthquake, leaving only the walls we see today standing.
Records
indicate that in 1938 these housed a carpentry and a corral for oxen,
but after La Antigua Guatemala was declared a National Monument -in
1944-, the place was vacated.
In the splendor of its time it is
mentioned that inside it had beautiful altars and sumptuous paintings by
the artist Antonio de Montúfar. Despite the 1976 earthquake, its two
façades preserve the legacy of hands that drew an architectural work
from the beginning of the 17th century.