A serene air pervades the remains of the monastery of La Recolección, which stands well west of the center. Erected in the early 18th century by the Récollets (a French branch of the Franciscan order), its church was one of the largest in Antigua at the time. The earthquake of 1773 toppled the structure, of which only the great arched doorway remains intact.
Beyond are strewn the massive chunks of masonry that formed the original walls. The adjoining cloisters, laid out on an equally grand scale, have been cleared of debris and have variously served as fairgrounds and swimming pool following the complex's short life as a monastery.
