Convento San Bernardo

Welcome, astute observers of history, to the Convento San Bernardo. As we stand before these thick, whitewashed adobe walls, we are looking at the oldest surviving religious structure in the city of Sahl-tah. …

Direct your attention to the absolute masterpiece of this structure: the magnificent, deeply carved main portal. This heavy double door was carved in seventeen sixty-two from a single massive trunk of algarrobo, or carob wood, a…

Let us step back and analyze the massive, undulating walls that enclose the convent. These are constructed from adobe—sun-dried mud bricks—a building material utilized continuously in the Andes for millennia prior to the Spanish…

While we cannot see them, we must acknowledge the inhabitants of this complex: the Discalced Carmelite nuns. The term 'discalced' denotes an austere reform of the order, originally indicating that they went barefoot or wore…

Following the perimeter along the pedestrian walkway, observe the simple, barred windows set high into the thick walls. These are designed to allow light and ventilation into the cells and corridors while completely obstructing…

We now approach the small, designated area where limited interaction with the public occurs. Through a simple wooden turnstile—a 'torno'—the nuns exchange their handmade goods for monetary donations. …

As we conclude our circumnavigation, pause to analyze the startling juxtaposition presented at this corner. You have the ancient, silent adobe walls of the seventeenth century pressed immediately against the asphalt, traffic, and…

Our analytical reading of the Convento San Bernardo concludes here. We have examined the historical layering of its adobe walls, marveled at the indigenous mastery of its carob wood portal, and contemplated the radical lifestyle…