La Recollection
La Recollection is a monastery that was just outside of the old town of Antigua. It was founded in 1701 by two monks who wished to do mission work principally among the Maya. Despite their humble origins and humble intentions, the colonial governorship initially rejected their application on the grounds that the town already supported more monasteries than it could pay for. Further, town elders feared that descendants of the humble monks would not keep up with the vows of their founders and soon begin to desire the ever larger and more elaborate housing that the somewhat isolated location of their monastery would enable.
However, a direct appeal to the king overrode these concerns and the monastery was built. It turned out, however, that the fears of the town elders were well founded, as the monastery soon grew to become Antigua's largest. The monks, thinking that the local Maya population would be more impressed by size than the ornate baroque style that dominated other colonial churches, opted to forego the elaborate gilded stucco that covered the other institutions in Antigua and simply build the biggest damn monastery money could buy. The finished product was huge. The five shipped church boasted supporting arches 60 feet across. The walls were, at their base, up to three meters thick. The complex featured three vast cloisters, each with gushing fountains.
Of course, tectonic fault lines and monumental stone architecture don't get along very well at all. The entire structure collapsed irreparably in the 1773 earthquake, leaving only a jumble of ruined masonry.
Enjoy the pictures, courtesy of Venla!
