 This monastery was one of number of large fortress-style monasteries which were built in the early 16th century in what is now northern Morelos and far western Puebla states, near the Popocatepetl volcano.These monasteries were built to evangelize and subdue the indigenous populations shortly after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.These monasteries began the evangelization effort which would spread south towards Oaxaca and Central America then later throughout the colony of New Spain.