The story
As you stand here at the corner of Reforma and Constitución, take a moment to look up at the towering, sun-drenched walls of the former Monastery of Santo Domingo de Guzmán. You are standing at the threshold of more than just a garden; you are at the gateway to a living museum of the human spirit and the Oaxacan landscape. For centuries, these grounds served the Dominican friars, and later, they were transformed into a rugged military barracks where soldiers and horses replaced monks and manuscripts.
But look closely at the greenery peeking over the stone. In the early 1990s, this very space was destined to become a luxury hotel and a parking lot. It was saved by the vision of one of Mexico’s greatest artists, Francisco Toledo.
He believed that the heart of the city should belong to the plants that have sustained Oaxacan culture for ten thousand years. As you begin to walk alongside these walls, imagine the diversity contained within. This is an ethnobotanical garden, which means every single plant here has a story to tell about its relationship with the people of this region.
Oaxaca is one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth, and this garden is a curated microcosm of that richness. You’ll see the sculptural, vertical lines of the organ pipe cacti and the massive, rounded forms of the Biznaga, or giant barrel cacti, some of which are hundreds of years old. Notice the agaves, the source of mezcal, which have been harvested for fiber, food, and spirit since time immemorial.
One of the most significant residents is the Guaje tree. Its seeds were a staple for the indigenous people, and it is from this tree that Oaxaca takes its name—Huāxyacac, the place of the guaje. The design of the garden itself is a masterpiece of modern art and ancient geometry, co-designed by Toledo and the artist Luis Zárate.
They used the old lime kilns and drainage canals of the monastery to create a space where water, stone, and flora harmonize. One of the most striking features is the Espejo de Agua, or water mirror, a rectangular pool that reflects the sky and the surrounding columns of the monastery, bridging the gap between the earth and the heavens. The silence inside these walls is a stark, beautiful contrast to the bustling markets and traffic just a few blocks away.
It is a place of deep time, where the ancient history of corn cultivation meets the contemporary struggle for environmental preservation. As you continue your journey through the center of Oaxaca, let the memory of these ancient cacti and the scent of wild herbs remind you that here, the land and the people are one and the same.