Former convent of Saint Michael the Archangel, Franciscan convent in Huejotzingo Municipality, Mexico

The former convent of Saint Michael the Archangel is a fortified Franciscan complex begun in 1544 under Fray Juan de Alameda and finished by Toribio de Alcaraz. Its church has a grey stone facade with a rose-stone portal framed by the Franciscan cord and IHS medallions. A crenellated wall encloses a 14,400-square-metre atrium with a central stone cross and four corner posa chapels.

The first twelve Franciscans landed at San Juan de Ulúa on 13 May 1524 and walked to Mexico City; Huejotzingo, then with over 40,000 inhabitants, was one of their four mission districts, led by Fray Juan Juárez. The town was moved to its present valley in 1529, and the convent in its current form was built from 1544 under Fray Juan de Alameda, with the church begun in 1550 and finished in 1571 under Toribio de Alcaraz. Indigenous workers and craftsmen carried out almost all the construction.

The building displays a blend of Spanish design and indigenous Mexican craftsmanship, visible in its stonework and painted walls. This mixing of styles shows how two cultures came together in this place over time.

Visitors can walk through the grounds to view frescoes, stone carvings, and architectural details up close. Exploring the courtyards and chapel areas helps you understand the layout and purpose of each section.

Four corner chapels called posas contain preserved frescoes showing religious scenes and feature pyramid-shaped roofs topped with ornate stone crosses. These distinctive structures offer insight into artistic techniques from the early colonial era.