Iglesia de la Merced

The Iglesia de la Merced features a facade covered in intricate, yellow and white stucco carvings that resemble lace frozen in stone. After the massive earthquakes of seventeen seventy-three destroyed much of Antigua, this church remained largely standing because of its exceptionally thick walls and low, stout towers designed to resist seismic shocks. Fray Manuel de San José spent years overseeing the construction, and his dedication kept the building intact while other cathedrals crumbled into piles of rubble around the city.