From the streets of El Carmen, San Ildefonso and Venezuela, the facade of a beautiful building with lavish finishes can been seen, which houses magnificent altarpieces inside. It is the former Templo de San Pedro y San Pablo.  The church was built in 1576 by the Jesuit order, which had the mission to evangelize the indigenous population of New Spain. With the expulsion of the Company of Jesus, from all the territories colonized by Spain, the temple fell into the hands of the Augustinians.  The altarpieces, paintings and objects were distributed among several churches, which still remain principally in the Sagrario Metropolitano. The building fell into disrepair for several decades before its restoration was initiated by the Secretary of Education, Jose Vasconcelos, during the governing of Alvaro Obregon. Following the decree of autonomy in the 30’s, the building passed into the custody of the National University, and used for various purposes during this period. From 1944 to 1980, it served in the conservation of cultural wealth, technical processes and public services as part of the National Library. It currently houses the offices of the National Institute of Fine Arts.

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