Templo de Santo Domingo & Museum of Oaxacan Cultures
Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán
Oaxaca's most ornate Baroque church, with gilded reliefs covering its vaults. The museum in the adjoining former convent houses the gold treasures from Tomb 7 at Monte Albán.
The Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán was built by the Dominican order in the 16th and 17th centuries. Its exterior is plain, but its interior is the pinnacle of Mexican Baroque decoration. On the ceiling above the entrance is a gilded stucco tree showing the Dominican family lineage, and the Rosary Chapel glitters with gold. Entry to the church is free, but keep quiet during Mass. The former convent next door now houses the Oaxaca Cultural Museum (INAH), which displays Zapotec and Mixtec artifacts. Its most important piece is the Mixtec gold and silver jewelry and crystal objects unearthed from Tomb 7 at Monte Albán in 1932. From the upstairs windows, you can look over the Ethnobotanical Garden behind the building. The garden can only be entered on a guided tour, and it collects native Oaxacan plants such as cacti and agaves. Check at the entrance in advance for English- or Spanish-language tour times. The pedestrian street in front of the church, Calle Alcalá, is the main route for galleries and craft shops.
Opening hours
Church about 7:00am–1:00pm and 4:00–8:00pm; museum Tue–Sun 10:00am–6:15pm, closed Mondays (check on site)
Nearby sights
- Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO)
- Andador Turístico (Calle Macedonio Alcalá)
- Teatro Macedonio Alcalá
- Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art
- Museo Textil de Oaxaca
- Zócalo & Oaxaca Cathedral
- Barrio de Jalatlaco