The feelings are similar, in some ways, to those one has in Rome or Athens, but quite different in other ways, because this culture is so different: so completely sun-oriented, sky-oriented, wind- and weather-oriented, as a start. The buildings face outward, life faces outward, whereas in Greece and Rome the focus is inward.
Oliver Sacks, Oaxaca Journal
A few weeks ago I took you for a walk around the colourful Mexican city of Oaxaca. On that occasion I skipped over most of the major sights but promised to return to visit them later. Today is that ‘later’!
Santo Domingo de Guzmán
This was my favourite sight in the city. The impressive church of Santo Domingo was built mainly between 1570 and 1608 as part of the city’s Dominican monastery. It has thick stone walls to withstand earthquakes. The façade has a number of worn statues and a relief showing Saint Dominic and Saint Hippolitus holding a temple on which the Holy Spirit is descending. Its two bell towers are topped with domes covered in blue and white azulejos.
We visited twice. On the first occasion I’d only taken one photo when a man told me he was about to close up. I begged his indulgence for one more shot, took two and then had to leave. But we returned later the same day when it reopened at 4.00 PM. Like all the churches and cathedrals we visited in Mexico, there was no charge to enter nor to take photos (without flash, naturally).
Inside it is stunning. The impact of its stunning gilded altars and ceiling was a bit of a gob-smacking moment. The main altarpiece was carved from a single piece of cedar and gilded with gold leaf. The side chapels are just as ornate, and the ceiling and walls covered with frescoes and murals featuring scenes from the life of Christ and the history of the Dominican Order.
Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca
Next door to the church is what remains of a monastery that once covered 24 city blocks. Today it houses the city’s museum of culture which is well worth a visit. We walked through the cloisters, where unfortunately most of the decoration has been lost (the monastery was occupied for a time by the army). But above the staircase leading to the museum’s galleries there were ornate gilded carvings, currently being restored.
Cloisters and staircase decorations
Our main focus here was the three small rooms housing the contents of Tomb 7 excavated at Monte Albán. Our guide Montse told us that this was the third largest tomb treasure ever found. There were small intricate gold masks, beautifully carved animal bones used for textiles, gold and jade necklaces and much more. It was here that my eye was taken by the skull decorated with turquoise mosaic tiles which I shared in one of my virtual postcards.
Treasures from Tomb 7
Centro Cultural San Pablo
This is another former monastery, now with a modern addition and used as cultural centre. Montse took us inside for a visit during our city tour. It is clearly a favourite spot of hers and I could see why. It had lots of exhibits by different artists, all very well presented in the different areas of the monastery and all completely free. There is also an open space where the cloisters once were, where free concerts are now held weekly.
I was interested in what Montse told us here about how the Dominicans had used aspects of the native beliefs to encourage conversions. For instance, local people believed that hummingbirds were the souls of their dead ancestors. So the Dominicans planted trees near their churches to attract the birds, indicating that the ancestors approved of the new religion.
The Zócalo
Unlike the Zócalo of Mexico City this isn’t a completely paved open space, but a square with trees, benches and a central gazebo. It is constantly busy with souvenir sellers, shoe-shiners, tourists and locals. The arcaded buildings around the perimeter house the former governor’s palace, now a museum, a more recent (early 20th century) federal palace, and plenty of restaurants and cafés.
We didn’t visit the latter, expecting the usual ‘higher prices / lower quality’ found in most city squares around the world. Nor did we visit the museum. But we did spend some time soaking up the atmosphere in the square itself. I was looking out for street photo ops among the crowds when I noticed a small girl with her father who was selling textiles. She tried to sit on his bag on the ground but slid off. She saw that this made me smile at her, so she did it again, and again. On the third (or was it fourth?) slide I took her photo, with the tacit permission of her father who had been keeping half an eye on her antics.
Metropolitan Cathedral
The imposing cathedral sits on the north side of the Zócalo. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption and is the third to be built on this site after the first two were destroyed by large earthquakes in the 16th and early 18th centuries. The current building was consecrated in July 1733. Its towers are not the originals, as they were destroyed in another earthquake in 1931.
I found it fairly sombre inside but with some brighter stained glass. We couldn’t have a thorough look around however, as a mass was in progress.
A few random sights
I’ll finish with a handful of images of various places we visited briefly or simply passed on our various walks in the city. As with all these galleries, click to open a slideshow with captions.
I visited Oaxaca in February 2024
47 Comments
Annie Berger
I’ve to heard people rave about Oaxaca for years now but never understood why. Your wonderfully detailed descriptions of the sights and accompanying photos shows why we should visit it.
Sarah Wilkie
Same here – and now I’m raving too! I’m glad to have tempted you to visit, I hope you get there one day 🙂
equinoxio21
Perfect. 👏🏻
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂
rkrontheroad
I assume that last shot of the flowering tree in the courtyard is a bougainvillea… I remember them and those colors from Guatemala. The skull with turquoise plates is haunting.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, that’s a bougainvillea – I love them and associate them so strongly with our travels, as they don’t grow here. I must have hundreds of photos of them!
wetanddustyroads
The Church of Santo Domingo is lovely from the outside (and I have to admit, I was quite surprised with how stunning it looks inside). The detail inside some of the buildings is truly beautiful and once again I’m caught up in your street photos that capture a vibe that one can’t easily manage with still photos.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Corna 😀 I do love trying to capture the atmosphere on the streets as well as the ‘big’ sights!
Alison
What an amazing place this is, love coming along with you on your travels Sarah. Mexico has never been on my list as It’s so far away but feel like it should be. I also love that photo of the kissing couple, well spotted!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Alison, I’m so pleased you enjoyed seeing Oaxaca through my eyes 😀 I definitely recommend Mexico if you can face the journey – there’s so much variety there that we felt we’d had three trips for the price of one!
leightontravels
I was absolutely glued to this article from start to finish. I have good friends in Oaxaca who have been inviting me to come and stay for over a decade now. I really should have done it before we launched our online school because now it would be an absolute nightmare with our teaching schedules. I’m talking classes between 3:00-06:00 am. I suspect we shall have to do it as an extended period away from work one of these years. In any case the entire place comes dancing to life off my screen, thanks for reminding us not to forget about Oaxaca. The kissing couple is a brilliant capture, nothing ordinary and mundane about that one.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Leighton 😊 I’m very pleased to have put Oaxaca back on your radar, I know you would love it! It would be a wonderful city for an extended stay but yes, I can see that the time difference could make it problematic. You would need to find classes on a US or Canadian timetable perhaps???
Karen (Back Road Journal)
Your photos of the Church of Santo Domingo let us get a great idea of how impressive it is once inside.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Karen, I’m glad you thought so 🙂
Marilyn Armstrong
The kissing couple in the photo with the pterodactyls rather makes that picture special. Love in the presence of flying dinosaurs?
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks for spotting them Marilyn 😀 They are absolutely the reason I took that shot!
Monkey's Tale
I definitely want to visit the museum, I remember that postcard of the Skull, very impressive. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, the museum is definitely worth a visit. I was tired when we went there (it had been a long day, starting with an early flight from Mexico City) so I don’t think I did it justice) but the treasures from Tomb 7 were stunning and absolutely a must-see!
Egídio
What a beautiful church and photos!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂 Yes, a stunning church!
margaret21
That church is quite something. I’m not good at very ornate churches, as seen in many Catholic churches in Europe, but this looks as if it’s more coherent. You’ve taken us on quite the sight-seeing tour!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Margaret 🙂 I know what you mean by the richness of these Catholic churches, they can seem rather over the top. I certainly used to find them so, but these days I do also appreciate the craftsmanship that went into them and I do have a soft spot for stained glass!
margaret21
Ah. Staineed glass. Now you’re talking …
restlessjo
I avoided churches on my first few days in Spain, Sarah. Or rather, the inside of churches. The splendour is dazzling but you do have to wonder if the money couldn’t have been better spent on the parishioners. The awe that these places inspire! Wherever in the world 🤗🩷
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, absolutely – and remember too that here they were conquerors and imposing their religion on indigenous people as well as (in many cases) building on the sites of their traditional places of worship. Nevertheless it’s impossible not to be dazzled, as you say 🙂
Marie
Thanks for the tour Sarah – everyone who visits seem to love the city.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, I’ve not heard from anyone who didn’t love it too 🙂
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
I can see how you’d be stunned when you walked into that church – amazing! It all looks glorious.
Sarah Wilkie
It was certainly a wow moment!
grandmisadventures
What a beautiful city- I love the intricate details on the buildings and the colorful vibrancy everywhere 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Meg 🙂 Colour and vibrancy really sum up Oaxaca!
Rose
So much beauty and history here! The church interior is stunning.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rose, glad you enjoyed this 🙂
Aletta - nowathome
Wow. what an amazing place to visit! The buildings and the inside of the church are just awesome. Thank you for sharing, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you liked this Aletta – Oaxaca is wonderful for sights like these churches but also simply the colour on its streets!
Aletta - nowathome
It is just amazing 😍
Anne Sandler
I am amazed at the history and beauty you’ve shown us through your wonderful pictures Sarah. The churches are beautiful.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne – Oaxaca really is a lovely city!
thehungrytravellers.blog
You’re making me feel like it was only yesterday when we were there (it was Dec 2018/Jan 2019). The Zocalo was just a magnet, always something different happening and a different place in daylight from the evening hours. A place of real character, yet just one aspect of a lovely city. One of the few long haul places that we’d happily revisit.
Sarah Wilkie
I’m happy to have taken you back to a place you loved 🙂 Funnily enough we were never in the Zocalo at night as we spent most of the time in and around the Santo Domingo de Guzmán plaza 🙂
Sue
Many thanks for the Virtual Tour of Oaxaca,Sarah! The stunning gilded interior of the church, th cloisters,the details of tomb 7….
Sarah Wilkie
So glad you enjoyed the tour Sue 😀
Teresa
Love the gilded decor of the ceiling and the stained glass windows. Great capture Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Teresa, glad you liked it 🙂
satyam rastogi
Nice post beautiful pictures 🌹🌹
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks
satyam rastogi
Welcome 🌹dear friend