Cultural Heritage - Old Church of San Jose Pinula

The church was built by the Jesuits between the late 17th and early 18th centuries on what was once the Hacienda de Canales, now San José Pinula.

The Jesuits were sent to cultivate the fertile land of the municipality and were sent from the religious schools of Antigua Guatemala.

The church was the first in the municipality, but after suffering extensive damage from the 1976 earthquake, the residents built a new church, abandoning the old one completely. For 30 years, the old San José Pinula Church was a group of four cracked walls without a roof, abandoned and at risk of collapsing completely.

In 1998, Juan Alberto Ortiz brought a proposal to rescue the splendor of the old church, and it was then discovered that the building was a relic that was at least 300 years old. In 2003, a group of Pinultecos represented by Luis Ramirez achieved recognition as a National Cultural Heritage. In 2005, the Institute of Anthropology and History, the municipal administration, and Ortiz began the reconstruction work.

The four remaining walls were made of adobe, stone, and clay, so they were reinforced with steel, new beams were installed, and cracks were filled with yellow sand and lime. A new roof and doors were added, as well as a new floor, to make the church fully operational.

The church is currently used for special events such as the municipal Fair and Holy Week.