Less than two hours from Mexico City and very close to the pyramids of Teotihuacán lies a place where different eras of Mexican history coexist in a single space. It is the Former Convent of San Agustín Acolman, a massive 16th-century religious complex built on top of a pre-Hispanic foundation.
And although that ancient structure isn’t the only surprising thing about the place, it is a clue that Acolman’s history began long before the arrival of the Augustinian friars.
A 16th-century convent built on a pre-Hispanic foundation
Construction of the Former Convent of Acolman began around 1539 and proceeded in different phases throughout the 16th century. The Augustinians built a monumental convent here that currently houses the Viceregal Museum of Acolman.
But beneath it lies a much older layer: according to the INAH, the monument sits atop a pre-Hispanic foundation.
An enormous complex would eventually grow up on top of it, featuring a church, an open chapel, cloisters, cells, a library, a kitchen, a refectory, and other spaces related to monastic life.
A spectacular façade, cloisters, and centuries-old murals
Is all the history hidden beneath the convent reason enough to visit it? The answer is yes. At first glance, one of its most impressive features is its façade, covered with reliefs and details carved in stone.
Upon entering, you’ll find two cloisters of different styles, long stone corridors, and 16th-century murals. Some of these murals are considered among the earliest examples of mural painting in Latin America.
The building even spent centuries battling the water. Various floods that occurred between the 17th and 18th centuries covered part of the convent with water and mud, causing it to deteriorate and fall into disuse before it was eventually restored.
Today you can once again walk through its cloisters, admire its murals, and explore a colonial building erected right where history had already unfolded many centuries earlier.
Date: Open year-round
Location: Calzada de los Agustinos s/n, Centro, Acolman, State of Mexico
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Admission: $80 for Mexican nationals and $145 for foreigners; free for Mexicans on Sundays
