Ex Convento de San Pablo (Former Convent of Saint Paul), Oaxaca
Ex Convento de San Pablo (Former Convent of Saint Paul) was the first convent of the Dominican order founded in the city of Oaxaca. It was nationalized as a result of the so-called Reform Laws in 1860. The opening of a street in 1862 caused damage to the back of the building. As of this same year, the remains were divided and sold to individuals. It was recovered and restored between 2006 and 2011. It is currently a cultural space operated by the Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú Oaxaca, AC.
The site of the former convent of San Pablo contains the first evidence of human occupation in the Oaxaca City area. Remains of a building, ceramic pieces, and elaborate burials dating to the Late Formative or Late Preclassic phase (600 BC to AD 200) were found in the subsoil. These remains seem to indicate an occupation just before and during the first urban stage of the nearby archaeological city of Monte Albán.
The presence of the Dominicans in Oaxaca began with the visit of Fray Bernardino de Minaya and the donation of land to the religious order in 1529 AD. C. In 1547, the foundation is formally recognized as a priory by the Dominican order.
From 1529 to 1757 AD C., San Pablo served as a parish for the indigenous population that lived in the towns around the city. At first it was the parish of the entire indigenous population of the so-called Marquesado de Hernán Cortés, but after the construction of other convents (Etla, Cuilapan), San Pablo administered the population of Santa María Oaxaca (today El Marquesado), Xochimilco and Mexican.
During the 16th century, San Pablo was a center of proto-academic activities. From San Pablo, the order coordinated the study of the Mixtec, Zapotec, and Nahuatl languages. This effort resulted in the publication of several outstanding linguistic works. The 'protomédico' Francisco Hernández de Toledo relied on the network of Dominican convents coordinated from San Pablo for his studies of the nature of New Spain. The urban planner Luis de León Romano, who shaped the city of Oaxaca around the mid-16th century (he was also the founder of the city of Morelia), was buried in the convent.
The site of the former convent of San Pablo contains the first evidence of human occupation in the Oaxaca City area. Remains of a building, ceramic pieces, and elaborate burials dating to the Late Formative or Late Preclassic phase (600 BC to AD 200) were found in the subsoil. These remains seem to indicate an occupation just before and during the first urban stage of the nearby archaeological city of Monte Albán.
The presence of the Dominicans in Oaxaca began with the visit of Fray Bernardino de Minaya and the donation of land to the religious order in 1529 AD. C. In 1547, the foundation is formally recognized as a priory by the Dominican order.
From 1529 to 1757 AD C., San Pablo served as a parish for the indigenous population that lived in the towns around the city. At first it was the parish of the entire indigenous population of the so-called Marquesado de Hernán Cortés, but after the construction of other convents (Etla, Cuilapan), San Pablo administered the population of Santa María Oaxaca (today El Marquesado), Xochimilco and Mexican.
During the 16th century, San Pablo was a center of proto-academic activities. From San Pablo, the order coordinated the study of the Mixtec, Zapotec, and Nahuatl languages. This effort resulted in the publication of several outstanding linguistic works. The 'protomédico' Francisco Hernández de Toledo relied on the network of Dominican convents coordinated from San Pablo for his studies of the nature of New Spain. The urban planner Luis de León Romano, who shaped the city of Oaxaca around the mid-16th century (he was also the founder of the city of Morelia), was buried in the convent.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
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Ex Convento de San Pablo (Former Convent of Saint Paul) on Map
Sight Name: Ex Convento de San Pablo (Former Convent of Saint Paul)
Sight Location: Oaxaca, Mexico (See walking tours in Oaxaca)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Oaxaca, Mexico (See walking tours in Oaxaca)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Oaxaca, Mexico
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The region had been inhabited by numerous indigenous groups, primarily the Zapotecs and Mixtecs, for thousands of years... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
The region had been inhabited by numerous indigenous groups, primarily the Zapotecs and Mixtecs, for thousands of years... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
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