Research libraries and other stuff in Antigua

Pacaya volcano smoking as seen from ruins of monastery

I have talked before of the unequaled gems of research libraries and archives in the Historic Center of Guatemala City, and today I will expound a bit on the ones available in Antigua. There is a shuttle that goes from the Historic Center to Antigua on a daily basis, and regular buses depart several times daily from El Trébol. Plenty research can be done at both places, going back and forth even on the very same day.

There are several research libraries which have opened decades ago and are opening currently in Antigua, managed by some US academic institution, some non-profit organizations, as well as the one managed by the Embassy of Spain. All are reputed to be good. I went to Antigua to visit all of them and discover others, and I will post all of the information I got on this blog.

I also visited several ruins from the 17th and 18th century, especially those of the monastery of San Francisco. AND I had lunch in Antigua. Dismal experience. More on that later.

Church of San Francisco

This is the façade of the aforementioned church which, I should add, is amazing. I didn't go inside, having been there often before, but it is chock-full of Baroque paintings darkened by age and smoke. The magnificent monastery right besides it is in ruins and that one I hadn't visited.

I was here because I read that the church has a little library which holds some really great historic records available for research.

The complex holds the tomb of Saint Pedro de Betancourt, widely revered as a patron saint of charity for the sick and destitute. No big fan of wikipedia but, for this, I think it'll do, so if interested in his short bio, click here. I must warn, though, that the wikipedia story is missing big chunks of important stuff, but at least gives a barebones idea of the facts. If facts they are.

Detail of Church of San Francisco

All these ruins may now sport an "eggshell" color palette, but upon close inspection it is clear that the saints on the façades used to be brightly colored in rich hues, the garments reflecting textile prints or embroidery.

Detail of façade of Church of San Francisco

Here is another detail from the façade. No idea who this saint or personage is, but I have seen hats like that on pictures of Sancho Panza (the sidekick of El Quixote or The Man of La Mancha). Yes, I have read the book (illustrated) because I am a nerd like that. Okay Trudy, just say it like it is; it was a high school assignment. Not something I chose to do.

Still. Interesting read.

And not saying that this hatted figure is Sancho, of course, but must date from the same period, late 1500s or early 1600s, perhaps. Taking a wild, wild guess, the book on his hand must be the Bible.

Mural on the 17th Century monastery ruin

Not sure what this 3-saint allegory represents, but it's pretty cool. I wish I were "in" to the going ons. I'm most definitely not a religious person, and much less a Christian, but I have to say that the murals, paintings and statues in many of these historic churches in Latin America are breathtaking in beauty and because they are quite old, they have that dusty and mysterious quality in them that only truly aged places have.

Detail on vaulted roof of ruins of monastery

Here, however, I am mostly concentrating on the ruins themselves. I got there early in the morning and managed to go through the whole place without the usual noisy gaggles of tourists in crowds. Problem is, these monasteries, their cells, catacombs and cellars, were all quiet places when lived in and thus, always meant to be beautiful and silent (unless it was prayer time and such). So one can't really "get" them if surrounded by a madding crowd.

Detail on vaulted roof of ruins monastery

The exquisitely detailed work still possible to find in the architecture is, at least to me, enthralling and fascinating. Interesting mixture of medieval, Moorish and renaissance elements. Since they were created by enslaved Mayans, there is plenty of mestizaje going on there as well. Not being an Art Historian, however, I cannot really speak with deep knowledge.

Detail of vaulted roof of ruins of monastery

One thing that caught my attention, though, is that there are many archangel figures and siren figures too. Don't know if and how these are related. Sirens used to have negative connotations, so I don't know.

Under vest belonging to the Saint Brother Pedro de Betancourt

So, there is a series of stuff that used to belong to Saint Pedro, including his undergarments made of rough rope-like material. Don't mean to be disrespectful here, but they look like the kind of shorts and wife-beater basketball players wear nowadays, only they are made of a kind of macramé with a rough type of hemp. Loose, comfy underwear made of brutally chaffing material? I couldn't get a photo of those because we weren't allowed to take pictures with flash and the place where they hold the relics is quite dark.

Implements used by Saint Pedro for self-flagellation

Soooo ... they also have photographs of the skull and skeleton of the saint, who was dug out some years ago, I am not sure I quite understood why ... seems like it was for the photo op ... or something. Said photographs are encased in glass, as are the implements he used to flagellate himself with till he bled. This is the part that really fascinates me about Catholicism, the thing for relics and penitence. I also am fascinated by Freud's take on that kind of penchant. But I digress.

Crutches left by believers

There is a big, vaulted sanctuary full of crutches and testimonials, thousands of them, covering ceiling to flag-stoned ground, from devotees grateful for his curative powers.

I like this saint, though, because he was one of life's underdogs--suffering life-long from what we'd know recognize as a learning disability--and having been a soldier of fortune and many other things, he became completely dedicated, at the end of his life, to help the world's underdogs.

Portrait of Saint Pedro de Betancourt

I must add, as a scholar, that there is growing interest in the academic field for the life of this sainted man and, most importantly, the cultural and historical context within which the worship has developed throughout the centuries.

I assume it is similar to the growing scholarly interest in religion, nationalism and the personages of Juana Inés de la Cruz (the poet nun of Mexico), the Virgin of Guadalupe and even St. Joseph, Jesus's stepfather.

So. On to the libraries.

Portrait of the 17th Century Saint Pedro de Betancourt

I visited the catacombs, cellars and other of San Francisco which, by the way, also has historic archives and a small history library--but as I said, the latter was closed. I shall return in a week or two. The cellars and catacombs were damn cool.

Bell tower, Church of San Francisco

I also managed to sneak into an area forbidden to the public, into the reconstruction/renovation works of the Capitanía General (Colonial Audience/Administration). There is a part open to the public and another one that is very mysterious-looking, which isn't. Workers were at lunch and didn't seem to care, so I could sneak in and take some pictures, which was fun.

There is a narrow and dark little staircase, reputed to be haunted, which goes to the Colonial jail. It is dark, dank and creepy, but then, most buildings of the time were dark and dank.

Granai & Townson Public Library

There was a library on my list, the nicely appointed Public Library of the Granai & Townson Bank, funded by the aforementioned bank. It is nice, it has a lovely view of the Central Plaza, Cathedral and Capitanía General, and it is a nice place to go spend some time seeking shelter from the heat and look up general stuff. Lots of reference books and encyclopedias. That is about it. A pleasant little place to take a break from the heat or look up something quick. On the second floor, right besides the bank in front of the park.

View from Granai & Townson Public Library

Cirma (Centro de Estudios Regionales de Centro América), however, is one of the research library heavyweights of Antigua. It works in partnership with the University of Arizona and is oriented to the international researcher. As such, it offers books and publications on Latin America-related topics within the disciplines of history and social sciences.

One of the main advantages I found is that it has a pretty good searchable database, quite user-friendly as well. Elemental as that may seem in another country, that is a big plus here, because most libraries still operate on the basis of typed-cards and typed catalogs full of handwritten additions or deletions which often make no sense.

CIRMA

The process of getting the books at CIRMA, however, is somewhat cumbersome. Once one has found the publications one wants to look up, one has to fill out a blank piece for each one, request it, and they get it. This is the same for their archive of photographs, which takes away a lot from the research in the sense that a great deal of what comes out of research is to be able to peruse, by oneself, the bookshelves and the photographs instead of having somebody collate everything for one.

One researcher who has used the photographic archive told me that the people in charge of gathering the photographs for the historic period he requested weren't versed in his discipline and topic, so the results were unsatisfactory for him. Plus, they weren't very punctual either. But, okay, this is Latin America. Forget punctual, it doesn't just happen.

Moreover, some people have been told that they charge US$10 per copy of photo and some others that the charge is US$50. I was told that "usually" it is "around US$10" and that photocopies are 5 quetzales, which is about US$0.75 per copy, over 10 times higher than it would cost in the USA. This means some serious hardship on the budget-conscious researcher--which tends to be most researchers.

These things aside, however, the building is lovely and quiet, and also very conveniently located. It is surely a pleasure to read there for hours and then just step out for a bite to eat. It is right across the street from the Cathedral and surrounded by cafes. Check out their website for more information.

The AECID building (Spain's Agency of International Cultural Development)

The Iberoamerican Program for Specialized Technical Formation (that is a long name to basically say it is a research documentation center) opened a huge--and I do mean HUGE--research, cultural and education center in Antigua, which is funded by plentiful euros via the Embassy of Spain. Its research library center is called BiblioCe and it offers a membership loan library and excellent outreach educational programs, among many other goodies.

Entrance to AECID building
(also known as Cooperación Española or Spanish Cooperation)

The scope of the organization is impressive. The building houses the research library and also an audiovisual library, a children's library, a reading room and computer room. This is not all, it is a very large and deep 2-story building with an art gallery, classrooms and who knows what else. Just HUGE.

All of this is available to members and membership is free. Moreover, this is the only institution of this type which allows members to borrow several books for a couple weeks. Most other institutions require readers to use the books and documents only within the premises.

Library gallery, BiblioCe

So of course, I immediately proceeded to become a member. Not only is it free, but it is also fast. They require one to print out and fill out a form, which you can do by clicking here (scroll down till you find "formulario"), provide a photocopy of your passport or cédula de vecindad, and thats it. They take a picture and create a library card or carnet. So civilized! A breath of fresh air in the usual sea of Kafkaesque bureaucracy which is the norm around here.

Section of the Audiovisual Library

I could not check out the catalog because I had already spent a lot of time trying to get photocopies in Antigua. A nightmare. I had to go to 6 places--six!--which offer photocopies and at none of these was the machine in operation! It seemed like a joke, but anyhow, I did have time to peruse the stacks and they seem pretty good. I also like that they have all the daily newspapers.

Library stacks at BiblioCe

Have I ever mentioned how overpriced everything is in Antigua which caters to expats and tourists? I know Antigua like the palm of my hand, as I spend lots of time there and have done so for decades. I sometimes go to the popular party places too, Casbah, Monoloco, Reilly's, etc. etc. Very been there, done that.

But on this day, every time I bought a bottle of water, I was suddenly hit by how the local economy has inflated to reflect the influx of dollars and euros. I think I noticed because for once, I was paying cash rather than plastic.

Café Condesa in front of the Central Plaza

Partly it was my fault. I had lunch at one of the cafes around the park, which are pretty much all tourist traps, this one called Café Condesa. AVOID IT. It is really nice but overpriced and the food was simply crappy. It gets overcrowded with groups of tourists who bustle and bump around and make long lines at the bathroom. Nothing against tourists, as I am often one myself, but when in large groups they carry with them lots of noise and commotion.

One of the best places to eat in Antigua is the famous Cuevita de los Urquizú, where anybody who goes there once, keeps on going forever. I have talked about it on another post, so I won't go into it, but the fare is cheap and the food is great and abundant, the place cool, and the crowd truly a mini United Nations. Mesón Panza Verde is expensive but used to be pretty good and we would go often. However, last time we were very disappointed. Maybe it was bad luck, but don't feel like returning. There are other great places, but that is not the topic of the day.

Back to the libraries, now.

One of the interior patios of Cooperación Española building

The last library I checked out that day was the one right beside the Cathedral, called Biblioteca Francisco Antonio de Fuentes y Guzmán. Yep, that is the guy so trashed by Martínez Peláez in his seminal book La Patria del Criollo, so important as a key to understand Guatemalan history and society, and important to cultural studies in general.

It is a small library and has some really interesting 19th Century out-of-print novels in Spanish, French and so on, dating back to the early 19th Century. Turns out that it is a library long familiar to students working on their theses relating to Guatemalan and Central American literature from past centuries.

That is not all it holds, however.

Antigua's Cathedral

It has some sets of encyclopedias dating back to 1878 and the 1890s, and an interesting set of official compilations of laws dating back to late 19th Century and the early 20th Century. There are, of course, newer encyclopedias and such, but I thought that the older ones were more interesting.

Entrance to Library by the Cathedral
Biblioteca Francisco Antonio de Fuentes y Guzmán

The library, which was founded in 1960, does not have a website, but opens Monday through Friday from 2 pm till 8 pm, and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. It is right besides the Cathedral, actually attached to it, facing the park.

Like most libraries in Guatemala, it does not loan books. The place, however, is comfortable enough that one can sit and read there for hours. Believe me, I know. I immediately got engrossed in a French romantic novel from mid-1850s and next thing you know, a whole hour had passed!

Compilation of laws, early 20th Century

I found a really cool book--the width of a brick--on Antigua's architecture with plenty of photos and illustrations from before the earthquake of 1976, when so many things got destroyed.

I can see how this would be a great place for anybody interested in 19th Century novels, especially those out of print, as well as History of Guatemalan Literature--many resources on that!--some serious political history and/or just for the sheer love of being surrounded by old books.

Interior of library by the Cathedral

You may have noticed that the building of Cooperación Española had an old church ruin attached to it. I have to comment on it, because this is such a neat thing that they do.

Detail of church ruin façade, Cooperación Española

This is a ruin which--like many in Antigua--has been condemned, which means that it is too unstable to be safe, so they just close them up. Too expensive to fix, too. Well, the Spanish government is repairing this one, and they are re-hauling all of the insides and recovering all the painted façades. These people are from Europe, so I'm sure they are good at repairing old churches.

Detail of church ruin façade, Cooperación Española

A lot of tourists were hanging around trying to get a look inside, including me. By the way, made friends with a group of British tourists there for the day. A strange phenomenon is how one makes friends more easily when outside one's country.

See the clothing on the figures on the photo? They have vestments like it, in real cloth, in several museums in Antigua, some around 300 years old.

Detail of church ruin façade, Cooperación Española

Today something very cool happened to me. Returning from a bookstore in which I found a book published in France in 1886 with the title "Encyclopedia of a Lady's Labors" and the most amazing hand-detailed illustrations, I happened upon one of our guests waiting for his taxi to the airport.

He is a scholar who had come to do research in the archives close to us. He was very interested in my old book and conversation ensued.

Long story short, turns out he has a PhD from abroad and directs a doctoral department of the main university in Costa Rica, renowned as being one of the best of Central America. He is not only a renowned scholar himself, but has had several novels published and is also an awarded painter who has had shows in several countries. How cool is that??? I love meeting people like this all the time around here. We made friends and exchanged emails. And so it goes!

Dissertation is at the last level now and I wish I could just be done with it already. Soon, they tell me, soon. So similar to the Guatemalan mañana. Meanwhile, I am going to go register in art school classes (again!) tomorrow. From doctoral candidate to art student. The strange turns of life.

Next post will have the photographs of the catacombs and cellars in Antigua. Pure fun, my friends, pure fun. Meanwhile, I shall leave you with one last picture of the interior patios of the Cooperación Española building. Isn't that such a cool place to go do research?

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