The Sights of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

The feelings are similar, in some ways, to those one has in Rome or Athens, but quite different in other ways, because this culture is so different: so completely sun-oriented, sky-oriented, wind- and weather-oriented, as a start. The buildings face outward, life faces outward, whereas in Greece and Rome the focus is inward.

A few weeks ago I took you for a walk around the colourful Mexican city of Oaxaca. On that occasion I skipped over most of the major sights but promised to return to visit them later. Today is that ‘later’!

This was my favourite sight in the city. The impressive church of Santo Domingo was built mainly between 1570 and 1608 as part of the city’s Dominican monastery. It has thick stone walls to withstand earthquakes. The façade has a number of worn statues and a relief showing Saint Dominic and Saint Hippolitus holding a temple on which the Holy Spirit is descending. Its two bell towers are topped with domes covered in blue and white azulejos.

We visited twice. On the first occasion I’d only taken one photo when a man told me he was about to close up. I begged his indulgence for one more shot, took two and then had to leave. But we returned later the same day when it reopened at 4.00 PM. Like all the churches and cathedrals we visited in Mexico, there was no charge to enter nor to take photos (without flash, naturally). ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).