Mitla - Churches Group

(Local Name: Grupo de las Iglesias) The Churches Group (Grupo de las Iglesias), located to the north, is named after the Iglesia de San Pablo and was built by the conquering Spanish in the middle of the old-Indian walls. The ground plan of this site resembles that of the group of columns but on a smaller scale. A patio and part of the buildings surrounding it fell victim to the construction work. The northern patio was partially retained; this and a small courtyard on the north side have mosaics on their walls and in the chambers. Here can also be found the remains of a frieze with murals. These once decorated most of the site"s door beams. They had been kept in the style of the Mixtec pictographic writing systems, the most famous of which are the Codex Vindobonensis (Mexicanus 1) and the Codex Becker (Kaziken manuscript). They are preserved in the Austrian National Library and the ethnological museum in Vienna respectively.

On the other side of the Rio Mitla lie the Grupo del Sur (Southern Group) and to the west the Grupo del Arroyo (Bach Group) as well as the Grupo de los Adobes (Group of the Clay Bricks) which have not yet been completely excavated and restored.