San Pablo Cultural Center
No one had any clue that the first convent built by the Dominican Order in the city, in 1529, was hidden in the center of Oaxaca, nestled between Independence Street and Juárez Street. After years of abandonment, the former convent of San Pablo was restored by the Harp Helú Oaxaca Foundation, in an effort to exhibit Oaxaca's finest cultural and artistic productions.
Now, after several restoration processes, the cloister and the atrium serve as a stage for a variety of exhibitions, such as naturally-dyed textiles and carrousels with hand-carved horses. It also boasts a library that showcases nocturnal concerts and workshops on indigenous languages.
Its very architecture is an attraction onto itself, since original details -such as the oldest flagstone wall in Oaxaca and the convent's and the chapel's original color- were restored. The Capilla del Rosario (Rosary Chapel) also boasts wrought iron gates and a stained-glass window created by the master painter, Francisco Toledo.
However, restorations projects persist, since less than half of the original former convent of San Pablo has been restored.
Relevant
Phone: +52 951 501 8800
Location: Miguel Hidalgo 907, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.
