Santo Domingo de Guzmán Church, Convent in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

A bronze-toned dome

As the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán stuns with its incredibly intricate baroque facade, the demure dome next door sidesteps the spotlight. Featuring simple shapes and muted terra cotta tones, this 17th-century compound at the centre of San Cristobal, Chiapas, is a former convent built by the Dominicans – a Catholic order from Seville, Spain, where the architecture is rich in Arabic influence. Today, the convent is home to two museums and a centre for traditional Mayan textiles, a mixed role that reflects Chiapas’ convergent cultures.