Iglesia de La Merced
Iglesia de La Merced
4.5
09:00 - 18:00
Monday
09:00 - 18:00
Tuesday
09:00 - 18:00
Wednesday
09:00 - 18:00
Thursday
09:00 - 18:00
Friday
09:00 - 18:00
Saturday
09:00 - 18:00
Sunday
09:00 - 18:00
About
Destroyed twice by earthquakes, this 1548 church was rebuilt in the 1700s to withstand earthquakes and boasts a lovely yellow façade and a huge stone fountain, reputed to be the largest in Central America.
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  • Brix510
    San Jose, California976 contributions
    Really ornate, well built, functional church
    This church was one of the few buildings that survived the deadly and catastrophic earthquake that flattened most of the city in the past. It is well built and there is many fine details and is very ornate. It is very well kept up and you can feel a sense of history while visiting.
    Visited February 2023
    Written 2 March 2023
  • Cara F
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania19 contributions
    Beautiful.. but very aggressive vendors.
    Gorgeous church … but crowded with vendors trying to sell you stuff. I don’t mind someone asked 1x - 2x if i would like to buy something. However, there they following you around after you’ve already said no 5-6x and wont take no for an answer
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 March 2023
  • CredibleCommentator
    Kansas City, Missouri4 contributions
    See Antigua, Guatemala.
    Our Cruise with Holland America through the Panama Canal included Guatemala as a port stop. Among several countries visited during the cruise, Guatemala proved to be very rewarding because we of our excursion to Antigua. When we travelled, other tourists were there also but not in such high numbers to overwhelm the experience. Some tourists stated that they experienced aggressive venders selling artifacts. We found them to be persistent but not aggressive once we told them "No". I did however purchase a small carving which we display in our home. The person who sold it to me said "God Bless You" and his expression was genuine. I wanted to leave some money behind because the Covid pandemic had hurt these people in Guatemala due to their dependence on tourism. While there, we visited the La Merced Church, the beautiful town square and the Capuchine convent, plus a wonderful local restaurant for lunch. I highly recommend Antigua, Guatemala!
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 August 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
1,090 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
374
Average
109
Poor
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Terrible
1

CredibleCommentator
Kansas City, MO4 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
Our Cruise with Holland America through the Panama Canal included Guatemala as a port stop. Among several countries visited during the cruise, Guatemala proved to be very rewarding because we of our excursion to Antigua. When we travelled, other tourists were there also but not in such high numbers to overwhelm the experience. Some tourists stated that they experienced aggressive venders selling artifacts. We found them to be persistent but not aggressive once we told them "No". I did however purchase a small carving which we display in our home. The person who sold it to me said "God Bless You" and his expression was genuine. I wanted to leave some money behind because the Covid pandemic had hurt these people in Guatemala due to their dependence on tourism. While there, we visited the La Merced Church, the beautiful town square and the Capuchine convent, plus a wonderful local restaurant for lunch. I highly recommend Antigua, Guatemala!
Written 19 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cara F
Philadelphia, PA19 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Gorgeous church … but crowded with vendors trying to sell you stuff. I don’t mind someone asked 1x - 2x if i would like to buy something. However, there they following you around after you’ve already said no 5-6x and wont take no for an answer
Written 28 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brix510
San Jose, CA976 contributions
Feb 2023
This church was one of the few buildings that survived the deadly and catastrophic earthquake that flattened most of the city in the past. It is well built and there is many fine details and is very ornate. It is very well kept up and you can feel a sense of history while visiting.
Written 3 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dan j
Port Coquitlam, Canada724 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
We visited Antigua on a holiday and a Saturday. The church had several weddings scheduled and we arrived just as one wedding party had finished exiting so we we were able to have a quick tour.
Written 28 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carmen Santiago
Mountain View, CA164 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
The front facade is simply spectacular. The yellow is bright, and the white accents are near perfect. Perhaps a great contrast to other churches that have not been rebuilt. Inside, the church looks older, as behooves it's age. Look up to see some amazing mosaics of saints, and the altar for sure is beautiful. There is a calm inside the church that is to be appreciated, especially in contrast to the hustle and bustle outside. (It is hard to forget that this is a monument to subjugation of the local Mayan culture, the actions of the Spanish are not gone... They are felt in the poverty and challenges faced by the Mayan descendants until today.)
Written 25 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephen L
Cambridge, UK502 contributions
Nov 2022 • Solo
Built in the 1760s to withstand earthquakes and still standing although there is some current renovation work to the building structure. Beautiful yellow and white facade.
And do visit the ruins of the monastery behind the church.
Written 24 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael W
Redding, CT1,112 contributions
Nov 2022 • Friends
This church is both well restored and beautiful maintained. In fact they are painting the outside again as I write. It’s not anything like as ornate inside as many other churches of a similar period but, again, it’s very well maintained. Worth a short visit but note that no entry is allowed when mass is being held.
Written 15 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

robjustrob
Calgary, Canada1,801 contributions
Sep 2021
this old church is beautiful but really shines at night. it presents some pretty good opportunities to take some remarkable pictures, too bad we couldnt get inside it.
Written 5 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ryansmom03
Corona, CA167 contributions
Nov 2021
Every trip to Antigua I make a stop at this church. Having watched it over the years come back to life has been nice. I look forward to stopping here every trip.
Written 19 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rob C
San Jose, CA2,115 contributions
Apr 2021
This church is quite popular with locals and tourists alike. It is quite picturesque with its vibrant yellow façade and white details. Honestly though, other than the few hints of native vegetation featured on its front , it does not stand out from many colonial churches that litter Mexico and South America. The towers are quite squat and bulky (I get it, the earthquakes) and the façade looks like dozens of others , unless you really pay attention to the details. I visited during the semana santa and I was not allowed to venture inside, by an angry-looking Guatemalan man.
Written 14 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Iglesia de La Merced, Antigua

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