The Church of La Merced was the first convent and church founded after the initiative of four Mercedarian friars from Guatemala in 1537. The convent of La Merced was built in 1537, when Francisco Marroquin brought four Mercedarians, two of which: Fray Pedro Barrientos and Fray Pedro Benítez de Lugo, stayed in this Ciudad Real, to start the foundation of the order. The other Mercedarians: Fray Juan Zambrano and Fray Marcos Pérez Dardón, did not stay long in the city, leaving the convent even though the City Council had already granted a plot of land on March 18, 1537. In the Cabildo Act held on March 10, On November 1539, Fray Marcos Pérez Dardón returned to Ciudad Real after having founded a convent in Guatemala.

The simplicity of its architecture is due to the little influence that this order had on the religious and civil life of the province. The interior of the sacristy preserves the original construction of a Roman arch guarded by two lions, symbolizing Spanish rule and decorated with floral motifs and mortar reliefs representing the sun and the moon. The other Mercedarian convent was later a municipal jail, for this reason the tower that characterizes it was added and now houses the Amber Museum of Chiapas.

One of the best churches in the city, dedicated to the Virgen de la Caridad, patron saint of the city</h2>
The church that we know today as Caridad has its origins in the hospital of the same name that was under the care of the order of San Juan de Dios. The first history of founding a hospital in San Cristóbal de Las Casas dates back to the 16th century with that of San Diego and Santa Lucía; the date of its erection is between 1577 and 1594 according to the data reported by the historian Josefina Muriel in her book “Hospitals of New Spain”.

Starting in 1635, the Juaninos, through Juan de San Martín, began working to create a hospital in the city, because the one in San Diego and Santa Lucia had not prospered and only the land and the ruined building remained. On July 15, 1653, the Juaninos took possession of the premises from the hands of the Mayor of Chiapas and in 1643 they had to return said properties that included “the hermitage and house of Santa Lucia to the mayordomo of the Cathedral”. Its location would surely be that of the current church of Santa Lucia, to the south of the city, close to the Franciscan convent.

The bishop of Chiapas and Soconusco, Juan Bautista Álvarez de Toledo, sought from 1710, the year in which he arrived in Ciudad Real, the erection of a hospital in the city. For this purpose, he bought a piece of land that had belonged to Sergeant Major D. Pedro de Zavaleta and his wife, Doña Maria de Arizmendi, and built the hospital there. Likewise, he acquired from the Brotherhood of Charity its hermitage, cemetery and attached sacristy, which were next to the hospital. He obtained authorization for the brothers of San Juan de Dios to take charge of the institution from May 23, 1712. For the sale of its facilities, the brotherhood of Charity received “a piece of land in front of the church of Santo Domingo, materials for construction and 1800 pesos in reais, to build a new hermitage" and according to the historian Eduardo Flores Ruiz said land "was ceded at his request -by the bishop-, by the Fathers of Santo Domingo, where they had the Pantheon of their convent".

The primitive hermitage of Caridad was located immediately to the current church of Caridad, a street in the middle, to the south of it, according to what was reported in the publication of Bishop Francisco Orozco y Jiménez with the following paragraph: "Our hermitage with its cemetery and plazuela that is between the church and the convent of Santo Domingo and said hospital, from north to south”, given in the city of Chiapas on January 21, 1712. I must mention that the hospital continued to function once independence was achieved, entrusted to a group of civilians called the Junta de Caridad. “In 1869 the federal government gave the former convent of Concepcionistas de la Encarnación nuns to the State, so that a children's school could be established there. Instead of running like this, what was done was to swap this building with the hospital in 1874…”. Thus, in what was a convent for nuns, the old hospital continued to operate, which became a nursing home until 1979, the year in which the needy were transferred to the house that Monsignor Eduardo Flores Ruiz ceded, upon his death. . So Caridad was converted into a school, possibly from shortly after 1874.

Its dome with a lantern and windows spills light onto the splendid Solomonic main altarpiece. Its main façade is an altarpiece superimposed on the original made up of two horizontal bodies, a central bell tower, with Tuscan columns and pilasters with a very innovative design derived from the Baroque that developed in Lima, Peru during the 18th century. Its façade has curious shapes, as it shows groups of pilasters with curvilinear bodies that resemble carvings on wood. The interior of the temple preserves a baroque altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin and another to a Black Christ from Esquipulas, Guatemala. 

The Church of San Agustín: A colonial treasure in San Cristóbal de las Casas
 

A little history
 

The church of San Agustín is one of the architectural jewels of San Cristóbal de las Casas, a Magic Town that houses a great cultural, historical and natural wealth. This church was built in the 17th century by the Society of Jesus, which founded a college of arts and crafts in the same place for the education of natives and Creoles. However, in 1767 the Jesuits were expelled from New Spain and their properties passed into the hands of the Cathedral Church. The school then became the Tridentine Seminary of Our Lady of the Conception, which functioned until the 19th century. Nothing remains of the convent and the school, only the church that is preserved as a testimony of the evangelizing and educational work of the Jesuits.  A unique style
 

The church of San Agustín has a sober and elegant façade, with a three-section façade topped by a belfry. Its style is austere baroque, with some Mudejar and Solomonic elements. The most outstanding are the torso columns that flank the main door and the windows of the second body, as well as the geometric and plant reliefs that adorn the walls. Inside, you can see a beautiful golden altarpiece with images of saints and martyrs, as well as oil paintings from the 18th century.
 

A cultural space
The church of San Agustín is not only a historical monument, but also a cultural space that hosts artistic, academic and social events. Concerts, exhibitions, conferences and book presentations are held in its ship. In addition, in its atrium an artisan market is installed where you can buy typical products of the region, such as textiles, ceramics, jewelry and amber. The church is also the venue for some activities of the Cervantino Baroque Festival, which is held every year in San Cristóbal de las Casas.
 

An invitation to visit
The church of San Agustín is a must for those who want to learn more about the history, art and culture of San Cristóbal de las Casas. It is a place that invites reflection, delight and learning. In addition, it is located in a central and accessible area, close to other tourist attractions such as the Cathedral, the Temple of Santo Domingo and the Amber Museum. Do not miss the opportunity to admire this masterpiece of Chiapas baroque and discover its secrets and charms.