The United States Embassy has donated US $200,000 to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) to help restore a 16th-century monastery in Huaquechula, Puebla.

Construction of the monastery of San Martín de Tours begun in 1531 and was finished in 1580. Built by the Franciscan order, the monastery’s walls are still adorned by remnants of rich murals.

But the building was damaged in the September 19 earthquake last year.

The donation by the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation means that INAH will be able to restore a large area of “excellently crafted mural paintings with a great aesthetic, pictorial and historical importance,” said Diego Prieto, the institute’s director.

Restoring the murals began in June and is expected to be completed next year.

Established in the year 2000, the ambassador’s fund has financed the conservation of cultural sites and objects in 120 countries around the world.

Another recent contribution in Mexico was a $500,000 donation for the restoration of a Mayan archaeological site in Palenque, Chiapas.

Source: Milenio (sp)