Iglesia de San José el Viejo

The old San José Church is one of Antigua's pretty colonial and religious ruins, sitting on a quiet corner in the south of town. This church faced bureaucratic and political challenges along with the shattering earthquakes that damaged every structure in Antigua - two years after its 18th century construction, Spanish King Felipe V ordered it be closed down because it had been built without official permission. However, a city so dedicated to rebuilding its religious structures couldn't leave this one unused, so it was formally inaugurated in 1762 and continued to be used by religious orders even after the 1773 earthquake. A contemporary restoration project was initiated in 1990.