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Granada’s San Francisco Convent and Museum

Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Nicaragua // Christian Art & Architecture· Churches & Cathedrals· Granada Nicaragua· museums & galleries Location: [post_gps_latitude], [post_gps_longitude]

Behind that impressive facade that was once a convent and church, standing above most of the city of Granada, is the city’s main museum. Its exhibits are rather eclectic, but many of them relate in some way to the history of Granada and the nearby region.

The building facade used to be baby blue with white trim. Now it’s an off-white with white trim. And it’s very much a facade, with the building behind it not matching the style of the facade much at all.

The convent was originally constructed in the 16th century, but has undergone many changes in the century since and was burned down several times as the city succumbed to raids of pirate raids. When President of the Central American Federation Francisco Morazan expelled religious orders from the country in 1830, the convent was converted to educational purposes. In 1836 it became a university, it was rebuilt in 1868, and in 1874 it was the College of Granada, followed by the National Institute of the East until 1975. In 1989, with help from the Historical Museum in Stockholm, it was renovated again.1

When you first walk in you enter an initial small courtyard with one of its walls completely covered in a large mural with panels depicting the history of Granada from the time of the indigenous peoples through the founding of the city during colonial times through the modern day.

In one corner of the courtyard is the gift shop and ticket office. That opens onto the inner courtyard, around which are most of the museum’s exhibit areas. (There was once another courtyard even further through, but it’s now mostly in ruins.)

One room displays colorful paintings related in some way to the city of Granada. Another houses religious art, with an apparent fascination on rather gruesome aspects of the crucifixion. Another has a scale model of the city of Granada, and there’s a scale model of the Granada Cathedral in another. There’s a small collection of recovered pottery from pre-colonial times as well as a mock-up of a Maya pole performance. Along one side of the courtyard, a local artist (Sergio Canuda, originally from Mexico) displays his drawings, paintings, and incredibly detailed miniatures carved into toothpicks (complete with magnifying glasses with which to view them better).

The museum’s highlight is a large collection of stone statues, fashioned out of heavy volcanic basalt, most of which were discovered on Isla Zapatera in the early 1880s and date to around 800 to 1200 AD. Most of the statues line the sides of a covered outdoor wing along an edge of what was once another courtyard area.

Photos

Courtyard at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Toothpick Carvings at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Paintings on Display at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Mural at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Zapatera Statues at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Religious Art on Display at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Mural at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Nicaraguan Pottery at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Model of Granada Cathedral at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Toothpick Carvings at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Nicaraguan Pottery at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Nicaraguan Pottery at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Nicaraguan Pottery at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Maya Pole Ceremony Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Zapatera Statues at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Zapatera Statues at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Granada Scale Model at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Religious Art on Display at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Paintings on Display at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Religious Art on Display at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Paintings on Display at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Paintings on Display at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Paintings on Display at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Paintings on Display at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Paintings on Display at the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Mural at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Mural at Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

Facade of Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco, Granada, Nicaragua

What To Know Before You Go

  • It’s sometimes known as the Convento y Museo San Francisco, the San Francisco Convent, the Museum of San Francisco, or, more correctly these days, the Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco.
  • It’s located just a few blocks northeast of the Parque Central.
  • Entry tickets are $2 (or about 56 cordobas, depending on the exchange rate at the time). You can pay in dollars or cordobas.
  • Personal guides are often available near the main entrance, by the mural. Most offer their services for tips.
My location
Get Directions

  1. “Centro Cultural Convento San Francisco,” Instituto Nicaragüense de Cultura. ↩

Where to Next?

  • Iglesia San Francisco de Asis Casco Viejo Panama
    Iglesia San Francisco de Asis
  • Parque Central at Dusk, Granada, Nicaragua
    Granada's Parque Central
  • Lake Nicaragua Cows Grazing on Granada Beach on Lake Nicaragua
    Granada's Waterfront by Lago Nicaragua
  • Streets of Granada, Nicaragua
    Granada, Nicaragua
  • Altar Piece in Cathedral of Granada, Nicaragua
    Catedral de Granada
  • Iglesia de la Merced, Granada, Nicaragua
    Iglesia de la Merced | Granada
  • Great Court of the British Museum in London
    The British Museum
  • Granada Municipal Cemetery
    Granada Cemetery
  • Yuca Root at Granada's Market (Mercado Municipal)
    Granada's Market


Travel Advice for Nicaragua

You can find the latest U.S. Department of State travel advisories and information for Nicaragua (such as entry visa requirements and vaccination requirements) here.

The British and Australian governments offer their own country-specific travel information. You can find the British Government's travel advice for Nicaragua here and the Australian Government's here.

Health & Vaccinations

The CDC makes country-specific recommendations for vaccinations and health for travelers. You can find their latest information for Nicaragua here.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.


Location:
Country: Nicaragua
Coordinates:
      Latitude:
      Longitude:

      # Christian Art & Architecture
      # Churches & Cathedrals
      # Granada Nicaragua
      # museums & galleries



About David Coleman

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living.

I’m based in Washington, DC.

You can find my photography gear reviews and tips at havecamerawilltravel.com/photographer.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.

Licensing & Prints

Looking for travel stock photos or prints? I might be able to help. You can search my collection here:

If you already have a buyer account with Alamy and would prefer to use that, you can search my images directly here.

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Photos by David Coleman. Please contact me for licensing images.
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