One of Antigua's most atmospheric ruins. The Convent of Santa Clara was founded in 1699 when five nuns arrived from Mexico, and its first church was completed in 1705 — only to be destroyed in the earthquake of 1717. What stands today is the replacement, built between 1723 and 1734, and later ruined again by the great earthquake of 1773.
The ruined nave and altar are built over gloomy subterranean vaults best explored with a torch. A network of corridors and stairwells gives access to various shadowy corners of the complex. The real showpiece, though, is the cloister: a two-tiered arcade of nine half-circle arches on all four sides, surrounding a central fountain. It was landscaped with bougainvillea in the 1940s and remains one of the most romantic spots in Antigua.
Beyond the church and cloister, the remaining convent buildings include the old linterna — the chimney above the former kitchen — still dark with centuries of smoke inside. The low arch below it is typical of colonial kitchens: ovens were positioned directly beneath the chimney to draw smoke up and out of the cooking area.