Ex-Convent of San Bernardino de Siena, Former Franciscan convent in Valladolid, Mexico
The Ex-Convent of San Bernardino de Siena is a 16th-century Franciscan complex in the center of Valladolid, in the Mexican state of Yucatan. It consists of a church, a cloister, stone corridors, and a garden, all enclosed within thick stone walls.
Franciscan friars began building the convent in 1552 with the goal of converting and teaching the local Maya population. Over the following centuries, the complex also served as a refuge during wars and epidemics.
The facade of the convent displays the Mudéjar style, a mix of Islamic and Christian design elements rarely seen elsewhere in Mexico. The cloister next to the church is used today for local art exhibitions and cultural events.
The complex is easy to reach on foot from most of downtown Valladolid, as it sits right in the city center. Visiting around sunset is worthwhile, since the light on the stone walls looks especially good at that time of day.
Right next to the convent there is a cenote, a natural pool of water that the Franciscans used to supply the complex with fresh water. Finding colonial architecture and a natural water source side by side in the same spot is very rare in the region.
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