Colonial Architecture

Sorry this is blurry...but off to the left is a church that used to be a fortress because when the Spaniards came to conquer Mexico, they brought friars or monks with to bring catholicism here and the Mexicans were the ones who had to build the churches so they became to look more like fortresses than churches because in Yucatan, the mayans were constantly fighting the monks so the church and other buildings around it became a place for the monks to live, a place of worship, and place of defense. The churches served three purposes at that point.

The patio in the middle of the school of architecture. Our professor took us there because that is where she studied to get her Bachelor's and Master's of architecture. I really wish I could go to a school that looks old but now functions as if it was new! I just love the look of it being old...

One staircase that took my breath away--stone steps with rounded doorways and ceilings.

This is inside the oldest building in Merida. It is now a art and music school for children but this is where the monks would have lived. The classrooms used to be the monks' rooms. I love the tile, columns, rounded doorways, and rounded ceilings!

On Tuesday after returning from Chiapas we had regular classes which went really well and fast. I got a lot done yesterday and even got in a nap which I was happy about! Then at night I always have Art and Architecture and last night we went to downtown Merida to look at colonial architecture. I have decided that I love colonial architecture because it looks old and has so much character. I love it when buildings and homes look old but yet have been refurbished to live in or conduct business in. I just love the character that older homes give! I thought I would share some pictures that I took last night so that way you could also see what a lot of downtown Merida looks like.