Our favourite place in Oaxaca – San Domingo


Whilst the Zocalo and the cathedral might be the centre of Oaxaca, the aesthetic and cultural hub, and restaurant central, are San Domingo. The Dominicans built on a  whole city block  after outgrowing their old site and also experiencing earthquake issues, they got it right here. Today it is a church, a museum on the former convent/monastery and a botanic gardens full of cactus’s and endemic species.

From the plaza on a grey wet day:

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The church is pretty plain on the outside… but in a nicely landscaped plaza
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Beautiful flowing Mexican Flame trees juxtaposed with grey cactus.

The gardens  around the monastery have only been developed in the last 15 years since they managed to kick the military out who had been using the huge site as a barracks.

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A cactus corridor in the gardens
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Ancient cyclad in the gardens
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A few spiky plants!
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Ms Pacifica loves a Cloister! San Domingo Monastery, now a museum

The church might be quite plain on the outside, but step inside and see this:

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This is a side chapel – no expense spared!
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Plenty to look at – if the sermon drags on…
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The choir area  – if you lived in the monastery you got direct access to here… closer to God!
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Star of the show – San Domingo himself
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The main entrance – wow them early

In addition to this wonderful series of buildings, there are some of the very best restaurants in Oaxaca within a couple of blocks of here. No wonder we liked it.

 

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2 responses to “Our favourite place in Oaxaca – San Domingo”

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