Bronze-toned dome building at sunset

A bronze-toned dome

As the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán stuns with its incredibly intricate baroque facade, a demure dome next door sidesteps the spotlight. Featuring simple shapes and muted terra cotta tones, this 17th-century compound at the center of San Cristobal, Chiapas, is a former convent built by the Dominicans—a Catholic order from Seville, Spain, where the architecture is rich in Arabic influence. Today, the convent is home to two museums and a center for traditional Mayan textiles, a mixed role that reflects Chiapas' convergent cultures.