Ex-Convento Franciscano de la Asunción

East of Mexico City

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Built between 1537 and 1540, this was one of Mexico’s earliest monasteries and its church – the city’s cathedral – has a beautiful Moorish-style wooden ceiling. It's up a shaded path from the southeast corner of Plaza Xicohténcatl.

Just below the monastery, beside the 19th-century Plaza de Toros (bullring), is a capilla abierta (open chapel) with three unique Moorish-style arches. One of the entrances to the grounds is locked, but you can get close (though not enter) the capilla from other gates.

Museo Regional de Tlaxcala, housed within the monastery building, has a large collection of religious paintings and sculptures and some pre-Hispanic artifacts from nearby archaeological sites.

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Nearby East of Mexico City attractions

1. Museo Regional de Tlaxcala

The Museo Regional de Tlaxcala has a large collection of religious paintings and a few pre-Hispanic sculptures and artifacts.

2. Capilla Abierta

0.04 MILES

Just below the Ex-Convento Franciscano de la Asunción, beside the 19th-century Plaza de Toros (bullring), is this capilla abierta (open chapel) with three…

3. Museo de la Memoria Tlaxcala

0.14 MILES

This modern history museum looks at folklore through a multimedia lens and has well-presented exhibits on indigenous government, agriculture and…

4. Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala

0.15 MILES

A branch of the museum that holds interesting temporary exhibits and a good permanent collection of contemporary Mexican art.

5. Zócalo

0.22 MILES

It’s easy to pass an afternoon reading or just people-watching in Tlaxcala’s shady, spacious zócalo. The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain…

6. Palacio de Gobierno

0.25 MILES

Inside the Palacio de Gobierno there are color-rich murals of Tlaxcala's history by Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin. His style is vividly realistic and…

7. Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala

0.26 MILES

This fantastic small contemporary-art museum houses an excellent cache of early Frida Kahlo paintings that were returned to the museum after several years…

8. Palacio de Justicia

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The 16th-century building on the plaza's northwest side is the Palacio de Justicia, the former Capilla Real de Indios, built for the use of indigenous…

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