Convento de Santa Inés (Santa Inés Convent), Puebla

Convento de Santa Inés, dedicated to Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, was founded in 1622 for Dominican nuns and formally completed in 1626. It is closely linked to Xanenetla, one of the old traditional quarters, whose name comes from xalnenetl, the volcanic gravel found near the Almoloya River and used in local construction.

The church façade gives the complex much of its visual character. Reworked in the 18th century, it shows a folk Baroque style, with polychrome mortar decoration and estípite pilasters containing medallions of saints, including Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena. Saint Agnes crowns the upper section, while the interior is more restrained, with Neoclassical altars and a calmer devotional atmosphere.

The convent also carries the culinary memory of colonial religious houses, where Dominican nuns helped shape traditions of sweets, candied fruits, and early rompope. After damage from the September 19, 2017 earthquake, restoration work continued in stages, with structural repairs reported in the following years and a broader reopening cycle associated with April 2026.