Guatemalan Life

The church of La Merced

The Mercedarian order was established in Guatemala in 1538, and the order had built a church in Antigua by 1546.

The church of La Merced was originally built in 1548. Its present form was designed in 1767 to withstand damaging earthquakes. The intricately-patterned yellow and white baroque-styled facade features important sculptures such as Our Lady of Las Mercedes and San Pedro Nolasco. Inside the ruins of the once-attached monastery stands.

The Church of LaMerced

Today Mercedarian church is popular a among tourists and locals alike. It sits at the end of Fifth Avenue Norte, the main shopping street in Antigua. The masses seem to be well attended. The small park on the south side of the of the church many locals enjoy the afternoon sun from this park.

Fuente de Pescados (Fountain of the Fish)

Within the ruined cloister stands enormous Fuente de Pescados (Fountain of the Fish), reputedly named for the fish-breeding experiments done there by the Mercedarian brothers. This is largest of Antigua’s many fountains, with a diameter of over 80 feet.

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