This is one of two nearly identical gates of Convento Santa Clara along Avenida Sur. They were once used by parishioners to access the church without entering the convent. Despite their ruinous condition, they are a joy to admire. They are a sample of Antigüeño Baroque architecture. This style originated regionally and flourished locally during the second half of the 17th and most of the 18th centuries. Among the characteristics is decorative and intricate stucco work. The buildings are massive and the bell towers are short in an attempt to make them tremor proof. The facades have a prominent tympanum plus plenty of niches for religious statuary. Often the sculptures are missing. After the 1773 earthquake, most of the salvaged statutes in the city were sold to churches in Spain and across the Americas.
