Español
On the express wishes of don Vasco de Quiroga before his death, and later of the elected bishop, Brother Jaime de Chávez, and finally, in 1571, of King Philip II himself, 15 Jesuits arrived in México around 1572 under the leadership of Padre Pedro Sánchez. So in New Spain, the very first house or convent constructed was in Pátzcuaro, in 1573. So effective were the novices Juan Curiel, Juan Sánchez Baquero and the brothers Pedro Rodríguez and Pedro Ruiz de Salvatierra, that they who later were ordained as priests.
Construction on this building was begun in 1585. It belonged to the Jesuits until 1767, the year they were expelled from Spain and the New Spain after several political problems with the Spanish crown (before they were dismissed by Pope Clement XIV and consequently expelled from Portugal and France, being reinstalled until 1814 by Pope Pio XIV).
From then on, the building was put to many different uses, the last of which was as the primary school “Vasco de Quiroga”. Afterwards it fell into ruins and was abandoned nearly 40 years ago. In 1990, a group of citizens organized, forming a society devoted to obtaining funds for the building’s restoration and conversion into a place for cultural activities. This work was begun in 1992 and culminated in November of 1994, with results that are visible in its stately and spacious exposition rooms, picturesque corridors and lush gardens.
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