The Earliest Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl (Spanish: Primeros Monasterios en las faldas del Popocatépetl) are sixteen monasteries built in the early 16th century by the Augustinians, Franciscans, and Dominicans. These religious groups built the monasteries to spread Christianity to areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico. In 1994, UNESCO recognized these monasteries as World Heritage Sites because they influenced the design of early churches and monasteries, as well as missionary efforts in New Spain and parts of Latin America. Most of these monasteries have a large open area called an atrium in front of a single-nave church, which often includes an open chapel. The atrium was a place where Indigenous people and missionary friars met, and outdoor masses were held for newly converted people instead of inside the church. This design was later used in other parts of Mexico as missionaries expanded their work across New Spain.
There are sixteen monasteries in total, with eleven located in northern Morelos, three in the state of Puebla, and one in Tlaxcala. The twelve monasteries in Morelos are promoted as the "Route of the Volcano" or the "Route of the Monasteries" for tourism. In 2021, during the 44th session, the Heritage Site was expanded to include the Cathedral of Tlaxcala.
Region
The World Heritage Site includes sixteen monasteries located to the south and east of Mexico City. Most of these monasteries are in the state of Morelos, while three are in the state of Puebla. In Morelos, the monasteries are found in the municipalities of Atlatlahucan, Cuernavaca, Tetela del Volcán, Yautepec, Ocuituco, Tepoztlán, Tlayacapan, Totolapan, Yecapixtla, and Zacualpan de Amilpas. In Puebla, the three monasteries are located in Calpan, Huejotzingo, and Tochimilco. Most of these monasteries are situated on the foothills of the Popocatépetl volcano.
Although Popocatépetl is an active volcano, none of the monasteries have been damaged by volcanic activity. However, some have been affected by seismic activity. The risk from the volcano is low for these monasteries and the more than one hundred historical monuments in the area. This is because the region has low lava flows from the volcano, and the monuments were not built in areas where lava typically flows.
World Heritage Site
The UNESCO World Heritage Site includes sixteen monasteries located south and east of Mexico City. Most are in the state of Morelos, with three in Puebla and one in Tlaxcala. The monasteries in Morelos are found in the towns of Atlatlahucan, Cuernavaca, Tetela del Volcán (including Hueyapan), Yautepec, Ocuituco, Tepoztlán, Tlayacapan, Totolapan, Yecapixtla, and Zacualpan de Amilpas. The three in Puebla are in Calpan, Huejotzingo, and Tochimilco. Most of these monasteries are on the edges of the Popocatépetl volcano.
These monasteries were declared a World Heritage Site on December 17, 1994, because they show how monasteries and the spreading of Christianity worked across the Americas. They represent the use of an architectural style by early missionaries, such as Franciscans, Dominicans, and Augustinians. This style included open outdoor spaces in church and monastery designs. This design was used in much of Mexico and parts of Latin America. Some people believe the monasteries copied European designs, while others think they used ideas from indigenous ceremonial spaces. Open chapels and "capillas posas" or atrium corner chapels in large atriums helped welcome indigenous people who were not used to entering enclosed buildings. The atrium became a central place where missionaries and indigenous people met.
The sixteen monasteries were built early in the period after the Spanish Conquest. In Morelos, they include San Mateo Apostol in Atlatlahucan, Asunción in Cuernavaca (now the cathedral), Santo Domingo de Guzmán in Hueyapan, Santiago Apostol in Ocuituco, Santo Domingo in Oaxtepec, La Natividad or la Anunciaciòn in Tepoztlán, Santo Domingo de Guzman in Tetela del Volcán, San Juan Bautista in Tlayacapan, San Guillermo Abad in Totolapan, San Juan Bautista in Yecapixtla, and Immaculada Concepción in Zacualpan de Amilpas. In Puebla, they are San Francisco de Asís in San Andrés Calpan, San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo, and Asunción de Nuestra Señora in Tochimilco.
After becoming a World Heritage Site, the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) committed millions of pesos to restore and preserve eleven of the monasteries. Much of the money was used to fix problems caused by dampness in walls. One early project restored murals at the Tetela del Volcán monastery. Another project restored the gardens and fields at the Atlatlahucan monastery. These fields now grow avocados and other crops sold to help pay for maintenance.
More than 70% of the monasteries built in the 16th century are still in good condition. However, some say the money for restoration is not enough, especially compared to budgets for other landmarks like the Basilica of Guadalupe or the Palace of the Marqués del Apartado. Most work has focused on restoring atrium areas, processional corridors, and atrium chapels where they still exist. Another effort is removing moss and plants growing on the buildings. Restoration has also uncovered some murals in certain monasteries. However, more work remains to be done.
Although Popocatépetl is an active volcano, none of the monasteries have been damaged by it. Some have suffered from earthquakes, but lava from the volcano moves slowly and does not usually reach the areas where the monasteries are located.
To promote the monasteries in Morelos, the state highlights them as the "Route of the Monasteries" or the "Route of the Volcano." The route starts in Cuernavaca with the monastery church, which is now the city's cathedral. It then travels east and slightly north through Tepoztlán, Oaxtepec, Tlayacapan, Totolapan, Atlatlahuacan, Yecapixtla, Ocuituco, Tetela del Volcán, Hueyapan, and ends in Zacualpan de Amilpas.
Monasteries
The sixteen monasteries from the 16th century that UNESCO has designated as World Heritage Sites and are situated near the base of the Popocatépetl Volcano are:
Common elements
These monasteries are World Heritage sites because their design influenced how later monasteries and towns were built. The monasteries were built to be strong, with thick walls and a simple, plain appearance. Some had stone parts called merlons, which made them look like castles or forts. These were used for defense because the monks were spreading a new religion in Mesoamerican areas. Because of their defensive features, these churches and monasteries are called “fortress temples.”
Most monasteries have a large open area called an atrium in front of the church. This area includes an open chapel, four chapels in each corner of the atrium, a cross in the center, and images of the Stations of the Cross on the walls. There is also a roofed church and a cloister, where monks lived. Unlike earlier churches, the atrium was very important in these monasteries. It was built first to help spread the new religion. Each monastery had only a few monks but many indigenous people who had converted to the new faith. The atrium and open chapel were built to hold large groups of people, as pre-Hispanic religious practices often happened outside. Since many indigenous people could not read or write, the churches and chapels were painted with pictures of Bible stories to teach the religion visually. The atrium walls often show the Stations of the Cross, and the four corner chapels, called capillas posas, were used during processions, especially during Corpus Christi, to hold the Host. A large stone cross was placed in the middle of the atrium. Early churches often had crosses without the image of Christ on the outside to avoid confusing the new religion with old practices of human sacrifice.
The large, roofed churches usually have only one name and are built on one side, often the south, where the cloister for monks is located. Many cloisters had murals, gardens, and fountains. Decorative elements, such as rose windows, Spanish-style portals, and Islamic-style triangular altars, show a mix of European styles. Some hidden features, like numbers important to native beliefs, were found in the churches, such as the number of stairs or details in artwork. It is not known whether the friars allowed these elements or if they were added secretly.
History
The monasteries are part of the history of spreading Christianity in early Mexico. The Franciscans were the first religious group invited by Hernán Cortés, followed later by the Dominicans and the Augustinians. After setting up in Mexico City and the Valley of Mexico, they spread their teachings to areas south and east of the volcano. Missionaries such as Juan de Tecto, Juan de Ayora, and Pedro de Gante worked in these areas. Pedro de Gante learned to speak Nahuatl, the language of the indigenous people, to help communicate with them. The first monasteries were built by the Franciscans in 1524, including those in Huejotzingo, Cuernavaca, Calpan, and Tochimilco. The Dominicans built monasteries in 1526, such as those in Oaxtepec, Tepoztlan, Tetela del Volcán, and Hueyapan. The Augustinians arrived in 1533 and established monasteries in Ocuituco, Totolapan, Yecapixtla, Tlayacapan, Atlatlauhcan, and Zacualpan de Amilpas. Later, these monasteries sent missionaries to other regions of New Spain, including Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guatemala.
The monasteries were important parts of the towns built by the Spanish during the early colonial period, with indigenous people living nearby. They also served as early hospitals, schools, and storage places for food and water. Aqueducts, which are systems for bringing water, often led to these monasteries. The Augustinians not only spread Christianity but also created the first schools in Europe’s language for indigenous people. The Dominicans focused more on improving the economy in the areas they worked in, using the fertile land to grow crops. They were more active in higher elevations.
Some monasteries, like the one in Tlayacapan, were used as military barracks during the Mexican Revolution, and soldiers’ graffiti from that time has been found there. Others, such as Yecapixtla, have recent graffiti because of poor security.
The individual monasteries
The monastery of La Asunción in Cuernavaca is also known as the city's Cathedral. It was founded by the Franciscans and originally allowed only indigenous nobles and Spanish people to enter its grounds. It was the fifth building in New Spain to be planned and supervised by Toribio de Benavente Motolinia. Among the fourteen monasteries originally recorded, this cathedral is the only one that has changed significantly over time. The church and its grounds were modified because of the city's importance and the church's role as a religious center. The large open chapel was turned into a portal, and the atrium chapels were expanded into larger churches. Major renovations, including the restoration of murals by experts and the addition of modern features, especially in the main altar area, happened in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The cloister still has frescoes, some of which show missionaries from New Spain in the Philippines and Japan. The open chapel is often used for weddings.
Located on a hill in the Tepozteco Valley, the monastery of La Natividad de Nuestra Señora in Tepotzlán was built between 1550 and 1564 and still stands above other buildings in the town. It began with only five Dominican friars. The large atrium has a big stone cross with symbols of the Passion. There is an open chapel and smaller chapels in the corners, but most are in ruins. The cloister has friezes with the Dominican order's coat of arms. Evidence of blending indigenous and Catholic beliefs is visible, such as an angel with European features but eagle wings, similar to those of Quetzalcoatl. Inside, there is a fresco of a xoloitzcuintle dog holding a torch, with walls decorated with squash flowers and roses, surrounded by precious stones, including a local one called “chalchihuite.” The plaza in front of the monastery has a tianguis market selling food and New Age items.
The monastery of Tlayacapán was built between 1554 and 1572 by the Augustinians and contains one of the largest churches in Morelos state. It is mostly Renaissance style but has some Gothic elements. Syncretism is visible in the church's façade, which includes suns and moons in its decoration. The open chapel and cloister area were turned into a museum managed by a local group. The museum has well-preserved murals, pre-Hispanic and colonial art, and mummified remains from the 18th century. Over 2,700 square meters of murals depict scenes like the Dream of Saint Joseph, Catherine of Siena, and the Presentation of Christ at the Temple.
The monastery of San Guillermo Abad is in Totolapán and was built by the Augustinians in 1553. Its cloister is small, but its walls and buttresses are thick. The corner chapels in the atrium are still intact, and the church has notable oil paintings and an old organ in the choir. A two-color frieze in one of the cloister's first-floor rooms near the church's main entrance is outstanding. Other murals in the cloister's inner passageways have been recently restored. Stone arcades and pillars are decorated with small stones set in cement.
The Dominican monastery of Santo Domingo in Oaxtepec is on a steep hill above a pre-Hispanic ceremonial platform. Because of this, the atrium is not in front of the church and is higher than the church itself. Inside the church, Gothic arches support the roof, and the vault has floral designs. There are two wood altarpieces from the 17th century. The cloister has pillars with saint images and barrel vaults with repeating patterns like fleur-de-lis. Some murals have remnants of blue coloring, but most have lost their color due to humidity from poor roof drainage. The cloister was turned into a museum, but only three halls are open to the public. It has a modest collection of pre-Hispanic items and regional animals, insects, and plants.
The monastery of San Mateo Apostol in Atlatlahuacán was built by the Augustinians around 1570 over the remains of a pre-Hispanic temple in the town's highest area. The Stations of the Cross in the atrium are shown by small chapels on the atrium wall. It has two roofed chapels in the atrium, one with a mural of Saint Augustine's genealogy. The church's façade is very tall, typical of Augustinian buildings, and is about 50 meters high. Frescoes cover much of the complex's interior, with vaults combining Moorish and Italian Renaissance elements. Confession booths are arranged in an “S” shape along the wall separating the church and cloister. In the cloister, a vault on the ground floor is decorated with a chain of Sacred Heart of Jesus images. The upper level is the home of the parish priest.
The monastery of Santiago Apostol in Ocuituco dates from 1534 and is the first Augustinian monastery in the Americas, with Fray Juan de Zumárraga holding its first mass in 1534. It served as both an evangelization center and a training place for monks. The cloister has a vault on the lower floor decorated with browns, whites, and greens. The pilgrim chapel is closed, but the rest of the complex is open. Some changes have been made to the buildings, but a well-preserved 16th-century stone fountain remains. This fountain is a replica of one in the Alhambra in Córdoba and has six sandstone lions sculpted by indigenous craftsmen. Another fountain, once called the Fountain of the Mermaids, is badly damaged. Both fountains once provided water from Popocatepetl.
The monastery of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in Hueyapán is the highest among Morelos monasteries, with a cold climate compared to the rest of the state. It is near a volcano and was founded by the Dominicans. Its cloister was built with adobe, wood, and a tile roof instead of stone. It quickly fell apart due to weather and was abandoned. Only the atrium is open to visitors, closing by 1 p.m. daily. The church's simple façade remains, with a notable Baroque niche. Some murals are still visible.
The monastery of San Juan Bautista in Tetela del Volcán was built by the Dominicans in the early 16th century and was visited by Hernán Cortés. It is at a high altitude near a volcano, surrounded by pine forests in a cold climate. The complex has arcades partially hidden by trees. The upper parts of the walls are painted, and the cloister's lower floor has figures, many of Augustinian monks. Vault designs are visible above.