Iglesia de La Merced, Antigua

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.)

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.