Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, Baroque educational institution in Tlatelolco, Mexico.
The Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco is a stone building with curved facades, ornate columns, and religious carvings in baroque style, erected as a school in Tlatelolco during the 16th century. The structure includes a central courtyard surrounded by classrooms and chapels that spread across multiple levels.
Franciscan monks founded the school in 1536 to teach sons of indigenous noble families in European subjects. It became the first center of higher education on the American continent before being damaged by earthquakes and political changes over the centuries.
The school was one of the first places where indigenous languages were taught alongside European methods, and the walls still display bilingual inscriptions today. Visitors can see how Christian symbols blend with pre-Hispanic motifs, a witness to the cultural exchange between both worlds.
Plaza de las Tres Culturas is the starting point for a visit, and public transportation from downtown Mexico City brings visitors nearby. Guided tours are available to explore the interiors, which are not always freely accessible.
Some walls preserve fragments of murals showing scenes from the daily life of students in the 16th century. These images offer a rare glimpse into the way indigenous youth lived and studied in a mixed learning environment.
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