Iglesia de la Merced

The yellow-and-white facade of Iglesia de la Merced is covered in exceptionally dense, low-relief stucco carvings. These floral patterns and geometric designs are layered so thickly that the entire front wall resembles intricate, carved foam. Architect Juan de Dios Estrada oversaw the construction of this structure, which was inaugurated in seventeen sixty-seven. Its heavy walls were intentionally designed to endure the frequent earthquakes that defined the history of Antigua Guatemala.